Saturday, December 31, 2016

Why Make Him Lord?


Jean Oathout: When we give our hearts to the Lord Jesus to be saved and forgiven from all our sins, it's important that we know He desires to be lord of our lives.

Most folks do not understand what this principle involves, so let's discuss it further today. (Worshipping God, Google image)

Thursday, December 29, 2016

#78 Blessings from United Prayer



Dr. Wesley L. Duewel: Tremendous answers to prayer have resulted from gatherings for united prayer. 

In addition to the specific answers received, there are always great spiritual benefits, as all those praying learn to prevail more effectively.


1. The spirit of prayer is deepened. When one believer prays in the Spirit, God's holy fire and prayer passion works more deeply in others who are joining in prayer. (Together We Pray (Google image)

Tuesday, December 27, 2016

#77 God Honors United Prayer


Dr. Wesley L. Duewel: We have discussed uniting together for the same request. Now we consider untied prayer. 

United prayer can occur in the regular services of the church at periods when all join in intercession.

Alas, often so little time is given during worship services for united intercession. No part of the service has greater potential for blessing than when the congregation takes time for united prevailing intercession for definite needs. (Google image)

Friday, December 23, 2016

The Preparation Needful



The Preparation needful
By the saints of God today
The Light that means salvation
As we walk that narrow Way

The Word of God so understood
By seasons spent in prayer
Receiving through His Spirit
All the things that God would share


These are the gifts of 
Christmas
All the world so needs to be
Bestowed on those who seek the Truth
That graced the only tree

Was placed to be our Sacrifice
Then laid within a tomb
But only for the Sabbath day
As Christ had to resume

The work of our salvation
By His intercession there
Within the sanctuary
Where the Spirit bears or prayers

And makes anew each garment
Once He's placed on us His own
When we through doubt have fallen
And some seeds of sin have sown

To give to us a new resolve
To be the more like Him
Who is the greatest Gift of all
Both now and way back when

We first had our encounter
With the elements of love
That brought us to confession
Of the sins not spoken of

But we had to uncover
To the Lord that we might be
Unburdened from their power
To restrain our purity

And once we had confessed
And had received the Blood and Wine
The Blood that is His cleansing
And the gospel Word His Wine

The Gift became our purpose
For our living here on earth
To bring to other precious souls
The hope of their new birth

So as you face this Christmas
With its tinsel and its cheer
Or simply live in silence
With no family that's near

Adjust your thoughts and focus
On the greatest Gift of all
The Gift that God was giving
In that lowly cattle stall

And thank Him for the Promise
That is yours eternally
If you are here preparing
For what all the world will see

When Christ returns in glory
To receive His very own
Who knew each day as Christmas
Through the Gift that was their own.




Luke 2:6-14; Hebrews 6:9-20







Christmas Style

If I decorate my house perfectly with lovely 
plaid bows, strands of twinkling lights, and 
shiny glass balls, but do not show love to 
my family, I’m just another decorator.

If I slave away in the kitchen, baking dozens 
of Christmas cookies, preparing gourmet 
meals, and arranging a beautifully adorned 
table at mealtime, but do not show love to 
my family, I’m just another cook.

If I work at the soup kitchen, carol in the 
nursing home, and give all that I have to 
charity, but do not show love to my family, 
it profits me nothing.

If I trim the spruce with shimmering angels 
and crocheted snowflakes, attend a myriad of 
holiday parties, and sing in the choir’s cantata 
but do not focus on Christ, I have missed the point.

Love stops the cooking to hug the child.
Love sets aside the decorating to kiss the husband.
Love is kind, though harried and tired.
Love doesn’t envy another home that has coordinated Christmas china and table linens.
Love doesn’t yell at the kids to get out of your way.
Love doesn’t give only to those who are able 
to give in return, but rejoices in giving to those 
who can’t.
Love bears all things, believes all things, 
hopes all things, and endures all things.
Love never fails. Video games will break, 
pearl necklaces will be lost, golf clubs will 
rust. But giving the gift of love will endure.

Let’s Pray-

Heavenly Father, thank You for sending Your Son, 
Jesus, on that starry night in Bethlehem. 
I am still amazed at Your great love for me. 
May I never lose sight of the true meaning of 
Christmas, but celebrate Jesus’ birth with joy! 

