"Father, would it help me to pray?"
"No. I'm afraid not."
"But why?"
"Because you are a terrible putter."
A fellow was playing golf with his priest, and he noticed that before every shot the priest would say a prayer.
"Father, would it help me to pray?" "No. I'm afraid not." "But why?" "Because you are a terrible putter."
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Celebrating 2021 Together! As we ring in this new year, we are so thankful for all of the prayers and gifts that have been given in support of our students and this university during 2020. It was a year of many uncertainties, but God has faithfully walked alongside us through it all. Southwestern Christian University will be celebrating our 75th anniversary in 2021.We are very excited about this monumental milestone, and hope to be able to celebrate with all of you. But before 2020 comes to an end, would you prayerfully consider making a year end gift to Southwestern Christian University? The "Give Now" button will direct you to our online giving page, or you can mail your gift to: Southwestern Christian University PO Box 340 Bethany, OK 73078 Any amount helps to further SCU's mission of equipping students and empowering graduates to excel and to positively impact their world for Jesus Christ. Please Click Here on this hyperlink to give to SCU. Sincerely, Tom Murray, President Arise in Prayer: Call to Prayer
Please join us for this 21 day Call To Prayer. Everyday visit our Facebook page for daily calls to prayer with specific emphasis for that day. Also visit www.iphc.org/ariseinprayer for a daily prayer guide and other resources. The Worship The Heavenly Father Seeks Author: Frank Tunstall As the New Year dawns, this study is intended to show Jesus as the great changer of paradigms. One of the new beginnings in the Lord’s ministry that was critical for the future of His church was changing the form of worship practiced in the temple. The paradigm change Jesus launched lives to this day. The Problem When Jesus made His first visit to the temple following His baptism in Jordan River, Nicodemus came to visit Jesus one night. The Lord told Nicodemus “You must be born again.” This birth from above was clearly a New Covenant message and Nicodemus was the very first recorded person to hear it spoken. Nicodemus admitted he and his temple partners knew Jesus was “a teacher come from God, for no man can do the miracles you are doing if God were not with him.” But he rejected the new birth Jesus offered him that would have made him a new person with a new heart, and open the gates of heaven to him (see John 3:1-21). The worship in the temple featured the priests sacrificing animals such as lambs and rams, turtle doves and pigeons. These leaders were locked into their past, determined to perpetuate into the future a form of worship that reached back 1800 years through Moses and on to Abraham. Neither were the temple priests looking forward to the new form of worship foretold by John the Baptist that demanded the personal repentance that would lead people to Jesus as their Messiah. They also made no place in temple worship for John the Baptist’s prophecy that the day of Pentecost would come when all people everywhere could be filled with the Holy Spirit (Luke 3:16). Jesus’ offer included redemption for Jews and Gentiles, slaves and free, male and female, and even children. Jesus set out to change the paradigm because He knew He could not fulfill the vision His Father gave Him if He held to the temple. But another ominous reason existed. Jesus had prophesied the temple would be torn down to the point not one stone would be left on another. About forty years up the road the Jews rebelled against Rome. A new form of worship, a new paradigm, for each of these reasons had to be built for the Gospel to go to the nations. Jesus ended His first visit to the temple knowing the temple rulers did not want the new life He offered, and even saw it as blasphemy. The Lord headed north with His disciples, telling them He had to “go through Samaria” (John 4:4). Israel’s Messiah was certain He could not depend on the temple system of worship to develop an international ministry. The Lord was painfully aware He had to bypass the temple and make a new beginning. How scary! May we never see the day when Jesus will need to bypass us to achieve His vision. Jesus also foreknew the worship paradigm He told Nicodemus about could be unveiled in Samaria. Jesus left Jerusalem and made the walk to Samaria. He met a woman at Jacob’s Well to whom He made the same proposal He offered Nicodemus, here described as ‘living water.’ She opened her heart and received Jesus, saying to Him, “Sir, give me this water” (John 4:15). In their conversation Jesus led her to the new form of worship the Heavenly Father seeks, and she embraced it. In fact, this woman was the first recorded person in John’s gospel to experience the new birth and drink the living water that saves the soul. Jesus explained it in two simple sentences: “A time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in Spirit and in truth, for they are the worshipers the Father seeks. God is Spirit, and His worshipers must worship Him in Spirit and in truth” (John 4:23-24). This statement forecast the new paradigm of worship that would replace the temple and blossom in the church. No more sheep or goats, nor doves or pigeons, nor lambs or rams. No more spilling of the blood of animals would be needed to perpetuate this new order of worship. Jesus’ one sacrifice of His own holy blood became the atonement for the sins of all people who repent and accept Jesus as the Son of God. “God is Spirit,” and He wants sincere worship that is heartfelt, springing from a person’s inner soul. This adoration must also be wrapped in truth, genuine honesty, and pure integrity. This kind of heartfelt worship grounded in repentance before God and empowered by the indwelling Holy Spirit is what the Heavenly Father seeks. Jesus’ offer to this day includes Jews and Gentiles, men and women, and even children. This new worship form was launched three years after Jesus met the woman at the well. The Holy Spirit filled the 120 on the Day of Pentecost and took up His abode in the new temple that was their hearts (John 1:29-34; Acts 2:4; 1 Corinthians 6:19). A new era of divine purposes was dawning in Israel, and a new paradigm of worship was being formed. John the Baptist’s prophecy of the gift of the Holy Spirit was also being fulfilled. The story of the nameless woman at Jacob’s Well continues to be told around the world. About 40 years after Jesus’ death and resurrection, Rome’s legions invaded Israel. Men, women, children, and even babies were mercilessly killed. Some 100,000 were force marched to Rome and became slaves. Jerusalem and the temple were left as rubble. Blood sacrifices ended with the slaughter. The temple to this day has never been rebuilt, but a new temple not made with hands is in its place. This temple of the heart is a dwelling place of the Holy Spirit. It meant the Gospel, empowered by the indwelling Holy Spirit, would indeed go around the world. The new paradigm that includes worshiping the Heavenly Father in Spirit and in truth continues to thrive worldwide. A new year is at hand; 2021 is dawning. May we all be blessed to renew our commitment to give our Heavenly Father the worship He seeks – in spirit and in truth - knowing the astronomical price God’s Son paid for our salvation. It was Alfred Lord Tennyson who wrote about our Almighty God with these profound words, "Closer is He than breathing and nearer than hands and feet." I am confident that our God is with Gregory Morgan in the ICU in the hospital in Gainesville, GA. Greg was not responding well on Tuesday. They discovered mucus in his throat and had to intubate him. They had to do a tracheostomy to help manage his airway to prevent pneumonia. He is on a ventilator. His condition is serious. They are giving him antibiotics. As I am composing this article the tech who will be doing the MRI on his brain called and told me they will have to inject dye into his veins to show contrasts in his brain to see what is going on there. This is the second one he has had. A team of doctors are looking after Greg. The best doctors in our country are there with Greg as well as many other patients in need of healing. We know that Jesus came to heal the sick and perform miracles. He touched the lepers and healed them. He is a loving and caring God. Mary Ann Shropshire Weeks, my first cousin, alerted me to a translation of one of my favorite benedictions recorded in the Book of Ephesians I had never read. Let me share