NEW LIFE IN JESUS

 NEW LIFE IN JESUS

   Amy Boucher Pye- "Growing up together in Central Asia, Baheer and Medet were the best of friends. But when Baheer became a believer in Jesus, everything changed. After Medet reported him to government authorities, Baheer endured excruciating torture. The guard growled, 'This mouth will never speak the name of Jesus again.' Though badly bloodied, Baheer managed to say they might stop him speaking of Christ, but 'they'd never change what He has done in my heart.'

   Those words remained with Medet. Some months later, having suffered illness and loss, Medet traveled to find Baheer, who had been released from prison. Turning from his pride, he asked his friend to introduce him to Jesus.

   Medet acted on the conviction of the Holy Spirit in the same way that those who gathered around Peter on the feast of Pentecost were; 'cut to the heart' when they witnessed God's outpouring of grace and heard Peter's testimony about Christ (Acts 2:37,38). Peter called the people to repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus, and some three thousand did.

   Just as they let their old ways of life behind, so too did Medet repent and follow the Savior. The gift of New Life in Jesus is available to everyone who believes in Him. Whatever we've done, we can enjoy the forgiveness of our sins when we trust in Him."

Let's pray-

   Lord Jesus, I thank You for dying on the cross and rising to New Life. I repent of my many sins and place my trust in You now, so that I can also have this New Life!

Today's word on the importance of wittnessing-

   If Christians would open their mouths a little more, they would discover that many people are eager to experience a close relationship with God, if only they knew how!

 Some encouraging words-

     God puts us through rigorous workouts to produce top contenders. He puts us through some pretty tough training, with a view to making us mature and useful to the Master and prepared for service! Prayer is the greatest means of spiritual power and spiritual victory for us as Christians. Satan fears it more than all else we can do. Apart from God Himself and His heavenly beings, prayer is the greatest danger to Satan's purposes, plans and activities!


Church Notes: 

            Faith and Obedience

God calls for radical faith and complete obedience.

  What we do defines what we believe.

    Faith is resting in God's Ability to help, resting in the Reality of God.

     Works affect the reality of our faith.

      To obey Christ in the next thing is an act of faith.

Our choice is to obey God . . . or our flesh! Step by step, He has not failed us!

  1) Walk in submission to God  

     2) Joyfully obey His Word

        3) Get counseling when needed.

#96 Testimony- August H. Francke

   "August H. Francke, a Lutheran minister around 1700 and founder of the orphan homes at Halle, Germany, tells of a time when he needed a large sum of money. His treasurer came to him for the money. Francke told him to come after lunch, all the while praying earnestly.

   After lunch the treasurer came again for the money, and Francke asked him to come in the evning. In the meantime, a friend of Dr. Francke came to see him. The two men prayed together. When Francke began to pray, God led him to recall God's goodness to humankind, going back all the way to Creation.

   Francke praised God over and over for His goodness and faithfulness over the centuries but felt restrained from mentioning his urgent petition. 

   When the friend left, Francke accompanied him to the door. There stood the treasurer waiting for the money, and beside him a man who then handed Dr. Fancke a very large sum of money that fully met the need!"

 

1516-1520 One-line Scriptures for those of you who want to learn some more verses this week- or to review them from when they were first posted- 
 

1516- Ps. 63:2a "To see thy power and thy glory."

1517- Ps. 91:16 "With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation."

1518- Is. 22:23a "I will fasten him as a nail in a sure place."

1519- Is. 25:9b "This is the LORD; we have waited for him,  we will be glad 

          and rejoice in his salvation."

1520- Job 31:35a "Oh, that one would hear me."

 #96 Hymn-  What a Friend We Have In Jesus

 The information about this song,  is taken from the book by Robert J. Morgan, THEN SINGS MY SOUL   (pg. 131)

   Joseph Scriven, in 1855, received word that his mother was facing a crisis. Joseph wrote this poem and sent it to her. Mrs. Scriven evidently gave a copy to a friend who had it published anonymously, and it quickly became a popular hymn, though no one knew who had written it.

   Until a short time before his death it was not known that he had a poetic gift. A neighbor, sitting up with him in his illness, happened upon a manuscript copy of "What a Friend We Have in Jesus." Reading it with great delight and questioning Mr. Scriven about it, he said that he had composed it for his mother, to comfort her in a time of special sorrow, not intending that anyone else should see it. Some time later, when another Port Hope neighbor asked him if it was true he composed the hymn, his reply was, "The Lord and I did it between us."

