Good Morning, Lord help me through another day

"The unchanging Name"
 by John MacDuff
Play Audio! Download MP3
Audio messages are broadcast in high quality.
 ~  ~  ~  ~  ~
Tangles which our fingers cannot unravel

(J. R. Miller, "For a Busy Day" 1895)

"Show me the way I should walk, for I have come to you in prayer." Psalm 143:8

We cannot know the way ourselves. The path across one little day seems very short, but none of us can find it ourselves. Each day is a hidden world to our eyes, as we enter it in the morning. We cannot see one step before us, as we go forth. An impenetrable veil covers the brightest day, as with night's black robes. It may have joys and prosperities for us--or it may bring to us sorrows and adversities. Our path may lead us into a garden--or the garden may be a Gethsemane. We have our plans as we go out in the morning--but we are not sure that they will be realized. The day will bring duties, responsibilities, temptations, perils, tangles which our fingers cannot unravel, intricate or obscure paths in which we cannot find the way.

What could be more fitting in the morning than the prayer, "Show me the way I should walk!" God knows all that is in the day for us. His eye sees to its close--and He can be our guide.

There is no promise given more repeatedly in the Bible, than that of divine guidance. We have it in the shepherd psalm, "He leads me in the paths of righteousness." Paths of righteousness are right paths. All God's paths are clean and holy. They are the ways of His commandments. But there is another sense in which they are right paths. They are the right ways--the best ways for us. Ofttimes they are not the ways which we would have chosen. They do not seem to be good ways. But nevertheless they are right--and lead to blessing and honor. We are always safe, therefore, in praying this prayer on the morning of any day, "Show me the way I should walk!"
 ~  ~  ~  ~  ~
I have posted J. R. Miller's superb 5 page article, "Loyalty to Christ".

Finding Christmas Through Christ by Mia Collins my sweet friend

O Holy Night
The stars are brightly shining.
This is the night
Of our dear Saviors birth!

Every time I hear "O Holy Night" my heart wells up with love and adoration for my Father, who has an unimaginable capacity to see right through to my soul. I lean on Christmas past for memories of family and friends who are now in His presence. Precious to me are my children's handmade ornaments, those that were given to me by close friends, and those inherited from my mother. I can still smell the turkey and hear faint echoes of the prayers of my Grandfather as he blessed our Christmas dinners. I remember staying up late to catch a glimpse of Santa only to fall asleep before he arrived. When I woke all the presents were under the tree and I ran through the house exclaiming, "Santa IS real! Santa IS real!" We each have our own family traditions and ways we honor the birth of our Savior. But have you ever stopped to ask where the traditions originated? I did, and thus a six day spiritual journey began.

Through the years I've heard a few people complain about the fact that Christmas was originally a pagan holiday, yet it never really bothered me. After all, we weren't honoring paganism, right? Well, the thought occurred to me that if the date was borrowed there may be other Christmas traditions borrowed in the same manner. I wondered why we decorate a tree with ornaments. Why add Santa, or St Nick, to the birthday celebration? Why do we give each other gifts when it's not ourselves we are honoring? Yes, I know, I think too much. "Why" is a very powerful question, indeed.

I began looking up the origins of various traditions. I was shocked and horrified to discover that practically ALL of our traditions have roots to pagan rituals! My heart sank as I searched page after page, site after site. I couldn't eat; I couldn't sleep. I honestly felt betrayed. I felt betrayed by the church, by my pastors, and mostly by my parents who taught me everything I know about Christmas. If I can read my bible and land on scripture after scripture that specifically warns us against adapting pagan rituals and traditions surely my teachers, in all their years of seminary and bible study, would have known this. Surely SOMEBODY has read the same scriptures as I. Jeremiah 8 and 10, 1 Corinthians 10, Micah 2, etc, etc. These are all warnings against adaptation of pagan rituals, yet the Roman Catholic Church took it upon themselves to bring pagan rituals into the church under the guise of evangelism.

So we have scripture explicitly warning against pagan rites and we have a church who has adapted them. How did we get to the point of so many modern churches celebrating the birth of the Savior the same way the pagans celebrated the rise of the Sun god, Nimrod? Enter my conviction. Read this exerpt from 1Corinthians 10, " Do I mean then that a sacrifice offered to an idol is anything, or that an idol is anything? No, but the sacrifices of pagans are offered to demons, not to God, and I do not want you to be participants with demons. You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons too; you cannot have a part in both the Lord's table and the table of demons." Pretty cut and dry, isn't it? I believe what this is saying is that your actions should be a testimony to your allegiance to God and any practices that were originally used to honor pagan gods is an abomination. I longed to tie it all together but I just couldn't find scripture to support the theory "it doesn't matter what you do as long as your heart is in the right place." How could we, the church, think something so offensive to God could ever be honoring to Him?

The first clue came from 1 Corinthians 8:8,9 where Paul wrote to the Corinthians about eating meat that had been sacrificed during idol worship. "But food does not bring us near to God; we are no worse if we do not eat, and no better if we do. Be careful, however, that the exercise of your freedom does not become a stumbling block to the weak." This helped me with the thought of the consumption of food used in a ritual, but I still couldn't connect this with the problem of actually offering up something to my Lord that was meant for idols. Again, how could the church possibly conclude that it is ok to defile this holy celebration with pagan rites? Then I noticed verse 3, "But the person who loves God is the one whom God recognizes."

When I come upon a brick wall in my faith I stop and consider all that I know, all the truths I've learned about God. I know He is Pure and Perfect. I know He loves me. I know my salvation is secure in Him. He is my Rock, my Sanctuary, and my Redeemer. I am nothing without Him, yet He cares about every aspect of my life. Suddenly, this scripture burst into my heart. Romans 8:28 "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." Did you catch that? He alone causes ALL things to come together for good, not just people in the right place at the right time but all things! He also turns everything Satan uses to plot against us into things that are helpful for us. Remember John 14:6 where Jesus said, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." So not only is Jesus the redeemer of our souls He is the redeemer of all things. Through Jesus all of the pagan traditions and rituals are sanctified and placed into the hands of believers! This is incredible news!

Through my research over the past six days I have learned a great deal about the pagan traditions that plagued Ancient Rome, the troubles early Roman Christians endured, and the Roman Catholic Church that first introduced the Christmas celebration. I must confess that there are larger questions on my heart and the whole thing about pagan traditions in our Christmas celebration was never one of them. However, this journey has caused me to understand the depth of defilement of those rituals and the astonishing defeat by the gift of God's Son. The question should have never been, "How could we think..." The question has always been, "How could God accept...." and the answer is, through His Son, the Redeemer.

So now every time I see a Christmas tree adorned with balls I will snicker a little and praise God for His victory through His Son. Every time I see a child sitting on Santa's lap I will be saddened as I remember the child sacrifices but will rejoice in the fact that even something so horrendous can be made perfect in His sight. The carolers, holly, mistletoe, cards, candles, birthday celebrations are each trophies of victory! I pray that you, too, will look at your many Christmas traditions and see all that Christ has done for you. May you laugh a little, cry a little, and smile a lot as you share your joy with those who may not know all the gifts we have been given.

Written on Friday

1987 Letter to mom BC days (old old letter)

Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir's Holiday Medley

Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir's Holiday Medley

God protects the vulnerable by Maureen

Maureen Schaffer November 24



Psalm 5:18

To judge the fatherless and the oppressed,

that the man of the earth may no more oppress.



The Lord Looks Out For the Vulnerable



The Lord’s eyes are upon those who are vulnerable and He will judge their situations. Why does He do this? He does this because He does not want those who oppress to continue taking advantage of the weak. We see news reports of those who have been victimized and our hearts are wrenched. The Lord’s heart is purer than ours and He does not sit idly by. He is judging and bringing these things to light. Those who have no authority and those who have authority that is oppressive are equally in His sight and He is not sleeping. The Lord is working and He cares for those who are being taken advantage of. Our God will execute judgment in order to stop people from oppressing others.

Mom's multiple health problems and God's grace through it all.

Mom had to go to the hospital for two procedures.  They admitted her because her HCT and HGB were too low. Mom remains in the hospital. Two units of blood infused last night. Still with IV fluids. Getting foley out today.



Still do not know why H&H keeps dropping, but with Stage 5 CRF (only one kidney that functions at a small percentage), CHF, Diabetes, Heart failure with EF 17%, Arthritic bone spurs, and history of Cervical Cancer with maximum dose radiation a person can receive in a life time-this was about a year ago) HTN, Anemia, with history of two strokes.........on 39 different medications daily.........if a couple of units of blood helps bring it on! I know God is in control. She is a miracle!

I forgot to mention the AICD (automatic implanted cardioverter defibrilator) that works as a pace maker and is set with parameters to work if she has some wierdo heart rhythm. Implanted prior to the death of Charlie. She had a heart attack last year. This device has never "fired" but I am glad she has it.

Now we are waiting for the biopsy's to come back from her bladder and colon.

I love you Lord, and I lift my voice, to worship You, oh my soul rejoice, take joy my King in what YOU hear, let it be a sweet, sweet sound, in YOUR ear.

For You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.

1 A Psalm of David When He Fled from Absalom His Son. Lord, how they have increased who trouble me! Many are they who rise up against me.


2 Many are they who say of me,

“There is no help for him in God.” Selah


3 But You, O Lord, are a shield for me,

My glory and the One who lifts up my head.

4 I cried to the Lord with my voice,

And He heard me from His holy hill. Selah

5 I lay down and slept;

I awoke, for the Lord sustained me.

6 I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people

Who have set themselves against me all around.




7 Arise, O Lord;

Save me, O my God!

For You have struck all my enemies on the cheekbone;

You have broken the teeth of the ungodly.


8 Salvation belongs to the Lord.

Your blessing is upon Your people. Selah

Psalm 4

The Safety of the Faithful

1 To the Chief Musician. With Stringed Instruments. A Psalm of David. Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness! You have relieved me in my distress; Have mercy on me, and hear my prayer.


2 How long, O you sons of men,

Will you turn my glory to shame?

How long will you love worthlessness

And seek falsehood? Selah

3 But know that the Lord has set apart for Himself him who is godly;

The Lord will hear when I call to Him.

4 Be angry, and do not sin.

Meditate within your heart on your bed, and be still. Selah

5 Offer the sacrifices of righteousness,

And put your trust in the Lord.

6 There are many who say,

“Who will show us any good?”

Lord, lift up the light of Your countenance upon us.

7 You have put gladness in my heart,

More than in the season that their grain and wine increased.


8 I will both lie down in peace, and sleep;

For You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.

Psalm 5

A Prayer for Guidance

1 To the Chief Musician. With Flutes. A Psalm of David. Give ear to my words, O Lord, Consider my meditation.

2 Give heed to the voice of my cry,

My King and my God,

For to You I will pray.


3 My voice You shall hear in the morning, O Lord;


In the morning I will direct it to You,


And I will look up.


4 For You are not a God who takes pleasure in wickedness,


Nor shall evil dwell with You.

5 The boastful shall not stand in Your sight;


You hate all workers of iniquity.

6 You shall destroy those who speak falsehood;

The Lord abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful man.


7 But as for me, I will come into Your house in the multitude of Your mercy;

In fear of You I will worship toward Your holy temple.

8 Lead me, O Lord, in Your righteousness because of my enemies;

Make Your way straight before my face.

9 For there is no faithfulness in their mouth;

Their inward part is destruction;

Their throat is an open tomb;

They flatter with their tongue.



10 Pronounce them guilty, O God!

Let them fall by their own counsels;

Cast them out in the multitude of their transgressions,

For they have rebelled against You.

11 But let all those rejoice who put their trust in You;

Let them ever shout for joy, because You defend them;

Let those also who love Your name

Be joyful in You.

12 For You, O Lord, will bless the righteous;

With favor You will surround him as with a shield.

Psalm 6

A Prayer of Faith in Time of Distress

1 To the Chief Musician. With Stringed Instruments. On An Eight-Stringed Harp. A Psalm of David. O Lord, do not rebuke me in Your anger, Nor chasten me in Your hot displeasure.
2 Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I am weak;

O Lord, heal me, for my bones are troubled.

3 My soul also is greatly troubled;


But You, O Lord—how long?

4 Return, O Lord, deliver me!

Oh, save me for Your mercies’ sake!

5 For in death there is no remembrance of You;

In the grave who will give You thanks?







6 I am weary with my groaning;


All night I make my bed swim;


I drench my couch with my tears.


7 My eye wastes away because of grief;


It grows old because of all my enemies.

8 Depart from me, all you workers of iniquity;

For the Lord has heard the voice of my weeping.

9 The Lord has heard my supplication;

The Lord will receive my prayer.

10 Let all my enemies be ashamed and greatly troubled;

Let them turn back and be ashamed suddenly.

Psalm 7

Prayer and Praise for Deliverance from Enemies

1 A Meditation Concerning the Words of Cush, a Benjamite. O Lord my God, in You I put my trust; Save me from all those who persecute me; And deliver me,

2 Lest they tear me like a lion,

Rending me in pieces, while there is none to deliver.


3 O Lord my God, if I have done this:

If there is iniquity in my hands,

4 If I have repaid evil to him who was at peace with me,

Or have plundered my enemy without cause,

5 Let the enemy pursue me and overtake me;

Yes, let him trample my life to the earth,

And lay my honor in the dust. Selah

6 Arise, O Lord, in Your anger;

Lift Yourself up because of the rage of my enemies;

Rise up for me to the judgment You have commanded!

7 So the congregation of the peoples shall surround You;

For their sakes, therefore, return on high.


8 The Lord shall judge the peoples;

Judge me, O Lord, according to my righteousness,

And according to my integrity within me.


9 Oh, let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end,

But establish the just;

For the righteous God tests the hearts and minds.

10 My defense is of God,

Who saves the upright in heart.

11 God is a just judge,

And God is angry with the wicked every day.

12 If he does not turn back,

He will sharpen His sword;

He bends His bow and makes it ready.

13 He also prepares for Himself instruments of death;

He makes His arrows into fiery shafts.

14 Behold, the wicked brings forth iniquity;

Yes, he conceives trouble and brings forth falsehood.

15 He made a pit and dug it out,

And has fallen into the ditch which he made.

16 His trouble shall return upon his own head,

And his violent dealing shall come down on his own crown.

17 I will praise the Lord according to His righteousness,

And will sing praise to the name of the Lord Most High.


Psalm 8

1 To the Chief Musician. On the Instrument of Gath. A Psalm of David. O Lord, our Lord, How excellent is Your name in all the earth, Who have set Your glory above the heavens!


2 Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants

You have ordained strength,

Because of Your enemies,

That You may silence the enemy and the avenger.


3 When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers,

The moon and the stars, which You have ordained,


4 What is man that You are mindful of him,

And the son of man that You visit him?


5 For You have made him a little lower than the angels,

And You have crowned him with glory and honor.


6 You have made him to have dominion over the works of Your hands;

You have put all things under his feet,


7 All sheep and oxen—

Even the beasts of the field,




8 The birds of the air,

And the fish of the sea

That pass through the paths of the seas.

9 O Lord, our Lord,

How excellent is Your name in all the earth!

Psalm 9

1 To the Chief Musician. To The Tune of “Death of the Son.” a Psalm of David. I will praise You, O Lord, with my whole heart; I will tell of all Your marvelous works.


2 I will be glad and rejoice in You;

I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High.

3 When my enemies turn back,

They shall fall and perish at Your presence.



4 For You have maintained my right and my cause;

You sat on the throne judging in righteousness.

5 You have rebuked the nations,

You have destroyed the wicked;

You have blotted out their name forever and ever.


6 O enemy, destructions are finished forever!

And you have destroyed cities;

Even their memory has perished.

7 But the Lord shall endure forever;

He has prepared His throne for judgment.

8 He shall judge the world in righteousness,

And He shall administer judgment for the peoples in uprightness.



9 The Lord also will be a refuge for the oppressed,


A refuge in times of trouble.

10 And those who know Your name will put their trust in You;

For You, Lord, have not forsaken those who seek You.

11 Sing praises to the Lord, who dwells in Zion!

Declare His deeds among the people.

12 When He avenges blood, He remembers them;

He does not forget the cry of the humble.


13 Have mercy on me, O Lord!

Consider my trouble from those who hate me,

You who lift me up from the gates of death,

14 That I may tell of all Your praise

In the gates of the daughter of Zion.

I will rejoice in Your salvation.

15 The nations have sunk down in the pit which they made;

In the net which they hid, their own foot is caught.

16 The Lord is known by the judgment He executes;

The wicked is snared in the work of his own hands.

Meditation.

17 The wicked shall be turned into hell,

And all the nations that forget God.

18 For the needy shall not always be forgotten;

The expectation of the poor shall not perish forever.



19 Arise, O Lord,

Do not let man prevail;

Let the nations be judged in Your sight.



20 Put them in fear, O Lord,

That the nations may know themselves to be but men. Selah





Psalm 10

A Song of Confidence in God’s Triumph Over Evil

1 Why do You stand afar off, O Lord? Why do You hide in times of trouble?





2 The wicked in his pride persecutes the poor;

Let them be caught in the plots which they have devised.





3 For the wicked boasts of his heart’s desire;

He blesses the greedy and renounces the Lord.





4 The wicked in his proud countenance does not seek God;

God is in none of his thoughts.







5 His ways are always prospering;

Your judgments are far above, out of his sight;

As for all his enemies, he sneers at them.





6 He has said in his heart, “I shall not be moved;

I shall never be in adversity.”





7 His mouth is full of cursing and deceit and oppression;

Under his tongue is trouble and iniquity.







8 He sits in the lurking places of the villages;

In the secret places he murders the innocent;

His eyes are secretly fixed on the helpless.







9 He lies in wait secretly, as a lion in his den;

He lies in wait to catch the poor;

He catches the poor when he draws him into his net.





10 So he crouches, he lies low,

That the helpless may fall by his strength.









11 He has said in his heart,

“God has forgotten;

He hides His face;

He will never see.”







12 Arise, O Lord!

O God, lift up Your hand!

Do not forget the humble.







13 Why do the wicked renounce God?

He has said in his heart,

“You will not require an account. ”









14 But You have seen, for You observe trouble and grief,

To repay it by Your hand.

The helpless commits himself to You;

You are the helper of the fatherless.


This says it all.......I thank God for my sister, my cousin/sister.  Mamie, my mother, my husband.  I have learned that bitterness keeps us sick.  We do have a Rescuer and soon.  I will wait.  I will take care of the business at hand and leave the consequences to our Lord.

Mother Grieving Loss of Child - http://mothergrievinglossofchild.blogspot.com/: Thursday’s Therapy - 5 Emotional Vampires and How to Combat Them

Mother Grieving Loss of Child - http://mothergrievinglossofchild.blogspot.com/: Thursday’s Therapy - 5 Emotional Vampires and How to Combat Them

Jesus take the Wheel?

I saw this in the Johnson City Press today.  I love it!  If there are no shananigans going on and the man did not do anything to the window-then, it is amazing how God gets our attention. You can go to the website Johnsoncitypress.com to get the full story, or click the on top of the title of this article and that will take you there. Read the article for November 6th, 2009.  Interesting.

And the common people heard Him gladly!

