Word for Today, Thu, 26 Feb 2004: The Warm Arms of God

#1 · February 26, 2004, 9:16 am

Quote from Forum Archives on February 26, 2004, 9:16 am
Posted by: masinick <masinick@...>

Word for Today, Thu, 26 Feb 2004: The Warm Arms of God

Dear friends,

This week, we introduced the topic of renewing our minds. So
far, we've looked at two messages from Neil Anderson, first a
discussion of renewing your mind, then a message of hope. We
also considered the Weekly Verses collection from Phil Ware, a
few of my own comments, and Larry Davies' message about healing
comfort.

Today we read some words from another of my favorite authors, the
well known pastor and author, Max Lucado. In today's message,
Max shares some stories from some events he recalls from early in
his ministry. Once again, the stories relate back well to this
week's theme of renewing your mind. The story tells about what
people remember as they face death. At first glance, thinking
about such things can be a morbid experience, but once again, it
depends on your perspective. We can choose to renew our minds
with thoughts and words of encouragement and hope; that's what
this story does. Be comforted today and renew your mind with the
eternal hope that we have in Jesus Christ.

Dear Lord, yet again, we are reminded that our minds need
regular cleansing and renewal. Please fill us with Your Spirit,
cleanse us from all that is unclean within us, and draw us ever
closer to You. I ask these things in Jesus' Name. Amen.

Yours in Christ,
Brian

____________________________
www.Crosswalk.com

February 25, 2004
UpWords
A Weekly Devotional from Max Lucado

The Warm Arms of God
Max Lucado

Bob Russell is a friend of mine who preaches in Kentucky. His
father passed away a few years ago. The funeral was held on a
cold, blustery, Pennsylvania day. The snow-covered roads
precluded the funeral procession, so the director told Bob,
"I'll take your dad's body to the grave." Bob couldn't bear the
thought of missing his father's burial, so he and his brother
and their sons piled into a four-wheel drive vehicle and
followed the hearse. Here is how he described the event:

"We plowed through ten inches of snow into the cemetery, got
about fifty yards from my dad's grave, with the wind blowing
about twenty-five miles per hour, and the six of us lugged that
casket down to the gravesite. ... We watched the body lowered
into the grave and we turned to leave. I felt something was
undone, so I said, "I'd like for us to have a prayer." The six
of us huddled together and I prayed, "Lord, this is such a cold,
lonely place. ..." And then I got too choked up to pray anymore.
I kept battling to get my composure, and finally I just
whispered, "But I thank you, for we know to be absent from the
body is to be safe in your warm arms."*

Isn't that what we want to believe? Just as a parent needs to
know that his or her child is safe at school, we long to know
that our loved ones are safe in death. We long for the
reassurance that the soul goes immediately to be with God. But
dare we believe it? Can we believe it? I think so. I think Bob's
prayer was accurate. When it is cold on earth, we can take
comfort in knowing that our loved ones are in the warm arms of
God.

I had been ministering in San Antonio for less than a year when
one of our members asked me to speak at the funeral of his
mother. Her name was Ida Glossbrenner, but her friends called
her Polly.

As the son and I planned the service, he told me a fascinating
story about the final words his mother spoke. Mrs. Glossbrenner
was unresponsive for the last few hours of her life. She never
spoke a word. But moments before her death, she opened her eyes
and stated in a clear voice, "My name is Ida Glossbrenner, but
my friends call me Polly."

Meaningless words of hallucination? Perhaps. Or, perhaps more.
Perhaps Ida was, well, maybe she was at the schoolhouse doors of
heaven. Her body behind her. Her soul in the presence of God.
And maybe she was getting acquainted.

I don't know. But I do know this. When it is cold on earth, we
can take comfort in knowing that our loved ones are in the warm
arms of God. And when Christ comes, we will hold them, too.

* Taken from Bob Russell, Favorite Stories (Louisville, Ky.: The
Living Word Ministries), audiotape.

>From When Christ Comes, Copyright 1999 Max Lucado

For more great resources to help you grow in your relationship
with God, please visit Crosswalk Faith:
link.salemwebnetwork.com/UM/T.asp?A1.207.19430.2.293748

View the full selection of devotionals available from
Crosswalk.com here:
link.salemwebnetwork.com/UM/T.asp?A1.207.19430.3.293748

FREE Christian Book
l.salemweb.net/swnoffer0203/UMupwd/

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=====
--
Brian Masinick, mailto:masinick@yahoo.com
Home page: www.geocities.com/masinick/

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Posted by: masinick <masinick@...>

Dear friends,

This week, we introduced the topic of renewing our minds. So
far, we've looked at two messages from Neil Anderson, first a
discussion of renewing your mind, then a message of hope. We
also considered the Weekly Verses collection from Phil Ware, a
few of my own comments, and Larry Davies' message about healing
comfort.