Upcoming posts:

I'll be off from emailing until July 30th, and not texting, except to answer prayer requests

26th-  - WHAT I CONTROL and WHAT'S IN GOD'S HAND- Karen Girl Friday

8/2nd-  Resting

9th-      WHEN DARKNESS CLOSES IN -  Marten  Wiles

16th-    DON'T NEGLECT GOD'S WORD- Phyllis Quals Freeman 

Jean's blog (Click to see snippets of the 7 recent posts)

Pages  

Prayer for salvation

For God Seekers- Healing Thoughts and Prayers 

Samples of Jean's crafts

 

The North Country Christian Fellowship Center Churches,

located in the St. Lawrence county of NY,

broadcast their Sunday services at 10 or 10:15

You can view past services too.

Sermon listing:https://www.cfconline.org/sermon-library 

   

OUR TRUSTWORTHY FATHER

 OUR TRUSTWORTHY FATHER

XOCHITL DIXON- My six-foot-three son, Xavier, lifting his giggling toddler, Xarian, into the air with ease. He wrapped his large hand around his son's tiny feet, securing them firmly in his palm. Stretching out his long arm he encouraged his son to balance on his own but kept his free hand at the ready to catch him if necessary.

   Xarian straightened his legs and stood. With his smile wide and his arms resting at his side, his eyes locked on his father's gaze. (Baby standing on dad's hands)

   The prophet Isaiah declared the benefits of focusing on our heavenly Father: "You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you:  (Is. 26:30)." He encouraged God's people to be committed to seeking Him in the Scriptures and connected with Him through prayer and worship. Those faithful ones would experience a confident trust built through their established fellowship with the Father. 

   As God's beloved children, we can cry out with boldness: "Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD himself, is the Rock eternal" (v.4) Why? Because our Father in heaven is trustworthy. He and the Scriptures never change.

   As we keep our eyes fixed on our heavenly father, He will keep our feet planted firmly in His hands. We can count on Him to continue being loving, faithful, and good forever!"

Let's pray-

     Father, as the giggling toddler was balanced on his dad's hand, may we have our feet firmly planted in Your Hands. We know that You're ready to catch us if we start to fall!

     As the prophet Isaiah declared the benefits of focusing on You, may we keep in mind that You will keep us in perfect peace when our minds are steadfastly committed to seeking You through prayer and worship.

     Remind us often that You are trustworthy and don't change at all. Help us keep our eyes fixed on Your Ability to keep our feet planted in Your Word!

     In the mighty name of Jesus, we pray. Amen

 

#95 Testimony- of a pastor  

   Huegel tells of a pastor who longed for a new awakening in his church. He convened a week's meetings of nothing but praise. At first the people did not understand and kept asking and begging God for things. But the pastor kept explaining that he wanted nothing but praise.

   By Wednesday the service began to change. Thursday saw much praise, and even more was evident on Friday. By Sunday "A new day had dawned. Sunday was a day such as the church had never seen. It was a genuine revival. God's glory filled the temple. Believers returned to their first love. Hearts were melted . . . It was wonderful. Praise had done it."

Our Word today on Praise-

  

   One of the greatest values of praise is this: it decentralizes the self. Praise takes self off the throne of a person's life. Worship and praise of God makes a drastic change in our lives. Praise demands a shift of center from self to God.

   A person cannot praise without giving up his overt concern with himself. When praise becomes a way of life our kind, merciful and eternally-loving God becomes the center of our lives rather than our weak and broken self. Then our personality becomes properly blended and put together, and stresses and strains disappear.

   This results in mental wholeness. Praise actually produces a kind of forgetfulness of self; forgetting self produces mental health." 

(pg. 118 of Paul E. Billheimer's book, DESTINED for the THRONE.)

1511-1515 One-line Scriptures for those of you who want to learn some more verses this week- or to review them from when they were first posted- 

 

1511- Ez. 11:5a "And the Spirit of the LORD fell upon me and said unto me, Speak."

1512- Ez. 3:10b "All my words that I speak unto thee receive in thine heart, and 

          hear with thine ears."

1513- Prov. 7:4 "Say unto wisdom, thou art my sister; and call understanding 

          thy kinswoman."

1514- Is. 56:4b "Choose the things that please me, and take hold of my covenant."

1515- Is. 43:25 "I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own 

          sake, and will not remember thy sins."

