LET’S TURN OUR EYES UPON

JESUS

Today in my town, it is dark, dreary and cold, with rain.  And as I ponder upon this dreary day, I want to just turn my eyes toward Jesus and let Him take all my burdens and cares.  He knows the small pain I have and He knows those days when my pain is intense.  He knows all my cares and concerns, and He only wants me to look up to Him.

And my friends out there, how is it with you today?  We are living in very troubled times, when the world economy is about to collapse, there are wars, rumors of wars, strange weather patterns and great unexplained tragedies.  There are friends and family suffering with cancer and great struggles in their lives, and sometimes the struggles go on and on without an answer in site.  Where do we turn in those dark times?  Just turn your eyes upon your Savior.

We just celebrated the Easter Season and our minds turned to the cross and the suffering of Jesus, His torment, His agony there.  We continue to look to the cross, where our Savior died, as He took all our sins and sorrows, and shed His precious blood for you, for me.

My mind cannot comprehend the suffering, even though I have read about it, seen it portrayed in movies and videos, still my mind cannot fathom that my God would love me so, and go through all that pain and agony, so I and all those who will give their hearts to Him could have their sins forgiven and spend eternity with Him. 

When He arose from the dead on that third day, death was conquered!  Yes, unless Jesus comes in the clouds, we will all die physically, that is certain, but so we can go to live with Him where there will be no more death, sorrow or crying or pain.  That is our blessed hope in this hour of great turmoil on this earth and in our lives individually.

 love the great hymns of the faith, and I love the stories behind the writing of those hymns.  Here is one of the favorites of the church, and I remember singing this song as a child.  Here is the story of that hymn.

TURN YOUR EYES UPON JESUS

“Helen Lemmel was already a noted Christian singer and voice teacher when a missionary friend of hers handed her a gospel tract titled “Focus.”  Helen wondered why someone was handing her a tract.

The tract said that if you focus on Jesus, if you look full into His face, “you will find that the things of earth will acquire a strange new dimness.”

Those words had an impact on Helen Lemmel.  “Suddenly,” she said later, “as if commanded to stop and listen, I stood still, and singing in my soul and spirit was the chorus, with not one conscious moment of putting word to word to make rhyme, or note to note to make melody.”  Later the same year the song was published, and soon it became a favorite of Christians in America, in England, an around the rest of the world.

It’s so easy to lose focus.  Focus on Jesus, and the tawdry things of this world will lose their glamour “in the “light of His glory and grace.”

"O soul, are you weary and troubled?  No light in the darkness you see?  There’s light for a look at the Savior, and life more abundant and free!

Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face, and the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace.

Through death into life everlasting He passed, and we follow Him there; over us sin no more hath dominion, for more than conquerors we are!

His word shall not fail you – He promised; believe Him, and all will be well:  than go to a world that is dying, His perfect salvation to tell.   (Helen Howarth Lemmel (1864-1961)

Yes, my friends are you weary and troubled this day?  Is your life full of darkness and clouds obscuring your vision, tears are dimming your eyes?  Just look up to Him, He is a light in the darkness, and He will give you an abundant life with His peace.  We don’t need to worry about our tomorrows, because Jesus will be there.   He asks only that you seek Him first and let tomorrow take care of itself. “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.  Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things.  Sufficient for the day is its own trouble” Matthew 6:33-34.

As I ponder about the cross and His death, I realize that He has passed that way before us into eternal life, and if we give our lives to Him, death will have no more dominion over us, because we will have gained the victory, Praise the Lord!

And He promises  in His Word to never leave us or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5), and then calls each one of us to share the love He has given us to others in this dying world, there are so many out there who are lost without Jesus, and need to hear about the Savior who loves them and died for them. “Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” Hebrews 12:2.