Today we read some words from another of my favorite authors, the
well known pastor and author, Max Lucado. In today's message,
Max shares some stories from some events he recalls from early in
his ministry. Once again, the stories relate back well to this
week's theme of renewing your mind. The story tells about what
people remember as they face death. At first glance, thinking
about such things can be a morbid experience, but once again, it
depends on your perspective. We can choose to renew our minds
with thoughts and words of encouragement and hope; that's what
this story does. Be comforted today and renew your mind with the
eternal hope that we have in Jesus Christ.

Dear Lord, yet again, we are reminded that our minds need
regular cleansing and renewal. Please fill us with Your Spirit,
cleanse us from all that is unclean within us, and draw us ever
closer to You. I ask these things in Jesus' Name. Amen.

Yours in Christ,
Brian

____________________________
http://www.Crosswalk.com

February 25, 2004
UpWords
A Weekly Devotional from Max Lucado

The Warm Arms of God
Max Lucado

Bob Russell is a friend of mine who preaches in Kentucky. His
father passed away a few years ago. The funeral was held on a
cold, blustery, Pennsylvania day. The snow-covered roads
precluded the funeral procession, so the director told Bob,
"I'll take your dad's body to the grave." Bob couldn't bear the
thought of missing his father's burial, so he and his brother
and their sons piled into a four-wheel drive vehicle and
followed the hearse. Here is how he described the event:

"We plowed through ten inches of snow into the cemetery, got
about fifty yards from my dad's grave, with the wind blowing
about twenty-five miles per hour, and the six of us lugged that
casket down to the gravesite. ... We watched the body lowered
into the grave and we turned to leave. I felt something was
undone, so I said, "I'd like for us to have a prayer." The six
of us huddled together and I prayed, "Lord, this is such a cold,
lonely place. ..." And then I got too choked up to pray anymore.
I kept battling to get my composure, and finally I just
whispered, "But I thank you, for we know to be absent from the
body is to be safe in your warm arms."*

Isn't that what we want to believe? Just as a parent needs to
know that his or her child is safe at school, we long to know
that our loved ones are safe in death. We long for the
reassurance that the soul goes immediately to be with God. But
dare we believe it? Can we believe it? I think so. I think Bob's
prayer was accurate. When it is cold on earth, we can take
comfort in knowing that our loved ones are in the warm arms of
God.

I had been ministering in San Antonio for less than a year when
one of our members asked me to speak at the funeral of his
mother. Her name was Ida Glossbrenner, but her friends called
her Polly.

As the son and I planned the service, he told me a fascinating
story about the final words his mother spoke. Mrs. Glossbrenner
was unresponsive for the last few hours of her life. She never
spoke a word. But moments before her death, she opened her eyes
and stated in a clear voice, "My name is Ida Glossbrenner, but
my friends call me Polly."

Meaningless words of hallucination? Perhaps. Or, perhaps more.
Perhaps Ida was, well, maybe she was at the schoolhouse doors of
heaven. Her body behind her. Her soul in the presence of God.
And maybe she was getting acquainted.

I don't know. But I do know this. When it is cold on earth, we
can take comfort in knowing that our loved ones are in the warm
arms of God. And when Christ comes, we will hold them, too.

* Taken from Bob Russell, Favorite Stories (Louisville, Ky.: The
Living Word Ministries), audiotape.

For more great resources to help you grow in your relationship
with God, please visit Crosswalk Faith:
link.salemwebnetwork.com/UM/T.asp?A1.207.19430.2.293748

View the full selection of devotionals available from
Crosswalk.com here:
link.salemwebnetwork.com/UM/T.asp?A1.207.19430.3.293748

FREE Christian Book
l.salemweb.net/swnoffer0203/UMupwd/

____________________SUBSCRIPTION INFO_______________________

=====
--
Brian Masinick, mailto:masinick@yahoo.com
Home page: http://www.geocities.com/masinick/

__________________________________
Do you Yahoo!?
Get better spam protection with Yahoo! Mail.
antispam.yahoo.com/tools