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I wonder what would happen if we treated our Bible like we treat our cell phones?
What if we carried it around in our purses or pockets?
What if we turned back to go get it if we forgot it?
What if we flipped through it several times a day?
What if we used it to receive messages from the text?
What if we treated it like we couldn't live without it?
What if we gave it to kids as gifts?
What if we used it as we traveled?
What if we used it in case of an emergency?
What if we upgraded it to get the latest version?
This is something to make you go...hmmm...where is my Bible?
Oh, and one more thing. Unlike our cell phone, we don't ever have to worry about our bible being disconnected because Jesus already paid the bill!
God Bless!!
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Below is a story that I had received in an email and it led me to MyChurch. I am not sure who the author is, but I feel I had to share it with you.
One day, a man, his heart heavy with grief, was walking in the woods. As he thought about his life this day, he knew many things were not right. He thought about those who had lied about him back when he had a job. His thoughts turned to those who had stolen his things and cheated him. He remembered family that had passed on. His mind turned to the illness he had, that no one could cure. His very soul was filled with anger, resentment, and frustration.
Standing there this day, searching for answers he could not find, knowing all else had failed him, he knelt at the base of an old oak tree to seek the One he knew would always be there. And with tears in his eyes, he prayed:
"Lord- You have done wonderful things for me in this life. You have told me to do many things for you, and I happily obeyed. Today, you have told me to forgive. I am sad, Lord, because I cannot, I don't know how. It is not fair Lord, I didn't deserve these wrongs that were done against me and I shouldn't have to forgive. As perfect as your way is Lord, this one thing I cannot do, for I don't know how to forgive. My anger is so deep Lord, I fear I may not hear you, but I pray you teach me to do the one thing I cannot do: Teach me to forgive." As he knelt there in the quiet shade of that old oak tree, he felt something fall onto his shoulder. He opened his eyes. Out of the corner of one eye, he saw something red on his shirt. He could not turn to see what it was because where the oak tree had been was a large square piece of wood in the ground. He raised his head and saw two feet held to the wood with a large spike through them.
He raised his head more, and tears came to his eyes as he saw Jesus hanging on a cross. He saw spikes in His hands, a gash in His side, a torn and battered body, deep thorns sunk into His head. Finally, he saw the suffering and pain on His precious face. As their eyes met, the man's tears turned to sobbing, and Jesus began to speak. 'Have you ever told a lie?' He asked. The man answered - 'Yes, Lord.' 'Have you ever been given too much change and kept it?' The man answered - 'Yes. Lord.' And the man sobbed more and more. 'Have you ever taken something from work that wasn't yours?' Jesus asked? And the man answered , 'Yes, Lord.' 'Have you ever sworn, using my Father's name in vain?' The man, crying now, answered - 'Yes, Lord.' As Jesus asked many more times, 'Have you ever'?
The man's crying became uncontrollable, for he could only answer - 'Yes, Lord'.
Then Jesus turned His head from one side to the other, and the man felt something fall on his other shoulder. He looked and saw that it was the blood of Jesus. When he looked back up, his eyes met those of Jesus, and there was a look of love the man had never seen or known before. Jesus said, ' I didn't deserve this either, but I forgive you.' It may be hard to see how you're going to get through something, but when you look back in life, you realize how true this statement is. Read the following line slowly and let it sink in:
If God brings you to it - He will bring you through it.
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Yes, it's true.....summer is definately is on it's way. I can always tell because my day planner keeps getting fuller by the minute. Lots of things going on with my home church....a Spring Retreat to Camp Luther in Conneaut, Ohio, for which I have signed up as the Games Coordinator...should be lots of fun!! My wife, our Pastor, a member of our Mission & Evangelism team and myself had driven to the Camp last Sunday after church just to check things out. It is AWESOME!! It sits right on Lake Erie. There is an outdoor chapel that overlooks the lake.....simply beautiful!!
Our Church will be celebrating our 100th Anniversary this June. We have a whole weekend of events planned to help celebrate. The Glory Be To God!!! We have 4 rummage sales scheduled over the summer, with the first one being this Saturday. I went in to the church this morning to help get things set up for the sale. There was about 8 of us getting the items organized and put on tables so they can be priced. I ended up leaving earlier than I had wanted to....I did something that I shouldn't have done alone and I pulled some muscles in my lower back. Alleve and a 4 hr nap can work wonders!! I am still a bit sore but not as bad as this afternoon.
We are doing something new for our Bible Study classes before Sunday morning services. Normally, we take a book from the Bible and break it down and study it. This time, our Pastor has decided to do a study on our Liturgy. Why we say the things that we say, what it all means. I am actually looking forward to this study. It's a small change of pace from just studying from the Bible. We actually have a Thursday night study group that had started the Bible from the book of Genesis and currently we have finished 2nd Samuel and barely have gotten into 1st Kings.
So, as you can see, I have lots going on this summer with my home church. I am still serving as Head of our Transportation Ministry, Head Usher for my team of Ushers, which has given me a seat on the Church Council, and I have, within the last couple of months, been elected as an Elder's Assistant.
So I do appologize if I haven't written in a while or responded to anyone's blogs. It has been a busy year for me so far and I only see it getting busier as summer approaches. You all are constantly in my thoughts and prayers. God Bless You All !!
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Article taken from Akron Beacon Journal in Akron, Ohio:
Camryn Jakeb Wilson, the area's first baby of the new year, struggled more than 15 hours to be born.
Now he's fighting for his life. The baby's father, Craig Wilson, was arrested and charged with assaulting the infant, who was listed in critical condition Thursday at Akron Children's Hospital.
According to a report released Thursday, Cuyahoga Falls police were notified about 12:21 a.m. by hospital personnel that they were treating a 2-month-old boy with ''severe head and bodily injuries.'' The baby was brought to the hospital by his mother, Crystal Wilson.
''Subsequent investigation by the Cuyahoga Falls Police Department detectives revealed the father of the child, Craig Richard Wilson, had assaulted the child earlier in the evening . . . while baby-sitting at the family's residence in Cuyahoga Falls,'' according to the report.
Wilson, 28, was charged with felonious assault and child endangering, both second-degree felonies.
Wilson was taken to the Cuyahoga Falls Jail, where he was released on bond — 10 percent of $25,000 cash — pending arraignment in Cuyahoga Falls Municipal Court.
The Wilson family was featured in a Beacon Journal story on the area's first baby of 2008, which reported ''Camryn checked into the world at 12:33 a.m. New Year's Day at Akron City Hospital.''
The 6-pound, 8-ounce baby was born about a week before he was due, after more than 15 hours of labor.
Please keep this family in your prayers, especially baby Camryn. They are not sure if he will survive due to the numerous injuries.
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4:27 Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: Remove thy foot from evil.
When recently traveling to my brother's house, I found myself hopelessly lost. He had given me good directions, telling me to stay on a highway until I came to a certain traffic light. I drove down the highway for what seemed like hours. As the miles passed, I began to doubt whether or not my brother had given me the right directions. The doubts grew and grew, until finally I decided to turn off. I headed in the general direction I thought my brother would be, and that was how I got myself lost. As it turned out, I was only a few minutes from the proper light, but because of my doubts, I was led to make a bad decision.
Many times in our lives we will find ourselves in situations where we grow impatient or doubtful. It is during those times that it is most important to hold fast to the promises of God. God IS always there, and He knows what is best for us in every situation. It is vital that we not turn to the right or left but stay steadfastly on the path that leads to God. If we will learn to do that, then the blessings of God will be ours in all circumstances.
God Bless All of You!!
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