 Mark chapter 12                                        November 1, 2009

37 David himself calleth him Lord; and whence is he his son? And the common people heard him gladly.38 And in his teaching he said, Beware of the scribes, who desire to walk in long robes, and to have salutations in the marketplaces,39 and chief seats in the synagogues, and chief places at feasts:40 they that devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayers; these shall receive greater condemnation.41 And he sat down over against the treasury, and beheld how the multitude cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much.42 And there came a poor widow, and she cast in two mites, which make a farthing.43 And he called unto him his disciples, and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, This poor widow cast in more than all they that are casting into the treasury:44 for they all did cast in of their superfluity; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living.


I learned a lot from this teaching.  I learned that God is for the common people of which I am one.   I was 33 years old and thought that church people were hypocrites. But they seemed like they had "it all together" with  no problems always smiling, nothing ever wrong, and THEY were really good, unlike me. How could I live up to their standards? It felt like I was an out cast and I did not belong to anyone or anything.  I learned that God addressed the hypocrites of that day and He does so now as well.  I was sitting in my living room that day thinking of suicide.  I had heard Billy Graham on TV the night before. Many other things happened prior to that day that I now know was the Lord coming after me. I knew I needed something, Someone.  I called the biggest church in Memphis and made an appointment.  I thought that if you attend the biggest church that you could somehow hide your troubles sit in the back and not be bothered. As I walked in feeling like I really did not belong because of my lifestyle and all of my known sins, no, I was completely convinced that  I did not belong. 

I played church growing up,  sitting in the pews and scrapeing my name on the pews and could not wait to get out of there so that I could ride up and down on the elevators.  But this day, I was serious.  I walked into Mrs. Brands office and we started talking and it was no time until I was on the floor wailing over my sin admitting that I was a Jacob. I needed to know how to be born again. I did not really know what the term "born again" really meant.  I had heard the term all of my life but again, I thought that was for people who were perfect. It was I993. My children were 8 and 9 years old at the time. I needed to grow, and grow fast.

Life has not be easy, with two children who have spent time in prison and a divorce since then.    My children have never been the same.  But God is still on the throne.  I am am one of those common people who heard Him Gladly one day in 1993 and I still cannot get enough of The Truth, The Way, and The Life.

My prayer now is that my children will follow Jesus and admit "my name is jacob"  Read about Jacobs life sometime and you will know what I mean.  He was saved but not without a struggle.  Natural Birth is a struggle, we all know that.  The new birth is a huge struggle, but when you are really born again behavior changes just like Jacob.  He admitted that his life was unmanageable and that he needed Jesus.

  So please pray for Matt and Lindsay and Rheanan, and Roger, and Frank to make their way to the Truth and say, "My name is jacob".  That is what we all must do.  God is so merciful in holding back the waves of judgment.


Oh and by the way, Jesus does not like white washed tombs, you know those people who get big titles and stuff.  In the bible they called them the scribes and the Pharisees.  We have them today.  Don't let that discourage you from finding a church that will love you and tell you the whole council of the God.  Pray.

Oh commander of my mourning, I pray for Matthew Ray this day.

You Lord, just You!

Complicated!  that's the tune,

That makes my stomach roar,

my heart pound,

Inside. Lies, that complicate the simple,

Makes me shudder, with fear.

Wondering where the path has gone-

That path.......of simple, Truth.

Help me Lord,

Find Your path again.

It's foggy, and it's raining.

Your gift of mercy is draining.

Like when You-

walking, felt that virtue draining

pulling from You

pulling life out of  Love

she was bleeding and helpless

but she knew that You

were the One.

YOU are the One-

making paths straight-and

You are the One-

that will lead in the storm

and You are the uncomplicated One

Who opened Your arms and said,

"I am the Bread of Life"

Uncomplicated, simple Truth.

I can't fix it, but You will-

Lead cause I want You Lord

Lead cause You are The One,

Lead cause the goal is Home,

Lead cause nothing else matters,

I want to dance

before You, Lord,

In the freedom of Your love,

I want to dance.

Uncomplicated Love

Strength, never ending,

That's You and You

are my God and bigger

than any lie ever told,

and bigger than the hate in this world,

and You know our heart's cry,

so help me back

on That Path I was on,

and shine your light

on The Way

I am weary Lord and I need You,

Not a man, not a drug,

but You.

Preparing for winter

The recent "cold chilly weather" reminds me of something. The children of Israel were warned by many different and special Prophets over a long period of time, until they got carried away into captivity, for their own good by God's loving hand. Our weather will warm back up this week according to Matt Hinkin. The recent cold chilly weather is a natural warning to "prepare for winter". How many other warnings have we been given by God's loving hand through His Word and His workers to: PREPARE FOR WINTER! Just a thought for this morning.

"Bubbles"

Update on Mom: her physical functioning (heart, kidneys,) have stablized. She has to get up and work with Physical Therapy to gain her strength. The CT scan was normal no new stroke was found. Most of her confusion has been from the trauma of watching her husband die and not being able to do anything about his pain. She decompensated and just "checked out" of Hotel California, it was not such a lovely place anymore after Charlie died. She was on overload emotionally. Amazing how God made our brains. Her brain went into protective mode and she could not process the fact that Charlie had died and the trauma of watching him die. She needed to be able to process all of this and she simply could not do it so she just checked out emotionally. I am hopeful that she will get better. It will take time. She has help to process her grief and she is slowly coming around. Our brains are so intricate and her brain went into system overload. I have never seen anyone just check out emotionally before. I pray that she can walk and take care of her basic needs with little assistance. We are going to stay hopeful.

Charles Kenneth Harwood Jr., 1949-2009

Charles Kenneth Harwood Jr., 1949-2009

Posted using ShareThis

The final chapter of Charlie's Journey

This picture was taken in June when Charlie was at Hillcrest the first time. Mom was visiting him. He went home for a couple of months. Then he went back to Hillcrest to be taken care of by Hospice. This is the final chapter of Charlie's journey. Mom is a widow now. She will meet him in heaven. One day very soon. Thank you Caris and Hillcrest Nurses, we love you!
Mom at home resting. Mom was at home while Charlie was struggling to survive. We did not allow her to go back up to see him. She felt secure knowing he was taken care of. Now he is.

Mourning paper

The last time Charlie semi took care of mom.

This will be in the morning paper Maryville Times:

Charles Kenneth Harwood Jr., age 60 of Maryville, Tennessee

passed away on September 7, 2009 at Hillcrest West Nursing Home on their

Hospice Unit with his battle with cancer. He was the loving husband to

Donna J. Harwood.

Other survivors include: his stepchildren, Bill and Joanie Berry, Frank and

Suzy Kiebzak, Gwen and Tim Keyes, and James R. Elmore Jr;

Grandchildren included: Roger Williams Jr. Jennifer Brandenburg, Lindsay Ray, Rheanan Williams, Matthew Ray, Ward Berry and Sarah Berry, Allen Berry, Dustin Berry, Joseph Berry.

And his children, Faith, Karen, and Randy whom are estranged;

Great grand-children , Abby Lynn Smith, Haleigh Nicole Ray Michelle, Caleb Michael, Cameron James Michael, Ethan and Wyatt Berry, and Kiana Nicole.

Special Thanks to Caris Health-care and

Hillcrest West Nursing Home and esp: Janelle Nance, for their care, compassion, and Grace. A memorial service will be held in Smith's West Chapel at 7pm on Tuesday, September 8, 2009 with Pastor Mark Kirk of Calvary Chapel of Knoxville officiating.

In lieu of flowers please send any donations to Caris Health care , Toll-free 866-694-4988, as Caris took our dad's care serious and free of charge.
Family will receive friends from 6pm to 7pm, Tuesday, September 8, 2009. Arrangements by Smith Funeral and Cremation Service, Maryville, 865-983-1000, www.smithmortuary.com

***Very special thanks to Mia Collins (Nashville) and Pastor Rob Taylor from Calvary Chapel Brentwood when Charlie was in Vanderbilt Hospital. We Love You!!!

Anyone is welcome to come. Join in the celebration of Charlie's home going. "The first shall be last and the last shall be first"

Tribute to Charlie, "The Man and his table," written by my sister Suzy

The Man and "HIS" Table

In 1985, I was 25 yrs old, Roger my son was 3 and Rheanan my daughter was 1 1/2 yrs old. My mama met Charlie- (the man that made my mama laugh for the first time in years)at a fourth of July fireworks display in Memphis, Tennessee. He had a suitcase with a bible in it and that is all he had. He was living in a mission. His appearance was jolly and somewhat like a science professor with his big rimmed glasses and beard. I did not know at that time, all he had was a suitcase , with all he owned in it.

He baked peanut butter cookies and loved to do it. He tickled Rheanan all the time , and purchased an old toy tractor riding toy for Roger and fixed it up to look brand new. Mychildren adored him- After a few years , I found myself a little jealous (honest) of the affection my mother was so happy with and prayed to God to send me someone like him, who just liked to talk about wood , baked cookies and loved kids. Looking for that love, I attempted to reconcile with my husband who lived in Florida.

When Charlie heard of the abuse we went thru , he and mama did not hesitate , dropped everything and drove from TN to rescue us. It felt good to have, family. Family that did not condemn me for my decisions and loved me thru the pain. The kids were so happy to see them. We were 100 miles from being in TN , Charlie assured all of us we would be fine with the car headlights malfunctioning - they would go on and off and it was getting dark. He trudged on and just stuck his head out the window to see the road. We trusted him a lot that night.

Charlie could make anything with a few nails and a piece of wood. He made Matt, Lindsay, Roger and Rheanan matching kids tables so they could color, and we used them at Thanksgiving. I often wonder what he thought about while he made the things he did. We were his only family- he took us for who we were, even with all the bickering and arguing we did. One year, I don’t know where found it, but he had some of the most beautiful wood and made a giant table, a dining room table with different colors and styles of wood. It was huge! Only now, do I wonder what he must have thought about while making this table- Because , what a big family we are; There was Gwen , Tim and little Danielle that came to visit , Roger , Rheanan , Frank and I lived with them for 5 yrs , there was Jimmy that stopped off the road from his truck-driving and Joanie , David , Lindsay and Matt. I wonder if he dreamed of huge Thanksgivings and Christmas dinners around this table. Even with all the drama we all brought to the "table", Charlie did many things for us- just staying around when the tough times rolled around like all families have. I wonder if he sat at that huge table on days it was empty and thought of his mom or dad , aunts and uncles that never kept in touch with him. I wonder if our family recognized the little things he did for all of us

Now- years later- the table as I found it was full of prescriptions, receipts and half rotten bananas, magazines from a year ago , and diabetes test strips, mail and pizza flyers. The chairs were half broken and unusable and the table pushed up against the wall. The house is empty of people , with both mama and Charlie being ill. Mama has had heart issues and Charlie ...well he probably had symptoms that he did not tell her about. He just trudged on taking care of her, and she took care of him. Now, I find myself faced with death closer than ever and I am looking at this table, in an empty house. I prayed to God , about the details that lay on this table and how cluttered it looked, then God reminded me of how cluttered our families lives have gotten, of how long it had been since we sat around this table and ate together, laughed together and wondered ...how Charlie must have felt seeing the table so full, but so empty. As I stood in that kitchen , I felt all he must have felt at the way our family has just taken for granted the wonderful things that are experienced at a simple dining room table, in the full lives that we all kept. I decided to clean it off and look at the beautiful handiwork of Charlie's hands. I placed all of the things that were needed and threw out all the garbage - took a wash rag and wiped it gently. The wood was just as beautiful as if he had just made it. There were a few places where bread wrappers has stuck but I thought of all the things that I would like to have and cherish of Charlie's and this was it- the table! What big dreams I had, Thanksgiving, Christmas's and Birthdays- and I just had to cry.- There it was again, that feeling that Charlie must have had , maybe. But as well, I cried at how many details in our lives become more important to us , than our families. How right now, there is so much brokenness in us all and then I was reminded of how small my dining room - and how God's big picture is that : I am small and the things Charlie did were small , but they mean so much to God. That's when I was reminded of God's Table!!!- How big it is , and how he longs for His children to be a family. Charlie had been there when I was baptized and I knew he spoke traditional talk but wondered if he had ever sat at the table Jesus has for us. I wondered about the lost opportunities I had to show him appreciation and kindness for putting up with all of us- He loved my mother and made her happy but I asked myself- will we see each other in heaven and why had I not even looked into his heart like this before. Charlie came from hurt, pain and a very broken family himself. He must have been grateful to have all of us.

As I have had the privilege to think, meditate and pray about all these things that flood my heart and soul, as I have also had the opportunity to show my dad Charlie in these few months that his sickness has brought him to God's Table and I was privileged to witness this first hand- For months , I have prayed for God's mercy on his pain and asked for forgiveness; for not showing more mercy to this man I call my dad. And it will be in this loss that we, his family will gain. You see- Charlie was visited by many people , but God's timing is just that!- HIS... As months passed , Charlie's face of course was grimaced with physical pain and then the rest of the pain medicine but he always progressively looked gray in the face-the last 2 weeks were this way. My sister's pastor explained in an email that he shared with Charlie and pressed how hell was real. On Charlie's big dining room table, one of the things was a video recorder. Mama said I could have it , so I made careful selections of how I wanted to remember him- 2 days after the meeting with the pastor, I felt a strong urging to take the camera , call my kids and head up to the nursing home. I was able to reach my daughter and that day- we walk in and Johnny Cash gospel was playing on the CD player. As I entered the room , he recognized me and was sitting up in the bed. He looked over at my husband and said, "Hi, Frank." We were so blessed by it all, I just could not contain myself. We helped him in his chair and he asked for a pen and piece of paper. He had a begun writing a list of things he wanted from home. He had hope in his breath, eyes and I could see his face looked bright and it was if light was glowing from his face.
And today- I realized we had had the privilege to be a part of this Man and "HIS" table !
As people growing up in a world that hates, we struggle with all sorts of pain: mentally , physically and without the blessed assurance of that true Love of Jesus, we stay broken and find ways to deal with that brokenness. But today- again the Spirit has overwhelmed me with such a testimony of being broken to the point of knowing that even in the last breath, Our God wants to be our daddy- and of the tables we sit at, not one is more important than Jesus' Table. This is where we learn how to be families, sons and daughters. And to learn how to share in the milk and the meat that is eaten there.

To Charlie, there are things that I will treasure that you have made and deeds done by you , but there is no greater treasure than to see that light of Jesus in your face and heart on September 5,2009. It was the day you were born again!!!

To My Family: there are so many in this world just like this Man and "His" Table...please don’t wait too long...

Suzy Kiebzak

Charlie died at 3:05 this morning.

CHARLIES JOURNEY

message from Pastor Mark:

Hey Joanie,

I went and saw Charles today. He was not feeling well as is to be
expected, but he was alert and receptive. I talked with him for a while
and then shared the gospel again. And although he says he is fine I still
pushed the issue and even spoke of how hell is a real place. I am going
to get him a radio so he can listen to 101.1 in his room. I think it will
come in there. Just though I would give you an update. Talk soon.

Mark

The above was Pastor Marks update on Charlie. If you want to send a card to Charlie his room number has changed to room 803. They have moved him into a private room. My sister and Brother in law were there today. You can keep updated by going to my blog as well www.joanieberry.blogspot.com
Linda I did speak with Sylvia and we are supposed to meet at church in the morning. She is so sweet. Thanks! She will be a great help to mom as she grieves this loss.


It will not be long before he dies and I need as much prayer for salvation as possible. My sister noticed a marked difference today after Mark saw him by the way. I will let her tell her update on the blog. Busy taking care of business and working and taking care of mom and her dog and overseeing Lindsay is enough on my plate for now.


Mark West helped us get the lawn mower and grill over here and that was much appreciated, We still need help getting moms bed over here too.

The Joy of taking care of mom

Last night I had to take mom the ER because she had been hurting in her back. She has only one functioning kidney and many other issues so after she took her meds and it still did not stop hurting, off we went to the ER. Registration first, then triage. I took my daughter with me to pass the time and for support. We had a great time together just talking and catching up on things. We laughed and cried. Mom was nestled under her covers as she lay on the stretcher waiting for answers. Turns out it was only muscular and we went home after about 4 hours in the ER. Better safe than sorry.

So this morning her back pain is gone but she cannot use her right foot to walk. I don't know what that is about. They have already done Doppler Studies and every single thing is ruled out. Back to square one. Getting old does not have to be this bad.

Devouring People by Maureen Shaffer

Devouring People

To members of Daily Proverbs Devotional

Maureen Schaffer September 3 at 1:13pm Reply

Prov 30:14
There is a generation, whose teeth are as swords, and their jaw teeth as knives, to devour the poor from off the earth, and the needy from among men.

There are people who look at others only as a means of gain. They can see the desperate conditions some are living in and take advantage of this to make money. They want to make these people the source of their food and devour them with their plans. They may put liquor stores in depressed areas or deal drugs where lifestyles are full of pain and emptiness. They may offer prostitution jobs to the young girl alone and hungry or hire the illegal immigrant for a slave’s wages seeing their hunger and need. In an evolution based society there is nothing wrong with this sort of strategy. Darwin was clear that the fit should survive and the weak are to be taken advantage of. We should not be surprised that the generation around us may in fact be doing such things because they do not believe in the value of the individual created by and in the image of God. It will grieve us. It should grieve us. Let us pity the poor and seek to help them. Let us show the needy that Christ desires to be their Shepherd in and through the things they face. Let us never be like this generation that treats the downcast as a means for gain.

Mom's beauty day

Sometimes ya just gotta get away and do somethings for yourself. Mom did just that today. She had her nails and hair done by our most precious friend Kim at New Beginnings Hair Salon. I am going to talk her into getting a massage one of these days. Bella (mom's dog) and I went for a stroll waiting for mom. Lindsay was with us and we had a wonderful time as grandma, daughter and gran-daughter.

While we are doing this, Suzy and Frank are going to see Charlie and taking care of things on that end of our family spectrum. Bill is at work and we are going to meet him at church tonight. Mama will listen on line to the live service like she did last week. I can't wait to get to church tonight. We are waiting for the news from Suzy and Frank about Charlie. But for now, mom is relaxed and feels like a million dollars. Yay!

The Filth of Sin by Maureen Shaffer

The filth of sin

To members of Daily Proverbs Devotional

Maureen Schaffer September 1 at 1:16pm Reply

Prov 30:12
There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes,
and yet is not washed from their filthiness.

The Filth of Sin

Our heart is deceitfully wicked and we must understand our assessment of ourselves is not to be trusted. We live in a society that decides what is right by their own understanding and desires. People think they are clean but in fact are quite dirty. When we talk to such people we must realize that they are carrying around the stench of their sin and we know that it is the blood of Jesus that can wash them white as snow. The blessing of a clean conscience is something those who are yet dead in their sins do not know. The weight of guilt is something they have never been relieved of. We can tell them what Christ has done on their behalf. They can enjoy the cleansing and forgiving. When we see others we should know that regardless of whether they think they are clean, they are not. We can pray for that Hollywood star. We can write a letter to that politician or to that professor letting them know what their Maker has done for them. Don’t be surprised at how people will say that they are clean when the truth is they are in the miry clay of human sin and consequences.

