"HE is not here: for HE is risen, as HE said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay."
Matt. 28:6
"And as the women were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, "Why do you seek the LIVING ONE among the dead?" Luke 24:5
Dear Praying Friends and Family,
It hasn't been the best of days..."Mama" has been irritable, and when Mama isn't happy nobody is. I hate that since Hannah Beth surprised us and came home for Easter. We thought she would be staying in Mobile for Easter and then she surprised us all Thursday evening...what a great surprise! I had just sent her an "Easter" package in the mail that morning... that's one of the first things i said when she walked in, as I grabbed her and jumped up and down. I'm so glad she was able to drive up even though she has a lot of tests this coming week, and a paper due soon. Yesterday i had the blessing of getting to go out to lunch with Hannah Beth and "Pop" and Baba, Johnny parent's to Cracker Barrel. They treated us to lunch, and the grilled halibut i had was wonderful. Last night, i was blessed to be with my Mom and Dad and my brother Ralph and his family, and my nephew Drew, for supper at "Lulu's and then they came over later to our house and we visited on the back porch until the mosquitoes drove us inside. I am so thankful for the blessing of being able to be with all four of our parents on the same day...i know that many of you would love to be able to be with even one of your parents, and you look forward to that time when you can be reunited with them in heaven.
I have thought much about what to write this week, and the LORD has been so gracious as always to lead and guide me in what to share, even when it seems to "fluctuate" from hour to hour it seems sometimes. Just a while ago, i was on FB , and my friend Carol Dawson
shared:
"Mama & i were discussing how Jesus followers were prolly feeling so exhausted, despairing, confused, grieved, and hopeless on the day after Calvary. BUT.... to any of you who have felt that way...hang on cause SUNDAY'S COMING!!!!! :)
I wrote Carol a short note and told her i appreciated her sharing that, and I kind of felt that way now...feeling discouraged about some things. Her little conversation between her Momma and her that she shared on FB sure did encourage my heart, and I pray that it will yours too. Carol's been through some waiting times in her own life...and GOD has been so precious to bring a godly man into her life to marry this June, after a broken heart and broken marriage.
Because of what JESUS CHRIST did for us on the Cross to die for our sins, and ROSE from the dead on Sunday morning, we can and do rejoice. HE's Alive!!! Linda Ricketts, shared on FB the song, "HE's Alive," sung by Dolly Parton and it sure did bless me http://www.youtube.com/
| "Since you are precious and honored GOD wrote these words to the Israelites, but they are so fitting for HIS precious love for us, and how HE did exchange men for us, HIS own SON, that we might be bought by HIS precious blood, redeemed from our sins, and have an intimate relationship with HIM forever and ever. GOD did this because HE loves us so much. "For GOD so loved the world that HE gave HIS only SON that whosoever believeth in HIM shall not perish but have everlasting life." John 3:16 I saw a video last night as i was getting in bed, that I want to share with you...it really is well done, and shares the agnonizing death that CHRIST went through to pay the penalty for your sins and mine. It also shares the resurrection and 20 prophecies in the Bible that were fulfilled...hundreds of years before HIS death and resurrection, the Bible foretold of what was going to happen in exact detail. |
The Jewish Jesus: Suffering Servant
A look at the crucifixion story as told by the prophets of the Old Testament and how 20 specific prophecies were fulfilled. Because of all these prophecies and so many more being fulfilled, hundreds and hundreds throughout the Bible, we can know that GOD is who HE says HE is, and the death and resurrection of JESUS CHRIST is true. The amazing thing is the change that HE brings in our lives when HE calls us to be HIS and gives us a new heart. No one can dispute the change that GOD brings about in a sinner transformed by HIS grace. I read "7 Marks of a Right Heart Before GOD" this past week by JC Lyle, pastor in the early 1900's, and it has been such a blessing to me. I pray that it will be to you to. Only through the blood of CHRIST JESUS can our hearts be made right before GOD.
 | 7 Marks of a Right Heart Before GodErik | April 16, 2011 at 8:56 am | Categories: Christian Walk | URL: http://wp.me/pB3Oo-1Pn C |
1) A right heart is a NEW heart (Ezek. 36:26). It is not the heart with which a person is born—but another heart put in them by the Holy Spirit. It is a heart which has new tastes, new joys, new sorrows, new desires, new hopes, new fears, new likes, new dislikes. It has new views about the soul, sin, God, Christ, salvation, the Bible, prayer, heaven, hell, the world, and holiness. It is like a farm with a new and good tenant. "Old things are passed away. Behold all things are become new" (2 Cor. 5:17).