Help me to give as You gave--with love.
In Jesus’ Name,
Amen.

One Thing God Wants You to Remember at Christmas Sharon Jaynes
December 19, 2016  



Today's Spotlight sermons from CFC churches-

~ Dec. 18, 2016 ~

       Simeon 
Speaker: Rick Sinclair
Location: Madrid 
[Listen to Pastor Rick's message to be challenged to become desperate, and to have expectation!]

    No Name
Speaker: Daniel Paladin
Location: Potsdam

   ~Dec. 11th ~

    Mary
Speaker: Ben Levendusky
Location: Madrid

CFC sermons You can check out many other sermons, and select the ones of interest to you. Maybe you missed one...

Jean's blog (Click to see snippets of recent posts. Then click Older Posts for more)

MERRY CHRISTMAS and a HAPPY NEW
YEAR!

Posts coming up next week-

#77 God Honors United Prayer
27th- Tuesday's post by Dr. Wesley L. Duewel

#78 Blessings from United Prayer
29th- Thursday's post by Dr. Wesley L. Duewel

Why Make Him Lord?
31st- Saturday's post by Jean Oathout

#79 Spiritual Power is Multiplied
1/3rd- Tuesday's post by Dr. Wesley L. Duewel

Thursday, December 22, 2016

#76 Become Prayer Partners


Dr. Wesley L. Duewel: There is tremendous blessing in being a prayer partner with one or several others. Each prayer partner can agree to uphold the other specially in prayer. 

For years R. Stanley Tam and his prayer partner have sat in his car in a city park and spent an hour in prayer together at the same time each week. Some meet together regularly in prayer by telephone.  [Pray anywhere Google image]

Tuesday, December 20, 2016

#75 God Blesses When You Unite in Prayer


Dr. Wesley L. Duewel: Perhaps we should distinguish between being united in prayer and being in united prayer.

When a call for prayer is issued, people can join in praying for the same need or request wherever they are. All whose hearts cry to God are thus united in prayer. (Google image, Intercession)

Sunday, December 18, 2016

God With Us


Jean OathoutWhen we see a picture like this, we wonder at the information given us, as to Who it is, and what it means for us today, some 2,000 years later.

Let's hear what Charles H. Spurgeon said in his writing, Christ in You, (Found in the December 2016 issue of HERALD OF HIS COMING magazine). [Google image, Baby Jesus]

Saturday, December 17, 2016

Poured Out for Humanity




   


Poured out for humanity
As God became a man
The perfect holy Sacrifice
The pure and spotless Lam
b

The Agency of heaven
Sent to wipe away our sins
The only opportunity
T
o save the souls of men

Christ did not come and languish

On the cross that dismal day

And suffer out our penalty

Where we had gone astray

The we should here presume
Upon His mercy and his grace
And not make preparation
For the day we see His face

The day of final reckoning
The judgement of all men
Determined by their attitude
And how they dealt with sin

By laying at Christ's feet
Their lives in full humility
Or choosing to maintain a life
In lost iniquity

A life devoid of honor
At the speaking of God's name
Pursuing all excuses
That would shift from them the blame

For all the sins they'd chosen
In their lifetime to commit
Presuming come the judgement
That the records would forget

Each time that God had offered
The extension of His hand
To help them by His grace to walk
In oneness with His plan

And they chose to ignore the course
That He would have them choose
That somehow still by grace
Eternal life they would not lose

And even though the principles
By which they chose to live
Denied the pure efficacy
That Christ had died to give

They still considered justice
By God's Law a thing of nought
If it required self to lose
The battles grace had fought

So friend if you be tempted
To presume a life of sin
Will not hold much persuasion
Whether you'll be welcomed in

Into that Home in heaven
Where the saints are glorified
Who followed the Example
Of the One for them Who died

Just cast your gaze to Calvary
And see Christ hanging there
And hear His words of anguish
As He cried in lost despair

And realize it was for you
He came and paid that price
For you to live forever
One with Him in paradise

And only as you choose
To lay aside your life of sin

Will you receive the promise
That
Christ died to give to men

(
Matthew 10:37-39; Galatians 6:14-16)

Lee Forbes
Nov. 9, 2016



Let's pray-

   Father, as the day set aside as Christ's birthday comes next week, may we remember the Real reason for His birth.    
   As Lee has made very plain, Jesus came to experience all we go through, and to do it without sin, so He could become the Lamb of sacrifice in our place; our Savior!
   We are all sinners, that's for sure, and we are in desperate need of this Savior, Who took our punishment, and Who can make us fit for living with You in heaven someday.
   May we examine our hearts to see if we are walking out our salvation in an absolute dedication to You, the Holy God.
   We ask this in Jesus' Name. Amen.

