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Volume 15, No. 8 |
August 2000 |
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Hugs 'N Tugs Best of
LifeLine |
A SECURE POWER"God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in
trouble" (Psalm 46:1). |
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Volume 15, No. 8 |
August 2000 |
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Hugs 'N Tugs Best of
LifeLine |
A SECURE POWER"God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in
trouble" (Psalm 46:1). |
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A FAITHFUL PRESENCE |
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| "Our life is full of brokenness-broken relationships,
broken promises, broken expectations. How can we live with that brokenness
without becoming bitter and resentful except by returning again and again
to God's faithful presence in our lives."
-Henri Nouwen |
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"The Lord's mercy often rides to the door
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TRUE WORSHIP |
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We can and should worship God in gratitude for what He has done for us, but it reaches a higher level when we worship  Him
simply for what He is, for the perfections and excellence of His own
being.
-J. Oswald Sanders |
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Whatever may be the particular call, the
particular -Catherine Booth |
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REVIVAL |
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"We ought to be so living that when God begins His
great triumphant march we shall fall in with the first battalion, and have
part in the first victories."
- G. Campbell Morgan. * * * * * "Waiting for general revival is no excuse for not enjoying personal revival." -Stephen Olford |
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TRUE REST |
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| "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy-laden and over burdened, and I will cause you to rest - I will ease and relieve and refresh your souls" (Matthew 11:28, Amplified). Dr. F. B. Meyer interpreted Jesus' words thus, "On this breast of Mine is a pillow for every heart - My breast is broad enough - My heart is deep enough. I offer Myself to all weary ones in every clime and age as the rest giver." A man was looking at Thorwaldsen's statue, "The Christian Consolator." A child overheard him express his disappointment in it. She said, "You must go close, kneel down and look up into His face." Bring all your burdens and cares to Jesus, and kneel before Him. As you give Him all your needs, your problems, and your sorrows, He will give you His rest. | |
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HUGS 'N TUGS |
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By Wendy Greiner Lefko |
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| It was a beautiful sunny day when my husband was mowing the lawn, something he does routinely each weekend. However this time he had a little shadow following close behind. It was our five-year-old son pushing his own tiny lawn mower. Of course his lawn mower was just a toy, but by the look on his determined face, you could tell he took his "job" seriously and tried to do exactly what his Daddy was doing in front of him. He followed every freshly mown path, not stopping until his father stopped. I'm still not sure he fully realized it was his father doing the real cutting of the grass. All he knows is he followed Daddy, and when they were done, the grass was neatly cut. And that's all our Heavenly Father wants from us - to follow Him, imitate His actions, and keep working till the job is done. Strangely, however, we sometimes smile proudly after our work is done, thinking we did the "mowing", when in reality it was our loving Father going before us doing all the work Himself. Graciously He allows us to take part so that we might have the sweet fellowship of His presence and learn to walk in His ways. Surely He chooses to use people, when He could do it all Himself, but He lovingly places us in situations where He will use our talents and gifts to fulfill His purpose. It is He who does the real work, but He is teaching us all along the way and using our service to further His plan. We serve a mighty God and we would be foolish to not follow the path He forges before us, or to think it is we who accomplish the task. "Whereunto I also labor, striving according to His working, which worketh in me mightily" (Colossians 1:29). | |
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"If I could hear Christ praying for me in the
next room, - Robert Murray McCheyne |
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THE SECRET OF POWER |
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| I have been in the old church in New England where Jonathan
Edwards preached his great sermon, "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry
God." He had not eaten a mouthful of food. For three nights he had
not closed his eyes in sleep. Over and over he had been saying to the
Lord, "Give me New England! Give me New England!" And when he
rose from his knees and made his way into the pulpit, they say he looked
as though he had been gazing straight into the face of God. Before he
opened his lips to speak, conviction fell upon the audience.
-J. Wilbur Chapman |
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BEST OF LIFELINE |
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By Rev. Larry W. Greiner |
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| America's only "emperor" lived in San Francisco in
the nineteenth century and was mildly mad. His name was Joshua A. Norton.
Mr. Norton was a successful businessman until speculation in the rice
market brought financial ruin. Whether this clouded his mind or started
the whole thing as a joke, we can't be sure, but he began telling everyone
he was the "Emperor of these United States." This thought grew
into an obsession until 1859 when he officially claimed himself, in
printed proclamation, to be emperor by an 1853 act of the California
legislature. He assumed a sword and plume and strutted the streets in
colorful costume. Citizens of San Francisco were amused by the harmless
ploy and went along with the self-styled emperor. They gave him
recognition through free tickets to opening nights and newspaper
publicity, and by permitting him to collect small taxes and issue his own
currency. It was all done in fun, and the emperor became a fixture in the
city for several years. A chair was reserved for him in the state
legislature. He ate free at fine restaurants. When one citizen tried to
have him committed to an institution, the judge dismissed the case, noting
that Norton was "just about the best thing going in the king
line." However, all of this was very serious to Norton, and he
believed in his position. When tension developed in Mexico, he expanded
his authority to "Emperor of these United States and Protector of
Mexico." When this tragic figure - object of many practical jokes
died in 1880, he had ten thousand curious citizens at his funeral. He had
lived and died in his own delusions. So many people today are just like
this man, but in the spiritual realm. They truly believe they are the
kings of their lives and future. They believe they are able to control
their lives and destiny apart from God, not recognizing Jesus Christ at
the true Lord and King, not realizing their true spiritual state as
sinners dying spiritually. Delusion is one of Satan's greatest weapons.
But the Holy Spirit can remove the delusion when the gospel message is
preached. Are we willing to confront the mislead "Emperors" of
today with the truth?
"For if a man think himself to be something,
when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself" |
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YOUR HURTING HEART |
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(Dedicated to those who are broken, wounded & weary) |
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Your heart has never ached In such a way before. So great the hurt, so deep the wound, You feel it beats no more.
You never had imagined You would endure such pain. Though other hurts have come and gone, This one seems to remain.
The sorrow that you feel inside So grips your weary heart, The pain has now extended to Most every body part.
You feel it in your very soul, It's being torn in two. It feels as though it cannot heal, The chances are too few.
Your body says, "I can't go on!" Your heart say, "Let me cease!" Your soul says, "I can take no more!" But Jesus says, "Release!"
"Release your body, heart and soul Into My waiting hands, I have the strength to heal them all With just a soft command.
"Release your hurt and misery, Release your heartfelt pain. Release them all right now to Me, And watch them heal again.
"For nothing else can ease the pain Or make it go away. I have the only power it takes To heal your heart today.
"I know how much you hurt, My child; I, too, have shed some tears; Just watching you go through this trial, I've seen your doubts and fears.
"I feel the pain you're going through, For your heart beats with Mine. I always will be here for you, I'm with you for all time.
"So now just open up your hands, Release your hurt to Me, And let Me heal your heart and soul, Renewed, restored and free." -Wendy Greiner Lefko |
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PEACE IS THE CONSCIOUS POSSESSION |
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When
the storms and troubles of life assail us, somehow the truth of this verse
comes through. As we fly to God, our Refuge, we find Him strengthening and
encouraging us. We may wonder what to do, we may not see our way out, but
He reminds us, "I am - right now, this very moment - your present
help." It has been said, "It takes trouble for God to get our
attention." Hudson Taylor said, "It does not matter how great
the pressure, it matters only where the pressure lies, whether it comes
between you and God, or whether it presses you closer to His heart."