2) A right heart is a BROKEN and CONTRITE heart (Psalm 51:17). It is broken off from pride, self-conceit, and self-righteousness. Its former high thoughts of self are cracked, shattered, and shivered to atoms. It thinks itself guilty, unworthy, and corrupt. Its former stubbornness, heaviness, and insensibility have thawed, disappeared, and passed away. It no longer thinks lightly of offending God. It is tender, sensitive, and jealously fearful of running into sin (2 Kings 22:19). It is humble, lowly, and self-abased, and sees in itself no good thing.
3) A right heart is a heart which BELIEVES on Christ alone for salvation, and in which Christ dwells by faith (Rom. 10:10; Eph. 3:17). It rests all its hopes of pardon and eternal life on Christ's atonement, Christ's mediation, and Christ's intercession. It is sprinkled in Christ's blood from an evil conscience (Heb. 10:22). It turns to Christ as the compass-needle turns to the north. It looks to Christ for daily peace, mercy, and grace—as the sun-flower looks to the sun. It feeds on Christ for its daily sustenance, as Israel fed on the manna in the wilderness. It sees in Christ a special fitness to supply all its needs and requirements. It leans on Him, hangs on Him, builds on Him, cleaves to Him, as its physician, guardian, husband, and friend.
4) A right heart is a PURIFIED heart (Acts 15:9; Matt. 5:8). It loves holiness, and hates sin. It strives daily to cleanse itself from all filthiness of flesh and spirit (2 Cor. 7:1). It abhors that which is evil, and cleaves to that which is good. It delights in the law of God, and has that law engraved on it, that it may not forget it (Psalm 119:11). It longs to keep the law more perfectly, and takes pleasure in those who love the law. It loves God and people. Its affections are set on things above. It never feels so light and happy as when it is most holy; and it looks forward to heaven with joy, as the place where perfect holiness will at length be attained.
5) A right heart is a PRAYING heart. It has within it "the Spirit of adoption whereby we cry, Abba Father" (Rom. 8:15). Its daily feeling is, "Your face, Lord, will I seek" (Psalm 27:8). It is drawn by an habitual inclination to speak to God about spiritual things—weakly, feebly, and imperfectly perhaps—but speak it must. It finds it necessary to pour out itself before God, as before a friend, and to spread before Him all its needs and desires. It tells Him all its secrets. It keeps back nothing from Him. You might as well try to persuade a person to live without breathing, as to persuade the possessor of a right heart to live without praying.
6) A right heart is a heart that feels CONFLICT within it (Gal. 5:17). It finds within itself two opposing principles contending for the mastery—the flesh lusting against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh. It knows by experience what Paul means when he says, "I see a law in my members warring against the law of my mind" (Rom. 7:23). The wrong heart knows nothing of this strife. The strong man armed keeps the wrong heart as their palace, and their goods are at peace (Luke 11:21). But when the rightful King takes possession of the heart, a struggle begins which never ends until death. The right heart may be known by its warfare, quite as much as by its peace.
7) A right heart is HONEST, UNDIVIDED, and TRUE (Luke 8:15;1 Chron. 12:33; Heb. 10:22). There is nothing about it of falsehood, hypocrisy, or image-acting. It is not double or divided. It really is what it professes to be, feels what it professes to feel, and believes what it professes to believe. Its faith may be feeble. Its obedience may be very imperfect. But one thing will always distinguish the right heart. Its religion will be real, genuine, thorough, and sincere.
► Summary:
A heart such as that which I have now described, has always been the possession of all true Christians of every name, nation, people and tongue. They have differed from one another on many subjects—but they have all been of a right heart. Some of them have fallen, for a season, like David and Peter—but their hearts have never entirely departed from the Lord. They have often proved themselves to be men and women laden with infirmities—but their hearts have been right in the sight of God. They have understood one another on earth. They have found that their experience was everywhere one and the same. They will understand each other even better in the world to come. All that have had right hearts upon earth, will find that they have one heart when they enter heaven.
~ J.C. Ryle
Old Paths, “The Heart”, [Carlisle, PA: Banner of Truth, 1999], 348-351.
I am so thankful that my JESUS is ALIVE and HE's not just a story book character, or a dead god made of wood or stone, but HE is alive, and HE hears your prayers and my prayers, even though sometimes we have to wait a while for the answers. Because HE lives, you and I can face tomorrow. The circumstances that GOD, WHO loves us so much, brings into our lives transforms our worst days into our best, our worst sufferings into our highest joys, because of the Cross of Calvary, where the worst day in history was turned into the best two days later.
