I DECLARE BEFORE THE LORD...

Good morning dear friends! Again, our thanks for your prayers for our daughter and new grandbaby! Sarai Evangelina Cortez was born Saturday, February 24, 2007 by C-section. Mom, daughter, and dad are doing well as are the grandparents, Nellie and Eradio Valverde, and Kathy and Joe Cortez. The baby is beautiful! We are blessed and we praise God!
We talked about our journey home and we talked about what "home" really means. Home is where we feel love, accepted, and committed. We talked about God's desire for us to be at home with Him in our relationship with Him.
Here is our study guide for today, remembering that the Genesis reading assignments are to prepare us for Sunday's new sermon series THE GRAND SLAM, THROUGH THE BIBLE IN A YEAR!:Monday: (Read Genesis 1-3 in preparation for the Grand Slam.) Joshua 24:15 is a famous declaration made by Joshua. Please find and read that. What sort of declarations have you made about your family and home? What was the last spiritual decision you made for your family?
Here is that Joshua passage:15 Now if you are unwilling to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served in the region beyond the River or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord."
Joshua has gathered the people of God as they prepare to enter the promised land. He reminds them of the temptations that await them from their new neighbors, namely to follow other gods, but he makes a declaration for himself and his family, "but as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord." This is a strong declaration and one that he is making not only for himself but for his family as well. It was surely something he discussed with them and something he asked commitment from his family about: We will continue to serve the Lord. It was not easy to make this declaration before this group for they had not been the most faithful people. They were fickle and many were the times they deviated from God's path choosing instead their own.
What declaration have you made for your household? That you'll be a Colgate family forever? That only Cheer will wash your clothes? That you'll read only the Austin American Statesman no matter where in the country you live? While you may argue those are important declarations, what declaration have you made for the Lord? We will go to church every Sunday unless we're sick or out of town? We will be a family of prayer? We will tithe what we earn to the Lord? We will attend Sunday school and grow in our knowledge of God? We will give of our time to be in Christian service to this community? These are the ones that matter that help your family know who they are, as well as letting others know what matters for you. Not to mention that God wants these declarations not only made, but lived out.
It won't be easy and to make such a declaration may find you at odds with some of the members of your family. You may find yourself tempted by Satan to consider what you just declared to be foolish or dangerous. A declaration is a call to stand firm in the Lord, trusting Him for the decisions you make that will bless the Lord and you.
PRAYER: Come loving God into my household today. I declare to you that I will make declarations that bless You and my household. Help us all in the living of such. I pray in Jesus' name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
e.v.
PS Please don't forget Doug Carson's funeral is today at 11 a.m. in our church. Please continue to pray for Sue, Amanda, and Jennifer.

WHAT'S GOD'S PLAN FOR YOUR MARRIAGE?

Good day dear friends.
We continue to affirm our faith that God wants our marriages to count. Here is our study guide for today:
Thursday: Matthew 1:18-25 tells us the brief story of Joseph's disappointment in Mary before their actual marriage. Please read that and see what happensin "the rest of the story."
Here is that passage from Matthew 1:18 Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. 19 Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly. 20 But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins." 22 All this took place to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet: 23 "Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel," which means, "God is with us." 24 When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife, 25 but had no marital relations with her until she had borne a son; and he named him Jesus.
They're called the Holy Family by some. Joseph and Mary, parents to Jesus. It started out as a normal Jewish matrimonial process: Joseph was selected to be Mary's husband, and they took part in the betrothal ceremony, where Mary took Joseph's name, they returned home with their own families and for one year Mary had the option of calling off the wedding. Prior to this step, Joseph was the only one in the relationship that had that right, now Mary had it. The only way to call off the wedding from Joseph's side, was if Mary was found to be unfaithful to him. You can imagine his disappointment, if not anger, at finding out that Mary is now pregnant. "Joseph being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly." He was within his rights. The other option was to have Mary publically executed for her sin.
But God had other plans. God, in a dream, sends an angel to reveal His greater purpose for him and Mary. Joseph goes through with his marriage, and Jesus is born.
What plans does God have for your marriage? Are you waiting for a dream in which God will reveal it to you or do you know that your being married is part of God's plan in and of itself? In what ways are you glorifying God in your marriage? Do your friends and family know your marriage to be a holy one?
PRAYER: God of love and mercy, grant to me a holy marriage. Let my desires and actions be those that seek to do Your will and make known Your love. I pray in Jesus' precious name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day!
e.v.

