Trust in Times of Trial

"Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved." Psalm 55:22

The Lord's care is over all His creatures. He loves them all, and makes no difference, except that He has the most tender pity for those who are called to bear life's heaviest burdens. God's children must meet trials and difficulties. But they should accept their lot with a cheerful spirit, remembering that for all that the world neglects to bestow, God Himself will make up to them in the best of favors.

We are in danger, by worrying, of manufacturing yokes for our necks. Let us not worry, for thus we make the yoke more severe and the burden heavy. Let us do all we can without worrying, trusting in Christ.

With the continual change of circumstances, changes come in our experience; and by these changes we are either elated or depressed. But the change of circumstances has no power to change God's relation to us. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever; and He asks us to have unquestioning confidence in His love.

Satan watches his opportunity to bring about circumstances that will tend to arouse unbelief, hoping to lead us to doubt God. We cannot afford to cherish one thought of unbelief. When we are tempted to look on the dark side, let us open the windows of the soul heavenward, that the bright beams of the Sun of Righteousness may shine in. Let us draw near to God. He has promised that as we do this He will draw near to us and lift up for us a standard against the enemy. The efficiency of His keeping power has in no wise decreased. Let faith stand its trial without wavering, for Christ is a perfect Saviour.

You may look upon your plans as perfect, but God may see that it is essential for you to suffer disappointment in order that your plans may be brought into harmony with His plan. His way is always the right way. He seeth and knoweth all things. We do not always see as He sees. . . .

Take your stand on the word of God. Whatever may occur, hold fast the beginning of your confidence firm unto the end.

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We Reap What We Sow

A fairly prominent American was interviewed on the Early Show recently and the interviewer asked him, “How could God let something like this happen?” (In regards to the attacks on September 11)

He gave an extremely profound and insightful response.

"I believe God would be deeply saddened and grieved by this just as we are but for years we have been taking the basic teachings of the Ten Commandments of God out of our schools, out of the government and out of our lives and by doing so have forced these basic guidelines of love out of our lives. How can we expect anybody to respect anyone else if they do not know why it is they should do so?

In the light of recent events…school shootings, terrorist attacks etc, I think it started when Madeleine Murray O'Hare (she was murdered and her body found recently) complained she did not want prayer in our schools.
And we said OKAY.

Then someone said you better not read the Bible in schools…the Bible says thou shalt not steal, thou shalt not kill, and love your neighbour as yourself.
And we said OKAY.

Then Dr. Benjamin Spock said we should not spank our children when they misbehave because their little personalities would be warped and we might damage their self-esteem (Dr. Spock's son committed suicide). We said an expert should certainly know what he is talking about.
So we said OKAY.

Then someone said principles and teachers better not discipline the children when they misbehave. The school administrators said no faculty member in the schools should touch a student when they misbehave because we surely don't want to be sued and we don't want any bad publicity (there is a big difference between disciplining, touching, smacking, beating, humiliating, kicking, etc.)
And we said OKAY.

Then someone said we should let our daughters have abortions if they want and they won't have to tell their parents unless they want to.
And we said OKAY.

Then some supposed wise school board member said, since boys will be boys and they are going to do it anyway, we should give our sons all the condoms they need so they can have all the fun they desire and we won't have to tell their parents they got them at school.
And we said OKAY.

Then some of our top elected officials said it does not matter what we do in private as long as we are doing our jobs. Agreeing with them, we said it does not matter to me what anyone, including the President, does in private as long as I have a job and the economy is going good.

Then someone said let's print magazines with pictures of nude women and call it wholesome, down-to-earth appreciation for the beauty of the female body.
And we said OKAY.

And then someone else took that appreciation a step further and published pictures of nude children and then went even further again by making them available on the Internet.
And we said OKAY, they are entitled to free speech.

Then the entertainment industry said, let's make television shows and movies that promote violence, profanity and illicit sex. Let's record music that encourages drugs, rape, murder, suicide and occultish themes. And we said it is just entertainment, it has no adverse effect, nobody takes it seriously anyway so go right ahead.

Now we are asking ourselves why our children have no conscience, why they don't know right from wrong, and why it does not bother them to kill their classmates, strangers and even themselves.

Probably, if we think about it long and hard enough, we can figure it out!
I think it has a great deal to do with the fact that “WE REAP WHAT WE SOW.”