that Scripture passage with you just now: Ephesians 3:19-21 The Passion Translation 19 Then you will be empowered to discover what every holy one experiences—the great magnitude[a] of the astonishing love of Christ in all its dimensions. How deeply intimate and far-reaching is his love! How enduring and inclusive it is! Endless love beyond measurement that transcends our understanding—this extravagant love pours into you until you are filled to overflowing with the fullness of God! 20 Never doubt God’s mighty power to work in you and accomplish all this. He will achieve infinitely more than your greatest request, your most unbelievable dream, and exceed your wildest imagination! He will outdo them all, for his miraculous power constantly energizes you. 21 Now we offer up to God all the glorious praise that rises from every church in every generation through Jesus Christ—and all that will yet be manifest through time and eternity. Amen! Jeanette Herndon Phillips, wife of Kenneth Phillips, is going to the hospital to see Greg Tuesday night. They will allow only one visitor. The nurse felt that the voice of someone Greg knows will be helpful to him. She is taking a recording of my voice reading the above benediction in Ephesians. I have called daily to speak with Greg to let him know I love him and that Jesus loves him, and I prayed with him. Some have asked if I were going to see him. The answer is a polite no. I am 88, and have diabetes, and other medical problems. My primary doctor has quarantined me. I do not want to violate my doctors orders. For me to get the Covid-19 would mean my death. I am 88 years old. Greg is an accomplished pianist. He is a good singer and sings well in a duet, trio, quartet, or choir. He is not a soloist, although he sings solos well. His theme song is "People Need the Lord." He was a tent maker missionary to Budapest, Hungry for two years. He loves the Hungarian people and learned to speak their language. He is a gifted linguist. When he sings this song it seems to touch the hearts of those who hear Greg sing. I do not know the future for Greg, but God knows it well. I trust God to meet our needs now and in the future He may give us. My friend, Wesley Russ, arrived at 5:05 pm. He made the trip in 10 1/2 hours. The traffic was not terrific. The only traffic to speak of was coming through Charlotte, NC. Wesley prepared my supper. He prepared oatmeal with sliced bananas. I had one Splenda to spread over it. The bananas gave it a sweet taste. I am happy to welcome Wesley into my home again. He said he is here to serve me this week. He has already taken my garbage and recycle bins out to the street. They will be picking them up on Wednesday. My next door neighbor called to check on Greg and me. Wesley and I had a slice of the apple pie she had given me. I am enjoying talking with Wesley. We are laughing a lot. He has a ton of humor, and tells stories and jokes with excellence. He is one of the best preachers I know. He was born to preach. Thank you for your continued prayers. I remain with peace and joy in my heart. The joy of the Lord is my strength. Moving through the season at what seems to be break-neck speed, has caused me to slow just a bit and think again. The one thing needed more than any other thing is just what I have written here about. A move of the Spirit. Christ’s coming was purposeful and powerful! It will end here with a flash of power and glory and we will step into an eternity of God supplied bliss. Keep looking, keep believing! When the Spirit Moves By Ronald Gadberry Waters dark and murky concealed a faithful truth Within its depths a dragon lurked, sinister, uncouth The Spirit of the Lord descended, darkness fled away The dragon fled in terror from The Spirit; it was day Unaccustomed as they were to freedom and its grace The Israelites with Moses struggled hard to make a place For the Spirit of the Lord to dwell, across the stormy sea But found a mountain on the way where freedom wasn’t free The dragon stalked the sons of men with malice, hate and greed And there beneath the mountain’s fire produced malignant seed A law had been bespoken by the God whose word was life Into its hope the devil spoke and filled the earth with strife The Spirit spoke through prophets with such warnings as were just But the words were to the