 Some encouraging words-

   Having our prayer time first each day, giving the Lord the best part of the day, we'll set the tone for the rest of the day. A good time to tune up an instrument is before the concert!

Church Notes: 

   God's desire is to build sanctuaries in His people! The original Sanctuary for the Israelites had very specific directions and details for every piece in the Tabernacle. It was to remind His people where they came from and to give them hope through the skillfully crafted pieces that He loved them.

   He gave them a place to wash hands and feet, used special wood, had each piece beautifully and artistically made. 

   As the Holy God is calling us to be holy, we're set apart and especially designed for His purpose, once sin is removed through the cleansing of the blood of Jesus. We become the temples of God. He wants to dwell with us, and to instill special giftings, so we'll be pictures of Jesus to our family and friends.

 

 #95  Hymn- How Firm a Foundation

The information about this song,  is taken from the book by Robert J. Morgan, THEN SINGS MY SOUL   (p. 83)

 

Robert Keene may be the author of "How Firm a Foundation, as the letter "K" was the only thing given as its author. It first appeared in a selection of "A selection of Hymns from the Best Authors", and intended to be an appendix to Dr. Watts' Psalms and Hymns, published in 1787. It was a runaway hit, especially among the Baptists. It went through eleven British editions during Pastor John Rippon's lifetime, of  the Lane Baptist Church in London. An American edition appeared in 1820.

The unique power of this hymn is due to the fact that each of the seven original stanzas were based on famous biblical promises from Is. 41:10; Isaish 43:2; 2 Cor. 12:9; and Hebrews 13:5.

Upcoming posts:

7/19th- NEW HOPE IN JESUS- Amy Boucher

26th-    WORTHY OF ALL PRAISE- Bill Prowder

8/2nd-  WHAT I CONTROL and WHAT'S IN GOD'S HANDS- Karen Girl Friday

Jean's blog (Click to see snippets of the 7 recent posts)

Pages  

Prayer for salvation

For God Seekers- Healing Thoughts and Prayers 

Samples of Jean's crafts

 

The North Country Christian Fellowship Center Churches,

located in the St. Lawrence county of NY,

broadcast their Sunday services at 10 or 10:15

You can view past services too.