Moving toward eternity on (8-28)

Mission accomplished! Charlie is at Hillcrest West (Grace Health-care just took over and changed the name to Grace). We used an ambulance service to transport him from Blount Memorial Hospital. It was very emotional and tiring. Lindsay was with Bill and I. We decided to leave mom at home after she did the paperwork this morning for his admission so she could rest. We were going to approach him about the plans to go into a Hospice setting and he just sat there with his mouth open like he did not recognize what we were saying. He did see my daughter Lindsay and recognized her as "pooh bear," the name he always called her as a child.
The picture is of Lindsay and Charlie while still at Blount Memorial Hospital, we were waiting for the ambulance to arrive.

The ambulance arrived around 3pm and off we went with Charlie and with the abrasion on his head the size of a half dollar from falling last night in the hospital.

We arrived at Grace Health Care Nursing Home. The Charis nurses had his pain pump waiting on him. Talk about planning!! Now we need to take things to his room that will remind him of home because this room, room 806 is where he will go into eternity. We would all appreciate anyone visiting him and sharing with him. Mom is feeling safe at my house and I am starting to enjoy her company and.......her dog.

I met a sweet RN in the Hospice Unit. She shared with me about her disabled son at home. As I opened the doors to the Hospice Unit in which every patient is on a six month or less time span to live....I felt I was next to heaven and hell. The point is, since Charlie is there, it will be a place to visit frequently to see what God presents to us in the journey from the nurses to the CNA's to the Charis nurses etc.. Here is the address:


Charles Harwood
c/o Hillcrest West Nursing Home
room 806
6801 Middlebrook Pike
Knoxville, TN 37909


We are going to be busy making things comfortable for Charlie, little things like taking his CD player because he loves Indian Flute Music. Mom wants to read "the love chapter" to him from the bible. I would love to take a teaching CD and let it play in his brain for about an hour per day. Visiting hours are from 8am to 9pm seven days per week. They can receive mail there. There is no phone at the bedside and we will not put one there as he will not be able to answer it.

















\

Just a little update on what is going to be happening tomorrow. I am taking my mother to Hillcrest West to sign papers for Charlies admission to their Hospice Unit. The nursing home uses Charis Hospice to take care of their Hospice patients, so it will be two admissions in the morning. Nursing Home admission will happen at 8am and Charis admission will happen at 9am. Charis nurses will be there for their part of the admission process.

Charlie remains at Blount Memorial Hospital until the admissions are complete. After that we transport Charlie from Hospital to Nursing Home. I am afraid that Bill may not be able to handle that part of it. Charlie fell last night at the hospital and has a gash on his head already. I am wondering if there is anyone that would be willing to help transport him from Maryville to Knoxville tomorrow. Bill's cell number is 356-3817 if there is anyone(a man) that wants to go for a short ride tomorrow. I will already be at he Nursing Home doing paperwork with mom.

I doubt Charlie will make it much longer as he has not eating in about two weeks.

We are desperate for your prayers.

Shield Me "Every word of God is True"

Shield Me!

Maureen Schaffer

Today at 10:44am

Prov 30:5-6

Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.

Shield Me!

What a wonderful thing to know! EVERY word of God is true! I can count on His Word through and through. He is a shield for us as we trust in him. He will go between us and anything that would want to harm us. By knowing His Word we are protected. By believing what He says we are covered. We are warned though not to add to his words. Most of us wouldn’t go around writing a new book of the bible and trying to publish it, but we may do it another way. We may read something and insert certain conditions that are not there. We may read a promise of God and impose our own opinion of whether it applies to us. His word is pure and we must be cautious to not contaminate it with our own opinions and perspectives.

Charlie's Journey home

This picture is probably the last one where Charlie was semi-taking care of my mother. I am sad today. Charlie is not talking just sleeping after having the Hospice nurse over until 4am. They are going to insert a pain pump for his pain now and it won't be long until he dies. He vomited until the early morning hours. He is miserable. Thank Jesus for His Grace and Mercy.

He really did not have many friends. One of my sister's neighbors came to their house and bought all of Charlies wood and his van. The neighbor squatted down to eye level and presented the Gospel to him. He said he knew Jesus. Now he does not talk one bit anymore, and they are trying to get him to a nursing home where he can die in peace without freaking mama out any more that she already is. PLease pray for her and Charlie.

Loving enemies

LESSON TIME!

Did you know that God's kingdom is in operation right now? It is!!!
And it is a very real kingdom. When we give our lives to Jesus, we
are part of His invisible, but very real, kingdom. The kingdom of
God goes by entirely different rules than the world. In fact, its
ways are so different that those of us who practice them make
people stop and take a second look. They know there is something
different about us.

The Bible is full of the unique principles of God's kingdom. His
ways are always higher, always wiser, and always more right than
the ways of man. His ways are usually opposite from man's ways,
backwards to man's thinking. Because of that, people often reject
God's way. It does not make sense to them because they do not
have Jesus.

Today we are going to look at one of God's rules that are very
different from the world’s rules. God gives us true love for
others.

MATTHEW 5:43
"You have heard that i t was s aid, 'You shall love your
neighbor and hate your enemy. '
"
Here Jesus is quoting a teaching of the Scribes and Pharisees.
Leviticus 19:18 told the children of Israel to “love your neighbor as
yourself.” God’s Word never said to “hate your enemy.” The
religious leaders added that part to the law. It is really the easy
thing for us to do. But Jesus has an entirely different way of
looking at things. He does not tell us that we should only love
those close to us and hate our enemies. His kingdom works in a
much different way.

Have you ever heard people say that we should only like those who
like us? Maybe others around you who do not know Jesus have
told you to only love those who love you back and to hate your
enemies. But even if the world tells us that this is how we should
be, Jesus had something very different to say.

MATTHEW 5:44
"But I s ay t o you, lov e your enemi es , bl es s thos e who
c ur s e you, do good t o thos e who hat e you, and pr ay
f or thos e who spi t eful ly us e you and per s ec ut e
you. . . "

What's this? It sounds absurd! Upside down! Backwards! What did
Jesus say? Love my enemies? But they hate me and want to hurt
me! They do all those things the rest of the verse mentions. Our
enemies curse us, wish evil and bad times on us, and even hate us.

They spitefully use us to get what they want. They have no
thought toward us other than what they can get out of us.
What did you say Jesus? Do good to those who hate me? Wow!
That does seem backwards. It would be much easier to hate them
back? You want me to pray for those that persecute and torment
me? That is a really hard one – really hard! How can I do that?
Everything in me wants to hate back, hurt back, and be spiteful
back. Everything in me, that is, without Jesus.

Man's Way/God's Way
Make a sign that says "Man's Way" on top and upside down
underneath it says "God's Way." Ask for a volunteer that can do a
handstand against the wall. Tape the sign to the child's shirt with
"Man's Way" facing up. Have the child get back on his feet so that
"God's Way" is facing up. Thank the child and have him sit back
down.

Explain to the children that even though the world tries to tell us
that "God's Way" is upside down, it is really right side up. "God's
Way" is right!

Listen to this verse: ROMANS 5:5
Now hope does not disappoint because the love of God has been
poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
It says the Holy Spirit has poured out the love of God in our hearts.
That is the secret! That is how we can love our enemies, do good to
those who use us, and pray for those who persecute us. It is
because it is not our love at all. It is God's love that He poured out
into our hearts when we ask to be filled with His Holy Spirit! God
gives us true love for others.

Pour Out Your Love
Place a cake or pie pan (heart shaped if possible) on a towel on a
table. With a pitcher of water, fill the pan to the top.
Ask for volunteers from the class to explain how this illustrates
Romans 5:5. (Water represents the Holy Spirit who is poured out
into our hearts. It is the Holy Spirit who helps us to love like
Jesus).

MATTHEW 5:45
" . . . that you may be sons of your Father in heav en;
f or He mak es Hi s sun r i s e on the ev i l and on the
good, and s ends r ain on the jus t and on the unjus t . "

This is simply saying that when we love our enemies we are being
like our Heavenly Father. The Bible tells us that at one time we
were God's enemies; we hated God. Before we had asked Jesus into
our lives to be our Savior and Master we were opposite from Him.
We were in darkness and hate, but He is love and light. But now
that we are His, we can be like Him and love like Him.

Do you know any earthly Dads that have sons that look just like
them? Sometimes they have look-alike contests for Dads and their
sons. When we belong to Jesus, we can have a "love-alike" contest!
We can be just like Him in the way He loves because we can have
His love in us. Romans 5:5 says He poured it into our hearts. When
it runs low, He will pour more in by His Holy Spirit. God gives us
true love for others, even the "hard to love" people.

Love Covers All
Ask the children to share who may be some "hard-to-love" people,
without mentioning names (i.e. the bully at school, a difficult
sibling, homeless people, people from different cultures, someone
who hurts their feelings, etc.). Write these descriptions on the
chalkboard.

After writing these down, take the eraser and, with large sweeping
motions, erase all of them. Take the chalk and write the word
"LOVE" over the erased words.
Explain to the children that God's love will cover everyone when
we ask for it. We need to never stop asking for God to fill our
hearts with His love, even if it is a hundred times a day.


MATTHEW 5:46-47

"For i f you lov e thos e who lov e you, what r eward
hav e you? Do not ev en the t ax c ol l ec t or s do the
s ame?
"And i f you gr eet your br ethr en only, what do you do
mor e than other s ? Do not ev en the t ax c ol l ec t or s do
so?

If someone were to be very kind to you, give you lots of wonderful
presents, give you bags of your favorite candy, take care of you
when you were sick, make you laugh when you feel sad, think you
are the best person in the world, and love you with all their heart,
do you think you would love them back? Yes, you probably would.
There is no great reward in that kind of love. Anyone can do that!
There is nothing special or unusual there; even evil people love
those who love them.

Which One Should I Love?
Ask for two volunteers from the class. Give one a small prize in
front of the rest of the class. Next, lightly step on the other child's
toe (make sure to do this very lightly, it is for illustration, not to
really hurt them).

Ask the class to tell you which of the children has more reason to
love you, the child with the prize or the child with the hurt toe.
Reward the child you stepped on for being a good sport by giving
him a prize as well. Explain that even though it is difficult, we need
to love those who do not treat us very nicely.

If we are acting like loving people only to those who love us, we are
no different than the world. If we, who belong to Jesus, love our
enemies, we immediately make visible, through love, God's
invisible kingdom. It is mysterious, and it is awesome. God gives
us true love for others.

It is His love flowing out of us. It is a miracle. It happens everyday,
all day, in God's kingdom. People see this love and wonder where it
comes from; it points them to Jesus. There are many people who
testify that they came to know Jesus because some Christian that
they tried to be hateful and mean to just kept on loving them. It
was God's love poured out in their hearts by the Holy Spirit. It is
an exciting way to live. His love is the only thing that can really
conquer our enemies.

ROMANS 12:19-20
Belov ed, do not av enge your s el v es , but r ather gi v e
pl ac e t o wr ath; f or i t i s wr i t t en, "Vengeanc e i s Mine,
I wi l l r epay, " s ays the Lord.
Ther ef or e " I f your enemy i s hungry, f eed him; I f he
i s thi r s t y, gi v e him a dr ink ; For in so doing you wi l l
heap c oal s of f i r e on hi s head. "

What does it say? If our enemy is hungry, starve him? If he is
thirsty, ignore him? No! God tells us to do the exact opposite. Give
your enemy food and drink--love wins! But it has to be God's love.
We cannot do it with our love. God's love is pure and exceedingly
powerful.

How do we get that love in us? First, we have to have Jesus as our
Savior. He gives us new life so we can step into God's kingdom as
God's child. Then we ask Him for His love. It is very simple. We
ask, and He pours it out in our hearts. When you feel like being
mean, or yelling back, or hurting back, you must stop and ask God
to pour His love out into your heart by His Holy Spirit. God gives
us true love for others.

MATTHEW 5:48
"Ther ef or e you shal l be per f ec t , jus t as your Father
in heav en i s per f ec t .
"
We all know we are not perfect. And we certainly are not perfect in
love. But because we are in Jesus, we wear His righteousness
(rightness) and that makes us perfect to God. He sees the rightness
and perfection of Jesus when He looks at us. We can love perfectly
too. We can even love our enemies when we ask God to pour His
love into our hearts. Love is the way of God's kingdom, and we can
have it just by asking. God gives us true love for others.

PRAYER
Lead the children in a prayer asking God to fill each heart with His
love by His Holy Spirit. If there are any children who have not yet
responded to the gospel, give them the opportunity to do so

No reason to be prideful

Calvary Kids lesson for last Wednesday. These lessons are priceless to me. They always speak to my situation. Isn't that just like God? love it!!

Clashing Values

Do a demonstration with water and vegetable oil to demonstrate
how the two do not mix, just like the world’s values can never mix
with the Lord’s values. You will need a clear glass, some water, food
coloring and some vegetable oil. Put the water and food coloring
(any color) into the glass and stir. Next pour some vegetable oil
into the glass. Stir it up. At first, it will appear that the two can
mix, just like the world may try to convince us that we can live by
it’s standards as well as God’s standards. But after a few minutes,
the oil and water will separate. They can never mix together.

After the demonstration, explain how this shows that we can never
be a Christian and do what the world tells us to do. Jesus said that
we are to be “in” the world but never “of” the world. No man can
have two masters; you will either serve Jesus or the world.
Today we will see how the things that Jesus taught us in His
Sermon on the Mount clash with what the world tries to tell us.


LESSON TIME!


What do you think about when you hear the word happiness? Are
you really happy? What does it mean to you? Many people have
different ideas about happiness. Some may think that true
happiness is found when we have no problems in life or when we
get whatever we want. But Jesus had a different idea about what true happiness is. We are going to be looking at that in today's
lesson.

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus described the traits of a person
who is “blessed.” The world looks for happiness in many different
places—in relationships, in money, in things, and in popularity.
But these things do not really bring us happiness. Real happiness is
found only in having a relationship with Jesus and following His
teachings.

The word "blessed" can also be read “happy” and refers to the
spiritual joy of those who have a relationship with Jesus. When we
become a part of God’s kingdom, through faith in Jesus, we too can
share in the blessings that Jesus is talking about (Psalm 1:1 and
Revelation 1:3). We will learn in our lesson today that real happiness is found in Jesus.

Mat thew 5:1-2 And seeing the multitudes , He went up on a mountain, and when He was seated His disciples came to Him. Then He opened His mouth and taught them, saying:

Enormous crowds were following Jesus, some to hear Him teach
and others to be healed by Him. Seeing the opportunity to teach
His disciples while the multitude could listen, Jesus made His way
up on a hillside where everyone could hear. This is such an
awesome picture of the relationship that Jesus offers.

In the Old Testament, while the people were told to keep their
distance, God came down with thunder and lightening on a
mountain and gave Moses the Law. Now Jesus went up a mountain
with a still small voice to teach the people the glory and grace of
the gospel, inviting people to draw near.

Everyone is invited to come to Jesus; His greatest desire for us is to
follow Him. Many people come to Jesus with the wrong motives,
out of curiosity or just plain selfishness (to get what they want).
Jesus wanted His disciples and others who would follow Him to
have the right motives; in order to teach us what our motives should be, He gave us the Beatitudes (blessings of a godly attitude).

With Jesus, we can experience true joy and happiness in good times and bad because of His love for us. The greatest need in our lives is Jesus; if we are going to experience real blessing, as He desires us to have, we need to remember Real happiness is found in Jesus.

Mat thew 5:3 "Blessed are the poor in spirit , for theirs is the kingdom of heaven"

The world tells us to “look out for number 1,” to be prideful and
not to let anyone tell us what to do or how to live our lives. It will
tell us the lie that pleasing ourselves is the most important thing.
This kind of a prideful attitude goes completely against what Jesus
teaches. Pride will destroy our relationship with God because it
makes us, instead of God, the center of everything. It makes us
greedy and insatiable.

Real happiness and “blessedness” is having an attitude of humility before the Lord, a humble dependence upon God to forgive us of our sins and to meet our every need in life. To be “poor in spirit” means that we see ourselves as the Lord sees us. We are completely hopeless and dead apart from Him, but with Jesus, we can do all things (Phil. 4:13). When the Holy Spirit fills us, we realize that the values of this world are only cheap substitutes for what God has to offer us. So we must give ourselves humbly to God (James 4:10). We need to humble ourselves, to place ourselves under the Lord. It is when we take ourselves off of the throne of our hearts and place Jesus in that place that we will find real happiness. Real happiness is found in Jesus.

Where Did It Come From?

On strips of paper write down several different things like "Air,"
"Cars," "Food," "Houses," "Water," "Jobs," etc. (for younger children
you could use magazine pictures for illustrations).

Have the children work together to sort them into two piles: the
things that God gives us and the things we give ourselves.

When the children are done, take the things that they have placed
in the "things we give ourselves" category and show them that even
these things come from God. (I.e. "God gives us good health and
minds to work at our jobs" or "God provides us the means to
purchase our houses, cars, etc.”). Explain that everything we have comes from the Lord; we have no reason at all to be prideful.


Matthew 5:4 "Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. "

How could those who mourn be blessed and happy? A person who
mourns is filled with sadness and sorrow over the loss of someone
they love. If we look in the Old Testament again, we see that Jesus
came to bring good news to the suffering and afflicted and to
comfort the brokenhearted and all who mourn (Isaiah 61:1-2; Luke
4:18-21).

The world tells us we should find happiness at any cost, even if
those we love will be hurt by our actions. We are told that we need
to make ourselves happy because "I am first and everyone else is
last." We all suffer for many reasons: our mistakes, or someone
else's mistakes or even injustices. God in His mercy says that we
can find comfort despite our afflictions (2 Corinthians 1:4).

We must understand that though our hardships might not go away,
we will receive strength, encouragement, and hope to deal with our
hardships. Perhaps someone we have loved very much has died,
we can find our strength in the Lord. Those who mourn can be
blessed and happy because Jesus promises to comfort them as they
look to Him for strength. If you are feeling overwhelmed, allow
God to comfort you as only He can; and you in turn can help others
who face similar hardships. Again, we see real happiness i s
found in Jesus.

Wants or Needs?
Make two small circles with masking tape next to each other on the
floor; one representing wants, the other representing needs.
Ask for a volunteer to jump into the appropriate circle depending
on whether the things you call out are "wants" or "needs." Then
call out several items giving the child enough time to jump. Call
out things like "Food," "Carpeting," "Water," "Shelter," "TVs,"
“toys,” etc.

Explain that many people spend their lives striving after the things
they want, when they should be happy with their needs being met.

Mat thew 5:5 "Blessed are the meek , for they shall inherit the earth. "

We see from the life and character of Jesus that He was a man who
was totally submissive to His heavenly Father. The meek and
gentle are those who quietly submit themselves to God, to His word
and His will (Psalm 37:5-11). Some might think that a meek person
is a weak person. But the opposite is true. You would never think
of Jesus as a “weak” person. His strength was spiritual, not
physical. And it is spiritual strength that will last.

The world tries to tell us that we should take everything into our
own hands, because we are in control. We need to have power over
others to make them do what we want. This will make us feel
proud and important. But forcing your will on others will not
make you happy. Jesus says that it is a blessing to be meek. “But all who trust in the Lord shall be given every blessing and the wicked will be destroyed,” (Psalm 37:9).

