Thoughts for Life: PARTING WORDS

PARTING WORDS

Dave Branon- "As he neared the end of his life, John M. Perkins had a message tor the people he would leave behind. Perkins, known for advocating racial reconciliation, said, 'Repentance is the only way back to God. Unless you repent, you will all perish.'

These words mirror the language of Jesus and many other people in the Bible. Christ said,' Unless you repent, you too will all perish' (Luke 13:3). The apostle Peter said, 'Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out' (Acts 3:19).

Much earlier in Scripture, we read the words of yet another person who desired that his people would turn to God. In his farewell address 'to all Israel' (1 Samuel 12:1), the prophet, priest, and judge Samuel said, 'Do not be afraid. You have done . . . evil; yet do not turn away from the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart; (v. 29). This was his message of repentance — to turn from evil and follow God wholeheartedly.

We all sin and miss the mark of His standard. So we need to repent, which means to turn away from sin and turn to Jesus, who forgives us and empowers us to follow Him.

Let's heed the words of two men, John perkins and Samuel, who recognized how God can use the power of repentance to change us into people he can use for his honor."

My weekly advice from the book, Praise the Lord and Pass the Chemo by Elaine W. Miller: (p. 32, 33)

"Whether we live long or short, we want to have a positive impact on our families, A cancer diagnosis gives us pause to realize our time to leave a legacy is brief. Most parents don't have that cancer pause and, therefore, may never grab the moments all moms and dads have to influence their children. We can be so busy living life, we miss teaching our little ones how life should be lived."

Let's pray-

Father, what Perkins said and what the Bible says, is very important, as it is the only way to You. Our repententance of our sins will be what will help us get right with You initially, and to turn back whenever we sin.

#140 Testimony- Leonard Ravenhill

"The Prayer Room in the church is the boiler room for its spiritual life. When Holy passion has ceased to move the intercessors in the Prayer Room, coldness ensues, power is lost, and mortification sets in. The place still looks viable, but it is no longer a birthplace of souls.

God ignores the cold church.

He rejoices in the church hot with the Spirit's presence.

He vomits the lukewarm church from His holy mouth."

1846-1850 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-

1846- Jer. 5:19b "Wherefore doth the LORD our God all these things unto us?"

1847- Prov. 21:4a,c "An high look and a proud heart . . . is sin."

1848- Ps. 101:1 "I will sing of mercy and judgment: unto thee , O LORD, I sing!"

1849- Ez. 48:12b "That is offering shall be unto them a thing most holy."

1850- Pro. 5:7b,c "Hear me now therefore. . . and depart not from the words of

my mouth."

#140 Hymn- Precious Lord, Take My Hand

This gospel was written by Thomas Andrew Dorsey, and was the son of a Black revivalist preacher. He became enamored with the blues and began playing piano at a vaudeville theater. Thomas was converted at the National Baptist Convention in Chicago in 1921, and began writing gospel songs.

His wife and son died, and he later said that he didn't want to serve God anymore, as he felt that God had done him an injustice by taking his family. He didn't want to write any more gospel songs. But the next Saturday, while alone in a friends' music room, he had a "strange feeling" inside—a sudden calm and a quiet stillness. "As my fingers began to manipulate over the keys, words began to fill in place on the melody like drops of water falling from the crevice of the rock:

"Precious Lord, take my hand

Lead me on, let me stand

I am tired, I am weak, I am warn . . ."

Some encouraging words-

1). Confess to God that you are a sinner and deserve death. "All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God' (Rom 3:23. "The wages of sin is death" (Rom. 6:23).

2). In sorrow, turn from your sins to God and ask His forgiveness. 'Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts. . . let him return unto the Lord, and He will have mercy upon him. He will abundantly pardon' (Is. 55:7).

3). Believing that "Christ died for our sins . . . was buried, and that He rose again"

(1 Cor. 15:3-4), trust Christ as Savior and confess Him as Lord. ". . . If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." (Rom. 10:9). "Then Peter said unto them, 'Repent, and be baptized every one of you . . . "Then they that gladly received his word were baptized . . ." Acts (2:38,41).

Church Notes: Our Souls Thirst for God's Presence!

Nothing else will satisfy

Nothing else makes dead men live!

Our main need is to become thirsty for God!

Yesterday's experiences lit the fire - we're to seek more fire!

When we prepare our hearts to seek more, His love will flow because God loves us!

He wants us to know His Presence!

He is a relational God. He cares about large and small matters.

He fills the temples of believers in Christ Jesus.

He is close, He is with us!

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