Quote from Forum Archives on May 7, 2009, 11:43 am

Posted by: wrather <wrather@...>

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The Burning Bush Devotional

Welcome to the 496 new subscribers since January 1, 2009!!

05.07.09

Lost in the Woods

Then all the tax collectors and the sinners drew near to Him to hear Him.
And the Pharisees and scribes complained, saying, "This Man receives sinners
and eats with them." So He spoke this parable to them, saying: "What man of
you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the
ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost until he
finds it? And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing.
And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying
to them, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!' I say
to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who
repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance.

"Or what woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not
light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it? And
when she has found it, she calls her friends and neighbors together, saying,
'Rejoice with me, for I have found the piece which I lost!' Likewise, I say
to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner
who repents." - Luke 15: 1-10.

(Read also the Parable of the Lost Son - Luke 15:11-31)

Joshua Childers has been found! Joshua had been lost in the woods of
Missouri's Mark Twain National Forest for 50 hours. He slipped out of his
family's mobile home late Monday morning and wandered away. He was found
about three miles from home wearing only a shirt, one shoe, and he was all
wet. He had survived over two days of exposure in the cold and wet woods.
Joshua is only three years old! The man who found the boy, Donnie Halpin,
said that the family was, ".just happy, so happy to have their little boy
back." Madison County Sheriff David Lewis knew that time was running out and
thought that three days would be the most that a little boy could survive on
his own in the woods with no food, and hardly any clothing. Sheriff Lewis
said after the boy was found, "It's a miracle, I'm so happy you can't
believe it!"

You may have never been lost in the woods wandering around trying to survive
but there are a lot of people who are lost in a spiritual sense in this
world. They are just as lost as that little boy was, they do not know which
way to turn, and when they do make a decision, it often makes their
situation even worse.

Many of the lost have given up on trying to make sense of the world; they
are just trying to make it through another day. Often the lost may feel as
though no one cares for them or knows what they are going through. However,
they are wrong about that because God makes it clear that He is searching
for them, and that He cares for them. In fact, not only is the Holy Spirit
there trying to get their attention, there is an army of believers who are
out looking for them and trying to find them.

Thirty-nine years ago my wife shared with me her testimony of when she had
prayed to receive Jesus as her Savior when she was a little girl. The next
day I made an appointment to see the pastor of a church that was a few
blocks away from us. As the pastor, Finley Tinnin, led me to the Lord, he
shared with me Revelation 3:20 where Jesus says, "Behold, I stand at the
door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in
to him and dine with him, and he with Me." Dr. Tinnin then asked me if I
wanted to pray and ask Jesus to come into my heart. I prayed silently asking
Jesus to come into my life. I'm not really sure that I prayed in words, I
just wanted Jesus. Jesus walked through the door and into my life.

If you have been lost in the woods of life, Jesus is knocking at the door of
your life, and He wants to come in - now, would be a good time to let Him
in. Why not open the door and ask Him to come into your heart and life,
right now?

Copyright © 2009. Ed Wrather. Permission is given for use of the devotionals
on a non-profit basis with source credited. The Burning Bush website has
been online since January 31, 1998. On June 8, 1998 the email version of the
Burning Bush Devotional was first sent.

Prayer Requests: Please pray for Malachi, Cody, and Mica who are young boys
with cancer. Many prayer needs are posted at the Burning Bush website on the
Prayer Request page. You can also post your prayer requests there and they
will be forwarded to the Burning Bush Prayer Group (Of course, I am always
in need of prayer - please pray for me.).

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