While women weep, as they do now, I’ll fight; while little children go hungry, I’ll fight; while men go to prison, in and out, in and out, as they do now, I’ll fight; while there is a drunkard left, while there is a poor lost girl upon the streets, where there remains one dark soul without the light of God – I’ll fight! I’ll fight to the very end!
William Booth

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God Will Provide Wednesday

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#1 · August 2, 2006, 11:01 am

Posted by: bigguyhereagain <bigguyhereagain@...>

"God Will Provide"
 
     
 
There once was a man who had nothing for his family
to eat. He had an old shotgun and three bullets.
So, he decided that he would go out and kill
something for dinner.
  
As he went down the road, he saw a rabbit and he shot at the rabbit and missed it. Then he saw a squirrel and fired a shot at the squirrel and missed it. As he went further, he saw a wild turkey in the tree and he had only one bullet, but a voice came to him and said,
"Pray first, aim high, and stay focused." 
 
However, at the same time, he saw deer which was a better kill.
He brought the gun down and aimed at the deer. But, then he saw a rattle snake between his legs about to bite him, so he naturally brought the gun down further to shoot the rattle snake.
 
Still, the voice said again to him, "I said 'pray, aim high and stay
focused." So, the man decided to listen to the voice. He prayed, then aimed the gun high up in the tree and shot the wild turkey.
The bullet bounced off the turkey and killed the deer. The handle fell off the gun and hit the snake in the head and killed it.
 
And, when the gun had gone off, it knocked him into a pond.
When he stood to look around, he had fish in all his pockets,
a dead deer and a turkey to eat.
 
The snake (Satan) was dead simply
because the man listened to God.
  
Bottom line:
Pray first before you do anything, aim and shoot high in your goals,
and stay focused on God. Pass this on in order that someone else might
be blessed. Never let others discourage you concerning your past. The
past is exactly that - " the past." Live every day one day at a time.
And remember that only God knows our future and that he will not put
you through any more than you can bear. Do not look to man for your
blessings but look to the Lord. He can open doors for you that only
He is able to do. Doors that you will not slip through but doors that
only He has prepared in advance for you in your favor.
 
Wait, and be still, patient:
keep God first and everything else will follow.
 
P.S. When Satan is knocking at your door, simply say,
"Jesus, could you please get that for me?"
 
 
"I Thought I was a Christian"
 
         
You'd think that after years of attending church, Sunday school, vacation Bible school, church camp or youth group, someone would be a 'Christian'. But that's not always so. At least, that's not the way it happened with me. I became a Christian when I was 18 and a month away from leaving for my first year of college.
 
A pastor from the new church my family was attending stopped by our house and went through a small tract called "Steps to Peace With God." My 11-year-old sister and I confessed our sinfulness and professed our faith in Jesus that day, asking Him to be our Savior. But prior to that moment, I would have said that I was a Christian if someone had asked. I mean, people who believe in God and believe in Jesus are Christians, right? Christians go to church. Christians serve in the church. I did all of these things. So why weren't they enough to make me a Christian?
 
Looking back, I can't believe I missed the truth. My mother taught me about the Lord, and I even memorized the first part of John 3 for an Easter sunrise service when I was in high school - a good presentation of the gospel if I've ever heard one. I knew Jesus was born to a virgin, lived a perfect life and was crucified and resurrected. I knew about Him, but I didn't know Him personally.
 
Heart Surgery While I had the truth in my mind, it didn't click in my heart until someone explained sin, how it had separated me from God and how my relationship with Him could be restored only through belief in Jesus and acceptance of Him as my Lord and Savior. You see, a Christian does believe in Jesus, attend church and serve others, but she does it because of a love for her Lord, not because of a self-imposed requirement to be a good person. My life has changed in the years since I became a Christian. Instead of simply going to church and being pleased with my contributions there, I have a real, growing relationship with Jesus. I have a desire to spend time with Him in prayer and Bible study. I like to serve because I hope to make Him known to others - people who may think they know what it means to be a Christian, but who haven't had a heart-encounter with the living God.
 
My 18 years of going to church and church-related events prior to accepting Jesus as my Savior weren't a waste. They were foundational for who I am today. They prepared me for the moment when I truly understood the gospel. The people who contributed to my first years of life demonstrated Christ to me so I'd be ready to do the same for others.
 
So I've gotta ask. Are you a Christian? Has the meaning of the gospel really clicked in your heart, mind and spirit? Are you growing in your relationship with Jesus? Are you going to church because you want to worship God, enjoy fellowship with other believers and serve as Christ served? I hope so!
 
But if you're not, if you're like I was, a church-participator who didn't have a personal relationship with Jesus, now's your time to make a change and relinquish yourself to your Creator. Now's your time to really start living! God's grace and forgiveness are available to cover all your sins. He has a desire to adopt you into His family. Won't you ask Jesus to forgive you and to become Lord of your life today?
 
By making Jesus the absolute Lord of your life, you won't be zapped into an angelic being. You'll still choose wrongly and make mistakes from time to time. But when you do, go to Christ with a repentant heart (being genuinely and humbly sorry for what you did with no plans to do it again), accept His forgiveness and keep growing in Him. Jesus loves you, and He is an accepting Savior who holds open arms to you.
 
"But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions - it is by grace you have been saved" (Ephesians 2:4).
 
One more time... I've gotta ask: Do you know a lot about Jesus? Or do you actually know Him personally? If you've assumed you're a Christian, and you're really not, you can be right now!
 
Have a Blessed Day
Dave and Barbara
 
 
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