FORGIVENESS

Of him that hopes to be forgiven it is indispensably required that he forgive. It is therefore superfluous to urge any other motive. On this great duty eternity is suspended, and to him that refuses to practice it the throne of mercy is inaccessible, and the Savior of the world has been born in vain.

-- Samuel Johnson

Corrie Ten Boom tells of a time she learned an important aspect of spiritual growth. It was 1947 and she had just finished speaking of God's forgiveness to a group in a small German church. The audience was still haunted by memories of war. Yet the message they heard that day brought a sense of hope. They could forgive those who treated them so cruelly and go on with life. As the service concluded, Corrie noticed a heavyset man coming toward her. Instantly, she remembered him. He had been a guard at the concentration camp where she had been imprisoned. "I know God has forgiven me for the things I did," he said. "But I would like to hear it from your lips. Will you forgive me?" "It was the most difficult thing I had ever had to do," she writes. "I thrust my hand into the one stretched out to me. And as I did, an incredible thing took place. [A] healing warmth seemed to flood my whole being, bringing tears to my eyes. 'I forgive you, brother!’” One of the ways we measure spiritual growth is by the way we extend our arms of forgiveness to others. In doing so, remember that Jesus extended His arms completely for you at Calvary.

It s sometime hard to forgive those that have sinned against us, but it is needed. I believe when we have not forgiven others, our walk with Christ is weakened because He tells us to forgive-not just once .....But 70x7.

Matthew 18:21-22 Then Peter came and said to Him, "Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to seven times? Jesus said to him, " Jesus answered, "I say to you, not seven times but seventy-seven times.

That is why the kingdom of heaven may be likened to a king who decided to settle accounts with his servants

When you look at Corrie Ten Boom, it must have taken a lot to forgive the guard that worked at the concentration camp. Can you imagine what must have been going through her mind at that moment or what must have been going through the guard's mind? Corrie had the mind of Christ and forgave this man and this man had the mind of Christ when he asked for her forgiveness. When she shook his hand they both felt the love of Jesus Christ. In Christ we can conquer anything; this is a testimony to that. We need to right the wrong to restore someone else and most importantly restore yourself and our relationship with Christ.

When Christ went to the cross he gave us the right to forgive others as He has forgiven us. What was easier, crucified on a cross or saying I forgive you? Not hard to answer is it, yet some make it difficult to forgive by holding grudges against one another. Instead of holding a grudge against a brother or sister or whoever, think what three little words can do for someone. It can take such a burden off their hearts. What can it do for us holding that grudge; it takes us out of fellowship with Christ.

(Mat 6:14-15 NNAS) "For if you forgive others for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 "But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions."

Unforgiveness can have a hold on you and it can have hold on the one you are having trouble forgiving .Many times forgiveness is not happening because pride gets in the way. Boy oh Boy, pride seems to be the cause of so much doesn't it? There is so much freedom when we forgive others that have tresspassed against us. If Christ can forgive us, we should be able to forgive others just as easily.
.
Someone told me to forgive,
To set the prisoner free.
I forgave those who had hurt me,
Only to find the freed prisoner......was me.

Thank you Lord for what you did on the cross to set me free!
Cristina

MY BEST FRIEND

I just wanted to share a poem I wrote about the Lord being my best friend, and He is. He is the one true friend that sticks by you, loves you, listens to you and is a friend no matter what. If He is not your best friend, I pray someday you will Trust in what He did on the cross to bear the sinsof His children.

Oh Lord of mine
to serve thee now
to give my life
I surely vow.

You are my Savior,
My best friend
forever now,
until the end.

You changed my heart,
made it anew
I only want,
to give Glory to you.

You bled and died
for my gain
Sins washed away,
by your blood stain.

Mocked and afflicted
in every way,
to have the feeling
of such betray

Father's back, turned
from your eyes
Sun gone down,
the darkest skies.

Then reunited,
with your Fathers love
Like Noah,
the olive and the Dove.

Your Father brought
you back as planned
and now You sit at
His right hand.

The greatest love,
ever known
Is what Jesus did,
for His own.

He goes before us
in times of need,
His promise is
to clothe and feed.

Protected arm around
us every second
always there,
at our beckon.

One day we will
be face to face
And only because of
His undying Grace.

Oh Lord of mine
to serve thee now
to give my life
I surely vow.

You are my Savior,
My best friend
forever now,
until the end.