A person who is gentle and meek will not speak evil of others, nor quarrel, but he or she will be gentle and truly courteous to all (Titus 3:2). Jesus said the meek shall inherit the earth. If we want
to get ahead in life, we need to be humble and meek. This will
elevate us more in life than trying to make ourselves out to be
important (Matthew 11:27-39).

Power under Control

Take two empty aluminum soda cans.
Show the children that the cans are fragile, and if it were not for
the control of your power, the can would be crushed. Take the
other can in the other hand and crush it to demonstrate.
Explain that meekness is power under control, just like Jesus
demonstrated for us when He was here on earth.

NOTE: A fun variation of this is to show “power under control” by
stepping onto the aluminum can. Step onto the can (don’t crush
it). The can should be able to hold up under your weight. Then
using your two index fingers just tap the can on two sides. As soon
as you tap the can it will crush. There was a lot of power resting on
the can, but it was under your control until you tapped it. Be
careful with this though, we do not want anyone hurt (practice at
home first).

Mat thew 5:6 "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness , for they shall be filled. "

In the Old Testament, we see that Jesus is clothed in righteousness
(Isaiah 11:5). What is righteousness? It is having right actions,
right attitudes, and right relationships, all based on our right
standing with God. We cannot be righteous in our own strength,
but when we come to Jesus, He makes us righteous through His
perfect blood shed on the cross. When we thirst and hunger for
more of Jesus in our lives, we will be truly blessed and thoroughly
filled.

The world tells us to do whatever we want to do. It tells us that
there really are not any rules except for the ones we “feel” like
following and that right and wrong are based on what we think, not
on God’s standard--the Bible. But true happiness is found in doing
what God says is right. Following the world’s path will only lead to
pain, sadness, and death. Following God’s path leads to happiness,
blessings, and eternal life.

When Jesus forgives us and saves us, He not only makes us
righteous through the washing of His blood, but He also empowers
us to demonstrate it to others. Happy are we when we hunger and
thirst to live as Jesus did, in righteousness (John 16:5-11).

Mat thew 5:7 "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. "

Jesus wants us to be merciful to others. We can show mercy to others by loving and encouraging them instead of judging them.
Maybe you know someone who is struggling and needs
encouragement. Jesus tells us that He will show us mercy when we
are merciful to others. King David spoke of God’s mercy in Psalm
18:25 and 41:1. God’s infinite mercy is demonstrated throughout
the Bible, most perfectly seen in Jesus on the cross.

Jesus sacrificed Himself on the cross to show His mercy and great
love toward us. Our love for others should be that same kind of
love. Our love should go beyond affection to self-sacrificial service
(Ephesians 5:1-12). We are called to be like Jesus. If He showed us
such awesome mercy, should we not also show mercy to each
other?

Matthew 5:8 "Bl essed are the pure in heart , for they shall see God. "

Here we see one of the most important character traits of one who
follows Jesus. True Christianity lies in the heart, in the purity of the heart, washed clean from wickedness (Jeremiah 4:14). We must
lift up to God, not only clean hands, but a pure heart (Psalm 24:4-
5). A pure heart is undefiled from sin, without divided interests
and loyalties towards God. But how do we get a pure heart? We
allow the Lord to cleanse our heart when we come to Him.

The world would tell us that having a pure heart is not important.
Go ahead and do whatever you think is right. It is OK to do wrong
things as long as you do not get caught. This kind of attitude is
deceiving, and we need to stay far away from it. Jesus said "that
the pure in heart will see God."

The Christian life is a process of becoming more and more like
Jesus (Romans 8:29). There is a difference between committing a
sin and remaining in sin. A follower of Jesus who commits a sin
repents, confesses, and is forgiven (1 John 1:9). Someone who
remains in sin does not really care about repenting or turning from
their sin. To truly be happy in this life and have eternal life, we
need to make sure our hearts are right with God. Real happiness is found in Jesus.

Matthew 5:9 "Bl ess ed are the peacemakers , for they shall be c alled sons of God" .

Here we are told that those who make peace between others are
blessed. We should desire to be at peace with others. We should
not try to fight with others in order to get our way. This will only
lead to a life of misery and pain. We should look at how we can get
along with others. And we should desire to be peacemakers when
those around us have conflict. We can also look for ways to bring
peace between those who do not know Jesus and the Lord by
sharing the good news of Jesus Christ with them (Romans 5:1).
The world would tell us that it is OK to fight for what is yours and
to get revenge on anyone who hurts you, but this will only produce
misery and bitterness.

Peacemaking is God's way. We should carefully and prayerfully
attempt to be peacemakers. Then we will be called "sons of God."
If we love someone the way Jesus loves us, we will be willing to love
and forgive them the same way Jesus loves and forgives us
(Romans. 12:9-21). The glory of peacemaking is that it may
actually produce two winners, instead of a winner and a loser,
because you cannot lose something when you are at peace. Again, we see real happiness is found in Jesus.

Mat thew 5:10 "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousnes s ' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. "

Jesus was prophetically described in the Old Testament as the
Suffering Servant who was innocent yet suffered much on behalf
of our sins (Isaiah 52:13-15; 53:12). Jesus, in His faithfulness, was
committed to lay down His life to save us.

The world would tell us that happiness is found in a lack of
suffering or pain. But Jesus never denies that we will have pain,
suffering or persecution. What He does promise is joy in the midst
of our suffering.

We will find that there are people in this world who do not like
Jesus and what He stands for. So the same people who are against
Jesus will also be against us. As Jesus told us, do not be surprised
to find out that people do not like us because we love Jesus. If we
suffer for Jesus’ sake, we will receive the special blessing of being
able to share in His kingdom.

Mat thew 5:11-12 "Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. "Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

We can be happy at all times, even when we are being made fun of, because we have Jesus in our hearts. It is when we remember that one day we will go to heaven where there will be no more tears or pain that we can find joy even in our trials. Persecution can be good because it takes our eyes off earthly rewards and puts them on eternal rewards, and it strengthens our faith. We can find joy even in the midst of people treating us badly.
We need to remember that God's greatest prophets, such as Elijah,
Jeremiah, and Daniel, were persecuted also, but now they have
received their reward in heaven.

We learned that God's way of giving usually contradicts the
world's. If you want to follow Jesus, you must be ready to say and
do what seems strange to the world. You must be willing to give when others take, to love when others hate, and to help when others abuse. In following Jesus, you will one day receive
everything, while others who follow the world's values will end up
with nothing.

Always remember in your life that real happiness is ONLY found in following Jesus.
PRAYER
Lead the children in a prayer of commitment to follow Jesus’
teaching and not follow the values of the world. Jesus’ way will
bring happiness and life, while the world’s way will bring misery
and destruction. If there are any children who have not yet
responded to the gospel, give them opportunity to do so

Causes on Facebook | Familes/parents of the addict/alcoholic need encouragement and education to help ease the pain.

Causes on Facebook | Familes/parents of the addict/alcoholic need encouragement and education to help ease the pain.



All our hope is in YOU-

E....manuel..................

What can separate us from you?

Neither death, nor life,

Nor things present, nor things to come,

Not back pain, not sickness,

Not anything!

Thank you Jesus.

YOU are our HOPE.

51378338-F27D-0179-A3A8-C0D367500D00

1.02.28

CCKnoxville Media Library

CCKnoxville Media Library

Caris means "Grace" God has extended HIS Grace as Nyletta said.

I sent this message to a few people prior to posting it here. I wanted all who have been praying to see what God does and continues to do.


I wanted to thank everyone for praying for my step-dad and mom. They now have lots of help. Hospice services in the home for my step-dad. Someone said that God would keep on extending His Grace to my step-dad. The name of the Hospice company is called, "Caris", which as you know means grace. Makes me laugh with joy. My mom is doing better and she has another company coming into the home. It is not Hospice, it is Homehealth. The name of that company is called, "Quality Home Health Services". We have help and emotional support with the Hospice people. This is a wonderful opportunity for God to intervene in their lives. I have prayed for them for a long time to come to know the Lord. Now, I can be a daughter and not a nurse to them. Thanks again for
all the prayers!!!

My grandmother used to ask people that she did not even know (who were Christians) to pray for my grandfather before he was saved. He was an alcoholic and it looked like a lost cause to her but her faith in Jesus kept her. He was saved at at rescue mission called "Calvary Rescue Mission". He was just taking a friend there because he did not want to bring him home, to face my grandmother. They were both intoxicated. He ended up repenting that night and was saved because a man at the mission was doing what God had asked him to do. My grandfather died about 10 years later from cancer of the pancreas but he had 10 good years learning God's Word. I know God will keep on extending grace to all involved. Pray for salvation. Pray that I will not get impatient with them. Pray that I can love as Jesus loved. Pray that Jesus will show me things about myself that need to be repented of in all of this.

Love, Joanie

And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up.....JAMES 5:15a

It seems like I forget so easily when it is storming. Like the tools that God has given me to withstand the enemy, the world and myself. I studied the the lesson that we would have taught the kids last night. Jesus ALWAYS speaks to me through these lessons. He never fails. Have you ever heard the saying, "getting caught with your pants down"? God seems to say me, "are your loins girded with Truth"? When I was a little girl, my grandmother would NEVER let me walk outside without shoes. She was protecting my feet. God protects our feet if we will put on "the Gospel of Peace". We have these and more gifts readily available. All of the tools needed for life lived on Jesus terms is located in Ephesians chapter 6. The rest of His Word teaches us how to use these tools. The kids lesson was so good and I share it with you. I will be so glad when I get to go teach the kids again in six months. Here is the lesson........

MEMORY VERSE
JAMES 5:15a
And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will
raise him up.

WHAT YOU WILL NEED:
As many small prizes (pencils, erasers, stickers, etc.) as the number
of children in your class.
(Optional) props and costume pieces for a "Good Samaritan" skit.
As many sheets of blank paper as the number of children in your
class. A large paper bag with the words, "He cares for you" printed
on it.

ATTENTION GRABBER!

A Burden Too Great to Bare (boy! do I know this feeling)!!

Create an impossible task for your students to do. You could, for
example, lie on the floor, and tell your students that, one by one,
they need to lift you and carry you to the other side of the room
(this will only be impossible for younger students). Tell the class
that the students who can accomplish the task will be rewarded
with a snack (this will give some of them the incentive to try).
After giving several students the opportunity to try the task,
explain that the task is impossible. Illustrate that it is impossible to
keep the entire law of the Old Testament. It is impossible to be
perfect apart from Jesus. Tell them that the story you will study
today will illustrate this.
Have a volunteer pass out a small prize to each member of the class
for being such good sports.

LESSON TIME!
Who can tell me what Jesus did, in our lesson last week, to help the
paralyzed man? (He healed the paralyzed man who was lowered in
from the roof by his friends). Were all the people, in that house,
friends of Jesus? (No, there were also enemies of Jesus there.) This
week, we will see another time Jesus came into the ordinary and
did the extraordinary. Jesus cares about our needs.

Remember when we learned that God had been silent for 400 years,
from the time of the prophets in the Old Testament to John the
Baptist. During those 400 years, there were religious leaders who
treated the people cruelly. They added their own rules to God’s
law and told the people they had to keep all the made up rules to
be truly holy. These religious leaders, called Scribes and Pharisees,
had been watching Jesus, and they were jealous of Him.

God had been silent for 400 years; then, He chose to manifest His
work through one single man from Galilee, not through the
religious leaders. God had come to Israel as a man, Jesus. Instead
of recognizing God's work through Jesus and becoming excited
over the great and miraculous works Jesus performed, they were
jealous of Him. Let's look at where their jealousy took them.

LUKE 6:6-7
Now i t happened on another Sabbath, also, that He
entered the synagogue and taught . And a man was
there whose right hand was withered.
S o the scribes and Pharisees watched Him closely,
whether He would heal on the Sabbath, that they
mi ght f ind an accusa ion against Him.

Picture it! Jesus had a good habit of going to God's house to
worship on the Sabbath. He also taught from God's word in the
Synagogue. This particular Sabbath, there was a man there who
had a crippled, withered hand. There were also lots of other
people; it was always crowded on the Sabbath. The Scribes and
Pharisees were there too. Remember, they were jealous of Jesus.
When they saw Jesus arrive, they watched Him with malice,
jealousy, and hatred.

They were always looking for a way to get Jesus into trouble. They
wanted the people to follow them instead of Jesus. They had
noticed the man with the crippled hand, and they waited anxiously
for Jesus to see him. They knew Jesus would care deeply for the
man and desire to heal him. Jesus always notices those in need,
because Jesus cares about our needs.

What were the Pharisees hoping for? How did they wish to trap
Jesus? One of the rules of the Sabbath was that the people were not
supposed to work. God wanted the Sabbath to be a day of rest and
a time to focus on Him. To the Lord’s Day of rest and worship, the
Pharisees had added a set of rules that were impossible to keep. By
adding so many strict rules, they had defeated the purpose of the
Sabbath--to focus on God. Everyone was too distracted by trying to
follow all the rules. One of the ridiculous rules was that you could
not heal on the Sabbath; healing was too much like work.
It was with this added rule that they hoped to trap Jesus. They
wanted Him to heal the man, not because they cared about him,
but because they could say that Jesus worked on the Sabbath. He
broke the rule. They wanted to get Jesus into trouble.


London Bridge

Play the "London Bridge" game by having the children pass under
the raised arms of you and your aide, or another student, while
singing "London Bridge Is Falling Down."
Every so often, let your arms fall down around one of the students,
and sing "Take the Key and Lock Him Up."
Tell the students that you were creating a trap for each of them by
playing the game, just like the Pharisees tried to do with Jesus.


LUKE 6:8-9


But He knew their thoughts , and said to the man who
had the withered hand, "Ari s e and stand here. " And
he arose and stood.
Then J esus s aid t o them, " I wi l l ask you one thing: I s
i t l awful on the Sabbath t o do good or t o do evi l , t o
sav e l i f e or to destroy?"

Jesus did something that proved He was God. He read their minds.
He knew exactly what they wanted. He knew the Scribes and
Pharisees wanted Him to heal the man's withered arm; they wanted
to be able to accuse Him of breaking their man-made rules. But
that did not stop Jesus.

He went right to the man, and He asked the man to stand up. The
man did as Jesus asked. He must have heard about this wonderful
Jesus; he knew that Jesus cares about our needs. In spite of
feeling singled out and probably self-conscious, he stood with
Jesus. Then Jesus turned and talked to the Scribes and Pharisees.
He asked them a startling question. He did not ask if they thought
it was lawful to heal someone on the Sabbath; He asked them if it
was lawful to save life or destroy life on the Sabbath.
Those are strong opposites: save or destroy. The Pharisees did not
see ignoring this man's need of healing as destroying him. Jesus
was trying to show them that in the presence of someone who has a
great need you only have two choices; you do good to him or you
harm him. Ignoring him is doing him harm. Jesus cares about
our needs.
We often have the same decision to make--to save or to destroy. We
must do good to people. If we choose to do nothing when someone
has a need, it is the same as doing harm to him. Jesus is showing us
a greater rule than the Pharisees had; those who break the rule of
God's Sabbath are those who would leave a man in agony instead of
trying to help him. Jesus helped him because Jesus cares about
our needs.

The Good Samaritan
Ask a couple of volunteers to re-enact the story of the Good
Samaritan.
Show the children that those who passed by on the other side of
the road actually contributed to the beaten man's ailments, but the
Samaritan who chose to help him, contributed to his healing.

LUKE 6:10
And look ing around at them al l , He s aid t o the man,
"S t r et ch out your hand. " And he did so, and hi s hand
was r es t or ed as whol e as the other .

Let's take a close look at this man. He is standing as Jesus asks him
to. Everyone is staring at his withered hand…watching, waiting.
Jesus turns and gently says "Stretch our your hand." The Bible
tells us the man stretched out his hand. Wow! He did not say, "Oh
Jesus, everybody's looking at me, and anyway, you know I can't
stretch it out. It won't open. It's all crippled and curled up."
Instead, this man shows great faith and trust in Jesus. He knew
that Jesus cares about our needs.

He trusted that Jesus was able to meet his need. Jesus is able to
heal. This man with the withered hand obeyed in faith. He
stretched out his hand, which normally would not stretch or move
at all, and it was made well! It was as perfect as his other good
hand. That is faith. When Jesus asks us to do something, even if it
seems impossible, we need to obey Him, trusting He will give us the
strength we need. David understood that he could do anything as
long as God was on his side when he wrote Psalm 18:29. “For by
You I can run against a troop, by my God I can leap over a wall.”

With Christ, we can do all things, even when it seems impossible
(Phil. 4:13). Wow! I bet everybody in the whole synagogue was
rejoicing and excited! Let's see:

LUKE 6:11
But they were f i l led with rage, and discussed with
one another what they might do to Jesus .

What? A man gets healed perfectly, right there in front of them,
and they are enraged? That means they were so mad that they
could barely see straight! These men were so filled up with
thinking about themselves; they did not care about the man or his
withered hand. They did not care about the crowd watching. They
did not care that Jesus was doing miracles. They just cared that
Jesus was attracting more people to Himself than they were. They
knew that Jesus cares about our needs.

Instead of being happy about the fact that Jesus does care, they
were mad and jealous. It did not make sense. It was illogical. Jesus
is always logical. He is tender and compassionate and loving. He
always does good when there is a need. He never ignores our
needs. He comes and says, "Stretch forth your need towards Me,
and let Me touch it and heal it." We can be like the man with the
crippled hand and, by faith, stretch our need to Jesus for Him to
touch and heal, knowing that Jesus cares about our needs.
What kind of needs do we have for Jesus to touch and heal? It may
not be a crippled hand, or perhaps it is being afraid of the dark or
something else that cripples us with fear. Maybe we feel like we do
not know how to make friends, and we are crippled with shyness.
Maybe we fight with our brothers and sisters, and we are crippled
with anger. Maybe we struggle with obeying our parents, and we
feel crippled by the lack of self-control.

Jesus tells us that we can stretch out that thing, whatever it is, and
trust Him to help us and heal us. He will, because Jesus cares
about our needs. No matter how big or small, how noticeable or
hidden it is, He sees, and He cares. He is simply waiting for us to
stretch out our withered hands so He can help us. He will not let
any enemy or crowd stop Him from working His love and power in
our lives. Nothing can stop Jesus from doing His work when we, by
faith, receive His help and stand with Him. Remember Jesus cares
about our needs.

1 Peter 5:6-7 tells us, "Therefore humble yourselves under the
mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all
your care upon Him, for He cares for you."

I Cast All My Cares Upon You...
On a piece of paper, have the children write an area of their lives
they need to "cast upon Him." Have the younger children draw a
picture that represents this area of their lives. Do not have the
children sign the sheets of paper so as to encourage confidentiality.
Pass a big paper Bag with the words "He cares for you" printed on it.
Have the children put their "cares" in the bag.

PRAYER
Lead the children in a prayer, requesting that the Lord heal the
things in our lives that we stretch out to Him and thanking Him
that we can cast all of our cares upon Him. If there are children
who have not yet responded to the Gospel, give them the
opportunity to do so.

Lord, I too stretch out the needs that my family has this morning.