ASH WEDNESDAY, THE START OF OUR LENTEN JOURNEY!

Good day dear friends. Today is Ash Wednesday, the start of our Lenten Journey, a time of spiritual preparation for our welcoming the Risen Christ with new hearts on Resurrection (Easter) Sunday.
Our church will have come and go ashes from 11 until 1 p.m. Then at 7 a more formal worship led by our youth group. Both services will prove to be meaningful.
Here is one text for today from Matthew 6:1 "Beware of practicing your piety before others in order to be seen by them; for then you have no reward from your Father in heaven. 2 "So whenever you give alms, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be praised by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. 3 But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your alms may be done in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you. 5 "And whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, so that they may be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. 6 But whenever you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.16 "And whenever you fast, do not look dismal, like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces so as to show others that they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. 17 But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, 18 so that your fasting may be seen not by others but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you. 19 "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal; 20 but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Here is also our prayer guide for today:
Wednesday: This is our day of prayer and purpose. With our having spent Sunday, yesterday and Monday studying abour marriage, use today as a day to pray purposefully for the married couples in our church. Pray that God would bless them, help them keep the SPARK alive in their relationship, and that God would use all marriages to inspire others about their own marriages.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
e.v.

SEVEN YEARS SEEM LIKE A FEW DAYS!