Funny how simple it is for people to trash age old teachings based on the Ten Commandments of God and then wonder why the world has become so unsafe, unstable and seemingly out of control. Funny how we believe what the newspapers say but question what our religious teachers of all faiths have taught us for many centuries.

Funny how you can send 'jokes' through the internet and they spread like wildfire, but when you start sending messages regarding Christianity, people think twice about sharing. Funny how crude, lewd, vulgar and obscene articles pass freely through cyberspace but public discussion of Christian beliefs is suppressed in the work place and schools.

Are you laughing?

Funny how if you decide to forward this page, you will not send it too many people in your address book because you are not sure what they believe or what they will think of you for sending it to them. Funny how we can be more concerned about what other people think of us than what we think of ourselves. Or even more importantly so, what GOD thinks of us.

Note: This is a forwarded message.

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Oprah Denies Jesus?

Note: To watch the video, please click the "pause" button on the upper right hand corner of the music box first.



A lot of you might have already seen this video or heard about it. But before throwing your judgment at me, I want to assure you that my reason for posting it here is not to condemn Oprah. I used to be an Oprah "fan". I used to watch her show everyday when I was still in the Philippines. I love the fact that she helps a lot of people 'coz I know, that is of great value in the eyes of God. But it breaks my heart to know that Oprah denied JESUS in front of millions of viewers! That is so misleading...and yes, that is a disaster!

Jesus is the only way! Here's what the Bible says:

"Jesus answered, 'I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.'" John 14:6

"But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven." Matthew 10:33

Isn't that clear enough? No one comes to the Father except through Jesus...and if we deny Him, He will also deny us!

I still like Oprah. Like I said, I don't condemn her at all. In fact, I am praying and hoping that one day she will come to the realization that Jesus is indeed, our Saviour...and that He is indeed, the one and only way! And He died on the cross to save us from eternal damnation!

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Please Pray for Ella...She Has Brain Tumor

This is a forwarded message from my mother-in-law concerning Ella, a 5-year old girl with in inoperable brain tumor. Please read the letter below. May your heart be touched...
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On Sunday, April 27th, Ella Newmiller and her family attended church at Edenton Street United Methodist, in Raleigh, as they do each week. Ella is in my son Scott's, 4 year old Sunday School class. Ella did not feel well that evening. Her parents, Renae and Mark, took her to an urgent care facility. On Monday, they found themselves at UNC Hospitals, being faced with the news that their precious daughter has an inoperable brain tumor. It is located at the base of her brain, inside the brain stem.

Friday, May 2nd, was Ella's 5th birthday. Friends at Edenton Street pulled together an amazing celebration for "Princess Ella". She arrived in a horse drawn carriage and was greeted by over 100 friends dressed in their royal best. "Mr. and Miss Wolf" from NC State, plus "Stormy", from the Carolina Hurricanes joined in the celebration. There was a DJ, beauty queens, bubbles, balloons and presents.

Ella's mother, Renae, commented, "We don't need meals or errands. The only thing we really need is PRAYER." Renae asked me to tell friends, "even if they don't know Ella", to please pray. She asked that those friends ask 10 friends (even if they don't know the Newmillers) to pray. So, I am asking you to pray daily for Ella Newmiller, for the oncologists and physicians directing her care, for her parents, Renae and Mark, and for her brother Jack (2nd grade). Pray for God's healing hand. Pray for both direction and comfort for Ella's family. Also pray for strength and courage for Ella. Additionally, if you feel led, please forward this prayer request to friends.

I am attaching a photo of Ella from Friday's 5th birthday celebration. If you would like updates on Ella, please log onto her care page at www.carepages.com , under Ella Newmiller. There are simple prompts to help you log on. Thanks~

with love,

Louise
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Don't WORRY, Be Happy...

Worry doesn't accomplish anything.
"Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret—it leads only to evil." Psalm 37:8, NIV

There's no need to worry—God has everything under control.
"So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." Matthew 6:31-33, NIV

We cannot remove worry until we replace it with something better—prayer.
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:6-7

Worrying is a waste of time.
"Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?" Luke 12:25-26

Give all your worries to the Lord.
"Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you." 1 Peter 5:7

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Contentment

What brings contentment? Contentment is a gift from God and grows out of having His perspective on life.
"I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through Him who gives me strength." Philippians 4:12-13, NIV

Contentment grows out of humility and trust in God.
"My heart is not proud, O Lord, my eyes are not haughty; I do not concern myself with great matters or things too wonderful for me." Psalm 131:1, NIV.