Cristina

SUFFERING

"Because of my sufferings, I will appreciate (in heaven) the scars of Christ and also the scars of other believers. (In heaven) I will see men and women that in the world were cut in pieces, burnt in flames, tortured and persecuted, eaten by beasts, and drowned in the seas - - all for the love they had for the Lord. What a privelege it will be to stand in their ranks! But what a shame it would be if, in conversing with them, we could only shrug our shoulders and prattle Me? Suffer?...... Perhaps we would bite our complaining tongues more often if we stopped to picture this scene in heaven. The examples of other suffering saints are meant to inspire us upward on our heavenly journey home." Joni Eareckson Tada

Where do I start? I guess many people who suffer though pain,disease, marriage break up, death of a loved one, etc must feel helpless at times. It is hard to deal with these sorts of things in our lives and we all go through some sort of suffering throughout our lives. I wonder how without Christ someone deals with, they don't have the hope a believer has? They don't have a Father that will listen to their prayers and answer it. Without Christ, how can anyone have an answer for their suffering. A christian has an answer, it is that Jesus Christ has a purpose for it. The purpose Jesus Christ has, is to bring "Glory to Him". And as we look at ...Rev. 21:4
Revelation 21:4 And he shall wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there shall no longer be any death; there shall no longer be any mourning; or crying or pain; the first things have passed away

When it is our time to leave this foreign world, we will be in Heaven, a place of Joy...

Luke 15:7 I tell you, in just the same way there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who have no need of repentance.

We will have Rest...

Revelations 14:13 I heard a voice from heaven say, "Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on." "Yes," said the Spirit, "let them find rest from their labors, for their works accompany them."

We will have Peace....

Luke 16:25 Abraham replied, 'My child, remember that you received what was good during your lifetime while Lazarus likewise received what was bad; but now he is comforted here, whereas you are tormented.

We will continue to have Righteousness .....

2Peter 3:13 But according to his promise we await new heavens and a new earth 11 in which righteousness dwells.


And Finally we have Glory....

Romans 8:17 and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if only we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him.

There will be no more suffering and sorrow, God will wipe away every tear from our eyes (Rev 7:17)

So for the Christians that suffer today, remember what we have ahead of us when we leave here, We will be in the presence of our dear Lord and Savior Jesus Christ....In the Glory Land.
Remember The joy of the Lord is your strength." (Neh 8:10). Here is a quote I try to remember when suffering crosses my path.....

"In times of trouble say, First: He brought me here ; it is by His will I am in this strait place: In that I will rest. Next: He will keep me here in His love, and give me grace in this trial to behave as His child. Then: He will make the trial a blessing, teaching me the lessons He intends me to learn, and working in me the grace He means to bestow. Last: In His good time He can bring me out again - how and when He knows. Say: I am here (1) by God's appointment (2) in His keeping (3) under His training (4) for His time." Andrew Murray

Cristina

GRACE

I sought the Lord, and afterward I knew He moved my soul to seek Him, seeking me it was not I that found, O Saviour true; No, I was found of Thee


As I look at the Grace of God and all the good in me, it is of the Lord. Without God I am nothing but a depraved human being, nothing I have done should bring glory to me, it is all of God and only in Him is their glory. I did not seek His face, He sought me. He took this dead heart of mine, and made it new, by the Grace of God I was saved. When you think about how Christ must have seen us before we were saved, this darkened evil heart, and yet He still loved us. He loves us with a special love, I can not explain it, all I can do is get on my knees and thank Him. I guess that is what we call "Amazing Grace"

Amazing grace! (how sweet the sound)
That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found,
Was blind, but now I see.

'Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
And grace my fears relieved;
How precious did that grace appear,
The hour I first believed!

Through many dangers, toils and snares,
I have already come;'
Tis grace has brought me safe thus far,
And grace will lead me home.

The LORD has promised good to me,
His word my hope secures;
He will my shield and portion be,
As long as life endures.

When we've been here ten thousand years
...bright shining as the sun.
We've no less days to sing God's praise
...then when we've first begun.

Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me....
I once was lost but now am found,
Was blind, but now, I see.

GRACE, GOD'S AMAZING GRACE! denotes, not simply love, but the love of a sovereign, transcendly superior, one that may do what he will, that may wholly choose whether he will love or no. There may be love between equals, and an inferior may love a superior; but love in a superior, and so superior as he may do what he will, in such a one love is called grace: and therefore grace is attributed to princes; they are said to be gracious to their subjects, whereas subjects cannot be gracious to princes. Now God, who is an infinite Sovereign, who might have chosen whether ever He would love us or no, for Him to love us, this is grace.
—Thomas Goodwin

2 Cor 12:7 "To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. 8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 9 But He said to me, ``My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong."