Good day dear friends.
PRAYER REQUESTS:From Gordon Leeks of our church: A colleague of mine, Keller T. has suffered with extreme pain in his back for several years. He has asked for prayers for relief from this debilitating pain.Thanks,Gordon
Today in Texas it's TAKS Writing Day! Please be in prayer for 3rd, 4th, 7th, and 11th graders as they take this test and other tests in Spanish, writing, etc. There will be prayers in school today!
STUDY GUIDE:We continue to talk about making our marriages count and we have our study guide here:
Tuesday: Please find and read Genesis 29. It’s a great love story, but it has some interesting twists and turns. Read how this young man’s dream of getting married plays out.
Here is that passage from Genesis 29:1 Then Jacob went on his journey, and came to the land of the people of the east. 2 As he looked, he saw a well in the field and three flocks of sheep lying there beside it; for out of that well the flocks were watered. The stone on the well's mouth was large, 3 and when all the flocks were gathered there, the shepherds would roll the stone from the mouth of the well, and water the sheep, and put the stone back in its place on the mouth of the well. 4 Jacob said to them, "My brothers, where do you come from?" They said, "We are from Haran." 5 He said to them, "Do you know Laban son of Nahor?" They said, "We do." 6 He said to them, "Is it well with him?" "Yes," they replied, "and here is his daughter Rachel, coming with the sheep." 7 He said, "Look, it is still broad daylight; it is not time for the animals to be gathered together. Water the sheep, and go, pasture them." 8 But they said, "We cannot until all the flocks are gathered together, and the stone is rolled from the mouth of the well; then we water the sheep." 9 While he was still speaking with them, Rachel came with her father's sheep; for she kept them. 10 Now when Jacob saw Rachel, the daughter of his mother's brother Laban, and the sheep of his mother's brother Laban, Jacob went up and rolled the stone from the well's mouth, and watered the flock of his mother's brother Laban. 11 Then Jacob kissed Rachel, and wept aloud. 12 And Jacob told Rachel that he was her father's kinsman, and that he was Rebekah's son; and she ran and told her father. 13 When Laban heard the news about his sister's son Jacob, he ran to meet him; he embraced him and kissed him, and brought him to his house. Jacob told Laban all these things, 14 and Laban said to him, "Surely you are my bone and my flesh!" And he stayed with him a month. 15 Then Laban said to Jacob, "Because you are my kinsman, should you therefore serve me for nothing? Tell me, what shall your wages be?" 16 Now Laban had two daughters; the name of the elder was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. 17 Leah's eyes were lovely, and Rachel was graceful and beautiful. 18 Jacob loved Rachel; so he said, "I will serve you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel." 19 Laban said, "It is better that I give her to you than that I should give her to any other man; stay with me." 20 So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed to him but a few days because of the love he had for her. 21 Then Jacob said to Laban, "Give me my wife that I may go in to her, for my time is completed." 22 So Laban gathered together all the people of the place, and made a feast. 23 But in the evening he took his daughter Leah and brought her to Jacob; and he went in to her. 24 (Laban gave his maid Zilpah to his daughter Leah to be her maid.) 25 When morning came, it was Leah! And Jacob said to Laban, "What is this you have done to me? Did I not serve with you for Rachel? Why then have you deceived me?" 26 Laban said, "This is not done in our country giving the younger before the firstborn. 27 Complete the week of this one, and we will give you the other also in return for serving me another seven years." 28 Jacob did so, and completed her week; then Laban gave him his daughter Rachel as a wife. 29 (Laban gave his maid Bilhah to his daughter Rachel to be her maid.) 30 So Jacob went in to Rachel also, and he loved Rachel more than Leah. He served Laban for another seven years. 31 When the Lord saw that Leah was unloved, he opened her womb; but Rachel was barren. 32 Leah conceived and bore a son, and she named him Reuben; for she said, "Because the Lord has looked on my affliction; surely now my husband will love me." 33 She conceived again and bore a son, and said, "Because the Lord has heard that I am hated, he has given me this son also"; and she named him Simeon. 34 Again she conceived and bore a son, and said, "Now this time my husband will be joined to me, because I have borne him three sons"; therefore he was named Levi. 35 She conceived again and bore a son, and said, "This time I will praise the Lord"; therefore she named him Judah; then she ceased bearing.
What a love story! Our hero, Jacob, bachelor wanderer, comes across the woman of his dreams. And in keeping with those times, a perfect woman because she was a cousin. (Yes, first cousin, for his mother's brother was Rachel's father - get a chart to plot this if you're not following it!). According to one website, it is now against the law to marry a first cousin in Texas. That as of September 1, 2005. Previously, it was legal; now you can go to jail.
Jacob sees Rachel, this woman of his dreams upon his arrival to the place where she watered the sheep. He meets his uncle, a great celebration takes place, then Jacob offers to work for him. The uncle asks him what would he like as a salary, and Jacob replies he would be very thankful to receive permission to marry Rachel. Uncle Laban said, work for me seven years and she's yours! Now keep in mind, if you read the passage, that Uncle Laban has two daughters; the oldest is Leah, and she has great eyes, great personality, makes her own clothes, great cook, stuff you hear before you go on a blind date; and Rachel, the more beautiful of the two. But Jacob is in love with Rachel and wants to marry her. And the Bible says that those seven years seemed like a few days. Remember those days in your marriage, or a relationship, when time flew?
The story has a twist. Uncle Laban, cannot give Rachel before Leah gets married, so he does the "right thing" for those parts, and gives her to Jacob. After the wedding feast where Jacob thinks he's marrying Rachel, he wakes up to find Leah in his bed! "Hold on Uncle Laban! This was not the deal we had!" Uncle Laban explains himself and says that after another week of work, he would receive Rachel and then Jacob would have to work another seven years for this second bride! Of course, I should point out that in Texas and all of our states, you can only have one wife at a time. It was allowed then, but not now. Yes, there are certain enclaves of Texas and Utah, where outlaw folks practice multiple partner marriages.
I said at the beginning this was a love story and it was, between Jacob and Rachel, but not Leah. If you read carefully his plight, she feels hated by Jacob, though she has given him three sons and Rachel none. The writer even says that "Jacob loved Rachel more than Leah." The point of the story is to give us the history behind Israel's early start of the twelve tribes. Rachel, Leah, and their two handmaids, become the mothers of Jacob's twelve sons.
The point I'm making is how love can influence a perspective about time and obligations. For Jacob to be in love, to work out his obligations to his father-in-law to be, it was nothing to work seven years. If we keep love alive in our relationships, especially our marriages, we have that same blessing. Sunday I spoke about kindness in a marriage. Kindness is thinking ahead of the needs and wants of your spouse, and meeting them. It's receiving a glass of water right at the time you're about to take your morning vitamins or meds. It's being handed a sweater when you're about to leave the house without knowing the weather. It's about having your favorite meal prepared without you having to ask. Kindness in love goes a long way.
PRAYER: Loving God of love, we thank you for the gift of love in each other. I pray that love would continue to give us a fresh perspective of life with attitudes that please You and help us. Let us be kind to one another, especially to those with whom we live. We pray in Jesus' name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
e.v.

