WELCOMED HOME BY GOD

 

   Mike Wittmer-  After Sherman Smith recruited Deland McCullough to play American football for Miami University, he grew to love him and became the father Deland never had. Deland had great admiration for Sherman and aimed to become the man he was.

   Decades later, when Deland tracked down his birth mom, she shocked him with the news, "Your father's name is Sherman Smith." Yes, that Sherman Smith. Coach Smith was stunned to learn he had a son, and Deland was stunned that his father figure was literally his father!

   The next time they met, Sherman hugged Deland and said, "My son.' Deland had never heard that from a father, He knew Sherman " was saying it from a place of 'I'm proud. This is my son,' and he was overwhelmed.

   We too should be overwhelmed by the perfect love of our heavenly Father. John writes, "See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!" (1 John 3:1). We're as dumbfounded as Deland, who didn't dare think someone like Sherman could be his dad. It is really true? John insists, yes, "that is what we are!" (v.1)

   If you believe in Jesus, His Father is also your dad. You may feel orphaned, alone in the world. But the truth is, you have a Father—the only One—and He's proud to call you His child.

Let's pray-

   Father, we ask for You to help our menfolk be the fathers of their children in a way that pleases You and benefits them as they grow up. May they be willing to learn from You how to be good fathers through reading the Bible and getting Your guidance from it.

  Help the men we know to be able to be good dads by examples of what men should act like, and to honor You and be ready to love their children as You love them. May they be willing to receive advice from men who have successfully raise God-fearing children.

   We ask this in Jesus' name, that You may be honored through their obedience to how You want them to behave and influence their children. Amen


#144 Testimony- Andrew Murray

   "When we're focused on yesterday or worried about tomorrow, our today quickly goes by, and we miss it's opportunities and God's promised provision. Today is the only day we have. It's the only day in which we can fulfill God's will and bring Him glory."

 

1866-1870 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- 
 

1866- Prov. 30:8b "Feed me with food con envient for me."

1867- Heb. 8:10b "I will be to them a God, and they shall be to Me a people."

1868- Jer. 29:4a "Thus Saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel."

1869- Daniel 4:13a "I saw in the vision of my head."

1870- Matt. 9:28b "Believe ye that I am able to do this?"

I'm taking a sabbatical from posting on my blog until further notice. 

I will be sending a faith message each Saturday in my emails and texts.

#144 Hymn-  Precious Lord, Take My Hand

 

   Thomas Andrew Dorsey was born in a small town in Georgia in 1899. When he was about eleven, the Dorseys moved to atlanta where Thomas was quickly enamoured with the blues and began playing piano at a vaudeville theater. Later the family moved to Chicago where he attended classes at the College of Composition and Arranging.

   Thomas was converted at the National Baptist Convention in Chicago in 1921, and began writing gospel songs and trying to get them published. In August, 1932, while leading music in St. Louis, he was handed a telegram bearing the words, "Your wife just died." A friend drove him through the night, and he arrived home to learn that his baby boy had also died.

   "I began to feel that God had done me an injustice," Thomas later said. "I didn't want to serve him anymore or write any more gospel songs." But the next Saturday, while alone in a friend's 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 fall 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 worn . . ."

   Today Thomas A Dorsey is remembered as the "Father of Gospel Music" and the author of hundreds of gospel songs including his equally famous, "Peace in the Valley."

 Some encouraging words-

   Beloved Andrew Murray wrote,"Heaven is still as full of spiritual blessings . . . 

God still delights to give the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him. Our life and work are still as dependent on the direct impartation of the divine power as they were in Pentecostal times. Prayer is still the appointed means for drawing down these heavenly blessings in power upon ourselves and those around us. God still seeks for men and women who will, with all their other work of ministering, especially give themselves to persevering prayer."

Church Notes: 

               WE'RE WITNESSES

We're to be clothed in power; the strength of God.

We're not to be clothed with fear, but be under the power of God we've received.

God will empower us to walk with the power of Christ with boldness, demonstrating the power of God.

We're not to shrink back, but be empowered and expecting God to move through us.

He will empower us if we're hungry for more of God.

We're to press in for more!