Genesis 1:30 ASV - YouVersion.com: Online Bible

Genesis 1:30 ASV - YouVersion.com: Online Bible

Mark chapter 2 "Arise take up your bed and walk, your sins are forgiven"

Keep asking, keep knocking, keep praying. This is the lesson that I would have taught last Wednesday night. These lessons ALWAYS speak to our situation. We say we "love Jesus", but HE LOVES US MORE!!!!

MEMORY VERSE
MARK 2:12a
“And immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went out
in the presence of them all, so that all were amazed and
glorified God,”

ATTENTION GRABBER!
"Not Even Near the Door"
Have the children stand together and form a barrier between you
and another child volunteer. Tell them they can join hands or lock
arms, but they cannot touch the child volunteer.
Encourage your child volunteer to try to wedge his way into and
through the crowd of students to get to the other side of the barrier
(be sure to supervise this activity carefully to avoid any potential
roughness). Set a time limit so several children will get a chance to
try.
If a child is successful, reward him with the privilege of passing out
stickers or a small prize to the rest of the class for participating.

LESSON TIME!
Today we will look at a man who had some pretty good friends. Do
any of you have friends? What do you like most or appreciate most
in those friends? We will meet a man today who came to
appreciate his friends very deeply. He was in a tough spot, but
they were determined to help him out. Let's read about what they
did for him. We walk by faith, not by sight.

MARK 2:1
And again He ent er ed Capernaum af t er some days ,
and i t was heard that He was in the hous e.
Jesus had left the city of Capernaum because the crowds around
Him had grown too large to properly control. Mark 1:45 tells us
that Jesus was thronged by people so that He "could no longer
openly enter the city, but was outside in deserted places." He then
came back to the city and went to a friend's home. It was probably
Peter's house. The people heard He was back in town and they
longed to hear Him teach.

MARK 2:2
Immediately many gathered together , so that ther e
was no longer room t o r ec ei v e them, not ev en near
the door . And He pr eached the word t o them.
They did not wait to eat lunch, finish the laundry, or bathe the dog;
they immediately gathered together at the house where Jesus was.
Jesus draws people to Himself through His truth and love. When
we have Jesus in our lives and ask Him to fill us with His Spirit, He
will draw people to Himself through our lives. Can you think of
someone who you feel drawn to? Someone you love to be around?
You always want to be near them. It could be that it is Jesus in
them that you long to be near.

Magnetic Personalities
Bring a magnet and a plate with paper clips to class.
Draw the magnet closely over the paper clips so that they cling to
the magnet. Allow some of the children to try this also.
Illustrate that the love of Christ is like this magnetic force. When it
passes over a life, that life is drawn to Christ.
So many people came to the house to see Jesus that they did not all
fit inside. There was so much crowding outside that people could
not even get in the door. Jesus was in there preaching the Word of
God. The Word of God is the most exciting book, the Bible. It is
alive and active.

HEBREWS 4:12
For the word of God i s l i v ing and power ful , and
sharper than any two-edged sword, pi er c ing ev en t o
the di v i s ion of soul and spi r i t , and of j oint s and
mar row, and i s a di s c erner of the thought s and
int ent s of the hear t .
Jesus was preaching this glorious living Word that sees right into
our hearts, sees our need, and answers that need with His power.

MARK 2:3-4
Then they c ame t o Him, br inging a par alyt i c who was
c ar r i ed by f our men.
And when they c ould not c ome near Him bec aus e of
the c rowd, they unc ov er ed the roof wher e He was . S o
when they had brok en through, they l et down the
bed on whi ch the par alyt i c was lying.
Picture this: four friends come carrying a stretcher, one man at
each corner. They cannot even get in the front door, let alone
anywhere near Jesus. They had one goal in mind...get their friend
to Jesus. If they could just get their friend to Jesus, they knew that
everything would be OK. They knew that Jesus was the only one
who could help him. Not doctors or books or medicine or exercise
or wishes or trying hard or anything else could heal him; only
Jesus could help their friend. They were desperate for Jesus' help,
and they were determined to get it.
These friends must have had great faith in Jesus. They believed in
His love and willingness to help. They had heard about Him and
His message. Everything may have looked impossible and
impassable, but they did not pay attention to how things looked;
they knew that they must walk by faith. We walk by faith, not
by sight. They did not get discouraged, and they did not give up.
They had absolute confidence, complete faith in Jesus. We walk
by faith, not by sight.
How can we be good friends to others? By bringing them to Jesus.
When we know someone who is going through a hard time, we can
tell them about Jesus’ love and His power to help them. We can
pray with them and point them to Jesus. We walk by faith, not
by sight.
Look at the man in our Bible reading. He is a paralytic. That means
he could not move his arms or legs. He could not walk or sit, feed
himself or brush his own hair. He could not swim or play the
piano, dance or climb or swing; all he could do was lay still. He was
completely unable to help himself. He could not get to Jesus on his
own. But he did have one very important thing going for him. He
had determined friends who were walking by faith. We walk by
faith, not by sight.
On his own, he was in a hopeless condition, absolutely helpless. He
needed Jesus desperately. He wanted to get to Jesus. So the four
friends and the one paralyzed man found a way. And what a way it
was! They climbed up on the roof of the house and tore a big hole
through it.
Everyone in the house must have wondered what was happening,
as bits of debris and dust came down and the sun slowly began to
shine through the ceiling. Everything probably stopped, and the
four friends let down the bed their friend laid on right in front of
Jesus. Wow! The moment had come! Their friend was now face-toface
with Jesus, the Savior, the Healer, the Great One who changes
lives. What would Jesus do?
"He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother"
Bring a stretcher (a blanket or a large beach blanket) to class.
Ask for a volunteer to lie down on the stretcher, and allow a
number of the children in the class to have a turn carrying the
volunteer around.
Keep the rides brief, and give many children an opportunity to ride
as possible. Make certain you have enough carriers to hold the
child being carried without dropping him or her.
MARK 2:5
When J esus s aw thei r f ai th, He s aid t o the par alyt i c ,
"S on, your s ins ar e f or gi v en you. "
What an interesting verse. Jesus is so remarkable. Jesus saw the
man lowered down slowly in front of His eyes. What did He see? He
saw much more than anyone else did or you or I could have. He
looked right through the man’s crippled body and into his heart.
He also looked up and saw the man’s four friends and their hearts.
Jesus saw something in all five of their hearts that pleased Him and
still pleases Him when He sees it in our hearts. Verse 5 tells us that
He "saw their faith." When He saw they had absolute confidence in
Him, it pleased Him. They trusted Him just because of who He was,
and they brought their need to Him. They did not come with gifts
or money or promises, they just came with their need and trusted
Jesus would take care of it. How we need to bring our needs to
Jesus! We walk by faith, not by sight.
The first thing that Jesus said to the man may not have been what
he or his friends wanted to hear, but Jesus knew the man had a
greater need than just being able to move his body. It is the great
need of all of our lives; we need to have our sins forgiven. Our sins
make us utterly helpless and spiritually paralyzed. Jesus saw the
man's faith in Him and forgave him his sin. Jesus took care of the
greatest need first--sin.
Worse than being paralyzed, sin is death. Jesus chose to heal the
man's soul before healing his body. Sure, his body was paralyzed
but that was not as awful as his soul being dead in sin. Jesus always
knows where to start. We may want Him to fix something we are
desperate about, but first He fixes our sin situation so we can be
made alive in Him. Then He begins to fix other areas.
Only God can forgive sin. Jesus was able to forgive this man’s sin
because Jesus is God. He knows the best place to start His work in
our lives. He is pleased when we put our faith in Him and honors
that faith with His forgiveness.
Share a Personal Experience
Tell the children about a time in your life, or the life of someone
you know, that the Lord answered your prayer in an unexpected
way. Perhaps you were seeking him for something, and He led you
in a direction completely different than you expected. Explain to
the children how God was faithful in that situation.
Allow one or two of the children to express similar experiences.

MARK 2:6-9
And some of the s c r ibes wer e s i t t ing ther e and
r easoning in thei r hear t s ,
"Why does thi s Man speak bl asphemi es l i k e thi s ? Who
c an f or gi v e s ins but God alone?"
But immedi at ely, when J esus per c ei v ed in Hi s spi r i t
that they r easoned thus wi thin thems el v es , He s aid
t o them, "Why do you r eason about thes e things in
your hear t s ?
"Whi ch i s eas i er , t o s ay t o the par alyt i c , 'Your s ins
ar e f or gi v en you, ' or t o s ay, 'Ar i s e, t ak e up your bed
and wal k ' ?
Not only were there people in the house who loved Jesus and
desired to be taught by Him, but there were also enemies of Jesus
in the room. Jesus' enemies never take Him by surprise. He knows
who they are, where they are, what they think, and what scheme
they may have to try to harm Him. Enemies do not fluster Jesus.
He knew exactly what these scribes were thinking.
They must have been shocked when He said, "Why do you reason
about these things in your hearts?" They had not said a word, but
He knew what they were thinking and asked them about it. Only
God could do that! You would think they would realize that, but
the very thing that should have been obvious was the thing that
made them mad! In forgiving the man's sins, Jesus was
communicating that He is God. Then He let them know that the
invisible miracle of forgiven sin is greater that the visible miracle
of a healed body. To demonstrate that He had the power to forgive
sins, He showed them that He has the power to heal.

MARK 2:10-12
"But that you may know that the S on of Man has
power on ear th t o f or gi v e s ins " ; He s aid t o the
par alyt i c ,
" I s ay t o you, ar i s e, t ak e up your bed, and go t o your
hous e. "
Immedi at ely he aros e, t ook up the bed, and went out
in the pr es enc e of them al l , so that al l wer e amaz ed
and glor i f i ed God, s aying, "We nev er s aw anything
l i k e thi s !"
Jesus starts His command to the paralyzed man with four very
important words. He said, "I say to you..." The key to all of this was
that Jesus said it. Only Jesus is able to heal, and we receive His
healing when We walk by faith, not by sight. The man
immediately got up. He did not stop and stammer and make
excuses, saying, "But, Jesus, how can I get up, I'm paralyzed?"
Instead he walked by faith. It was his complete trust in Jesus that
allowed him to obey without questioning! We walk by faith, not
by sight.

The "Simon Says" Game
Have the class stand up and play a round of "Simon Says."
When the children respond to a command that begins with the
phrase "Simon Says," they remain in the game. If they respond to a
command without the command "Simon Says," they are
eliminated and must sit down.
When the game is over, explain to the class that we need to respond
to the Lord's commands with instant obedience. Even though we
do not always understand why Jesus tells us to do certain things,
when we obey, we show our faith in Him.
As we obey and trust Jesus, we will see Him working in our lives.
Just like the paralyzed man was in desperate need of help, we are
all sinners, in desperate need of Jesus to forgive our sins and give
us strength to live for Him. He is the answer to all of our questions
and the solution to all of our problems. He is the God of the
universe and worthy of all our trust. Let us trust Him with all our
hearts as we walk by faith, not by sight.

PRAYER
Lead the children in a prayer of commitment to walk by faith, not
by sight. If there are any children who have not yet responded to
the gospel, give them opportunity to do so

Joseph, Mama, Charlie, Nana, Lindsay......Pray pray pray!

Ok here is our story today. Everyday it changes. Two weeks ago Joe was in a car wreck and had to have surgery. Bill drove there for the surgery. He had to have a rod placed in his leg. He can walk now and has just gotten his staples out. Yay!!

Next we have Charlie my step-dad who is not doing so well at home on pain patches and pills for pain. His tumor is growing fast. He is in pain. No insurance and unless Hospice would take on a charity case, he will not receive Hospice services at home.

Next we have my mother. She had an ICD placed in her chest two days ago. Then she noticed that she could not walk on her right leg. Bill took her to he ER to have it X-Ray and they are saying it is due to her Osteoporosis. She has on functioning kidney, and the functioning kidney only functions at 12%. She has had a heart attack and the ejection fraction is 16%. She has diabetes and has just been treated for cervical cancer and released after going to recieve radiation treatments for a few months. She has to take lots of medicines. She is a medicare patient so she is able to recieve home care.

Now for my mother in law "Nana". We just found out tonight that she will be having carotid endarterectomy early in the morning so Bill took off work to be with her prior to surgery in the morning as she will be in ICU after the surgery. Nana is Bill's mom on the right.
Then we have Lindsay coming home soon. Yay because we need her help right about now and she needs ours. The pictures at the bottom are of Charlie and mom when they were both in the hospital. It is sooooo sad. Please pray for our family.
Charlie mama

Sick Love

I am feeling helpless. My mom seems to get worse and worse as she attempts to take care of Charlie who has intractable pain. I have had to stop teaching the kids for a while. Bill and I both work full time jobs and we really are at a loss as to what to do at this point. It is unrealistic to think that mom will be able to function as she has in the past. Charlie is in pain and she cannot continue to take care of him and herself at the same time. Lord help. I have a grandchild that I need to spend time with. I have a daughter who needs us as she makes good choices while living with us. Charlie has no insurance so his pain medicine has to be bought with our help. Mama and Charlie have two grown grandchildren who continue to make bad choices and have drained them of resources in the recent past. This is a picture of a dysfunctional family and it is a gift that keeps on giving unless someone stops the cycle. The kind of love that is being used here in this family is a sick kind of love that is really not love at all. Do you love someone when you take from them when they are sick? What if you have been a contributing factor in that persons sickness? I know cutting off relationships is hard. But sometimes it has to happen. When we do this, it can be healthy for all involved. As long as we make excuses for the people who use and abuse us, we will continue to live a miserable life and sometimes we die. If these grandchildren really loved their grandparents, then they would be helping them and not hurting them. Sick, love.

My mother has a "stress fracture" in her right foot. Stress fractures can produce much pain. It is also indicative of something else. I think she is trying to do too much.

"Come Away With Me"

This is a sweet letter from my husband.

Hey

Just wanted to write you a line. I went to the store and got a few things. Some hershey's for you and peaches next to the bananas. Hope you had a good shift. I'll see you soon in the morning. I can't wait until Tues when you will "come away with me".

I love you

bill

Livestream - The Active Word

Livestream - The Active Word

Shared via AddThis

Fishers of men kids class

The fishing was great!! We went fishing for fish and then fishing for men. Bill made a fishing pole with a magnet at the end and we put the memory verse on construction papered fish with paper clips beside the fishes mouth. I put a picture of Bill in the mix. All the kids got a turn being Jesus and got to put on a white gown and say the memory verse: "And He said the them, Follow me and I will make you fishers of men. " :) So they had nets in their hands and a load of fish and they had to put every thing down and follow Jesus. Jesus walked toward the door and they followed......It was a funny thing, I had to tell them to put everything in their hands down before they followed Him. I had to remind them each time. Each new set of kids who played the fishermen had to be reminded to, "lay it all down" before they followed Jesus. That was my lesson for the night.

Trust God and Knowing myself

John chapter 2 verses 23-25 are my favorite verses because it tells me that Jesus knew all men with their motives and what they were about. (He KNOWS WHAT IS IN MAN) Only God can do that....hey wait a minute, He was God!! That is why we trust Him, because He knows and controls the future. He also knows what is in all men. If we look to him the Author and Finisher of our faith, he will show us everything we need...........

................and everything we don't need. He knows all men, their hearts and motives. That must mean he knows mine too!! I can hide my emotions from some but not my God. With all the materials related to therapy and drug rehab these days I cannot help but think that Jesus would have been diagnosed with some kind of "trust issue" because he did not entrust Himself to any man. Verse 23 says this: Now when he was in Jerusalem at the passover, in the feast day, many believed in his name, when they saw the miracles which he did. Verse 24 says: But Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because he knew all men,
25)And needed not that any should testify of man: for he knew what was in man." Maybe the mental health specialists would have attempted to diagnose Jesus with a "commitment disorder". Yeah, right....I think not.

........for HE knew what was in man.

This verse alone tells me that the Bible, fellowship and prayer is all that we need to heal. Not just knowing the verses but getting to know Him as God the Son. And having a personal relationship with Him. Jesus has taught me to Trust Him no matter what man does or does not do. When I could not see one foot in front of my face He was there walking in front of me. The Bible also says: "God's Word is Truth, and every man a liar". The more I get into His Word, the more I see myself as wretched, and bankrupt....the more I rely on Him because there is nothing and no one else to lean on. Obedience is the key. When I learn something new I adjust my life accordingly. It feels strange at first. I never knew how or Who to submit to. Still learning......:)I know Him and He knows me. He has lots more to teach me. Rebellion is hard to break but nothing is impossible with Him. I rebelled growing up because I had been hurt by people who were supposed to protect me as a child and young teen. Love really can conquer all. It is true! God's Word is Truth. So I have learned to obey His Word.

When Jesus performed His first miracle, Mary (His mother) looked over at the disciples and said, "whatever He say's to do, do it". I have to "just do it" too.

Psalm 51:4 Against You, You only, I have sinned And done what is evil in Your sight, So that You are justified when You speak And blameless when You judge.

Psalm 116:11 I said in my alarm, "All men are liars."

Luke 20:16 "He will come and destroy these vine-growers and will give the vineyard to others." When they heard it, they said, "May it never be!"

Romans 3:6 May it never be! For otherwise, how will God judge the world?

Romans 3:7 But if through my lie the truth of God abounded to His glory, why am I also still being judged as a sinner?

Romans 3:31 Do we then nullify the Law through faith? May it never be! On the contrary, we establish the Law. (NASB ©1995)

Chains

Lindsay will be paroled soon and coming to live with Bill and I for a while. Please pray that she has learned to follow rules. Her chains were a blessing when I saw them at her parole hearing. (I hope that does not sound weird to you)I am taking six months off from teaching the kids class to be with Lindsay in service on Wednesday nights.

Matthew remains in prison with out date in December. He will be living with his dad. It is still up in the air about his physical condition. He seems to be doing fine but we know there will be another heart surgery in the future. Pray for his dad to be saved.

Joseph (Bill's youngest son) 17 years old just got out of hospital. Broke his left leg. Rod placed in leg. Doing well at home now. Joe lives in Kentucky so we should be driving there to see him on a vacation real soon. If I am not able to go, I will encourage Bill to go see Joe soon. He needs his dad more than ever as he approaches the end of his high school years.

Don't Protect The Guilty

Don’t Protect the Guilty

To members of Daily Proverbs Devotional

Maureen Schaffer

June 25 at 3:57am

Reply

Proverbs 28:17
A man that doeth violence to the blood of any person shall flee to the pit;
let no man stay him.