To all who mourn in Israel, he will give a crown of beauty for ashes, a joyous
blessing instead of mourning, festive praise instead of despair. ...Isaiah 61:3
"Weeping may last for the night, but joy comes in the morning." Psalm 30:5blessing instead of mourning, festive praise instead of despair. ...Isaiah 61:3
What words of hope and promise and assurance this is for us when we go through the dark night of the soul, wondering if our sorrows will ever end...i've been there, and i praise HIM for the joy HE gives me as i see how HE has used my painful health journey in so many ways to deepen my relationship with CHRIST, and to be a blessing to me and others and to fulfill HIS plans and purposes for my life. Truly HIS grace has been and is sufficient and HIS power is made perfect in my weakness. I praise HIM...and HE gives me faith to "Hold On," Sunday's Coming, for the trials that lie ahead, and for the one i faced today.
Thank you so much for your prayers for Darlene and Arthur Anderson...Darlene is struggling with breast cancer, and she got a good report this week. Please continue to remember them as the battle continues with the cancer and the LORD JESUS draws them close to HIM. Darlene and Arthur's address is 102 Brookwood Dr. Athens, Al, 35613 if anyone feels led to send them a card or share a financial gift with them. As you can imagine they have a lot of out of pocket medical expenses they are trusting the LORD to provide.
Last week i had the wonderful blessing of going to see the Gaither Homecoming Choir at the Civic Center in Huntsville after being invited by my friend Stephanie Carpenter a few weeks ago. As the time drew near, it was a stormy night, and I really wasn't feeling well, and it was tempting to stay home. But i didn't want to disappoint Stephanie who had bought the tickets for us all, and came and got me, and all the trouble she went to get our group together. I am so glad the LORD drug me to the concert, because it was such a blessing. There just seemed to be a special annointing of the Holy Spirit that night as the Gaither Vocal Band sang, along with blind Gordon Motes, the Isaacs, and Taranda Greene! I wasn't expecting to get to see her, but what a dear blessing she is as GOD strengthens her in her sorrow at the loss of her husband, and she continues to sing and bless others so much. Ya'll continue to pray for her...this week, she went back to her and Tony's house in NC and moved their things out of it...i know that it has been a tough week for her.
I came across this video this morning of Tony giving his testimony and the Greene's singing "HOLD On," and wanted to share it again with you...http://www.youtube.com/
I'm so thankful for the hope that is ours in CHRIST JESUS. I know tomorrow will be a better day BECAUSE HE LIVES:). I've got some apologizing i need to do before i worship HIM at church tomorrow, to the LORD, and to my family. If you don't have a place to worship HIM, please come and join us at First Baptist, Athens, at 8:00 a.m. or 10:30 a.m. in the morning and celebrate our risen LORD! Thank you for listening to my heart...i love you, and hope you have a most wonderful day celebrating JESUS' resurrection! Please pray for our little Hanny as she journeys back to Mobile tomorrow, and my nephew, Drew, heading back to Baton Rouge. Thank you for your prayers and the love we share in CHRIST JESUS.
Because HE lives,
mitzi
"Because HE Lives," Bill and Gloria Gaither
God sent His son, they called Him, Jesus;
He came to love, heal and forgive;
He lived and died to buy my pardon,
An empty grave is there to prove my Savior lives!
Chorus
Because He lives, I can face tomorrow,
Because He lives, all fear is gone;
Because I know He holds the future,
And life is worth the living,
Just because He lives!
How sweet to hold a newborn baby,
And feel the pride and joy he gives;
But greater still the calm assurance:
This child can face uncertain days because He Lives!
Chorus
Because He lives, I can face tomorrow,
Because He lives, all fear is gone;
Because I know He holds the future,
And life is worth the living,
Just because He lives!
And then one day, I'll cross the river,
I'll fight life's final war with pain;
And then, as death gives way to vict'ry,
I'll see the lights of glory and I'll know He lives!
Chorus
Because He lives, I can face tomorrow,
Because He lives, all fear is gone;
Because I know He holds the future,
And life is worth the living,
Just because He lives!
--
""For CHRIST also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that HE might bring us to GOD."
I Peter 3:18
"The Cross of CHRIST is a triumph. Every human being can get into the presence of GOD now because of what the SON of MAN went through." -Oswald Chambers
"Embrace the Cross"
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