Encouragement
In the last 2 yrs. we have shared with you some of the health 'challenges'
that we have faced and we have so appreciated your prayers for us.
We are now in the midst of some 'deepening' challenges, so we're sharing
some of those with you now, as we need your prayers more than ever.
We also feel that this will help explain why we may be slow in posting each
week ... or replying to e-mail, etc.
A few of you know that I have had some memory problems (dementia)
and was put on Aricept 3 yrs. ago. Those difficulties seem to be worsening,
so I will meet with a new Neurologist June 17th. Our Neurologist for many
yrs. moved to OKC, so she recommended one here in Norman.
La Moyne will also see him concerning her neurological issues.
For about 20 yrs. she has dealt with extreme Lupus Neurapathy
in her legs/feet. Not only has that worsened, but additional problems
have developed as well. Ever since she fell in the hospital back in Jan.
(hitting the back of her head) she has had bad tremors and involuntary
jerking in her body.
I'm asking for prayer for these 'challenges' as preparing each week's messages is becoming more difficult.
We want SO much to continue this ministry and feel that God is leading us to do that.
It's becoming more difficult mentally for me to prepare messages....
and typing is difficult for La Moyne due to the tremors. She has to steady her right hand with her left hand, otherwise the mouse jerks and goes all over the page :(
Due to that, there are some days that she can't type at all, plus it's becoming more difficult for her to answer or send e-mail (or even talk on the phone.)
As with most of the messages I've shared the past 5 yrs. I have written from my heart...and have shared about our own experiences of needing God's strength.
We realize that there are many people with much worse problems,
but we do covet your prayers that we might be able to encourage people via our weekly articles.
Speaking of 'weekly' articles, I told 'Moyne that when she shares about our website, to make sure that she says 'weekly' and not 'weakly' :)
0ne of my favorite Scriptures is Proverbs 3:5-6:
"Trust in the Lord with all of your heart.....
lean not unto your own understanding....
in all your ways, acknowledge Him....
and He will direct your path!"
One of the songs that La Moyne sings on our CD is 'Learning to Lean'.
About a year before her Dad's death, he began losing his eyesight.
One day he asked La Moyne if she knew the song, 'Learning to Lean'
which at that time she did not. Jim told her that it had become his
theme song, so La Moyne was determined to learn it after that!
'LEARNING TO LEAN' (by John Stallings)
"I'm learning to lean, learning to lean,
I'm learning to lean on Jesus.
Finding more power than I'd ever dreamed,
I'm learning to lean on Jesus.
The joy I can't explain, fills my soul
Since the day I made Jesus my King.
His blessed Holy Spirit is leading my way
He is teaching and I'm learning to lean.
There's glorious victory each day now for me
I found His peace so serene.
He helps me with each task, if only I will ask
Every day now, I'm learning to lean.
Chorus:
Leaning to lean, learning to lean,
I'm learning to lean on Jesus.
Finding more power than I'd ever dreamed,
I'm learning to lean on Jesus."
A pastor once prayed, "Lord, prop me up on my leaning side."
All of us have areas in our lives where we need 'propping up'.
Name your 'leaning side' and 'what' and 'why' then take it to the 'WHO' of life!
This is such a mechanized world with lots of 'gadgets'.
Just about the time you buy one, a better comes on the market the next week and/or one to even replace the old one!
A.W. Tozer wrote many years ago, "The greatest danger we face from the 'machine age' is that we will become so engrossed with mechanized gadgets that we forget we have a heart!"
People can not live by 'machinery alone'. Maybe 'existing', but not really living!
Man's quest is to 'be happy', but Jesus used the word 'Blessed'...
whereby we take all God gives......and give all that He asks.
The true Christian ideal is not to be 'happy'.....but to be 'Holy'.
'Holy' is a position we take by repentance and faith.
Then it becomes 'process and progress' where we become more and more like Jesus!
Thus the Christian life is to pursue God, to know God and to be like God.
(not in His 'Omni-attributes' but in His moral character!)
A sub-title for this paper could be:
"The Cords that Bind" and keep us 'Leaning on God'.
We sometimes think of 'in a bind' (or 'bound up') as bad.
However as Christians, there can be many joys and blessings for us...
if we realize that the 'cords' can also bind us to God.
During a bad Lupus flare years ago, La Moyne said something came
to mind. Sometimes on Johnny Carson's show, they would have
circus performers ride horses (bareback) in a circle on his show,
so they challenged Johnny to ride one of the horses.
As he began to slip/slide off the horse, a harness on a long rope
hanging from the ceiling, kept him from falling off.
La Moyne said during that difficult time in the hospital as she dealt
with pain and the unknown, she envisioned God holding onto her
with His Cords of Love and she would never fall 'off the horse'.
Let us look at God's part.....and our part.
GOD'S PART:
1) "My Grace is sufficient for you" (II. Cor. 12:9a)
2) "My Strength is made perfect in your weakness" (vs. 9:b)
"God is my salvation, strength and song." (Isaiah 12:2)
3) "My Presence shall go with you" (Exodus 33:14)
God fulfilled these words all the way to the Promised Land.
4) "My Peace I give unto you, not like the world gives,
so do not be troubled in your heart." (John 14:27 and John 16:33)
5) "My Joy is in you and can be full" (John 15:11)
6) "I come quickly and my reward is with me" (Rev. 22:12)
CONGRATULATIONS! GOD BELIEVES IN YOU!
OUR PART:
1) My REDEEMER (Job 19:25)
We are saved by Him and we need to share Him with others,
for everyone needs a Redeemer!
2) MY SHEPHERD (John 10 and Psalms 23)
Follow Him for He is the Shepherd Who will never leave you..
nor lead you astray!
3) MY HELPER (Hebrews 13:5-6)
We can boldly say, 'The Lord is my helper!'
In John 16:7-16, the Holy Spirit is called 'our helper'.
4) MY BELOVED IS MINE (Song of Solomon:3:16)
I am His....and He is mine.....and Love is the Theme of Life.
5) MY LORD (Philippians 3:8)
All authority is His.....and obedience is ours!
6) MY GOD (Philippians 4:19)
All sufficiency is available for the past, present, future and Eternity.
7) MY HEART (Psalms 139:23-24)
Give Him all of your heart (and life) in total commitment to His Will.
MY LORD.......MY GOD......MY HEART
His part is LOVE....our part should be FAITH and PRAYER!
Here are 4 pillars on which the Christian Faith stands and if we believe in them, we too will stand strong as we lean more and more on these 4 pillars of God.
1) GOD'S JUSTICE AND HOLINESS WHICH WILL NOT ALLOW HIM TO DECEIVE.
2) GOD'S GRACE AND GOODNESS WHICH WILL NOT ALLOW HIM TO FORGET US.
3) GOD'S TRUTH WHICH WILL NOT ALLOW HIM TO CHANGE.
4) GOD IS ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH ALL THINGS!
There will be times when our faith is weak and we wonder about Prayer.
I've often said,
"When you're at the end of your rope, tie a prayer knot and hang on!"
"When you're hanging by a thread and have reached the end of your rope,
you'll find the hem of His garment, so don't let go of that last thread of hope."
(by Shannon)
~HE IS THE CORD THAT BINDS US WITH LOVE!~
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