THIS AT LAST, BONE OF MY BONES FLESH OF MY FLESH!

Good day dear friends.
We concluded our Made to Count sermon series with a study of marriage called Making Your Marriage Count. We had taped two weeks ago, several couples and two individuals to share their secrets for long marriages. The video was shown in worship at all three worship services and everyone was blessed with the messages shown by the couples and the widow and widower.
Here is today's study guide: Genesis 2:18-25 tells us God's plan for humanity. Please read the study found there and make notes of all that happened to the first man. What was God's intention in verse 18? Why do you suppose God "toyed" with the man in the subsequent verses? What at last did the man discover? What was the man's declaration?
Here is that passage from Genesis 2:18 Then the Lord God said, "It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper as his partner." 19 So out of the ground the Lord God formed every animal of the field and every bird of the air, and brought them to the man to see what he would call them; and whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name. 20 The man gave names to all cattle, and to the birds of the air, and to every animal of the field; but for the man there was not found a helper as his partner. 21 So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and he slept; then he took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. 22 And the rib that the Lord God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man. 23 Then the man said, "This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; this one shall be called Woman, for out of Man this one was taken." 24 Therefore a man leaves his father and his mother and clings to his wife, and they become one flesh. 25 And the man and his wife were both naked, and were not ashamed.
God's intention for the man was that he "should not be alone." God declares that He will bring to the man "a helper." And in a comical way God brings to the man all of the creation, animals and birds. Out of all of those, none was found to be the suitable "helper." And here we should mention that helper is more than the word represents to many, not one who walks alongside doing things that the man doesn't want to do, though that is true in some marriages; helper in the original tongue was on a more equal footing as partner/companion. And no one was found among the dogs, cats, parrots, chimps, etc. to fill that role. God then does surgery. Taking a rib from the side of the man (and yes, men and women have the same number of ribs to this day: Men do not have one less!), and from that rib created the woman. It is at this point that man becomes poetic: "This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; this one shall be called Woman, for out of Man this one was taken." You can't see Tarzan saying as much; nor George of the Jungle. Adam felt the power of God in this new creature and recognized the purpose for the writer continues, "Therefore a man leaves his father and his mother and clings to his wife, and they become one flesh."
Do you see the power of God in your relationships, especially your marriage, if you're married? Can you like the couple at Cana of Galilee from John 2, see that when Jesus is present, He can show His glory to your relationship and that stronger faith comes as a result? Too many problems in a marriage come when the couple do not rely on God or think God is either unable or uninterested in their wellbeing. Think again. God wants marriages to make it. Someone at the first service after my sermon told me, "Marriages are made in Heaven, but so are thunder and lightning!" I still believe marriages can be saved in Heaven, if we just ask.
PRAYER: God of marriage, come to visit all marriages today, especially mine. You know the challenges and the worries that we sometimes don't share with you, but let us share them right now. Come and show us your glory, we ask in Jesus' name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day, and a great and blessed marriage!
e.v.

