Hearthstone - January 2001

Contents
xxx	Volume 16, No. 11	NOVEMBER 2001
THANK GOD FOR HIS WORD THANK GOD FOR QUIETNESS BE STILL HUGS 'N TUGS By Wendy Greiner Lefko BEST OF LIFELINE By Rev. Larry W. Greiner FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT LIFE IS TOO SHORT I'M THANKFUL, LORD IT'S ALL MY FAULT ONE LITTLE WORD WHERE WILL YOU SPEND ETERNITY SMALL THINGS	THANK GOD FOR HIS WORD Read the Bible, not as a newspaper, but as a letter from home. If a cluster of heavenly fruit hangs within reach, gather it. If a promise lies upon the page as a blank check, cash it. If a prayer is recorded, appropriate it, and launch it as a feathered arrow from the bow of your desire. If an example of holiness gleams before you, ask God to do as much for you. If the truth is revealed in all its intrinsic splendor, entreat that its brilliance may ever irradiate the hemisphere of your life. —F.B. Meyer "For the word of God is quick [living] and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart" (Hebrews 4:12).
THANK GOD FOR QUIETNESS


	If I am quiet, will I hear God speak? Will God hear me? I can be quiet — as quiet as a bud opening to be a flower, as quiet as a snowflake falling on a snowdrift, as quiet as a bug skating on the water, as quiet as a cat padding by, as quiet as a worm exploring in the rain, as quiet as a stone hidden underground, as quiet as a tired bird sleeping in a tree. God, I am quiet I wait I listen I hear. Thank you, God for being near. Amen —Lucille Hein Back to Contents

SORROW LOOKS BACK....WORRY LOOKS AROUND....FAITH LOOKS UP

BE STILL
	Whenever I am troubled and lost in deep despair I bundle all my troubles up and go to God in prayer. I tell Him I am heartsick and lost and lonely, too, That my mind is deeply burdened and I don't know what to do. But I know He stilled the tempest and calmed the angry sea, And I humbly ask if in His love He'll do the same for me, And then I just keep quiet and think only thoughts of peace, And if I abide in stillness my "restless murmurings" cease. —Helen Steiner Rice Back to Contents

"Stars are the windows of heaven. God sure left the light on for us tonight." Marelon H. Flinkman in River Runners

HUGS 'N TUGS
By Wendy Greiner Lefko
	As any parent knows, there are times when it is next to impossible to get a word in edge-wise with your spouse. Between dinner preparation, sorting through the mail, exchanging pertinent information from the day’s goings on, and voice after voice chiming in with requests and exclamations, sharing true conversation becomes a laughable goal. By the time the chaos has died down to a dull roar, you forget what you needed to say in the first place! But the real frustration can be when you finally think you have the ear of your mate, and after thoughtfully expounding on your thoughts, you realize he hasn’t heard a word you’ve said. Both my husband and I have been guilty of this on numerous occasions and have called the other to task more than once, proclaiming the words we now jokingly exchange, "You never listen to me!" In all the hectic rush of life, our listening ear tends to be turned off, and we never get to truly share all that our loved one is trying to say, until we make a concerted effort to do so. Relationships can suffer greatly without healthy ongoing, meaningful communication. Just the other day when I was feeling particularly worn out, I began to pray, asking God to speak to me. I felt He wasn’t answering me lately, as I couldn’t feel His presence as strongly as I needed to. I pleaded, "Speak to me." Then I felt His still small voice lovingly chide me, "I’m trying, but you won’t let me." I knew in my convicted heart what He was saying. Sometimes I allow life to get the better of me, with obligations, needs and desires crowding out my time with Him. He has no chance to speak to me, because I won’t let Him! I fail to take the time to read His precious Word, to be still before Him, and to seek His face on my knees in humble prayer. He is always there; He just wants me to seek Him. Then He will restore my soul and speak to me in words that I can only hear when I am still before Him. I pray He finds it less and less necessary to remind me that I’m not listening to Him. I’m so thankful He is always waiting to speak to me in His still, small voice. "The Lord said, ‘Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.’ Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper" (1 Kings 19:11-12). Back to Contents