Contentment grows out of devotion to Christ and eternal values.
"No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money." Matthew 6:24, NIV

Coveting is a barrier to contentment.
"You shall not covet your neighbor's house. You shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor." Exodus 20:17, NIV.

Materialism is a barrier to contentment.
"People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction." I Timothy 6:9, NIV.

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The Story of Faninus - Italy, 1550

In the 1500's, Christians throughout Europe who read copies of the Bible in their own language, instead of Latin, were condemned to die as heretics. Faninus was one of the first martyrs to die in Italy.

Faninus, a "learned layman", read illegal Christian books translated into Italian and was converted to the knowledge of Christ. He began to secretly teach the Gospel, but was soon caught and thrown into prison. While in prison, however, his wife, children and friends all visited him and finally convinced him to renounce his faith to obtain his release.

Once free from confinement, however, Faninus found that he actually was not free at all and reports state that "his mind felt the heaviest of chains; the weight of a guilty conscience." He reaffirmed his dedication to Christ and began publicly preaching the gospel all throughout the country with great fruit and effect in places that he went.

Not surprisingly, Faninus was arrested a second time in 1547, and this time he did not waver in his faith. When asked how he could leave his wife and children in distress, he replied, "I shall not leave them in distress; I have recommended them to the care of an excellent trustee."

"What trustee?" was the question, to which Faninus replied, "Jesus Christ is the trustee I mean, and I think I could not commit them to the care of a better."

After more than two years in prison, he was condemned to death for heresy. On the day of execution, an observer noted that Faninus was amazingly cheerful and told him, "It is strange you should appear so merry upon such an occasion, When Jesus Christ himself, just before his death, was in such agonies, that he sweated blood and water." This was Faninus' reply: "Christ sustained all manner of pangs and conflicts, with hell and death, on our accounts; and thus by his sufferings, freed those who really believe in him from the fear of them."

The executioner strangled Faninus three hours before dawn, so people would not see him nor hear him speak. His body was burnt, and believers later scattered his ashes throughout the territory where he had evangelized.

Source: VOM

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Today in History - May 2

Today is Friday, May 2, the 123rd day of 2008. There are 243 days left in the year.

Today's Highlight in History:

One hundred years ago, on May 2, 1908, the original version of the song "Take Me Out to the Ball Game," with music by Albert Von Tilzer and lyrics by Jack Norworth, was copyrighted by Von Tilzer's York Music Co.

On this date:

In 1670, the Hudson Bay Company was chartered by England's King Charles II.

In 1863, Confederate Gen. Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson was accidentally wounded by his own men at Chancellorsville, Va.; he died eight days later.

In 1890, the Oklahoma Territory was organized.

In 1936, "Peter and the Wolf," a symphonic tale for children by Sergei Prokofiev, had its world premiere in Moscow.

In 1945, the Soviet Union announced the fall of Berlin, and the Allies announced the surrender of Nazi troops in Italy and parts of Austria.

In 1957, Sen. Joseph R. McCarthy, the controversial Republican senator from Wisconsin, died at Bethesda Naval Hospital in Maryland.

In 1957, crime boss Frank Costello narrowly survived an attempt on his life in New York; the alleged gunman, Vincent "The Chin" Gigante, was acquitted at trial after Costello refused to identify him as the shooter.

In 1960, Caryl Chessman, who became a best-selling author while on death row for kidnapping, robbery and sexual offenses, was executed at San Quentin Prison in California.

In 1965, Intelsat 1, also known as the Early Bird satellite, was first used to transmit television pictures across the Atlantic.

In 1972, after serving 48 years as head of the FBI, J. Edgar Hoover died in Washington at age 77.

Ten years ago: In separate radio addresses, President Clinton and congressional Republicans lambasted the Internal Revenue Service and promised more reforms to prevent future abuses by the agency. Real Quiet won the Kentucky Derby.

Five years ago: A federal court struck down most of the new campaign finance law's ban on the use of large corporate and union contributions by political parties. (However, the Supreme Court later ruled that rooting out corruption, or even the appearance of it, justified limitations on the free speech and free spending of contributors, candidates and political parties.) India and Pakistan agreed to hold talks on settling a half-century of disputes that had drawn them into three wars.

One year ago: In a defeat for anti-war Democrats, Congress failed to override President Bush's veto of legislation requiring the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq. Bush declared al-Qaida "public enemy No. 1 in Iraq."