The Lord is warning us not to hide and protect the guilty. They may sense the need to run from judgment but we are not to assist them in this. Everyone that does right comes to the light. Some people don’t want to come to the light because their deeds are evil and they don’t want these things exposed. We don’t uncover the sins of others as they seek forgiveness and choose to walk in newness of life but if someone has done something and is running from its consequences, we should not be privy to such a course. Guilt has been given by God and it is an appropriate response for sin. It drives the sinner to seek cleansing. Let us not get in the way of the work of the Holy Spirit in someone’s life. The Lord loves them and will use their shame and fear to draw them to His side – the side that poured out the last of His sinless blood that can cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Everyone should make plans for their journey

On June 13th last Saturday, Bill and I had a special lady at our house. Her name is Sandy and she works for Smith's Funeral Home. She assists families in making arrangements before they die. She helps people of all ages do this. This reminds me of Christmas. We know that Christmas comes every year. People seem to forget until Christmas is at the back door and they have not done any Christmas shopping. We know it is coming. We know that death is coming. I want to be ready. I want to be ready in many ways. First, I want to make sure that my family can bury my body with no stress. All the funeral arrangements being made before hand. I am already gone to be with Jesus. My Journey is complete. It is my body that needs to have a plan. And my family will not have to go through the stress of doing all of this. Sandy was so helpful. She showed us pictures of caskets and we considered cremation. There is a cremation casket that is very inexpensive and we can use that for the funeral. She even assisted with the details such as the music, the special friends that we would like to invite. Charlie has his favorite music and pictures so does mom. Mom has given me a list of special friends and I share them here:


Molly Studenroth

Suzanne and Ric Perez COUSIN, DAUGHTER OF
AUNT WEEZIE


Terry and Kay Sorrels COUSIN, SON OF UNCLE
DELMA


Aunt Marie CHARLIES AUNT
Marie Krause

Esther Wallech on line friend for many years

Janet von Plato niece

Mary Clark
England

Dr. Shalaby
Maryville, Tennessee

Kim Wright who does mine and Mom's hair. She came to the hospital when mom was at Blount Memorial and did her hair and manicure both feet and hands.....how sweet and kind.....we love you Kim!!! we always will.


Calvary Chapel Brentwood Huge blessing!!! while Charlie had his surgery they helped mom and nan stay in a motel and even gave them some food!!

Mia Myrick Collins
Nashville, Tennessee Visited and prayed with and for Nan, Mom and Charlie

Pastor Mark Kirk and our prayer team at Calvary Chapel Knoxville - my Pastor visited and prayed with Mom and Charlie when they were both in the hospital recently in Maryville

"Hide From the Wicked"

Written by Maureen Shaffer at Calvary Chapel Whittier, California

This devotion was sent to me this morning so I am sharing it on my Blog.......

Hide From the Wicked

To members of Daily Proverbs Devotional

Maureen Schaffer

Today at 12:28pm

Reply

Prov 28:12
When righteous men do rejoice, there is great glory:
but when the wicked rise, a man is hidden.


Oh that the authority over us would be righteous and not wicked. When we have righteous people over us things are so wonderful. We sense the safety and covering of those who seek the Lord and rule according to His ways. We are not afraid of their moods and changes. We know they are seeking to please the Lord and honor Him. When the wicked rise to power we almost brace ourselves for the unexpected. There is self-centered decision making and favoritism. There are double standards to be expected and most likely deception and bad examples to be dealt with. Lord, we pray we could be righteous in our places of authority you have given us and we pray that you will protect us from having the wicked rise to power over us.

Spiritual Warfare and a busy week

On Tuesday Mom had her heart scan. Bill and I had fun with Mom. She is so sweet. We made plans to have a movie night next Tuesday night at my house. She and Charlie will come over and we will make popcorn and watch good movies. Charlie and Bill are making fishing plans for next week too. Mom is wanting to go fishing too. I will out fish all of them. YaY! We we went to Sonic and then took mom home and I went to work.

I went to work at 2pm on Tuesday. We were short staffed and I had become short tempered. I know that it is OK to become angry, but Jesus says if you get angry don't sin. Well, I sinned. I was ugly to a coworker. It takes a lot for me to get ugly with someone. This is another charactor issue that I am working on. Some people just don't need to work together because their personalities clash for one reason or another. The same things happen everywhere we go. It happens in church. I think people get the idea that if you are a "church goer" that we are "holier than thou". That is so not true. In my church, that I truly love, we are all growing, and learning and working on ourselves. We never attain perfection. I repeat, we Never attain perfection until that great getting up morning when we will have our new bodies. I really blew it though. But when we blow it, God is right there having me look at myself once again after having asked for forgivness. Most Calvary Pastors came from the kind of life that I came from. We are just beggars teaching other beggars where to get BREAD. I was living in the world serving the enemy for too many years. I know what the world has to offer and I don't want what the world has to offer. Been there done that will never go back. But sometimes, our flesh gets in the way at various times during our walk and we sin. That is when we run to HIM and ask for forgiveness. The enemy is very cunning and knows our weaknesses. One thing about the Christian life is......until that great getting up day, we will be in spiritual warfare. My armour needs to be on at all times. Anyway, I drove home that night and my sweet husband had worked on a video for me. I made a glass of tea and we talked about my shift. Then, he asked me to "come away with him" into the living room because he had made a special video just for "my bride". Here is what he made....try not to cry!It was just what I needed for having a night at work like that, and again God is merciful to us even when we don't deserve it.



Today was another busy Wednesday. Bill and I got Abby early this morning and took her to see her mommy. Then we came home and cooked pancakes and eggs. And played, and played and played.

Charlie (my step-dad) had an appointment with his Oncologist at 10:30am and Bill met mom and Charlie there. Mom and Charlie needed help with getting the wheel chair out of their van for mom. Charlie told his doctor that he is feeling good enough to go to work. His doctor told him that he could not let him go back to work because he has to take pain medication.







Charlie worked for a courier service and he drove long distances. The doctor looked at the CT Scan and told Charlie that he could not visualize his tumor but that he knows it is there. The outcome of the visit this morning is that Charlie will wait for chemotherapy for another 4 to 6 weeks. Mom mentioned to the doctor about Charlie getting disability. The doctor gave his opinion about disability. The doctor said that disability was for people who have the time to sit and wait for it (it usually takes around 2 years to get disability). The doctor said that people who really need it die waiting.....So, we will continue to trust God.

Then Bill come home after being with Mom and Charlie. We cooked pancakes and eggs for Bill because he did not have time to eat before going to the doctor with Charlie and Mom. In the picture where Bill is eating, Abby is saying,"come on lets go outside Papaw Bill". Papaw Bill said, "when I get finished eating then we will go outside and play. Abby said, "OK Papaw Bill". And play we did. We played outside for 20min them we took a two and a half hour nap. The we got our things ready and left early for church and we ate at Hardy's before church. We got there a little early to organize our class. Then I took Abby to her class with Mr. and Mrs. T. She loves her class. She is so well behaved and they love her! We sent Tic Toc with her other Nana so Abby could listen to it with her daddy. I miss Abby already! She is the sweetest girl!



Her mommy should be getting out soon. She looks good and has a plan for her life. Matthew called me to say that he has an abscessed tooth. That is scary to me because of his heart valve. Lord, I pray right now while I am writing this that You would protect him for any further infection. I pray that You get him to where he will have to trust You and You only.

The on-going Love DARE for the Berry's

Love Dare - Day 40

Write out a renewal of your vows and place them in your home.
Ruth 1:16

Date: 2/13/2009

---

Love Dare - Day 39

Spend time in personal prayer, then write a letter of commitment and resolve to your spouse. Leave it in a place where you mate will find it.
I Corinthians 13:8

Date: 2/12/2009

---

Love Dare - Day 38

Ask yourself what your spouse would want if it was obtainable, then map out a plan for meeting some (if not all) of their desires.
Psalm 37:4

Date: 2/11/2009

---

Love Dare - Day 37

Ask your spouse if you can begin praying together.
Matthew 18:19

Date: 2/10/2009

---

Love Dare - Day 36

Commit to reading the bible every day. If your spouse is open to it, see if they will commit to reading with you.
Psalm 119:105

Date: 2/9/2009

---

Love Dare - Day 35

Find a Christian marriage mentor. Ask God to direct your decisions and discernment.
Proverbs 15:22

Date: 2/8/2009

---

Love Dare - Day 34

Verbally commend your spouse about a recent time when they demonstrated Christian character in a noticeable way.
I Corinthians 13:6

Date: 2/7/2009

---

Love Dare - Day 33

Tell your spouse that you desire to include them in your upcoming decisions, and that you need their perspective and counsel.
Ecclesiastes 4:11

Date: 2/6/2009

---

Love Dare - Day 32

If at all possible, try to initiate sex with your spouse today (in a way that honors them).
I Corinthians 7:3

Date: 2/5/2009

---

Love Dare - Day 31

Commit to God and your spouse to make your marriage the top priority over every other human relationship.
Genesis 2:24

Date: 2/4/2009

---

Love Dare - Day 30

Ask the Lord to reveal anything in your own heart that is threatening oneness with your spouse and, if appropriate, discuss it openly and seek God for unity.
John 17:11

Date: 2/3/2009

---

Love Dare - Day 29

Before you see your spouse again today, pray for them by name and for their needs.
Ephesians 6:7

Date: 2/2/2009

---

Love Dare - Day 28

Purpose to do what you can to meet the greatest need in your spouse's life right now.
I John 3:16

Date: 2/1/2009

---

Love Dare - Day 27

Think of one area where your spouse has told you you're expecting too much, and tell them you're sorry for being so hard on them about it.
Psalm 25:20

Date: 1/31/2009

---

Love Dare - Day 26

Ask for God's forgiveness for your areas of wrongdoing, then humble yourself enough to admit them to your spouse.
Romans 2:1

Date: 1/30/2009

---

Love Dare - Day 25

If there is anything you haven't forgiven in your spouse, forgive it today.
2 Corinthians 2:10

Date: 1/29/2009

---

Love Dare - Day 24

Identify every object of lust in your life and remove it.
I John 2:17

Date: 1/28/2009

---

Love Dare - Day 23

Remove anything that is hindering your relationship, stealing your affections and turning your heart away from your spouse.
I Corinthians 13:7

Date: 1/27/2009

---

Love Dare - Day 22

Choose to be committed to love even if your spouse has lost most of their interest in receiving it.
Hosea 2:20

Date: 1/26/2009

---

Love Dare - Day 21

Make time to pray and read your bible today.
Isaiah 58:11

Date: 1/25/2009

---

Love Dare - Day 20

Dare to take God at his word and trust Jesus Christ for salvation.
Romans 5:6

Date: 1/24/2009

---

Love Dare - Day 19

Ask God to show you where you stand with him, and ask for the strength and grace to settle your eternal destination.
I John 4:7

Date: 1/23/2009

---

Day 18
Pick a special place that she likes to have dinner and go, be romantic and loving.

---

Love Dare - Day 17

Determine to guard your mate's secrets and pray for them.
Proverbs 17:9

Date: 1/21/2009

---

Love Dare - Day 16

Pray for three specific areas where you desire for God to work in your spouse's life and in your marriage.
3 John 2

Date: 1/20/2009

---

Love Dare - Day 15

Choose a way to show honor and respect to your spouse that is above your normal routine.
I Peter 3:7

Date: 1/19/2009

---

Love Dare - Day 14

Purposefully neglect an activity you would normally do so you can spend quality time with your spouse.
Ecclesiastes 9:9

Date: 1/18/2009

---

Love Dare - Day 13

Talk with your spouse about establishing healthy rules of engagement and resolve to abide by them when the next disagreement occurs.
Mark 3:25

Date: 1/17/2009

---

Love Dare - Day 12

Demonstrate love by willingly choosing to give in to an area of disagreement between you and your spouse.
Philippians 2:4

Date: 1/16/2009

---

Love Dare - Day 11

What need does your spouse have that you could meet today? Example: Choose a gesture that says “I love you" and do it with a smile.
Ephesians 5:28

Date: 1/15/2009

---

Love Dare - Day 10

Do something out of the ordinary today for your spouse.
Romans 5:8

Date: 1/14/2009

---

Love Dare - Day 9

Think of a way to greet your spouse today to reflect your love for them, and then do it with a smile and enthusiasm.
I Peter 5:14

Date: 1/13/2009

---

Love Dare - Day 8

Share with your spouse how glad you are about a success he or she recently enjoyed.
Song of Solomon 8:6

Date: 1/12/2009

---

Love Dare - Day 7

On a sheet of paper, write out positive things about your spouse. At some point during the day, pick a positive attribute from the list and thank your spouse for having the characteristic.
I Corinthians 13:7

Date: 1/11/2009

---

Love Dare - Day 6

Choose to react to tough circumstances in your marriage in loving ways instead of with irritation.
Proverbs 16:32

Date: 1/10/2009

---

Love Dare - Day 5

Ask your spouse to tell you three things that cause him or her to be uncomfortable or irritated with you. You must do so without attacking them.
Proverbs 27:14

Date: 1/9/2009

---

Love Dare - Day 4

Contact your spouse sometime during the day and ask how he or she is doing and if there is anything you could do for them.
Psalm 139: 17-18

Date: 1/8/2009

---

Love Dare - Day 3

Buy your spouse something that says, "I was thinking about you today."
Romans 12:10

Date: 1/7/2009

---

Love Dare - Day 2

Do at least one unexpected gesture to your spouse as an act of kindness.
Ephesians 4:32

Date: 1/6/2009

---

Love Dare - Day 1

Resolve to say nothing negative about your spouse today.
Ephesians 4:2

MySpace.com Blogs - Rotworm MySpace Blog

MySpace.com Blogs - Rotworm MySpace Blog

Shared via AddThis

Praying for little Ethan and Wyatt Berry written by Sarah Berry

Friday, June 05, 2009

SALMONELLA! Current mood: anxious I can't prove it yet, but suspiciously, within 2 days of receiving vaccines, both of my boys got fevers of 103+ and mucousy diarrhea, and even spots of blood in it. I think it was from the vaccines. One of the vaccines they got was a rotovirus vaccine and when I took the boys back after their shots, they told me it was a reaction to the rotovirus vaccine. (Sort of like if you get a flu shot, you may get the flu.) A week later, they were still sick, so I asked for a stool culture. THEY BOTH TESTED POSITIVE FOR SALMONELLA!!! Salmonella takes 12-72 hours after contact to manifest, and is usually caused by chicken or eggs, or contact with birds or reptiles. My 6-month old boys don't play with wild animals and I don't eat chicken or eggs. Since my hubby works out of town, I don't prepare them either. Everything my kids ate for three to four days prior to getting sick was commercially prepared (Gerber), with the exception of some bananas my mom ate, and she didn't get sick. That pretty much leaves the Gerber food and the vaccines. They have been eating Gerber for months and it just seems too convenient that they'd get sick within 24 hours of getting their shots. If your kids show these symptoms, PLEASE have a stool culture done. (Even in an adult, this is how they analyze it.) This is a potentially fatal infection in infants and the elderly, but can certainly do damage to anyone. It can cause permanent damage, including joint pain, eye irritation and chronic arthritis in cases of all ages. The culture is covered by most insurance plans!! LET ME KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY OTHER CASES CONFIRMED, ESPECIALLY IN THE AUGUSTA AREA!!!!!! 4:57 PM 3 Comments 0 Kudos (Give Kudos) Translate Powered by English Albanian Arabic Bulgarian Catalan Chinese Croatian Czech Danish Dutch Estonian Filipino Finnish French Galician German Greek Hebrew Hindi Hungarian Indonesian Italian Japanese Korean Latvian Lithuanian Maltese Norwegian Polish Portuguese Romanian Russian Serbian Slovak Slovenian Spanish Swedish Thai Turkish Ukrainian Vietnamese Print

Previous Post: No More Terbuteline!!! | Back to Blog List

Mom went to her heart doctor yesterday morning. Bill and I took her. Charlie used to take her to all of her doctor appointments but now he can't because he can't lift and he is in pain most of the time. The doctor said she will need a MUGA scan to check the ejection fraction of her heart. The doctor is looking into an Automatic Defibrillator for mom. The scan has to be scheduled and she has to allow 3 to 4 hours for it. She cannot take some of her medicines prior to the test. She has to go back and see her heart doctor in two months.
Checking in prior to seeing heart doctor.
Bill taking mom to the exam room.
In the waiting room.
waiting..........

Today was fun and very busy

We received a phone call from Sarah this morning at 6am. Sarah says the twins have Salmonella poisoning. The twins are sick. Sarah had a quiver in her voice that only a mom would relate to and understand, although Papaw Bill understood. Bill woke me up so that I could start this day and told me about it. We prayed. Sarah, her mom Sandra, and the doctor have no idea how the twins could have gotten Salmonella. Please pray for them. They are only 6 and a half months old.

I picked up Abby this morning at 7:45am. We went to vist her mommy. It was a sweet visit and Lindsay looked very pretty. She is making decisions about her "home plan" because she will have a parole hearing at the end of this month. We are considering allowing her to live with us if she decides to live the way we live in our home. I am praying that she makes the correct decision.

Abby helped me put icing on the chocolate cupcakes for the kids class tonight.

We had fun today playing with all of Abby's new toys. For breakfast, she ate an egg sandwich with cheddar cheese and mayonnaise on it. Bill is on a night shift rotation so he was sleeping until noon. Abby and I took a nap for an hour and then it was time for Papaw Bill to get up and go to the dentist. He was not gone long. Abby was happy when he returned home from the dentist. Bill and Abby played while Nannabeee prepared Papaw's lunch for work. He left to go to work at 4:30. Then it was time to get ready for our classes. The weather looked rather intimidating and the enemy knows our weaknesses. I called the church and spoke with Lori about my fear of driving in storms. She sent Mrs. Cynthia to pick us up.


Tonight was graduation night for some of the kids. A few of them will be going into 2nd and 3rd grade class starting next Wednesday. We studied temptation. We learned about how Jesus was tempted in the wilderness. Abby went to her class with Mr. and Mrs. T. She learned about Baalam. She loves her class. Nana Smith picked us up and took NannaBeee (me) home. Nana Smith got to come in and see all of Abby's new toys.



Yesterday, Bill went with Meemaw and Charlie to the Oncology appointment. The doctor was waiting for the Pathology report so he could see how much his tumor has grown. The doctor wants him to have a CT scan so he can compare the size of the tumor from one month ago to what the tumor looks like now. He told Charlie that it would be too soon to start Palliative Chemotherapy since he is still recovering from the recent abdominal surgery. Abby I took the pathology report to the doctor and dropped it off this morning.

Wyatt and Ethan Berry

Charlie's first Oncology appointment

Bill will be taking Charlie to his first Oncology appointment today at 2pm. Meemaw is going too, so one of us has to go to help push her in her wheelchair. Bill is working night shift but he does not have to leave for work until 4:30pm and Charlie's appointment is at 2pm. I am working today too. I wish I could go but have to leave for work at 2pm.

Charlie's dog was found dead in his dog house this morning.

Meemaw called this morning to let us know that Roscoe has died. Charlie loved Roscoe. Bill fed Roscoe when Charlie was having his surgery at Vanderbilt. This a picture of Bill petting Roscoe when Meemaw and Charlie were in Nashville.


My sister Suzy and her husband helped bury Roscoe in Meemaw and Charlie's yard next to their other dog, Beanie. Frank also mowed their yard for them.

"Desperate diseases need strong remedies"

John the Baptist knew that, "The spiritual disease of those before him was desperate, and of long standing, and he knew that desperate diseases need strong remedies. "Quote from www.gracegems.org"

Last night the kids lesson was about John the Baptist beginning his ministry. We learned about two words: Repentance and remission.....of sins. John told the multitudes what to do and how to do it with "holy boldness". He made sure no one was in denial of their sin before he baptised them. To read more click on the title above or go to www.gracegems.org.



Bill and I accompanied Mom and Charlie to Charlie's doctor appointment. He is in a lot of pain. Mom is worried but calm. Pray for "strong remedies" for these "desperate diseases".