sinning souls like clouds of ancient dust Then when the storm had reached its peak, they heard The Spirit’s voice “Remain imprisoned by your sins or make a break; your choice.” Almost at once The Man of Men reached out to save the lost And after all was said and done men nailed Him to a cross But every drop of blood He spilled redeemed another soul And crushed the dragon’s head again, that ancient worm of old When Pentecost was fully come The Spirit moved again Exploding on Jerusalem it filled a host of men With power in an hour when the dragons fires were hot It roared through hills and valleys, resting on the mountain tops From such a mountain Christ has flown to intercede for men And from that holy mountain said: “I will return again!” The dragon, filled with horror, dreads the truth that word implies And The Spirit still is saying; “Just keep looking toward the skies!” Though man may strive to go beyond the reach of space
To crawl beyond the distant shim'ring stars This world's a room so small within my Master's house The open sky's but a portion of His yard How big is God? How big and wide His vast domain To try and tell, these lips can only start He's big enough to rule His mighty universe Yet small enough to live within my heart As winter's chill may cause the tiny seed to fall To lie asleep till waked by summer's rain The heart grown cold will warm and throb with life anew The Master's touch will bring the glow again Jesus Cares for You Author: Anne Graham Lotz "Casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you"(1 Peter 5:7, NKJV). Did you think Jesus only cares about things like heaven and hell? About forgiveness and sin? About holiness and wickedness? About truth and lies? About salvation and judgment? Jesus does care about those things. But He also cares about your job, about whether your child makes the sports team, about your children’s college tuition, about your budget now that you are unexpectedly pregnant, about the roof that leaks, about the cranky transmission in the car, and about all the other physical problems and needs we face. Jesus cares even if the physical problem we face is largely of our own making. He cares if we are having car trouble, even if it was caused by our not having taken the time to change the oil regularly. He cares if we are having financial struggles, even if they were caused by our having run up massive debts on our charge accounts for things we wanted but did not necessarily need. Jesus cares about your physical needs today. Blessings, Anne Graham Lotz Copyright © 2020 Anne Graham Lotz (AnGeL Ministries) Raleigh, North Carolina, USA. Used by permission. All rights reserved www.annegrahamlotz.org. Ephesians 3:19-21
The Passion Translation 19 Then you will be empowered to discover what every holy one experiences—the great magnitude[a] of the astonishing love of Christ in all its dimensions. How deeply intimate and far-reaching is his love! How enduring and inclusive it is! Endless love beyond measurement that transcends our understanding—this extravagant love pours into you until you are filled to overflowing with the fullness of God! 20 Never doubt God’s mighty power to work in you and accomplish all this. He will achieve infinitely more than your greatest request, your most unbelievable dream, and exceed your wildest imagination! He will outdo them all, for his miraculous power constantly energizes you. 21 Now we offer up to God all the glorious praise that rises from every church in every generation through Jesus Christ—and all that will yet be manifest through time and eternity. Amen! An old, tired-looking dog wandered into the yard. I could tell from his collar and well-fed belly that he had a home.
He followed me into the house, down the hall, and fell asleep on the couch. An hour later, he went to the door, and I let him out. The next day he was back, resumed his position on the couch and slept for an hour. This continued for several weeks. Curious, I pinned a note to his collar: 'Every afternoon your dog comes to my house for a nap.' The next day he arrived with a different note pinned to his collar: 'He lives in a home with four children -- he's trying to catch up on his sleep. Can I come with him tomorrow? I am so blessed to have so many people caring for me. I am overwhelmed by their desire to minister to me.