So, when the storm clouds roll in, storms of sorrow, pain, and unending struggles, we look to Jesus, and look into His wonderful face, and there is peace and joy there, and He calms the storms in our lives, just by a Word.  This Jesus, our Lord, endured the cross, because He knew that on the other side of the cross there would be joy and peace and eternal life for His people, those who love Him, and He finished the work on the cross, sat down beside the Father and is interceding for you, my friend.

So, on this day, look up into His Wonderful face, and let Him bring peace into your life, just ask Him today, if you don’t know Him as your Savior.  Please don’t wait, because one never knows what tomorrow will bring, and you would not want to miss eternity with Jesus, and life eternal. 

Blessings,

Pastor Sharon

BEHOLD…

THE CROSS

As I wrote this it was Good Friday, a cold, chilly morning. And as I awoke that morning my thoughts were on my Lord and the sacrifice He made on that Friday before His glorious Resurrection.  The Easter Season is past, and all the Easter trimmings are put away for another year, but let’s us not forget that the Cross is the Center of our very lives, every day of the year.  He calls us to look to the Cross, for there is our salvation in this troubled world, and we can say all year long, everyday:  HE IS RISEN!  HE IS RISEN INDEED!

Many are rushing to do whatever they need to do this day, but how many will stop to consider the greatest event in history!  Yes, I call it the greatest event in history, because the sinless Lamb of God went to the cross to die for you, for me and all those out there in this world rushing to and fro this day, unmindful of what happened on that dark day.

Oh,  Good Friday is not about Easter bunnies, colored eggs and the like, it is about the cross, and the new life we experience in Jesus because of that cross.  Yes, Spring is a time of new life, but let us get our focus on the cross of Calvary.

Oh, that cross was not beautiful, as we have made it down through the centuries.  We have plated it with gold and silver, encrusted it with diamonds and precious stones.  We have big crosses and little crosses we wear around our necks or even in our ears as earrings.

My heart is heavy this day, as I think of my Savior day dying the most cruel death that could be inflicted on Him.  He was tortured, beaten and mocked and forced to carry that cross up to the place of the skull, the place of execution.  Upon that cross nails were driven into his wrists and into His feet, the Precious Lamb of God, the final Lamb slain at the evening sacrifice. Oh, yes, I am sure the lambs continued to be sacrificed in that temple, before the destruction of the temple, but the “Lamb” had been slain, and the new covenant was now established!

And on that Friday, as my Lord suffered and died, the sky grew dark, the thunder rolled, the earth shook, as the very Son of God took on the sins of the world, and His Father turned His back on Him, as He could not look on Him.  Oh, the darkness of that day!  Oh, the horror of that day!

And as that “Lamb” was sacrificed the veil in the temple was torn from top to bottom, showing that the way was now open to enter into the Presence of God, a new covenant in His blood had been established.  His blood was shed to take away my sins and your sins. John the Baptist, himself, proclaimed that “Lamb.”

“The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” John 1:29.

The lamb had to be spotless, as we look back into the Old Testament and recall the lambs that were slain on the altar.  Those innocent little lambs had to give their lives and shed their blood just to cover the people’s sins.  That suffering “Lamb” on the cross was slain from the foundation of the world, and His shed blood does not just cover our sins, they are washed away, Praise the Lord! (See Hebrews 9:23-28).

So, I am calling you to look to the cross today, stop what you are doing and look up there upon that hill and behold the suffering Savior of all mankind.  We used to have Good Friday Services where we could stop at noon on Good Friday and remember, as a body of believers, our suffering Lord. 

I know that many of you are going through great trials today, the dark clouds cover your sky, and the storm is intense. And there is Jesus taking your pain, your sorrow upon His wounded body.  Who of us can comprehend that! Because of that cross and the shedding of His blood, there is forgiveness of sins and healing for our bodies, “who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness –by whose stripes we are healed” 1 Peter 2:2

It was Friday when Jesus died on the cross, to his mother, His disciples and those who loved Him, it looked like all was lost as He died upon that cross.  Oh, the horror of standing beneath the cross and watch Him die, see the sky grow dark and the earth shake, but let me tell you something:  “It was Friday and Sunday was coming.”  On that Sunday morning, the tomb burst open, and our Lord Jesus Christ arose from that tomb triumphant over death, and gave us new life and a promise of Resurrection and new life with Him in heaven forever!