Thankyou Lord for your undying Grace.
Cristina

DEATH OF 2 YOUNG SOLDIERS

I just heard to day that the two young soldiers caught by the insurgents were brutally murdered. They were beheaded for defending a country that was not even their own. Pfc. Kristian Menchaca, 23, of Houston, and Pfc. Thomas L. Tucker, 25, of Madras, Ore. lost their lives for what, Freedom? I wonder if any of those countries will ever be truly free? I was behind President Bush when he went into Iraq to stop the mass destruction, to stop Saddam's reign of terror in this country, but now I wonder if he was really right going there. I sometimes wonder if the mass destruction has been turned on the soldiers defending this country. I guess all we can do is wait to see what comes from all this. I sure would not want to be the parents of these two young men, they already know what has come from this...they lost their sons. I hope not in vain..
When I heard about their deaths, they had a picture of Kristian Menchaca on CNN and he was standing beside a pole with a sign showing a sword on it and the words ""Follow Me". I hope that meant that he may have been a believer. I pray the Lord will be with those dear family and friends left behind. I pray that they know Jesus Christ as their Savior, because without Christ what hope is there for anyone?

Cristina

PRIDE

How does God feel about Pride? God can not stomach pride. God says in Proverbs 8:13 The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogance, and the evil way, and the forward mouth, do I hate. Why is so much pride behind the pulpits and in the churches today, when there should be humility? Proverbs 16:5 says every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the LORD: though hand join in hand, he shall not be unpunished. You would think believers today, would not let pride rule his or her life, but it does. We all struggle with pride that I do not doubt.

But a Pastor is to be the example, we follow. He is the example to his flock and when he acts out in pride, well his flock follows and it becomes a church of pride not humility.When a Pastor or any of us do not follow the example the bible lays out for us, the problem always leads to PRIDE. A Pastor has a big responsibility to his flock.

Titus 1 5-95 ¶ For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee: 6 ¶ If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly. 7 For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not self-willed, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre; 8 lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate; 9 Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.

We all as believers need to follow the path of Jesus Christ and Jesus was full of humility not pride. Nothing He did was to bring gain to Himself, He served others. He got down and washed the feet of the Apostles.He made himself nothing, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men. Philippians 2:7 says "We are to imitate Christ" and Philippians 2:5, says "Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus".

Christ's whole life was one of humiliation, poverty, and disgrace. He was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief as Isaiah 53 tells us. He did not come to earth with anything . The point in his life that was the lowest was when He died on the cross. When we think of the manner of His death it is even more amazing. It was a shameful, cursed, and painful death. Full of pain the body nailed through at sensitive parts and hanging with all its weight upon a cross. It was the death of a slave, and He exposed as a public spectacle. He was totally humiliated on the cross, and yet went willingly, knowing that is what would happen. He laid down His life for the love of His people. Now this is the example we are to follow, willing to lay down our life for our fellow believers. We are to love one another, help one another, not to be afraid to rebuke one another in love and not to be so proud to say I am wrong and repent. We are to restore a brother and sister when they have sinned and repented, why isn't this happening a lot in Christendom today, well I can answer that---PRIDE.
"The glory of the incarnation is that it presents to our adoring gaze not a humanized God or a deified man, but a true God-man---One who is all that God is and at the same time all that man is: One on whose almighty arm we can rest, and to whose human sympathy we can appeal." Benjamin B. Warfield"
Better is the sin which humbles me, than that duty which makes me proud." Thomas Watson
I would ask if you read this, that you please pray for God's leading as we and other church members venture out to find a new church and please pray, as we are, for our Pastor and the remaining church family .

Thank you
Cristina

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY

I would like to explain this poem a bit so that readers can understand where I am coming from. The first verses are about my older sister Sandy. When she was a little girl in public school on the Air Force Base, where we were stationed,she had a teacher that just did not like her. Sandy was a shy girl so the teacher had the advantage over her. The teacher would ridiclule here almost every day and Sandy never complained to our parents about her.Until one day my father was working around the school area and happened to go by her classroom that day. The window was open and at that time the teacher was giving Sandy a hard time, she was in tears. Well, need I say more. After that day the teacher never bothered Sandy again.The verses that follow speak of a girl that was having a hard time in school, well that would be me. I remember that year, I worked so hard but failed that year anyway. I left that day so depressed and there was my dad waiting for me. The teacher knew I worked hard and she knew it would be so hard on me that day that she call my parents and that is why my dad was there. He took me down town and we went into this store and I seen these red-wine colored knee high suede boots. They had a bit of a heal and they tied up in the front. I thought they were so cool, and then from the corner of my eye I seen these bright yellow-orange colored pants, and knew I had to have them. My father bought them both for me. I left that store that day with such a good feeling. I thought to myself how I felt leaving class that day and there outside the school was my dear ole dad there to changed one of the worse days I had and made it into a memory I have cherished over the years. Thankyou my dear father. My dad loved to go to the baseball games my brother Dale played and then of course the last of the crew was Cheryl our baby sister who dad loved so much. My father is such a good man with such a sense of humor, I guess that is why I was so attracted to My Husband Jim because he has made me laugh through the years too. Life without laughter is not much of a life.Thank you Dad.