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Bible Hotline

The following is sent to me by email from my good friend Kim.

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You can now read the Bible at the click of a button.....no more excuses for not reading it.
These are more effective than 911...

WHEN -

You are sad, phone JOHN 14

You have sinned, phone PSALM 51

You are facing danger, phone PSALM 91

People have failed you, phone PSALM 27

It feels as though God is far from you, phone PSALM 139

Your faith needs stimulation, phone HEBREWS 11

You are alone and scared, phone PSALM 23

You are worried, phone MATTHEW 8:19-34

You are hurt and critical, phone 1 CORINTHIANS 13

You wonder about Christianity, phone 2 CORINTHIANS 5:15-18

You feel like an outcast, phone ROMANS 8:31-39

You are seeking peace, phone MATTHEW 11:25-30

It feels as if the world is bigger than God, phone PSALM 90

You need Christ like insurance, phone ROMANS 8:1-30

You are leaving home for a trip, phone PSALM 121

You are praying for yourself, phone PSALM 87

You require courage for a task, phone JOSHUA 1

Inflation's and investments are hogging your thoughts, phone MARK 10:17-31

You are depressive, phone PSALM 27

Your bank account is empty, phone PSALM 37

You lose faith in mankind, phone 1 CORINTHIANS 13

It looks like people are unfriendly, phone JOHN 15

You are losing hope, phone PSALM 126

You feel the world is small compared to you, phone PSALM 19

You want to carry fruit, phone JOHN 15

Paul's secret for happiness, phone COLOSSIANS 3:12-17

With big opportunity/discovery, phone ISAIAH 55

To get along with other people, phone ROMANS 12

ALTERNATE NUMBERS

For dealing with fear, call PSALM 47

For security, call PSALM 121:3

For assurance, call Mark 8:35

For reassurance, call PSALM 145:18

ALL THESE NUMBERS MAY BE PHONED DIRECTLY.

NO OPERATOR ASSISTANCE IS NECESSARY.

ALL LINES TO HEAVEN ARE AVAILABLE 24 HOURS A DAY.

FEED YOUR FAITH, AND DOUBT WILL STARVE TO DEATH.

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Today in History - May 1

Today is Thursday, May 1, the 122nd day of 2008. There are 244 days left in the year.

Today's Highlight in History:

On May 1, 1898, Commodore George Dewey gave the command, "You may fire when you are ready, Gridley," as an American naval force destroyed a Spanish squadron in Manila Bay during the Spanish-American War.

On this date:

In 1707, the Kingdom of Great Britain was created as a treaty merging England and Scotland took effect.

In 1786, Mozart's opera "The Marriage of Figaro" premiered in Vienna.

In 1893, the World's Columbian Exposition opened to the public in Chicago.

In 1931, New York's 102-story Empire State Building was dedicated.

In 1945, a day after Adolf Hitler committed suicide, Adm. Karl Doenitz effectively became sole leader of the Third Reich with the suicide of Hitler's propaganda minister, Josef Goebbels.

In 1960, the Soviet Union shot down an American U-2 reconnaissance plane near Sverdlovsk and captured its pilot, Francis Gary Powers.

In 1963, James W. Whittaker became the first American to conquer Mount Everest as he and a Sherpa guide reached the summit.

In 1967, Elvis Presley married Priscilla Beaulieu in Las Vegas. (They divorced in 1973.)

In 1978, Ernest Morial was inaugurated as the first black mayor of New Orleans.

In 1982, the 1982 World's Fair opened in Knoxville, Tenn.

Ten years ago: Eldridge Cleaver, the fiery Black Panther leader who later renounced his past and became a Republican, died in Pomona, Calif., at age 62. Former Rwandan Prime Minister Jean Kambanda pleaded guilty to charges stemming from the 1994 genocide of more than half a million Tutsis. (Kambanda was later sentenced to life in prison.)

Five years ago: President Bush, flying aboard an S-3B Viking, landed on the deck of the carrier USS Abraham Lincoln off the Southern California coast. With a banner strung across the bridge of the ship proclaiming "Mission Accomplished," the president declared major combat in Iraq over, but also said "difficult work" remained ahead. A magnitude 6.4 earthquake killed 177 people in Turkey.

One year ago: In only his second veto, President Bush rejected legislation to pull U.S. troops out of Iraq in a showdown with Congress over whether the war should end or escalate. Thousands of people protested across the country to demand a path to citizenship for an estimated 12 million illegal immigrants.

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