Today's Bible verse-

(John 10:9, 11, 14 KJV) "I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. (v. 11) I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. (v. 14) I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.

Today's special link-

Six Healthy Ways to Express Frustration

By Jill Savage on Nov 21, 2016 05:03 am

"Jill: Most of us have been frustrated with our spouse being distant or distracted at one time or another. Life can throw all kinds of curve balls that interfere with our ability to be fully present and attentive to one another. Even if things are smooth sailing . . . "

Today's quote-

"Our whole culture and the spirit of our age tends to make us self-dependent rather than God-dependent. We do much of our Christian work with very little God- awareness. If we would be ablaze for God we need to cultivate new God-dependence, God- consciousness, and God-imbued living ... We must become alive to God and to all of His holy influences and enablings. God must become all-essential to us." (p. 43 of ABLAZE FOR GOD, by Wesley L. Duewel)

Upcoming posts-

God With Us
18th- Sunday evening by Jean Oathout

#75 God Blesses When You Unite in Prayer
20th- Tuesday's post by Dr. Wesley L. Duewel

#76 Become Prayer Partners
22nd- Thursday's post by Dr. Wesley L. Duewel

Sky Watcher
24th- Saturday's post by Tim Gustafson


Click to see snippets of recent posts.
Click Older Posts for more.
Language choice is provided on the right.



Samples of Jean's crafts


31-day Devotional 
my personal story

A sample verse from p. 60 -

"Sometimes you'll not know what to say
Or what you are to do.
You'll find you cannot know the way
As you are blinded too."

(Published by Lighthouse Publishing 
                        of the Carolinas. Used by permission).

 A great gift for someone who may need help 
to prepare for marriage, and for those in a
marriage, wanting some helpful advice.

Thursday, December 15, 2016

#74 The Dynamic of Uniting in Prayer


Dr. Wesley L. Duewel: There is unusual power in united prayer. God has planned for His people to join together in prayer, not only for Christian fellowship, spiritual nurture, and growth, but also for accomplishing His divine purposes and reaching His chosen goals.

In unity there is strength, a principle that is true in all of life, in the family and nation and among the people of God. The principle of Ecclesiastes 4:12 applies in spiritual life and prayer warfare:

Tuesday, December 13, 2016

#73 The Spirit Multiplies Your Faith



Dr. Wesley L. Duewell: There is much talk about faith that is little more than pseudofaith.

R. A. Torrey insists,

"Trying to believe something that you want to believe is not faith.... In no case does real faith come by simply determining that you are going to get the thing that you want to get."

Saturday, December 10, 2016

Do You Trust God?

Jean Oathout: The very thought of trusting someone to do what they think best where we're concerned is difficult for most of us.

We have our own agenda, and are quite sure we know what's best in a given situation . . . right? 


What if we learn they are trustworthy? Does that make a difference? No doubt, it will, and we will then learn to trust them.

Thursday, November 24, 2016

#72 The Spirit Empowers You to Pray




Dr. Wesley L. Duewel: The Spirit empowers you to pray. Do you feel you have so little prayer power? Of course, you do. None of us has prayer power in ourselves. 

   The role of the Holy Spirit is to empower. He wants to express 
His power through you as you prevail for the burdens on His heart.  (Google image, Women-praying)

Tuesday, November 22, 2016

#71 The Spirit Longs to Share His Burden

   Dr. Wesley L. Duewel: The Spirit longs to share His burden, compassion, and travail of soul with you. 

   God has ordained that the power to change things, to restrain evil, to calm human hatred, and to heal the world's wounds is released by the prayer of His people.  You and I are expected to be priests to the hurting world. But how can we fulfill this role? (The Victorious Surrender- Google image)