Never Surrender.......A Salute to the Military Hero's in our lives

It is with great honor that Bill and I say, thank-you, to all of our friends and family members who are and have served our country. To Ward Berry, who never surrenders even in the face of much of life's difficulties. We honor you today and every day for being the soldier, husband and now father that you are. Your commitment to Jesus Christ, to your wife and two new born sons shows your moral and spiritual character. We are very proud of you!!! Sarah, you are an awesome, faithful wife and mother who loves the Lord, your husband, sons, family and your country, specifically in that order and it shows!

Dan and Nyletta: Thank you, we love and appreciate you both for faithfully standing beside one another our country and our God.


To:My sweet and precious co-worker nurse-soldier, Janelle. I am proud to call you my friend! I love and respect you. You have earned the right to be my friend.
Janelle far right

Janelle one on the right. I need you and Bill to teach me how to shoot a gun, ok?


Dan and Nyletta I love you guys!!!


Dan serving our country!!

Ward Berry..........Met the Love of his life (Jesus Christ) and all those things were added to him. Then he met his beautiful bride Sarah!! We love you Ward.
Your Papaw would have been so pleased and proud of you Ward!! He never surrendered!! He was promoted. You will see him again.







In Memory of

HOWARD THOMAS BERRY

Jeremy Nic Elmore

This is Jeremy Nicolas Elmore. He is 30 years old tomorrow. And he is my son. I have always loved him I had the pleasure of going to a family function a few months ago and he was there. He is so sweet. I did not raise him my parents raised him, Thank you Dad and Brenda! He is so smart, and handsome. I would like to have him visit my house in East Tennessee soon.

These are pictures of him and I together! Do you see the resemblance?

I will always love him!!!!

Happy Birthday Jeremy!!!!

Love, Joanie/mom

Abby Lynn's visit with Nannabeee and Papaw Bill

Today flew by! It has been a few weeks since we have seen our granddaughter, Abby. Bill and I spent the whole day with her. We picked her up at 7:30 this morning and took her to see her mommy. After visiting Lindsay, we went home and cooked breakfast and played in the toy box. Abby obeys very well for a two year old. We played with the ball in the yard and then we all took a two hour nap. We ate lunch and played some more. We went to church and Abby got to go to her class at church for the first time since she was in the hospital. We can't wait to spend more time with her again next week.

Doctor visit for Charlie

Mom and Charlie have been home from hospital and nursing home for a few days now. Charlie went to the doctor this morning. His incision looks good except for one small place in left upper quadrant of his abdomen. Dr. Shalaby opened it and cleaned it in his office this morning. Charlie still has his feeding tube. He asked Dr. Shalaby when it could come out. Dr. Shalaby told him that he needed to leave it in just in case he started having problems eating again. Charlie took a pain pill in the doctors office this morning after the doctor cleaned the inside of his incision. He has a transverse incision from one side of his abdomen to the other. Mom says his appetite is not good. Dr. Shalaby will call them today with an appointment for "pallative chemotherapy" with an Oncologist. The social worker for Blount Memorial Home Health is working on assisting Charlie with Tenncare and Social Security.

Doctor visit for Mom

I took Mom to her doctor yesterday. She had blood drawn. We spent most of the day doing a list of errands. We returned home around 4pm with food from Burger King for Charlie.

Charlie home from Hillcrest

Charlie was discharged home from Hillcrest tonight. Mom is very excited to have him home. Mom has a doctor appointment tomorrow and Charlie wants to take her. I will go with them. Mom says Charlie is glad to be home so he can eat "aigs and bacon".

Suzie's light on the porch

Suzie worked hard on Memaw's porch. She make mom very happy. The flowers are so pretty.

TO BE OR NOT TO BE.....THAT IS THE QUESTION

Mom and Charlie's visit at Hillcrest West

Charlie is still in the nursing home. Bill took Mom to see Charlie today. Mom and Charlie were able to see each other today for the first time since mom they were both discharged from the hospital a few days ago. They had a nice visit. Mom took him roast beef and potatoes and a banana milkshake. Bill said that they were very excited to see one another.

Mom visiting Charlie today

Bill is taking Mom to see Charlie today. She is very excited to visit him. Some sad things have happened to mom lately but it is being taken care of. Truth will win in the end. I was feeling confused. We know who the author of confusion is. He blinds our eyes and He is powerful. God is more powerful. We will place the issue before Him and cover the issue with prayer.

Charlie Goes to (Hillcrest) West (God has a plan) click here for lesson, I love it!!!

Mom and Charlie were discharged from the hospital yesterday. Mom was brought home first. She will have Home Health Services. Charlie was taken to Hillcrest West for dressing changes and tube feedings. He seems to be in pain.

I love the kids lesson for next week. God speaks through His Word. Click above to see.

Charlie's Choices

Charlie remains in the hospital. After a long day
with family and discussing lots of issues, Charlie
finally agreed to go to a nursing home. Meemaw
was admitted to the same hospital yesterday. She
was short of breath and stressed from being in
Nashville during Charlie's surgery. She is resting and breathing better now after getting IV Bumex and Lasix. We asked Kim from New Beginnings Hair Salon to come to the hospital to fix mom's hair and do her nails. Meemaw was queen for a day! I could see her facial grimacing slowly fade away as Kim did her nails and hair. I am so thankful to Kim for being willing to come to the hospital and do that for mom. Mom was a stressed out wreck after being in Nashville for all of that time. Charlie and Mom had not seen one another since she was admitted to hospital last night. Jimmy (my brother) wheeled him into Meemaw's room so they could talk. I am very glad Charlie made the decision to go to a nursing home. Meemaw is unable to do anything for him right now.

One day at a time.

Job's plight and God's mercies (click here) YaY!!! Abby went home with her Nana and Granddad

Sandy just called to let me know that Abby was discharged from Children's Hospital today. I am so grateful she is well enough to go home.

My daughter and granddaughter's journey home

Lindsay (my daughter) has been in jail for one year this month. We can choose what we do, but we cannot choose our consequences. I received the sweetest letter from Lindsay yesterday. Here is what she told me in her letter......."Mom, hey how is it going?" " I hope you like the mother's day card". "I just wanted to let you know that you did the best you could." She said, "Me and Matt are in this position because of our mistakes, not yours." She said, "I truly believe that I have learned my lesson, and I hope Matt has learned his" and "I love you and I can't wait to spend some time with you". "Happy Mother's Day Mom". Then she actually quoted a scripture: Her children stand up and call her blessed. Her husband also rises up and he praises her. Proverbs 31:28.

If you knew our situation you would know that this letter from Lindsay is a breakthrough. I went to see her on Wednesday. I wanted to be the one to tell her that Abby was in the hospital. Calm words. She cried. Oh the lessons! In the book of James he talks about sin.....giving birth.....the book of James tells it like it is.
Chaplain JR Headrick is the Chaplain at Blount County Jail where Lindsay is.

Interesting story. I used to attend church years ago with Mr. JR Headrick and his wife. Him and his wife taught different classes at the church. His mother in law is a missionary and travels around the world kind of like Corrie ten Boom. His father in law has a prayer room where he goes to pray while she is on her missionary journeys. Chaplain Headrick has an awesome testimony!! He has told his story more than once at church years ago. He has been going to Brushy Mountain every week for as long as I can remember. That is a miracle in itself!!

He was one of Maryville's biggest drug dealers in another lifetime ago. He was an inmate at Brushy for eight years. This was over 25 years ago. (I wish Robert Reyes could meet him).

During my divorce (years ago) out of guilt, I was going to buy Matt a very expensive go-cart. I walked into the store and who would come from behind the counter? JR Headrick. His advice: Don't do it!! I did not buy it. Years later.....I was working for a private duty nursing company and looked out the window....JR Headrick there repairing a lawn mower. He owns a small lawn mower business where he sells lawn mowers. It seems that God always puts people in strategic places in our lives. Now.....years later.......JR Headrick has become the Chaplain at Blount County Jail. He started this job in January 2009. God is good and provides comfort everywhere we go!!!!

I have been prevented from even going to the hospital to see Abby. My car broke down (spent all day yesterday finding another car)My step-dad's situation and all the coordination and phone calls and we are in the middle of refinancing two homes. We both work shift work. God is taking care as He always does.



Abby in the hospital in her Grandad's arms. Comforting! Praises to her grandparents Sandy and Terry Smith. (Abby's dad's parents). God has placed them in charge of Abby. Please cover them with prayer.

Charlie's Journey home

Pictures of Bill taking care of Mama and Charlie's mail and animals...thank you Bill my sweet husband.


Charlie will be transported to Maryville today. Nan said he will be transported in their own van with Nan driving. They have instructions to go directly to Dr. Shalaby's office and the doctor will admit him to Blount Memorial Hospital. He will be waiting for Nursing Home Placement. I pray for mom. Mom just battled cancer herself. She has one kidney that functions at 37%. She is a diabetic and had a heart attack a few months ago. She is in a wheelchair. Mom has missed several doctor appointments while in Nashville.

The pics are of mom's dog, Charlie's dog and Bill feeding them while Charlie, Mom and Nan at Vanderbilt.

I am so glad they are coming home today. Special thanks to Calvary Chapel Brentwood for assisting Mom and Nan with a place to stay while Charlie was in the hospital in Nashville. I have not had a chance to even call them yet but I will. Thanks to Mia and friends for praying and visiting my family while they were in Nashville. Most of all thanks to Jesus for covering us and being The I AM for us.

The journey continues...............pray for salvation on the journey.

Charlie's Journey

Bill made the journey to Vanderbilt on Tuesday. He took things like socks to mom and books to Nan. Nan's mom (my sister) made homemade potato soup to send to them. Nan had gotten up and made her way to Vanderbilt without Meemaw. It usually takes a few minutes to push Meemaw in the wheel chair and she wanted to get there more quickly so she could catch the doctors and get "the scoop" on Charlie. So she left Meemaw at the motel and scurried to Vanderbilt. When Bill arrived, Nan had just finished with "rounds"and was headed to scoop Meemaw and her wheelchair back to Vandy. Bill was visiting with Charlie when Nan and Meemaw arrived.

Charlie has been in "isolation" for a few days with MRSA. MRSA is a hospital aquired infection. It stands for Methicillin Resistant Staph Aureas, a fancy name for a staph infection aquired while hospitalized. They could still visit with him but not without putting on paper gowns, gloves, etc..

Charlie has a PEG tube in his belly so that he can get nourishment. He is eating ice chips. He is less confused now. They will be moving him to a regular room as soon as one is available.
Nan has said they are looking for nursing home placement. I gave her the contact names for Hillcrest.

Bill made it back Tuesday night. He was exhausted and had a headache with some nausea. I was feeling the same way. While Bill was gone, my car broke down and I had to call a wrecker. I was informed that Abby was sick and was being admitted to Children's hospital.

The good news of the day is that Jesus is still on the throne, and the refinancing of our house loan as approved, Yay!!!

I really was born yesterday!! To listen to this teaching by Skip Hietzeg click here

^{Pastor Hietzeg says, "Bildad is a know-it-all". I wonder if Bildad ever really suffered like Job was suffering. There was truth in all the advice that Job's friends gave him. What Job's friends said was still not the whole answer for Job.}

^{Don't we all think we know it all at one time or another? I heard Pastor Adrian Rogers say, "God hurts me, but he will not harm me". He gave the example of a person having surgery. He said, "The surgeon cut me and hurt me, but he did not harm me".}

^{Job did not cause these trials that came upon him. He was not sinless but blameless in this situation. Job had become bitter!! Don't we become bitter when we see and hear of things like child slavery, sickness, terminal illness, divorce, being falsely accused? Bitterness causes me to feel hatred, causes me to be depressed, and hopeless, and feel confused. Jesus please help me.....I am feeling all of these things right now. The consequences of my sin follow me everywhere! I really was born yesterday and I know nothing only that Jesus is the only KNOW-IT-ALL because He really does know it all because He PAID IT ALL and He says: PS, I LOVE YOU! He paid for my sins so that I don't have to suffer like this for eternity. I know that sounds trite. The only time I feel relief from suffering, is when I think of Jesus.}

^{Below is some advice to Job during his suffering, (all of Job's kids just died. Job's wife is bitter and Job's health is failing) from his friend Bildad:}

^8. "Ask the former generations and find out what their fathers learned,

^9. for we were born only yesterday and know nothing, and our days on earth are but a shadow.

^10. Will they not instruct you and tell you? Will they not bring forth words from their understanding?

^11. Can papyrus grow tall where there is no marsh? Can reeds thrive without water?

^12. While still growing and uncut, they wither more quickly than grass.

^13. Such is the destiny of all who forget God; so perishes the hope of the godless.

^14. What he trusts in is fragile [1] ; what he relies on is a spider's web.

Matthew Henry's commentary on the above:

Bildad discourses well of hypocrites and evil-doers, and the fatal end of all their hopes and joys.

He proves this truth of the destruction of the hopes and joys of hypocrites, by an appeal to

former times. Bildad refers to the testimony of the ancients. Those teach best that utter words

out of their heart, that speak from an experience of spiritual and divine things. A rush growing

in fenny ground, looking very green, but withering in dry weather, represents the hypocrite's

profession, which is maintained only in times of prosperity. The spider's web, spun with great

skill, but easily swept away, represents a man's pretensions to religion when without the grace

of God in his heart. A formal professor flatters himself in his own eyes, doubts not of his

salvation, is secure, and cheats the world with his vain confidences. The flourishing of the tree,

planted in the garden, striking root to the rock, yet after a time cut down and thrown aside,

represents wicked men, when most firmly established, suddenly thrown down and forgotten.

This doctrine of the vanity of a hypocrite's confidence, or the prosperity of a wicked man, is

sound; but it was not applicable to the case of Job, if confined to the present world.

Another version same passage:

8	Put the question now to the past generations, and give attention to what has been searched out by their fathers:
9	(For we are but of yesterday, and have no knowledge, because our days on earth are gone like a shade:)
10	Will they not give you teaching, and say words of wisdom to you?
11	Will the river-plant come up in its pride without wet earth? will the grass get tall without water?
12	When it is still green, without being cut down, it becomes dry and dead before any other plant.
13	So is the end of all who do not keep God in mind; and the hope of the evil-doer comes to nothing:
14	Whose support is cut off, and whose hope is no stronger than a spider's thread.
15	He is looking to his family for support, but it is not there; he puts his hope in it, but it comes to nothing.
16	He is full of strength before the sun, and his branches go out over his garden.
17	His roots are twisted round the stones, forcing their way in between them.
18	If he is taken away from his place, then it will say, I have not seen you.
19	Such is the joy of his way, and out of the dust another comes up to take his place.

It is awesome to have a "King Without a Shadow" click here

I just listened to a excerpt from this wonderful writing by R.C. Sproul. I wanted to share my discovery. I love the question: "Where do shadows come from"?

The King Without a Shadow

Author: Sproul, R.C. "Why do we have shadows? Where do they come from?" The little boy asked the Great King. That started the king wondering about shadows. Could he, the king, escape his shadow? Even his wise men couldn‘t tell him how to escape his shadow. There was only one king without a shadow - one so great there was no darkness in Him...Come learn with the king and the little boy about the King without a shadow....and you‘ll learn about God‘s awesome......click on the title above to listen.

God Bless ICU nurses!!

Charlie remains in ICU. Nan says he had "a bad night". She said he was combative and "aggressive". They had to give him medication to "make him rest".

I just spoke with his nurse who said that Charlie is finally extubated and is stable. He still does not know what is going on. The nurse said that Charlie will probably be in ICU for another couple of days.

Miracles...... God is good!

PRAYING for Charlie......he was taken to surgery because of a drain in his abdomen that was "draining way too much" according to Nan. He is now in ICU at Vanderbilt. Nan and Mama cannot see him until 10am so they went back to the motel....I call it God's Grace Motel because Calvary Chapel in Brentwood helped them find wonderful place to stay. Thank-you Thank-you and God Bless You. I feel safe today and everyday because God always provides for the impossible.

Also, Charlie has no insurance and and is too young for medicaid/Tn Care, and all efforts were exhausted to get him covered under some type of insurance. The answer was always the same, "We can cover him but there is a six month waiting period". Charlie does not have six months to wait. Blessing: Vanderbilt is treating Charlie as a "charity case" and will cover all the expenses related to care up to one month after discharge. YaY! again! I say rejoice! Praising God in all things!!

My step-dad's journey

I am so excited that GOD has HIS people everywhere we go.

Update: Nan just called and has spoken to the surgeons. They said:

1. Charlie has "bile duct cancer". The cancer originated in his bile ducts.

2. More than likely he has had this for over a year.

3. Bile Duct Cancer is "extremely rare and hard to detect" until it is in the late stages. The doctors said that there are only 600 documented cases in the United States.

4. His cancer is in "stage 3 possibly early stage 4"

5. Has spread to the Stomach, Intestines, and Pancreas

6. Charlie remains pleasantly confused right now and does not understand what is going on. He is talking and joking around though.The doctors think it is because of all of the pain medicine but they are going to do an MRI just to make sure the cancer has not spread to his brain.

Charlie and Nan at Vanderbilt Hospital in Nashville prior to surgery.

Trusting God: moving out of denial and into the Nile

I have had to place my children in the Nile and cover them with prayer. I believe it is the hardest thing that a mother is asked to do. With compassion and care, God had shown me by His Word, little by little where my denial was located. His Truth was setting me free on a daily basis. God had shown me that He could take care of things that I have no control over. It is very difficult to "cut off" your own children. I wanted so much for them. I wanted a relationship with them. I wanted to see them have healthy relationships with others based on mutual respect. I wanted to see them prosper and be healthy minded. When drugs and rebellion are involved, all bets are off. Sometimes they die, sometimes they live with the consequences. I had to accept their deaths before I could accept anything else. They are both in prison and still alive.
God has taught me much in the past three years and it will soon be time to put what He has taught me into practice. They will not be in prison forever. Lindsay and Matt both have daughters who are little beauties. Haleigh is 4 years old and Abby is 2 years old. Not only have I had to place both Lindsay and Matt in the Nile but I have had to place both grandchildren in the Nile and cover them with prayer as well. God is good!!! God has placed people over them and has protected both of them. I Love The Lord, and I lift my voice, to worship YOU oh my soul, rejoice, take joy my King, in what YOU hear, let it be a sweet, sweet sound, in YOUR EAR..........
EXODUS 2:3-4
But when she could no longer hide him, she took an
ark of bulrushes f or him, daubed i t with asphalt and
pi t ch, put the child in i t , and laid it in the reeds by
the river's bank .
And his sister stood afar off, to know what would be
done to him.

Below is the Calvary children's lesson on this wonderful subject of letting go:

After three months, she realized that she could hide him no longer.
So she then made an ark of bulrushes, put the baby in it, and laid
the ark in the reeds by the river's bank. Again, we see Amram and
Jochebed's faith in placing Moses in the very spot where the babies
were drowned. They trusted God to take care of and protect their
precious baby. What seemed by sight to be a step that would yield a
dim future for Moses, was actually a step into God's plan of
protection, training, and preparation for the deliverer of His
people. God has a good plan for our lives!
The “sister” of Moses mentioned in verse 4 was most likely Miriam
who we will see mentioned later in the story of Moses and the
children of Israel.