THE BIG DECISIONS

Good day dear friends.
I apologize for not having ConCafes during the last couple of mornings. Tuesday morning found me early on the road to Kerrville for our "spring" board meeting of ordained ministry for our conference. Wednesday more of the same, home by evening.
I trust everyone had a nice Day of Love yesterday and you were able to show love and appreciation for those in your life. I hope you understood it is better to focus on the giving and serving aspect of love rather than just on the romance part. One of the morning papers, I believe it was USA Today had a great article on that, focusing on two couples who because of some medical and aging difficulties know that because of the romance that led to their marriage now the emphasis has shifted to giving and serving. One of the couples is old, she in a care home, he with her for all dinners during which time he feeds her. She no longer can communicate other than with some groans and moans that he knows exactly what she means; the other couple, he with a debilitating disease for which she must do more than her usual share of work and care for the household, but again a focus on giving and service.
We should live our Christian lives in the same way. Jesus mentions the Final Judgement as a decision God will make based on OUR decisions. We sometimes fail to understand we do have a loving God that wants all to be with Him for all eternity, it is us who make decisions to please ourselves that lead us away from Him. Jesus' statement about that decision comes from Matthew 25:31 "When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory. 32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, 33 and he will put the sheep at his right hand and the goats at the left. 34 Then the king will say to those at his right hand, "Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; 35 for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 36 I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.' 37 Then the righteous will answer him, "Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? 38 And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? 39 And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?' 40 And the king will answer them, "Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.' 41 Then he will say to those at his left hand, "You that are accursed, depart from me into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels; 42 for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not give me clothing, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.' 44 Then they also will answer, "Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not take care of you?' 45 Then he will answer them, "Truly I tell you, just as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.' 46 And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."
"When you do it (feed, quench, welcome, clothe, visit, and care) for the least of these, you did it for me." Powerful words based on powerful decisions. To withhold from someone is to withhold from Christ Jesus Himself. What will you decide today?
PRAYER: Loving God, master of all creation, help me today to care for the least of these. Open my eyes, ears, heart and hands to care and share as I should. Not just to the ones I love but for everyone. I pray in Jesus' name. Amen.
Have a great and blessed day!
e.v.

THE DAY OF LOVE

Happy Valentine's Day dear friends.
St. Paul said it best, "If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient and kind; love is not jealous or boastful; it is not arrogant or rude. Love does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrong, but rejoices in the right. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends; as for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. For our knowledge is imperfect and our prophecy is imperfect; but when the perfect comes, the imperfect will pass away. When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; when I became a man, I gave up childish ways. For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall understand fully, even as I have been fully understood. So faith, hope, love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.
Share some love in Christ today!
e.v.

DO MY DECISIONS GLORIFY GOD?

Good day dear friends.
We studied "How to Make Decisions That Count" based on Deuteronomy
30:15 "See, I set before you today life and prosperity, death and
destruction," in our services yesterday. Pastor Leslie preached at
the 8:30 and 11 o'clock services and yours truly preached at the
Contemporary service.
We make decisions everyday. Some are easier than others and some are
not so easy. When it comes to making what can be called life
decisions we truly know we must choose right or we suffer the
consequences of having made a bad decision. Pastor Leslie shared
from Rev. Rick Warren and his four C's of making decisions:
Criticism, Convenience, Circumstances, and Conviction. I shared how
John Wesley used his method of theological reflection as a basis for
making serious decisions: Scripture, tradition, reason, and
experience. The text mentioned above is Joshua speaking before the
people of God as they prepared to enter into the promised land.
Joshua knew the battle to possess the land would be theirs, but the
true battle would be against the new citizens and their beliefs in
other gods. Joshua puts it plainly: If you choose life, you're
choosing prosperity; if you choose any other way, yours will be death
and destruction. Isn't it that way with our decisions?
To use Wesley's method, a committed prayer and scripture reading
life, followed by prayerful reflection on our traditions, taking time
to reason out all options and consequences of our decisions, and
basing our decision on the experiences we've had in similar
situations will help us make the decisions that glorify God.
PRAYER: God, let me raise high the praises for Your name. May I
stay in relationship with You as I seek to hear You and Your gentle
guiding for my life. I pray in Jesus' name. Amen.
Have a great and blessed day!
e.v.

WHOSE SIDE ARE YOU ON?

