Rebuilding

By Pat

In the neighborhood where I live, an abandoned house had fallen into great disrepair. It sat vacant for several years until finally, it was purchased by a contractor who began the extensive renovation. By the time be bought it, the house was in such bad condition that nothing could be salvaged except for the foundation. The house was bulldozed and the work began.

Day after day, the builder and his crew worked rebuilding on the existing foundation, and slowly but surely we began to see a new and beautiful home emerging. Frame, walls, roof, windows...little by little, it all began to come together. In time, the plumbers and electricians arrived, and before too long it was finished. Where a dilapidated, crumbling house once stood was a lovely, strong home, gleaming from top to bottom. It was just beautiful! In fact, the contractor who rebuilt it ended up keeping the house for himself, and now lives in it.

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Are You Allowing Him To Shape You?

By Pat

"So I went down to the potter's house, and I saw him working at the wheel. But the pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands, so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as it seemed best to him." (Jeremiah 18:3-4)

I have often thought of the Lord as a potter, and myself as clay. I pray often for God to "mold" me into what He needs me to be, but yet I know that, as His clay, I am not always very cooperative. In order to be molded, the clay must stay in the potter's hand for the work to be done effectively.

I'm quite certain that there have been times I have slipped away from God's hands as the molding was in progress, hindering the job God was doing. But thankfully, God picks me back up and patiently resumes His work, smoothing the dents and gently re-shaping.

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Praying For The Willingness And Ability To Work

Colossians 3:23, 24 reads, "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving."

Knowing the value and blessing of work can be a long road for many kids. Adam and Eve were given a garden by God and He told them to work. God gives in grace and abundance, but He calls us also to labor with Him. It’s a part of who He’s created us to be.

Working against that truth, however, is culture, advertising, entertainment, and more. These work overtime to tell our kids that there are ways around work and promote the idea and ideal of a ‘slacker’ generation.

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WWW ~ (World Wide Worship)

By Chuck (Sharing Compassion)

" As it is, there are many parts, but one body."  1 Corinthians 12:20

Having been out on the country several times on mission trips or sponsor tours I have come to appreciate the fact that no matter where you go when you are with believers there is an incredible sense of fellowship and Spirit. My first journey was to Mexico in 1998 travelling with a church youth group. My fondest memory is being in San Diego right on the coast and overlooking the Pacific. There we worshipped and sang. It was an incredible experience just looking out at the vast ocean and feeling the prescience of God. I can remember singing "In the Secret" and just feeling moved by the words of that song.

In the secret, in the quiet place
In the stillness You are there.
In the secret, in the quiet hour I wait,
Only for You, 'cause I want to know You more;

Seven years later I would travel to the Dominican with another church group to work on a church in Monte Cristi. At night we slept on the roof of our home. Laying there just looking up at the stars I listened

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A Member of The Flock

By Pat

"If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them gets lost, what will he do? Won't he leave the ninety-nine others in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says "Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep!" (Luke 15:4-6).

This is one of my favorite passages of scripture. I love the picture my mind creates when I read it. I have been that lost sheep more times than I care to admit, and no doubt at some point I will be that same silly, lost sheep again and my tireless Savior will come after me, and carry me back on His shoulders.

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