How we need to trust in God’s plan for our lives even when our
circumstances look bleak. Proverbs 3:5 states, “Trust in the Lord
with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all
your ways acknowledge Him, and he shall direct your paths.” We
can be confident God has a good plan for our lives. God has a
good plan for our lives!

EXODUS 2:5-9
Then the daughter of Pharaoh came down to wash
herself at the river . And her maidens walked along
the river's side; and when she saw the ark among the
reeds, she sent her maid to get it .
And when she had opened it , she saw the child, and
behold, the baby wept . So she had compassion on
him, and said, "This is one of the Hebrews' children. "
Then his sister said to Pharaoh' s daughter , "Shall I
go and cal l a nurse for you from the Hebrew women,
that she may nurse the child for you?"
And Pharaoh' s daughter said to her , "Go. " So the
maiden went and cal l ed the child' s mother .
Then Pharaoh' s daughter said to her , "Take this child
away and nurse him for me, and I will give you your
wages . " So the woman took the child and nursed him.
Pharaoh's daughter went down to the river to bathe.


It was no coincidence that she went down to that very spot, at that very
time, to see a basket. We know it was God who put it into the heart
of this Egyptian princess to go to the river at that time and place,
and it was the Lord who moved her heart with compassion for the
crying child.

It was the Lord who caused the princess to yield to the suggestion
of Moses' sister, making the princess willing for the child's own
mother to care for him. Pharaoh's daughter thought it convenient
that Moses should have a Hebrew nurse. What a blessing for
Jochebed and for her son! Who better could nurse and care for the
child than his own mother?

Now, she could care for and enjoy her son freely, without fear.
How wonderful to trust the Lord with everything and to know that
He sees each of our situations and uses them for our good. "And we
know that all things work together for good to them that love God,
to them that are called according to His purpose" (Romans 8:28).

By Maureen Schaffer from Whittier, California CC

Maureen Schaffer

April 6 at 10:51am

Reply

Prov 26:9
As a thorn goeth up into the hand of a drunkard,
so is a parable in the mouth of fools.

When someone is seriously intoxicated, they don’t necessarily feel certain pain. A drunken person can have a thorn in their hand and not even notice it. When a message intended to give instruction is sent in the mouth of a fool, people won’t even notice the potency or strength in the message. This is why it is very important that we live as wise women and not as foolish. When we are living wisely we can give our children and those around us truth and it will be given with strength and power. The truth we share will be backed up by lives that are built upon that truth. We won’t be foolish women trying to give parables and instruction that seem pointless and innocuous to our listeners. As we continue learning the difference between foolish and wise living in the book of Proverbs we will be better equipped to speak the truth and live the truth. The Lord tells us in Hebrews 13:7-8, “Remember those who led you, who spoke the word of God to you, considering the result of their conduct, imitate their faith.” The Lord considers the conduct of the messenger and equates the effectiveness of the truth with the example. As we consider this warning, it should help us not only open our mouths with wisdom but build our lives with it.








Permission given by author to copy Proverbs devotion to my blog. She is a Pastor's wife at Calvary Chapel Whittier, California. To see their web page click on link in title above.

"Salt" To listen click here

Salt [is] good: but if the salt have lost his saltness, wherewith will ye season it? Have salt in yourselves, and have peace one with another. Mark 9:50

I heard Pastor Mark last Sunday teach Mark 9:49 and 50. The teaching was so appropriate to our learning what God wanted to teach us. Click on title above to listen.

Bill went to the dentist the other day and had two teeth pulled. The dentist gave him instructions to use salt water to heal the wound in his mouth. Salt heals and irritates at the same time.

So many things ran through my mind as I was listening to this teaching: past mistakes, sins, relationships. If only I had known these precious insights into God's Word at an earlier age, even a few years ago! I am grateful to learn them now.

Loving someone does not mean you tell them what they want to hear. "Have salt in yourselves...." go heal..... but tell the Truth....and promote peace. Gossip does not do that. It rubs the wound and it festers. Infection spreads.

I am recognizing that everything Jesus says down to the smallest detail has a huge meaning for our lives. I want to spend less time talking and more time listening......

Marriage is work-click here

Marriage is work but you can make it fun. Do not take your marriage for granted. Talk about everything. God's Word says that your marriage is to reflect the relationship of God the Father and God the Son. We were given a book called, "Strengthening your marriage, by Wayne Mac. Thank you, Tony and Sarah, Pastor Mark and Tracy you guys taught us sooo much!. God has given us a second chance.

Romans 8:twenty-WAIT

I went to the womens retreat this past weekend in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. Prior to my leaving for the retreat, I received a phone call from Matt. He had his regular monthly doctors appointment and last week I asked him to let me know the outcome of the doctor visit. He said that his white blood cell count was 0.5 (normal is 5-10) and his platelets were elevated. He is afraid that they will send him back to Lois DeBerry in Nashville. Lois DeBerry is a prison for special needs prisoners who need medical attention. From what I understand, Lois DeBerry Special Needs Prison is no picnic. Matt was there once before.

The speaker for the retreat referred to Romans 8:28. But my heart and ears heard this: "Romans 8:twenty-WAIT." I don't know if she meant to say it that way or not but God spoke to me in that. HE just said: "wait".

I feel so loved by God in the last few days. The speaker started speaking about a specific book about shepherds and the nature of sheep. The name of the book is, "A Shepherd's Look at Psalm 23", by Phillip Keller. Bill started reading that book three days before the retreat. He wanted me to call him Friday night and talk for a minute about the retreat and what God had shown me in the first half. I said that I would.

Bill started reading "A Shepherd's Look at The 23rd Psalm" by Phillip Keller three days ago so all I had to say was, "You already know what she spoke about, it's in the book you are reading." We laughed so hard. God is good.

PS, I Love You

PS I Love You
Current mood: hopeful

Recently, I watched the movie, PS I Love You. By the time I finished watching the movie my heart felt sad.....a funny kind of sadness, a sadness with no hope. I then began to pray and ask God about this. Suddenly a thought came to my mind. The sadness was still there but hope was planted in my heart. God had planted this in my heart: "You have ALL of MY letters they are contained in MY WORD, and after I died and rose from the grave I sent them to you..... "PS, I LOVE You".


Here are some things He has written to us in His absence: (absence in bodily form)

He said that He would never leave or forsake us.

He said that: In this world we would have trouble, but that He has overcome this world. He said that if we would read His letters that he left for, us and read them daily that we would continue to have hope. Not the hope that the world gives, but His hope.

He said that He would be back for us......Now, THAT is HOPE!!!

I feel better now.

Matthew 2008

Graves Disease

I was diagnosed with Graves Disease in November 2008. I was placed on a medication that blocks excess thyroid hormone in my body. It is called, Tapazole or Methimizole. A few months prior to being diagnosed with Graves Disease, I was not myself, could not sleep, lost weight, my hair was falling out, I had moderate bilateral hand tremors. Stress, I thought. Then the moodiness came. My moods offended everyone. I think I even offended myself. I finally went to the doctor who did some blood work and gave me a referral to an Endocrinologist. The thyroid doctor ordered a scan in order to visualize just what the heck my thyroid was doing. (Ah! the marvels of medicine). I had to swallow a radioactive pill early one morning and then wait for six hours and go back to radiology for the scan. I also had to be off of the thyroid medicine one week prior to the scan. If I was ever in denial about having Graves' Disease, my denial was dashed during the seven day reprise of having to stop the medication......the symtoms came back like a raging river whose dam had just collapsed. The radiologists assured me that the radioactive pill I was about to take for the scan was a very low dose of radioactive iodine and would not hurt me or others in the family. I went back to the Endocrinologist and spoke with him about having my thyroid removed. He told me to continue to take the Tapazole and see if it would correct itself and to come back in March. I was glad that we had made that decision, because just the thought of one part of my body being "killed" made me cringe. I do believe I was in denial about this whole thing. Recently, I had to make a vistit to my primary care doctor for an ear infection. He asked me how things were going with the thyroid issue. I told him that "killing the thyroid" was put on hold for now. Today, my primary care doctor strongly encouraged me to get it taken care of as soon as possible. He said taking the medication that blocks the thyroid hormone also has side effects like lowering your immune system. Usually, I never get sick or have a sore throat but I was visiting my doctor for that very reason. My immune system is compromised. No more denial. I need to make plans to have a part of my body destroyed. Bill is so glad that I have made this decision. He has been worried and finally told me so. I will schedule the procedure in March after the women's retreat. Part of the process of "killing your thyroid is having to stay away from people for three days because they will give me a very strong dose of radiation in a pill form to swallow. It seems simple enough.

Matthew called and told me that he was getting out of prison on Christmas day if he did not get into anymore trouble. Lindsay is doing as well as could be expected living at Blount County Jail. I am so thankful that Bill and I had all these years together without any kids at home. I kind of dread Matt coming home. If he does well and does not get into drugs, that will be a miracle. I just keep praying. I am grateful to God that they both remain alive and it was my God who works all things for my good and His glory that has preserved their lives.

Tribute to my grandmother Mamie click here for memorial

..............Mrs. Brand my mentor, asked me if I had ever been baptized. I told her that many times I had gone up when there was an altar call at church and made a commitment, but I never showed up to be baptized. I was not ready to change. She told me that the first thing I needed to do in order to be obedient was to be baptized. I was eager to do whatever she told me to do. I felt so clean and there was no turning back. I started reading the Bible and I could actually understand it. Before this, there were times that I would call Mamie. She was my grandmother on my dad’s side. She was a Christian and boy could she pray. I would call her periodically over the years just to hear her pray for me. She would always tell me, "Joanie, get into God’s Word", and "If you were the only person on earth, Jesus would have died for just you" and "God’s Word is a love letter to you, it says, "My Dear Joanie, In the beginning, I created the heavens and the earth." I tried to "get into God’s Word"......it NEVER made sense to me....until now. My cousin Nyletta was continually "witnessing" to me. I hated the way she always tried to change me. She was "miss goody two shoes." We had gotten into an argument about 4 years prior to my conversion and I never spoke to her...until now. The week of my conversion I had a compelling desire to make things right with people I had wronged. Nyletta was one of those people. She accepted me with open arms and we have been sisters/cousins since then. The Holy Spirit would teach me things BEFORE I would read it in the Bible. I was amazed. My husband David thought that my new life in Christ was just a "crutch". He made fun of me in front of my kids. I did not realize what an impact that would make on them until later. I began to pay bills that I had ignored for years. It seemed as though I could see better. Things were crisper, brighter, and I knew He was walking with me. I wanted to do God’s will in everything. I wanted to tithe. I received my paycheck one day and then I was faced with a question...do I tithe on the gross or the net? I called the church and asked the question. The woman at the other end of the phone said, "Oh, you can’t out give God." So I placed $83.00 in cash in an envelope and walked it to the mailbox. After getting home (the mailbox was in an apt complex so we had to walk a little way to get there) I realized that I had paid all of my other bills with a check and I thought I probably should have written a check to the church as well. I started off to the mailbox once again to get my cash tithe and replace it with a check. I was too late. The mail had already run. I grabbed my new mail out of the mailbox and started opening it. I had rec’d a check in the same amt that I had just tithed. It was totally unexpected. My faith was increasing daily. I was seeing Mrs. Brand once a week to learn how to be a Christian wife and mother. My children were eight and nine years old.

Black Cloud of grief

The day was busy as usual as I listened to my co-worker talk about her teenage children and how her husband treats her like "one of the teenagers." Leaving the building was a relief at first as I walked out to the van. I climbed in the van and for some reason tears started flowing down my face. I turned on the air conditioning and the radio thinking that maybe I was having a menopausal moment and this black cloud would soon be gone. I could not think of any reason that I should be wailing at the moment and then it hit me. I was missing my children. I was listening to my co-worker talk about the ups and downs of having teenagers and I guess it threw me into the not so distant memories of having teenagers at home.

I drove home listening to the radio and trying to keep the sadness at bay. I cannot ignore this! I want to. Will it go away?

ISSAC GETS A BRIDE-CLICK HERE

David Livingstone

Hell what is it?

What it's gonna be like........

The destiny of the dead

The days of Noah

Hard to believe???

Saved or Deceived??part 2

Don't Drink The Koolaid

Abraham is tested

There is nothing hidden from God. We don't surprise Him with anything. He surprises us.

I saw a beautiful sunrise this morning. It reminded me of The New Jerusalem. One day, Jesus is going to come back and all of this craziness will be over.

ISSAC IS BORN

The Birth of Isaac

21:1 The Lord visited ¹ Sarah just as he had said he would and did ² for Sarah what he had promised. ³ 21:2 So Sarah became pregnant ⁴ and bore Abraham a son in his old age at the appointed time that God had told him. 21:3 Abraham named his son – whom Sarah bore to him – Isaac. ⁵ 21:4 When his son Isaac was eight days old, ⁶ Abraham circumcised him just as God had commanded him to do. ⁷ 21:5 (Now Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him.) ⁸

21:6 Sarah said, “God has made me laugh. ⁹ Everyone who hears about this ¹⁰ will laugh ¹¹ with me.” 21:7 She went on to say, ¹² “Who would ¹³ have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have given birth to a son for him in his old age!”

21:8 The child grew and was weaned. Abraham prepared ¹⁴ a great feast on the day that Isaac was weaned. ¹⁵

Lord, I need YOUR help today

Lord, I don't know how
to make it go away,
I need Your help today
this thing in me
In my dark heart
It goes away
and comes back over
and over and over
It keeps coming back.

I've confessed it to you
over and over
but it keeps coming back
and I'm shaking Lord
Can you make it go?
I need You Lord, I need You
I am waiting
I will wait.

Lord, I don't know how
to make it go away,
I need Your help today
this thing in me
In my dark heart
It goes away
then comes back over
and over and over
It keeps coming back.

Words that are spoken
they trigger my heart
my hands tremble
I don't want to leave, Lord
I don't want to stay
I hear his words
comforting yesterday
but today Lord

Lord, I don't know how
to make it go away,
I need Your help today
this thing in me
In my dark heart
It goes away
then comes back over
and over and over
It keeps coming back.

You are Justice
You are Mercy
You know the hearts of men.
Will you please show
me what I do not understand?


Will you show me
my sin?

Lord, I don't know how
to make it go away,
I need Your help today
this thing in me
In my dark heart
It goes away
then comes back over
and over and over
It keeps coming back.

I've confessed it to you
over and over
but it keeps coming back
and I'm shaking Lord
Can you make it go?
I need You Lord, I need You
I am waiting
I will wait.

Keeping secrets saps the life out of us

Integrity-keeps us safe
One bad choice and no one will trust you.

We have an infinite capacity to deceive ourselves.

Integrity has to be more important to you than money.

Integrity comes from the word Integer which means "whole, undivided". It means who you are in the dark.

Our culture is saturated with a lack of integrity.
The bible says to test yourself.

Seven questions to measure your integrity:
1. In the last six months have you directly lied to someone?

Proverbs 6:16 God hates this more than anything else: Reveals a lying tongue

2. Have you signed a document that you knew was not accurate?

Proverbs 11:1
Reveals a heart of cheating/stealing


3. Have you exaggerated or overstated your accomplishments?

Proverbs 11:2
Reveals a heart of pride.
Pride leads to shame.

4. Have you intentionally misled someone and with held information that someone would need to know?

Reveals a heart of Deception. Proverbs 26:26
"It will always be uncovered"

5. Have you paid someone a complement that you did not mean?

This reveals a heart of Duplicity- double minded.
Psalm 12:2 Proverbs 23:6

6. Have you failed to keep any of your commitments? Broken promises. Matt 5:37 Anything else comes from the evil one. People do not respect you when you have a history of broken promises.

7. Has you behavior changed from your public to your private life.

Reveals a heart of hypocrisy. "you are at home and you are watching something you should not watch and someone walks in and you immediately change the channel." More times than not you have not fooled anyone especially God. Who you are in the dark, that is who you are. That is important test for a Christian.

Are there areas that I am failing in? I have a lot of work to do.

Why all of these commands from God? Because in God's heart, He wants us to be like Him. "I want you to be like your Father".

John 8:31 Set free by the Truth.

God wants us to be free to walk away from any of these things.

John 8:43 read

The Pharisees wanted to look good in front of people but they lacked wholeness, and integrity.

Sodom and Gomorrah

This week we will be teaching Genesis 19.

My Savior--click here

Quotes:

QUOTES

“Treat your neighbor as you would want to be treated” –Jesus

“Do good to those who cannot pay you back. In doing so, you will be acting you’re your Father in Heaven, who sees, and who will reward you.” -Jesus

“Remember those who are suffering, as though you were with them. When you serve the least of these, my brothers, you are serving Me’. –Jesus

“I have come to save that which was lost” -Jesus

“Historians will conclude that we of the 20th Century had the genius to create a great civilization…but we lacked the moral wisdom to preserve it” A.W. Tozer

“We shall never save civilization as long as civilization is our main object. We must learn to want something else even more”
C.S. Lewis

“If you want to know what a collapse of a civilization looks like, you are in one” Robert Bork

“Stop bitching and start a revolution”. Bumper sticker.

“When pictures look alive with movement free,
When ships like fish swim beneath the sea,
When Man outstripping birds can soar the sky
Then half the World deep drenched in blood shall die”.
Tombstone inscription from the Kirby Cemetery, Essex England, 1600s.

Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people should you be? You ought to live ‘set apart’ for God and his purposes, and living upright lives that please God, looking forward to the day of His coming judgment of the earth. 2nd Peter chapter 3.

©2003 - 2005 Sy Rogers Communications, All Rights Reserved Web Design by Vella Studios ^-go to top

Abraham bargains with God

Commentary by David Guzik:........ ii. We might find it remarkable Abraham even cared about the people of Sodom and Gomorrah. He might have just prayed “Lord, get my nephew Lot out of there first,” but he didn’t. Abraham’s heart was full of sorrow and compassion, even for the wicked of Sodom and Gomorrah.

Abraham was being hospitable as he walked with the men on their way toward Sodom. The Lord considered Abraham His friend thereby deciding to tell Abraham about that which he was about to do. The Lord said, shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do since Abraham is going to be a great nation and all the peoples of the earth will be blessed in him? Here is the reason that God decided to tell Abraham what HE was about to do:

"For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment; that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him."

God knows the future of course. God knew that Abraham would intercede for the cities and for justice. God knows the heart of man. God was molding Abraham and would continue to do so.

Promises, Promises

July 27
16B. God Makes a Promise to Abram (Part 2)
Genesis 17:1-22; 18:1-16
Memory Verse: Romans 4:13
“For the promise that he would be the heir of the world was not to
Abraham or to his seed through the law, but through the
righteousness of faith.”

No one can keep the law. We need God's grace. Abraham was encouraged and reminded by God that this promise did not depend on what Abraham did or did not do. God is true to His word. We, like Abraham need to trust God by faith and faith alone. Abraham was called a "friend of God". Abraham had God's Word. Just as we have His Word.

One of the neat things in our class is to play a game much like "where's Waldo". As we study the Old Testament the thing that is most important is to find Jesus. In this passage, we find Jesus visited Abraham to remind him of His Promise, Issac.

Origin of the Bible

Is God Judging America? click here

Answers in Genesis click here video

The answer is in Genesis Haleigh! Don't let this world tell you any different.