Sermon listing:https://www.cfconline.org/sermon-library 

BLESSED BY THE BEST

Blessed by the Best Felicia Dawson- I started attending a new church when I moved back to my hometown. I noticed a seasoned greeter, short in stature with outstretched arms, who embraced individuals as they entered her door. If asked how she was doing, with the biggest smile, she responded, “Blessed by the Best!” I nicknamed her the hugger and decided one Sunday to purposely go to her post to be welcomed and receive a warm embrace. My custom was short-lived because COVID-19 became an issue and disrupted our daily lives. Years passed, and the doors of the church reopened. I found a Bible study class, and God graciously orchestrated our paths crossing again. The hugger and I would finally meet and converse as if we were long-lost friends. When asked how she was doing, her response remained the same: “Blessed by the Best!” It is wonderful to be blessed by God, to experience His mercy, goodness, and kindness, and to have a joy-filled contentment we cannot explain when faced with trials. As faithful servants of God, He blesses us even in our circumstances. Unfortunately, our situations can consume us so much that we can easily overlook His blessings. We can testify that God is truly the best because of our relationship with Him and becoming familiar with attributes that define His character, such as knowing He is the Bread of Life and the Bright Morning Star. He is our Everlasting Father and Emmanual, God with us. He is our Shepherd and the Savior of the world. He is the True Vine and the Truth, the BEST. As Scripture states, we are blessed when we trust in the Lord and keep our hope in Him. Blessings come when we are in His presence, and, unlike presents or gifts, anything God gives will fully satisfy us. Think of declarations you can make and actions you can take to reflect being blessed by the best. "Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, And whose hope is the Lord." Jeremiah 17:7 NKJV Let's pray-    Father, as prayer is not merely coming to You to ask something from You, it is above all else, fellowship with You and being brought under the power of Your holiness and love, and Your taking possession of us and stamping our entire nature with the lowliness of Christ, which is the secret of all true worship. Help us let this happen in our lives, we pray in Jesus' name, for His glory and our good! Amen. # 94 Testimony- Gail   "Last winter, I flew to see my daughter’s family in California. I left Watertown to Philadelphia and then on to San Diego. I was gone for 10 days. On my return trip December fifth, I discovered Watertown had received three feet of snow! Rather foolishly, I had not anticipated this. I did not have a scraper or brush or shovel in my car since there was no snow when I left. That was surely a mistake!     When I left the terminal and got to my car it was completely snowed in with the three feet of snow covering everything. In addition there was a thin layer of ice underneath it all!  Also, my car was plowed in because they had cleared the lanes for parking, but of course not the cars. All that plowed snow was in front and in back of my car. The situation was pretty hopeless, but I started trying to shove the snow off with my hands.    Just as I bemoaned the desperate situation I was in, a young man jumped out of the car right next to me. He said, 'Hey haven’t you got a scraper or brush? ' I told him,  "sorry – no." He simply handed me two scrapers saying, 'you take the good one and I’ll use the broken one.' Then he hopped into my car and turned the defrost on in the front and the back. He jumped out and started to attack all that snow.     In quick order, my car was cleared and defrosted! He then told me how to manage to back out of all that snow without getting stuck. He stood by and made sure I was all set and wished me well! Of course, I thanked him profusely! He said he was a volunteer fireman and always tried to be prepared!     WOW!! He was like an absolute angel to me, and I will always thank the Lord for His provision of such a caring and able young man.  I know it had to be God’s provision to have such a capable and willing servant parked right next to me!! I still praise God to this day." 1506-1510 One-line Scriptures for those of you who want to learn some more verses this week- or to review them from when they were first posted-    1506- Ps. 116:4 "Then called I upon the name of the LORD; O LORD,                              I beseech thee, deliver my soul." 1507- Luke 18:7,8a "And will not God grant justice to his elect, who cry out to                              him day and night . . . will he delay helping them? I tell you that                              he will swiftly grant them justice." (CBS) 1508- Pro. 19:2a "The soul without knowledge is not good." 1509- Ps. 74:16 "The day is thine, the night also is thine; thou hast prepared the                               light and the sun." 1510- Pro. 3:4   "So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of                              God and man."  #94  Hymn- The Solid Rock   The information about this song,  is taken from the book by Robert J. Morgan, THEN SINGS MY SOUL   (pg. 111)      "Edward Mote was born into poverty on Jan. 21, 1797, in London. His parents, innkeepers, wouldn't allow a Bible in their house, but somehow Edward heard the gospel as a teenager and came to Christ. He eventually became a skilled carpenter and the owner of his own cabinet shop.    "One morning," he recalled, "It came into my mind as I went to labor to write a hymn on the 'Gracious Experience of a Christian.' As I went up to Holborn I had the chorus; On Christ the solid Rock I stand / All other ground is sinking sand.  In the day, I had four verses complete, and wrote them off.    On the Sabbath following, I met brother King who informed me that his wife was very ill, and asked me to call and see her. . . he looked for his hymnbook but could find it nowhere. I said, 'I have some verses in my pocket; if he liked, we could sing them.' We did, and his wife enjoyed them so much that after service he asked me, as a favor, to leave a copy of them for his wife.    I went home, and by the fireside composed the last two verses, wrote the whole off, and took them to sister King . . . As these verses so met the dying woman's case, my attention to them was the more arrested, and I had a thousand printed for distribution."  Some encouraging words-    Karen 'Girl' Friday- "God created love and demonstrated love on Calvary’s cross through His Son—a show-and-tell affection. Jesus loved us so much, He died for us. Loving Jesus above all else isn’t radical Christianity or even Jesus freaks. It’s the heart of true disciples." Church Notes:     If we're captive of our past, Christ can help us see what has held us captive, and then reach down into our lives and free us! If we're obedient to Him, we'll learn how He wants us to live. Let Jesus take care of the past! If we have ears to hear, let's hear His words as we call out to Him to be delivered and healed. He will manifest Himself to us! Upcoming posts: 7/12-  OUR TRUSTWORTHY FATHER- OXCHITL DIXON 19th-  NEW LIFE IN JESUS- Amy Boucher 26th-  WORTHY OF ALL PRAISE- Bill Chowder Jean's blog (Click to see snippets of the 7 recent posts) Pages   Prayer for salvation For God Seekers- Healing Thoughts and Prayers  Samples of Jean's crafts   The North Country Christian Fellowship Center Churches, located in the St. Lawrence county of NY, broadcast their Sunday services at 10 or 10:15 You can view past services too. Sermon listing:https://www.cfconline.org/sermon-library