Hearthstone - April 2000

Contents
xxx	Volume 15, No. 4	April 2000
Peace Resting Put Your Weight On Jesus Fruitfulness Revival Perfect Peace Hugs N Tugs by Wendy Greiner Lefko I Need Not Fear Best of Lifeline by Rev. Larry W. Greiner One Song To Sing The Master's Touch Omnipotence	TRUST IN GOD "He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High will abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, 'He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust!'" (Psalm 91:1,2). An article in National Geographic several years ago provided a penetrating picture of God's wings. After a forest fire in Yellowstone National Park, forest rangers began their trek up a mountain to assess the inferno's damage. One ranger found a bird literally petrified in ashes, perched statuesquely on the ground at the base of a tree. Somewhat sickened by the eerie sight, he knocked over the bird with a stick. When he struck it, three tiny chicks scurried from under their dead mother's wings. The loving mother, keenly aware of impending disaster, had carried her offspring to the base of the tree and had gathered them under her wings, instinctively knowing that the toxic smoke would rise. She could have flown to safety but had refused to abandon her babies. When the blaze had arrived and the heat had singed her small body, the mother had remained steadfast. Because she had been willing to die, those under the cover of her wings would live. "He shall cover thee with His feathers, and under His wings shalt thou trust" (Psalm 91:4).

PEACE
	I rest beneath the Almighty's shade, My griefs expire, my troubles cease; Thou, Lord, on whom my soul is stayed, Wilt keep me still in perfect peace. —Charles Wesley Back to Contents

Safety consists not in the absence of danger
but in the presence of God.

RESTING
	Once my hands were always trying, Trying hard to do my best; Now my heart is sweetly trusting, And my soul is all at rest. Once my brain was always planning, And my heart, with cares oppressed; Now I trust the Lord to lead me, And my life is all at rest. Once my life was full of effort, Now 'tis full of joy and zest; Since I took His yoke upon me, Jesus gives to me His rest. —A.B. Simpson Back to Contents

PUT YOUR WEIGHT ON JESUS
	When John Paton was translating the Bible for a South Seas island tribe, he discovered they had no word for trust or faith. One day a native who had been running into the missionary's house, flopped himself into a large chair and said, "It's good to rest my whole weight on this chair." Immediately Paton thought, "That's it. I'll translate faith as 'resting one's whole weight on God." "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:28). Back to Contents

FRUITFULNESS
	A Brahmin compared the Christian missionary to a mango tree. It puts forth blossoms, and weighs its branches with fruits. For itself? No; for the hungry who come to it for food. By-and-by the tree is assailed with clubs and stones. Its leaves are torn, and its branches are stripped bare. But does it resent this cruel treatment and refuse to yield fruit another year? No; next year it is more fruitful than ever. —J. R. Miller Back to Contents

REVIVAL
	"To start a revival, go home, lock yourself in your room, kneel down in the middle of your floor. Draw a chalk mark all around yourself and ask God to start a revival inside that chalk mark. When He has answered your prayer, the revival will be on." —Gypsy Smith Back to Contents

PERFECT PEACE
	In 1555, Nicholas Ridley was burned at the stake because of his witness for Christ. On the night before Ridley's execution, his brother offered to remain with him in the prison chamber to be of assistance and comfort. Nicholas declined the offer and replied that he meant to go to bed and sleep as quietly as ever he did in his life. Because he knew the peace of God, he could rest in the strength of the everlasting arms of his Lord to meet his need. So can we! Back to Contents

HUGS 'N TUGS
By Wendy Greiner Lefko
	Our 5-year-old loves to get haircuts. But that wasn’t always the case. When he was younger and going for one of his first visits to the barber, it took some convincing to get him into the strange looking chair and have a strange man take a sharp instrument to his little head. But with gentle reassurance from Daddy he finally climbed into the over-size seat and proceeded to allow this man to clip away. After a minute or two, however, the doubts and fears resurfaced, and from that moment until the end of the haircut, every few minutes our son would utter just one word, "Daddy?" With a quick, calm positive response Daddy responded, "Yes, Son, I’m here." All was well. He was safe. He sat perfectly still, with his head positioned down to accommodate the barber’s maneuvers. Even though he couldn’t see his daddy, all he needed was to hear his voice. The assurance of his presence was enough to get him through this scary terrain of the unknown. When we are fearful in situations in which we find ourselves and we can’t seem to see God’s face, all we need to do is speak His name. He will remind us that He is there, and always will be! He is all we need to get us through this life of peril and hardship. As we follow Him, He won’t allow us to climb into anything that isn’t for our best. He will see us through! We have nothing to fear if we put our trust in Him. How comforting and wonderful to know that we have a Heavenly Father Who is just a whisper away! "I will fear no evil, for Thou art with me…"(Psalm 23:4). Back to Contents