Good day dear friends.
God wants us to win. Actually, God wants us to go beyond winning, to be "more than conquerors." Here is our study guide for today:
Thursday: In the very back of your Bible, please find Revelation 20:7-10 where you find the final battle described in some detail. The interesting thing is that we can tell Satan, “We’ve read the Book and we know who wins! You don’t!” Read this story and decide if you’re on the winning side or not. If you’re not, today is your day of decision to get on the right side with God.
Here is that passage from Rev. 20:7 When the thousand years are ended, Satan will be released from his prison 8 and will come out to deceive the nations at the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, in order to gather them for battle; they are as numerous as the sands of the sea. 9 They marched up over the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city. And fire came down from heaven and consumed them. 10 And the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.
The final battle. God wins. The pastor whom I succeeded here at First, told him that in his last year here he got a call from Universal Studios based in Austin. He was suspicious of there being a Universal Studios there, but he took the call and it was a representative from the movie company seeking permission to film inside our historic church. The scene would be a wrestling where Jesus and Satan would have the last wrestling match. And don't worry, the rep said, "Jesus wins!" We, of course, know that already. And no, permission was not given for such a movie to be made inside our sanctuary.
Why did John have this vision of this last battle? To show how powerful and cunning Satan is and will be up until the last day. Notice John writes that the deception will take place even to "the four corners of the earth" and people will still believe him and join his side. Sadly, many do not think they are on Satan's side, and we do our best in trying to keep folks from going that way, but there are those who still do not believe in God that they've decided already and they end up on Satan's side.
This apocalyptic vision shows that the end of Satan is coming. And the end of those who serve him and even fight for him is coming too. That end, as John saw it, is not a pretty one, and the end for all on that side will never come; that is to say their suffering and torment will be eternal.
We need to seek God and to serve God in all we do. We should be those who stand for life and its fullness in Jesus Christ, and try to encourage others to join us. And we do it because we know the consequences right here and now of living a life separated from Christ, and what's to make us think that end will be any different, if not worse? Let us seek today to help others find God's loving and saving grace.
PRAYER: Loving God, let me be on Your side today and all days. Let me bring others to know you and trust you. I ask this in Jesus' name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day!
e.v.

GOD'S WINNING WAYS

Good day dear friends.
We continue to affirm our faith in what Paul shared in Romans 8 that we are more than conquerors and that God wants us to win!
Here is today's study guide: Tuesday: The Psalmist knew where the power to win lay and that was in God. Please find Psalm 44:1-8 and read there what he has to say to us about winning in the Lord.
Here is that Psalm passage: 44:1 We have heard it with our ears, O God; our ancestors have told us what you did in their days, in days long ago. 2 With your hand you drove out the nations and planted our ancestors; you crushed the peoples and made our ancestors flourish. 3 It was not by their sword that they won the land, nor did their arm bring them victory; it was your right hand, your arm, and the light of your face, for you loved them. 4 You are my King and my God, who decrees victories for Jacob. 5 Through you we push back our enemies; through your name we trample our foes. 6 I put no trust in my bow, my sword does not bring me victory; 7 but you give us victory over our enemies, you put our adversaries to shame. 8 In God we make our boast all day long, and we will praise your name forever.
What victory stories have you shared with your children or grandchildren? What victory stories of faith have you shared with them as well? Men who played football love to relive those days of scoring touchdowns and outstanding passes caught with one hand or balls hit out of the park. Women like to talk of their accomplishments in the classroom or strides they've made when others said they couldn't. But what has God done in your life that you should be sharing with others so that they too may be aware of what God can do? The Psalmist had a rich history of personal victories, but he also had shared in the collective memory of his ancestors on the victories God had done in their lives.
Center on verse 7: God gives us the victory over that which we face. It is in God that we will receive the victory stories we will one day be sharing with others. What is your biggest challenge today? Have you trusted God with this challenge? Read the Psalm again and let it be what God wants you to hear about what is before you.
PRAYER: Loving God, come and give to me the victory I need. Let this victory be that which I will one day soon share with others about how awesome You are. I pray in Jesus' name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
e.v.

GRASSHOPPER FAITH?