THE BEST OF LIFELINE
By Rev. Larry W. Greiner
	I received the following e-mail on September 24, 2001, from Dr. Paul Anderson, pastor of Chapel On The Hill in Cedar Grove, NJ, regarding a tract I had written following my near-fatal bee sting several years ago. This is just one example of how the Lord is using F.C.I's literature ministry for His glory. Praise His name! Dear Larry, I'll bet you are surprised to hear from me! Something happened just a few days after terrorists broke the heart of America on that fateful September 11th. Near us is "Eagle Rock." It's not far from our home and I've visited there hundreds of times since I was a boy. The entire skyline of New York can be seen, from the George Washington Bridge to the Verazzano Bridge. In other words, the whole skyline of Manhattan. After the explosion and the destruction of the World Trade Center, Eagle Rock Reservation was cordoned off by the West Orange Police Department. But about 4 days thereafter, it was once again opened to the public. Lois and I went in, parked our car, and then walked to the edge of the cliff where the whole panorama of New York City lay at our feet with a million dazzling lights. It was awesome as usual, but with one sickening change. Where the Twin Towers once stood there was nothing but darkness and the non-ending plume of smoke. The stone-wall fence at the edge of the cliff was littered with candles, flowers, pictures of the missing, posters, and everything else that served to turn that once joyous park into a shrine—a memorial to the vulnerability of America. Everybody spoke in hushed tones as though attending a funeral service. As Lois and I walked along, we saw a man speaking with a young woman - obviously deeply affected by the sight of the tragedy before his eyes. He made numerous gestures with his hands as he described what was in his heart. As he did so, I couldn't help but notice a yellow leaflet in his right hand that he switched back and forth. I knew I had seen it before and I walked closer to be certain. Sure enough it was the tract entitled "O DEATH, WHERE IS THY STING?" After a few moments I walked over to him and gently interrupted him and asked where he had gotten that tract. He said that it was lying on the wall between the candles, that someone must have left it there for someone like him to pick up and read. I told him that the writer was a gifted gospel singer and a very good friend of mine, who had a remarkable experience with God. I didn't talk to him very long but while I was doing so the young lady with him asked, when he was through, if she could have it and read it too. When I left they were busy talking about and reading about victory through Christ in the midst of this, their storm. Only God knows the outcome of that testimony you gave and put into a tract several years ago. But I think it has been used to give hope and some meaning to life to at least two people whose lives might otherwise have remained shattered without it. God bless you, buddy! Paul A sample copy of the tract, "O Death, Where Is Thy Sting," may be obtained by contacting us at Family Christian Inspiration. Back to Contents

FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT
	Full vessels will bear many a knock, many a stroke, and yet make no noise. So Christians who are full of Christ, full of the Spirit, will bear many a blow, many a stroke without murmuring. It is when grace gets low in the soul, and the vanity of self-importance takes the place that Christ should occupy, that we become so sensitive to offense, and cry out at every imaginary affront, and murmur and repine at God's ways with us. — Selected Back to Contents

LIFE IS TOO SHORT TO BE LITTLE
	Often we allow ourselves to be upset by small things we should despise and forget. Perhaps some man we helped has proved ungrateful, some woman we believed to be a friend has spoken ill of us, some regard we though we deserved has been denied us. We feel such disappointments so strongly that we can no longer work or sleep. But isn't that absurd? Here we are on this earth, with only a few more decades to live, and we lose many irreplaceable hours brooding over grievances that in a year's time will be forgotten by us and by everybody. No, let us devote our life to worthwhile actions and feelings, to great thoughts, real affections and enduring undertakings. For life is too short to be little. —Andre Maurois Back to Contents

I'M THANKFUL, LORD
	I'm thankful, Lord, for loving care; I'm thankful, too, for something more; I'm thankful, Lord, that I can bear The things that I'm not thankful for. —George W. Humphreys Back to Contents

IT'S ALL MY FAULT
	I missed You This morning, Lord. You were there. I wasn't. I was too busy, Too soon. —Ida Bartonu Back to Contents

ONE LITTLE WORD
	*"As"* is a vast yet little word. Note these seven: "As a MOTHER comforteth." "As a FATHER pitieth." "As a NURSE cherisheth." "As a SHEPHERD seeketh." "As a HEN gathereth." "As an EAGLE fluttereth." "As a BRIDEGROOM rejoiceth." Only one word of two letters, yet how comprehensive. They are the Christian's lullaby. Go over them in your mind. Nothing can exceed their sweetness. Back to Contents

WHERE WILL YOU SPEND ETERNITY?
	Once upon a time I heard a preacher say, "Suppose an angel were to start today From some far star ten trillion miles away And wing his way to earth through trackless space And pick one grain of sand and then retrace His weary journey to its starting place. Each trip eons of time! So on and on, 'Til earth's last tiny grain of sand is gone, And still eternity is just begun!" The mind reels back from such immensity Of time! Undying soul, where will you be? Where will you spend your long eternity? —Martha Snell Nicholson Back to Contents

"Let us be like a bird for a moment
perched on a frail branch while he sings;
Though he feels it bend, yet he sings his song,
knowing that he has wings."

—Victor Hugo

SMALL THINGS
	One little unshed raindrop may think itself too small; Yet, somewhere, a thirsty flower awaits its fall. One little word, unspoken, may seem too small to say; But, somewhere, for that one word, a heart may pray. *—Helen Thomas Allison* Back to Contents