I NEED NOT FEAR
	As each day dawns I need not fear, My God is in control; The cloud "What if?" can melt away; He rules from pole to pole. Man's unknowns are all known to God; To Him there's no surprise;\| And, come what may, He works with skill, Omnipotent and wise. Is Christ your King? Are you His child? He'll never do you wrong, Fear not! Trust Him! He'll see you through, And fill your day with song. —E. Ruth Greiner Back to Contents

BEST OF LIFELINE
By Rev. Larry W. Greiner
	In 111 A.D., Pliny, governor of Asia Minor, wrote to the Roman Emperor Trajan to explain his procedure in examining and punishing Christians: He placed an image of Caesar before them and then ordered the Christians, one by one, to renounce Christ and worship Caesar. If the person refused three times, he or she, adult or child, was executed. Pliny, however, admitted to Trajan that he was disturbed and full of doubt because of the Christians' lack of fear. He then shared an example with Trajan. A certain unknown Christian was brought before him, and Pliny, finding little fault in him, proceeded to threaten him. "I will banish thee," he said. "Thou canst not," was the reply, "for all the world is my Father's house." "Then I will slay thee," said the Governor. "Thou canst not," answered the Christian, "for my life is hid with Christ in God." "I will take away thy possessions," continued Pliny. "Thou canst not, for my treasure is in heaven." "I will drive thee away from man and thou shalt have no friend left," was the final threat. The calm reply once more was, "Thou canst not, for I have an unseen Friend from Whom thou art not able to separate me." With all the powers of life and death at his disposal, Governor Pliny could do nothing to strike fear into the hearts of these early-church Christians to cause them to turn away from Christ. Why? Because they had placed their trust in the God of their salvation. As we stand upon the Word of God, we, as ambassadors of Jesus Christ, have nothing to fear in this life. We can have the same confidence, boldness and peace that so many of the early-church Christians experienced in the face of persecution and even death. Is there something that is causing your heart to fear right now? Come boldly before the throne of grace, cast your burden upon the Lord, believe His Word and wait. "Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.'" (Isaiah 41:10). "In God have I put my trust: I will not be afraid what man can do unto me" (Psalm 56:11). FEAR NOT! Back to Contents

ONE SONG TO SING
	An elderly Christian man, a fine singer, learned that he had cancer of the tongue and that surgery was required. In the hospital, after everything was ready for the operation, the man said to the doctor, "Are you sure I will never sing again?" The surgeon simply shook his head no. The patient then asked if he could sit up for a moment. "I've had many good times singing the praises of God," he said. "And now you tell me I can never sing again. I have one song that will be my last. It will be of gratitude and praise to God." There in the doctor's presence the man sang softly the words of Isaac Watts' hymn: Back to Contents

	I'll praise my Maker while I've breath, And when my voice is lost in death, Praise shall employ my nobler power; My days of praise shall ne'er be past, While life, and thought, and being last, Or immortality endures. — Our Daily Bread Back to Contents

THE MASTER'S TOUCH
	In the still air the music lies unheard; In the rough marble beauty hides unseen: To make the music and the beauty, needs The master's touch, the sculptor's chisel keen. Great Master, touch us with Thy skillful hand; Let not the music that is in us die! Great Sculptor, hew and polish us; nor let, Hidden and lost, Thy form within us lie! Spare not the stroke! Do with us as thou wilt! Let there be naught unfinished, broken marred; Complete Thy purpose, that we may become Thy perfect image, Thou our God and Lord! —Horatius Bonar Back to Contents

OMNIPOTENCE
	God can smite rocks, open seas, unlock the treasures of the air, and ransack the stores of the earth. Birds will bring meat, and fish will bring coins, if He bids them. He takes up the isles as a very little thing. How easily, then, your heaviest load. He is Omnipotence! —F.B. Meyer Back to Contents

WORRY IS A CIRCLE OF INEFFICIENT THOUGHTS

WHIRLING ABOUT A PIVOT OF FEAR.