Five Christian ladies worked to get things done in my home on Monday. One lady is helping me with getting home care. She is June Butler, the wife, of Wayne Butler, my former associate pastor at Tarkenton Memorial Church. She owns her own business. Three other Christian ladies came to my home to work efficiently and tirelessly to put this home in shape. Another lady came for a brief time to bring me a gallon of milk. Pam Kesling, the wife of my pastor, Terry Kesling, came to organize my bills, letters, etc., and made file folders with printed labels. She bought a nice carrying case to hold it all. For the first time in months you can actually see the kitchen table where we used to eat. Pam is so gifted with doing things like this. I am well pleased. In addition, Pam made the chicken salad and fed all of us. I believe it was the best I have ever eaten. We all ate together and had a lot of pleasure talking and listening to one another. It is a moment we will all remember. Bonnie Bender came to take me in my car to eat breakfast at Bojangles. I love their biscuits. Bonnie ordered a country ham biscuit and I ordered a sausage and egg biscuit. Then, we went to the bank to do my banking in the drive through lane. Bonnie's daughter, Sunshine, worked in Greg's room sorting out his clothes and storing them appropriately. I went to see his room later this evening and was pleasantly surprised to see a neat, well-kept bedroom. Greg will be amazed when he comes home. Bonnie did many other things like going through things Melvine had left at her death. I did not know they were here. She had a number of gift cards from various restaurants and fast food places. She found a number of Melvine's journals. She wrote every day in them until the last few months of her life. What a treasure they are. I plan to read them. Joyce Hawkins called and told me she was driving near our home and asked me what I needed. She agreed to purchase a gallon of 2% white (sweet) milk. We enjoyed her visit and we all prayed together before she went on home. I have had many calls and responded to other needs. My new yard man and his partner came to work in my yard, got up the leaves, cleaned the gutters, and mowed the grass. The yard now looks like Wesley Russ would do it. He is a master yard man who still does his own work. Wesley will leave this morning to start on his journey from Beltsville, Maryland to come to my home here in Winder, Georgia to spend several days to assist me. His room is ready. It was Stephanie's room. The guest restroom is clean and prepared for my friend. It may be that Wesley will not make this long drive in a day. He is not as energetic as he has been in other days. He may have to stop and spend the night in a motel. Whatever the case, I long to see my brother in Christ and enjoy his company. You can count on us watching some good Gospel singing. When I left the Richmond First Pentecostal Holiness Church as their pastor, Melvine and I decided to join his church in College Park, Maryland, named Maranatha Fellowship Pentecostal Holiness Church. I requested that my membership as an ordained minister be transferred to the Mid-Atlantic Conference when Wesley Potter was the conference superintendent and Wesley Russ was the assistant superintendent. Wesley Russ became my pastor for the second time. The first time was in Tucker, GA when he was the pastor of The Church of the Comforter. Wesley invited me to preach in his church several times in College Park, MD. When Wesley Potter retired, Wesley Russ was elected to serve at the conference superintendent. Wesley Potter was not only the conference superintendent he was also the pastor of Kingsway Christian Center in Baltimore, MD. He invited me to preach in that church several times, and to be the speaker for their Ministers Conference. Wesley Potter allowed me to take his place in going to Romania to preach in a crusade and plant a church in Acna Mures, Romania. In the meantime, Rev. Bulzan invited me to teach on Pastoral Care and Counseling in the Eastern European Bible College in Oradea, Romania. How blessed I am. God is so good to me. I can't praise Him enough. Thank God for ladies who love Jesus and desire to minister to others. On Monday, December 28, I talked twice with the nurse attending Greg in the ICU of the hospital in Gainesville, GA. He was restless early this morning and pulled the tube out of his throat. So, they have had to restrained his arms. The surgery was successful and he is no longer bleeding. They have changed his antibiotics and are taking good care of him. I later talked with a nurse practitioner who was to do a heart procedure on Greg. They were able to do it while he lay in the hospital bed in the ICU. A report later by his charge nurse was that they had found infection in his heart. Greg is running a low grade fever, and