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 12/23/98 Good morning.... +†+ +†+ +†+ +†+ +†+ +†+ +†+ +†+ +†+ +†+ +†+ +†+ +†+ +†+ Take from My Light and allow your
life to be a gift that others can open From: "Heart Lights" +†+ +†+ +†+ +†+ +†+ +†+ +†+ +†+ +†+ +†+ +†+ +†+ +†+ +†+ Hi Dear Friends!! Well...Christmas is upon us!! Are you frazzled and anxious, or do you have peace? I pray that today's devo will help those that are in a hard place in your walk. May the peace of Jesus envelope you as He reveals Himself to you this day. Set aside the shopping list for a sec, and pull up a chair. Better yet, let's climb up into His lap together. As we say in the South..." Y'ownt to?" Translation: "Would you like to do that?" ( smile ) See ya at da end! Jer 29:12-13 A young man had been to Wednesday night Bible Study. The Pastor had shared about listening to God. The young man couldn't help but wonder, "Does God still speak to people?" After service he went out with some friends for coffee and pie and they discussed the idea. Several different people talked about how God had led them to do things in different ways. It was about ten o'clock when the young man started driving home. Sitting in his car, he just began to pray, "God.. If you still speak to people, speak to me. I will listen. I will do my best to serve your wishes." As he drove down the main street of his town, he had the strangest thought, to stop and buy a gallon of milk. He shook his head and said out loud, "God is that you?" He didn't get a reply and started on toward home. But again, the thought was there, "Buy a gallon of milk." Then he said, "Okay, God, in case that is you, I will buy the milk." It didn't seem like too hard a request to fulfill. He could always use the milk himself if nothing else. So he stopped and purchased the gallon of milk and started off toward home. As he passed Seventh street, he again felt the urge, "Turn down that street." "This is crazy," he thought and drove on pass the intersection. Again, he felt that he should turn down seventh street. At the next intersection, he turned back and headed down Seventh. Half jokingly, he said out loud, "Okay, God, I will. He drove several blocks, when suddenly, he felt like he should stop. He pulled over to the curb and looked around. He was in a semi-commercial area of town. It wasn't the best but it wasn't the worst of neighborhoods either. The businesses were closed and most of the houses looked dark like the people were already in bed. Again, he sensed something, "Go and give the milk to the people in the house across the street." The young man looked at the house. It was dark and it looked like the people were either gone or they were already asleep. He started to open the door and then sat back in the car seat. "God, this is insane. Those people are asleep and if I wake them up, they are going to be mad and I will look stupid." Again, he felt like he should go and give the milk. Finally, he opened the car door, "Okay God, if this is you, I will go to the door and I will give them the milk. If you want me to look like a crazy person, okay. I want to do as You wish. I guess that will count for something, but if they don't answer right away, I am out of here." He walked across the street and rang the bell. He could hear some noise inside. A man's voice yelled out, "Who is it? What do you want?" Then the door opened before the young man could get away. The man was standing there in his jeans and t-shirt. He looked like he'd just gotten out of bed. He had a strange look on his face and he didn't seem too happy to have some stranger standing on his doorstep. "What is it?" The young man thrust out the gallon of milk. "Here, I brought this to you," he said nervously. The man took the milk and rushed down a hall way speaking loudly in Spanish. Then from down the hall came a woman carrying the milk toward the kitchen. The man was following her holding a baby. The baby was crying. The man had tears streaming down his face. The man began speaking and half crying, "We were just praying. We had some big bills this month and we ran out of money. We didn't have any milk for our baby. I was just praying and asking God to show me how to get some milk." His wife in the kitchen yelled out, "I ask Him to send an Angel with some milk. Are you an Angel?" In response to hearing this, the young man reached into his wallet and pulled out all the money he had on him and put in the man's hand. He turned and walked back toward his car as the tears were streaming down his face. He knew that God still answers prayers and that God still speaks to people. "Are You An Angel?" <>@<><JE§U§><<>@<><JE§U§><<>@<><JE§U§><<>@<><JE§U§>< I was loading a washing machine at the self-service laundry when I saw a young Oriental woman coming toward me. Assuming she was having trouble operating a machine, I turned toward her ready to help. To my surprise, she asked in soft, heavily accented tones, "Please? Do you have Jesus in your heart?" When I recovered from my surprise, I assured her Jesus lived in my heart, too. Then I asked her how she came to know Jesus as her Savior. After telling me the story of her pilgrimage of faith, she closed with these words, "Now I know Jesus wants me to tell others about Him." I left the laundry marveling at the
courage and faithfulness of the girl. Didn't she know
that some Americans are prejudiced against
"foreigners"? Didn't she know that some would
make fun of her or be angry that she spoke to them? Of
course she knew, but her commission from Jesus was more