Good day dear friends, we had a super Sunday (we can say that without being sued by the NFL, right?) with our worship services. We had a mini-hymnsing to affirm our faith, at 8:30 we celebrated a Baptism and being the first Sunday of the month we had the celebration of Holy Communion. At 11 o'clock we also threw out footballs and celebrated America's big day of football. The theme of the sermon was from Romans 8 called, "God Wants You To Win!"
Here is the study guide for today: Monday: We find in Numbers (You think you never find any good stuff in a book named Numbers??) 13:30-33 a story about faith and winning. Please find and read that passage to see what was involved and how attitude based on God’s altitude blessed those involved in this powerful story.
Here is that passage from Numbers 13:30 But Caleb quieted the people before Moses, and said, "Let us go up at once and occupy it, for we are well able to overcome it." 31 Then the men who had gone up with him said, "We are not able to go up against this people, for they are stronger than we." 32 So they brought to the Israelites an unfavorable report of the land that they had spied out, saying, "The land that we have gone through as spies is a land that devours its inhabitants; and all the people that we saw in it are of great size. 33 There we saw the Nephilim (the Anakites come from the Nephilim); and to ourselves we seemed like grasshoppers, and so we seemed to them."
Your attitude determines your altitude. A well-known saying and a true assessment for life. In this familiar passage the Israelites have come to the place where they must fight to enter into the promised land. Keep in mind the Israelites had been walking with God, seeing God do incredible things and even heard God promise to them this new land yet the majority of the spies who went in to assess the situation in this new land came back with fear and doubt. They said they were going up against some huge people who made them look like grasshoppers. In other words, let's give up! Let's either surrender to them and become their slaves or turn back and return to the land where we were slaves before! What a choice! Yet we sometimes face those same decisions in our daily lives in the things we come up against. Do we face them and try to overcome them trusting God or do we surrender and head back? Do you have "Grasshopper Faith" or "More Than Conquerors" faith?
Our text for yesterday came from Romans 8:31-39 and our faith is an overcomers' faith. We can face all things and overcome all things with faith in God. God wants us to win for ours is a faith of neverending life and a life, if lived in Christ, filled with abundant joy.
PRAYER: God give me an overcomer's faith. Let me no longer see myself as a "grasshopper" but as one who can be more than a conqueror. I receive in Jesus' name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day!
e.v.

TRUE TREASURES

Good day dear friends. This has been a very hectic and busy week and I'm a bit behind in my writing for today.
Here is our study guide for today:
Thursday: Please find the most familiar and loved passage about children and Jesus as we find it in Mark 10:13-16. Praise God for the love of Jesus towards children and their lives. Let the verse speak to your heart. Ask the Lord to help you love children more!
Here is that passage from Mark 10:13 People were bringing little children to him in order that he might touch them; and the disciples spoke sternly to them. 14 But when Jesus saw this, he was indignant and said to them, "Let the little children come to me; do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of God belongs. 15 Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will never enter it." 16 And he took them up in his arms, laid his hands on them, and blessed them.
Jesus loves children. It was no different during his earthly ministry days. We all know Jesus holds a special place in His heart for all, but especially the children. They're such precious gifts and Jesus realized that. Jesus knew that children are shaped by their parents and in this passage the parents who had heard and seen what Jesus could do, saw in Him something special and powerful and brought their children to Him so that a touch from Him would bring them a blessing. You can only imagine what blessing they were seeking, simply to have a man of God touch them would be blessing enough. Carli, my daughter and I, have started to really enjoy an English show called "Cash in the Attic," an equivalent to Antique Roadshow, but this show presents families with a financial goal and they have this expert go through their attics and other rooms to see if there are any items of value in them. Last night's episode was from Liverpool and the woman whose house was featured had a goal to give her son a nice wedding and to buy herself a nice dress and "big hat" to wear to the wedding. Being Liverpool you can imagine The Beatles treasures she had, including autographs from each of the moptops. She had a framed copy of John Lennon's first book, which she had handed to him to have signed during one of the lunchtime concerts The Beatles would put on at The Cavern. To her dismay, the signature was not John's but one of the road managers. But to those who love The Beatles, contact with them must have been something very special.
Multiply that by a billion and you get the specialness of having contact with Jesus. One of the things I want to find out is what happened to these children during their lives after their blessing by Jesus. I know the Lord forgave the disciples for their protective attitude keeping the children from coming to see Him, but I wonder what will happen to those who still refuse to allow children access to God? I know of several faith stories from this church of those who have, even in spite of having parents with little or no faith, come to full faith in Jesus and now bring their kids with them to worship.
May our desire be to bring as many of God's children to His house as we can. The doors are wide open. What we need are the strong arms and loving hands who will guide and walk with these children to bring them into this house. Will you help?
PRAYER: Loving God, come into my heart and use me to bring more of Your little ones to your house. Let me be a blessing. I pray in Jesus' name. Amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
e.v.