is receiving oxygen. Greg responds to the nurse and doctors with either no or yes. He hums and makes noises with his mouth. I have been able to place Greg into the hands of God Who does all things well. I trust that God will accomplish His purpose in Greg's life. I am convinced that the good work God began in Greg at his conversion at eight years of age He will bring to completion unto the day of Christ Jesus (Philippians 1:6). I am grateful for the doctors, nurses, and other paramedical persons for their professional care for my son. I am blessed to know that you and so many people are praying for Greg. What a wonderful thing it is to have Christians interceding for Greg. It is comforting and reassuring to know that your voices are being heard in heaven. I am at peace. Nothing happens without meaning or significance as Christians obey and serve the Lord Jesus Christ. On Sunday, December 27, our conference superintendent, Bishop Tim Lamb, was in Gainesville, GA, for the memorial service for Bishop Wayne Hicks of the Congregational Holiness Church (General Superintendent). Bishop Hicks has been a long time friend of Bishop Lamb. While there in Gainesville, Bishop Lamb went to the hospital where Greg Morgan was to have surgery. He was admitted into the hospital, and was able to go up to the floor where the surgery was to be done. He met the nurse in the hallway who is assigned to Greg. She said she would be present when Greg had his surgery. Bishop Lamb asked her if he might pray with her and for Greg. She welcomed his offer to pray and she received his prayer with gratitude. What are the chances that would have ever happened? It is my believe that God guided our bishop to be there at that very moment to meet this nurse and pray with her and for my son, Greg. I call these priceless experiences "Divine Appointments." What a blessing it is to have Tim Lamb as our conference superintendent. He certainly has a pastor's heart. He meets people easily, and they are pleasant and open to receive his love and acceptance for them. Jesus Meets Our Needs Author: Anne Graham Lotz "And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself" (John 12:32, NKJV). Often, when I arrive in a city to participate in some conference or seminar, the organizers will take me aside and tell me privately about the various people who will be attending. They describe the multitude. People with broken hearts and broken homes and broken dreams and broken hopes. And then they say, “Anne, we want you to know about someone in particular because we’re hoping you will say something that will meet his or her needs.” If I accepted that burden, I would be crushed under it! There’s no way I can meet all those needs, so I usually respond with something like, “That’s impossible! There are too many diverse needs. I can’t address them all individually. But I can just give them Jesus.” And again and again, I have seen Jesus personally meet the spiritual needs of the multitude – one by one. Jesus has given me ample resources to meet the spiritual needs of others because He has given me Himself and He has given me His Word. Blessings, Anne Graham Lotz Copyright © 2020 Anne Graham Lotz (AnGeL Ministries) Raleigh, North Carolina, USA. Used by permission. All rights reserved www.annegrahamlotz.org. By Gene Brown (South Carolina)
Dear Dr. Morgan, We will add our prayers to the many being prayed for your precious son Greg. May he be healed for the glory of God. Much concern, Gene and Dollie Brown & Family Langley Bible Church By Joyce McKay (Alabama) I’m so glad you’re having the support of church friends and your neighbors. Thank you for posting the details of Greg situation, it helps us know how to pray more specifically. By Glenda Boone (Georgia) God, I ask that you touch my friend, Greg, and guide the doctors as they minister to Greg. Minister to Hugh emotionally and physically especially during this time when Greg is away from him. Continue to give him and strength. Thank you for faithful church friends and neighbors to support him. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen By Harold and Cindy Taylor (Georgia) Pastor Hugh, We are praying for you and Greg. We know God is the source of life from beginning to end. Love you. HT and CT By Ron and Pam Hilburn (Texas) Hugh, Pam and I, and our family prayer warriors, are praying for Greg’s speedy recovery and miraculous, complete healing. Blessings and Love, Ron Hilburn John 15:5-8 Abiding in Jesus Christ
"I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. 7 If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. 8 By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples. NKJV An exhausted looking man dragged himself in to the doctor's office. "Doctor, there are dogs all over my neighborhood. They bark all day and all night, and I can't get a wink of sleep."