important to her than any fears of rebuff. <>@<><JE§U§><<>@<><JE§U§><<>@<><JE§U§><<>@<> The following piece was written by Guy D. Garrett from Lynn Haven, FL. He was sitting on his front porch early one morning, with a Bible in his lap. He asked the Lord to speak to his heart... and this is what transpired: A HEALING STILLNESS Be still my child Stop the rush of thoughts, ideas, and tasks to be
performed. In My stillness there is peace. When you know, when all doubts, fears, and anxieties I love you deeply. I have done all for you that needs to be done <>@<><JE§U§><<>@<><JE§U§><<>@<><JE§U§><<>@<> Me again Dear Friends!! I was just sitting here reflecting on the "gift of His presence." I recently saw an analogy in that phrase. It started last week, when I picked up a lil "gift" for my boys. I went to take a peek at Dalmation puppies and came back with a kitten. Hey..it was free! ( laughing ) There was something about this kitten, though. It was wild as wild could be! I really didn't want it that much when I saw it squirming in the owner's hand, scratching, and clawing to get "free"! But, since I already said I wanted one..and they were ALL wild, I went on and took it to the house..reluctantly. I thought, "Man, I want one of them kitty cats that climb in your lap, and lick your fangers, while you are leisurely sitting there reading a book." That was a week ago. Today, "Tigger" is climbing in my lap, and licking my fangers while I am leisurely sitting there, reading a book. Now, comes the analogy part. It took a week for this kitty to become comfortable in my "presence." At first, he didn't want anything to do with me....nor did I want too much to do with that "wild thang" but I knew that if I wanted to see a difference, I would need to spend time with him. Through that mindset, God used Tigger to teach me a lesson I hope I won't soon forget. He taught me about the changes that take place, as we continually fellowship with the Father. He taught me that these changes don't occur overnight, in "my timing," but they DO occur in His timing, with the right ingredients. I could have just thrown that cat to the wind, and never spent time with it...and it would have continued on the path that was familiar to it. Darting away from people, and stretching forth toward that "to each his own" attitude. I never forced myself on Tigger, but I made myself available to him. I would sit in the chair, and call his name, and do the high pitched "kitty, kitty, kitty" thingie. And when he came close enough...with great reluctance, I would gently reach my hand out, and bring him into my bosom...caressing him, and speaking softly...so that he would become familiar with my voice. After a time, my presence became something that Tigger looked forward to. He comes to me with an eagerness that certainly wasn't there the first day. He looks forward to the love and tenderness that I lavish on him. Now, when my rambunctious boys come stomping into the room, he starts looking around for Exit signs! I am still in the process of teaching them how to approach Tigger...and believe me..I know he can't wait til they finally get it right! ( laughing ) Anyway, I think you get the drift of this analogy. Such a simple one, really. There is a change that takes place in the life of a believer the more they spend time in the presence of the Father. This is a transformation that may not take place overnight..and it is one that takes commitment...but it is also one that bears much fruit. If you are one that is still in the "scurrying" mode....where you spend snatches of time with Jesus, and then go off and resume the same ole, same ole, I have a word for you. Keep pressing in. Just like the scenario with Tigger, there will be a change within your heart....and the desire for more, more, more...will take place because you are tapping into a well that is so desirable, and it is so good, you find yourself yearning for even more. Oh the sweetness of the "gift of His presence!" As you unwrap your gifts this year, think about this: Parallel your quiet time with Jesus as unwrapping a gift, only this time, visualize a process as you unwrap it over and over. You may rip the package open the first time..glance at it, and say, "that was nice," then get up and walk off. But, go back and do it again..with the mindset that each time, you will unwrap it a little more slowly each time. Gently tug on the bow, and slide the tape off, as the "gift of His presence" is revealed in your life. You will see the gift in a different light, and you will begin to open it with more revelation, as time goes on. The scales will fall off your eyes, and the "pearl of great price" will have such great significance that it didn't have in the past. ( Matthew 13:46 ) In time, you will find yourself climbing up in His lap, and licking His fangers...while He is reading a book, with your name written in it. ( smile ) The sweet comfort of His presence will have a familiarity that we will look forward to. It will become a refuge, a source, a hiding place, an answer, and a lighthouse. It will become a gift that you will want to open every single moment of every single day. Let us pray, Dear Friends.. Father, thank you for the gift of Your
presence. Thank you for the gift of Your Son, Jesus.
Thank You for giving Your life for me, and thank you for
wanting to be the most important Person in my life. Thank
You for giving Your Comforter to me, and thank You for
leading me into all truth and understanding through this
Comforter, the Holy Spirit. As I dwell in the gift of
Your presence from this moment on, lead me in the way
everlasting, and teach me to bask in You. Please change
my heart, and renew my mind....as I dwell in the secret
place of the Most High, while abiding in the shadow of
Your wings.. And the congregation said?? ( smile ) God Bless you all..!! In Christ!!
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