Love Cristina

MY DAD
Sitting in her class
fearing the teacher that day,
Hands in her lap,
not knowing what to say.

The teacher approaches
and belittles her again,
A man walks in the class
looking down at his daughter's pain

The little girl looked up and
with a frown that turned to joy,
He says dont ever do that again
or you will have to deal with this ole boy.

Another time a little girl
had failed her school year and felt so depressed,
She left the class that last day
And sees a man so well dressed.

He took her hand and
said"It's been a tough year,
But you have to know
we love you so much dear"

He took his young daughter
downtown to buy her something new,
He knew her spirits need lifting
and He knew just what to do.

They went into the store and
she saw Red Boots and Orange Pants,
It's something she wanted
she knew at first glance.

She left the store that day
with such joy in her heart,
Her dad had came through
As he did from the start.

There was a little man
baseball is what he played,
His dad would watch him every time,
these times he would not trade.

The last of his children
was a beautiful green-eyed girl,
She was full of laughter
with these little tiny black curls.

We all grew up making memories
that we treasure today,
When I look back
There is so much to say.

I remember getting in trouble
thinking this is a hoot,
But, it sure wasn't when
he found Spaghetti in his boots.

A sense of humor would
describe this man to a tee,
He always makes you laugh
almost everyone would agree

Now our dear mother would sit
everyday, some day in pain.
listening to his jokes
thinking not this one again.

Many times we visit this man
he'd ask "Hair rub today?"
He'd say oh that feels good
we'd never ever mention the grey.

He grew up from being
a little boy with not much,
To a wonderful husband and father
with such a soft touch.

As we grew up I don't think
He knew how much we cared,
We didn't see until now
how much he had spared.

I'm here to tell you dad
you are the very best,
God's given me you
and I am truly blessed.

I am here to thankyou for
being the greatest dad there will be,
Sandy, Dale and Cheryl
and your grandchildren will agree.

So my wonderful father
thankyou for the laughter we shared with you
thankyou for the love you
have given in all you do.

Love Cristina

thankyou dad for loving me the way you do.
Cristina

DR. JAMES GRIER AND DR. ROGERS PASCOE

We have been searching for a new church and today I have to say has been such a blessing to me and my Husband. Actually, we attended two churches today. One was at Southdale Bible Chapel and the other was at Westpark Baptist Church. At Southdale we had the pleasure of listening to Dr. Roger Pascoe, President of "The Institute for Biblical Preaching".

http://www.tibp.ca/

What a message of encouragement. We had a chance to chat with him for a few minutes before we left and He said He likes to preach straight out of the bible instead of telling a bunch of little stories and isn't that the way churches seem to be going now a days? We are not being fed by the Word of God, we are being told little stories with the word of God mixed up in it all. Why can we not preach verse by verse so we all can grow in the knowledge found in the word of God? Mr. Pascoe was a blessing to me today. Some friends of ours suggested we come to their evening service tonight because, they shared, that the morning message brought them to tears and that the speaker was wonderful. So off we went the West Park Baptist church this evening and listened to Dr. James Grier.
Here is a site to tell you a bit about him…..
http://grts.cornerstone.edu/about/faculty/grier/
He preached on Revelations and I have too tell you I have never heard a preacher like him. He stood up behind the pulpit and faced the wall instead of the congregation. It was as if he faced that way so we would not be focusing on his face but on what he was preaching about. As he spoke I could picture exactly what he was saying. The way he worded everything, it was like you were right there. He talked about the marriage of the lamb and the how at the end Jesus will be "Just in all He does"even when those who did not trust in Christ would be throw in to hell. It was so vivid and yet at the same time I could picture my unsaved family and friends at the day of judgement and I felt pain. Mr. Grier painted it so vividly, you could not even hear a pin drop thoughout his whole sermon. He was such a blessing to me tonight. I thank the Lord for today, I needed this so much I needed to be fed...I was starving. Thank you Lord and I pray that you will lead us to a church that we can feel full with feeding of your word.