"I have good news for you," the doctor answered, rummaging through a drawer full of sample medications. "Here are some new sleeping pills that work like a dream. A few of these and your trouble will be over." "Great," the man answered, "I'll try anything. Let's give it a shot." A few weeks later the man returned, looking worse than ever. "Doc, your plan is no good. I'm more tired than before!" "I don't understand how that could be", said the doctor, shaking his head. "Those are the strongest pills on the market!" "That may be true," answered the man wearily, "but I'm still up all night chasing those dogs and when I finally catch one it's hard getting him to swallow the pill!" It is my desire to keep you informed about my son, Greg Morgan. First of all, I want to thank all of you for your prayer support and care for Greg and me. I am aware of the presence of God and the answers He has given in response to your prayers of believing faith in God. I was called early Sunday morning by a medical doctor attending Greg. He is hospitalized in a large medical center hospital in Gainesville, GA. He said Greg was losing blood, and they were giving him blood. He was in the ICU. Another doctor did a procedure to go into his stomach with a scope with a camera. She discovered a large bleeding ulcer and an artery as large as a ballpoint pen. Surgery was the order of the day. They called the surgeon who specializes in this kind of surgery at this hospital. He called and talked with me about what he needed to do to correct Greg's problem to stop the bleeding. After the surgery, he called me again to let me know that Greg did well through the surgery. He described the procedure briefly. He found a large bleeding ulcer attached to a large artery. He was able to remove the ulcer successfully and stitch the artery to seal it. Greg is no longer losing blood. The surgeon closed Greg's wound in his abdominal cavity successfully. He told me that Greg is on a ventilator and was being sent back up to ICU for continuing special care. Greg has many other issues. He has bacteria in his bloodstream that has affected several vital organs, e. g., his heart muscle and blood supply. They have found infection that has gone to his brain. They have not been able to make a diagnosis because these issues are so complex. Greg fell one week ago on Sunday night. I called 911, and the paramedics came in a matter of a few minutes. They got him up and evaluated him and felt he should be taken immediately to the local hospital here in Winder, GA. At 2:15 am on Monday, the nurse in the Emergency Room called and told me that Greg has a UTI (Urinary Tract Infection) and they found a spot on his liver. She informed me they were transporting him to the hospital in Gainesville. This hospital is a teaching hospital with all the various specialists to care for the patients. God has given me peace about Greg. Dr. Frank Tunstall told me that the first definition of peace in the Greek is God is setting in proper order the sequence of events that need to be done. The Scripture God gave me in my Sunday morning devotional time is written in John's Gospel: "Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid" (John 14:27, (NKJV). My best friend in the known world is Bishop Wesley Russ, the former superintendent of the Mid-Atlantic Conference, and former pastor of Maranatha Fellowship Pentecostal Holiness Church in College Park, MD. He has volunteered to come to stay with me for several days through this crisis in my life. I am overwhelmed by his gracious offer to help me. He and I have been close friends since 1964 when I was the pastor of the Brownville Pentecostal Holiness Church near Evergreen, AL. When I was called to go into the Air Force Chaplaincy, I recommended that the church consider Wesley Russ to succeed me at their pastor. The church board asked me for a recommendation and I was pleased to name Wesley. And they called Wesley to be their pastor. He soon married Janie Robinson whom he had met at Emmanuel College. They were the pastors of the Brownville Church for some five years and took the church to the next higher level. God's blessings were upon Wesley and Janice and the church congregation. Wesley and his wife, Janice Robinson Russ, and Melvine Stewart Morgan and I have enjoyed a close friendship for decades. We have made many trips together and attended all the major events of our denomination. We both have experienced the loss of our respective wives, Janice, Wesley's wife, and Melvine, my wife. Created for God Author: Anne Graham Lotz "Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called Children of God!" (1 John 3:1, NKJV). C. S. Lewis, in his testimony Surprised by Joy, described his growing awareness of the capacity within himself to respond with joy and delight in such a way that it gave him an insatiable desire for more joy and delight. The things he found so deeply satisfying left him with a craving for more and more satisfaction. He concluded that nothing in this world could ever give him lasting satisfaction, so therefore he must have been created for another world. And C. S. Lewis was right. Our very beings are created for God. We will never experience permanent, personal satisfaction and fulfillment apart from Him because, as Saint Augustine so eloquently stated, “Our hearts are restless until we find our rest in Thee.” Blessings, Anne Graham Lotz Copyright © 2020 Anne Graham Lotz (AnGeL Ministries) Raleigh, North Carolina, USA. Used by permission. All rights reserved www.annegrahamlotz.org. John 14:27
Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. NKJV |