But my precious friends, I am happy to tell you that it might be Friday for you, but Sunday is coming  Yes, you may be going through a tough time today, you may be facing terminal illness and other events in your life that bring you great fear. But a great day is coming, when all sorrow, pain and tears will be over forever, and all because of the Cross and the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.  Praise the Lord!   

If you have accepted Jesus Christ as your own personal Lord and Savior and asked Him to forgive you of your sins, you have a glorious future ahead, we call a “Blessed Hope.” And it all starts at the cross, “Behold the Cross” today.  Stand beneath the cross, cast your gaze upon that One dying there for you.

 Beneath the Cross of Jesus

Beneath the cross of Jesus I fain would take my stand, the shadow of a mighty Rock within a weary land; a home within the wilderness, a rest upon the way, from the burning of the noontime heat, and the burden of the day.

Upon that cross of Jesus mine eye at times can see the very dying form of One who suffered there for me; and from my smitten heart with tears, two wonders I confess, the wonders of His glorious love and my own worthlessness.

I take, O cross, thy shadow for my abiding place; I ask no other sunshine than the sunshine of His face; content to let the world go by, to know no gain nor loss, my sinful self my only shame, my glory all the cross! (Elizabeth C. Clephane)

Blessings, in the Name of Jesus

Pastor Sharon

YES, MY REDEEMER LIVES!

We live in a time of great trials on earth, and in our lives individually.  There are failing health problems among elderly family members, and we can hardly fathom what life would be without them.  But life will go on and God, Almighty God, will give us strength for every trial.  And we can know that our Redeemer does indeed live, seated at the right hand of His Father, interceding for His people.

And can we as mere humans fathom the depths of our Great God, the Creator of the universe?  The One who formed the clouds up there in the sky?

“And will God indeed dwell on the earth?  Behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain You.  How much less this temple which I have built!  1 Kings 8:27.  King Solomon had just dedicated the Temple and God’s presence so filled the house of the Lord that the priests could not continue ministering.  And this was his prayer of dedication of the Temple.  And he was awed by God’s presence and wondered how this Great God, who the heavens cannot contain, could ever dwell on earth.  

“He removes the mountains, and they do not know when He overturns them in His anger; He shakes the earth out of its place, and its pillars tremble; He commands the sun, and it does not rise; He seals off the stars; He alone spreads out the heavens, and treads on the waves of the sea; He made The Bear, Orion, and the Pleiades and the chambers of the south; He does great things past finding out, Yes, wonders without number”  Job 9:5-10.  This is the God who’s ways are past finding out.  He spreads out the stars in the sky and creates this beautiful world around us.  And “treads on the waves of the sea.”

Are you going through a great trial in your family right now, great storms are blowing in your life?  Yes, your Redeemer lives and He treads on the waves of the sea.  And when He speaks, the waves become calm and He speaks, “Peace Be Still.”  And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling.  But He was in the stern asleep on a pillow.  And they awoke Him and said to Him, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?”  Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace, Be Still.”

This same God, who Solomon said that the heaven of heavens could not contain Him, was asleep on a pillow in the stern of a sinking ship, while His disciples were fearful of drowning.  This same God created the wind and the waves, and the very sea that they were on, and He had perfect peace and totally in control of the elements that He created.  And all He had to do was speak the Word and it was done.  That is our Almighty God, in the person of Jesus Christ.  Yes, your Redeemer lives!  He lives in the midst of the storms of your life, bringing you peace and calmness in the midst of all your circumstances.

“Oh, that I knew where I might find Him, that I might come to His seat!  I would present my case before Him, and fill my mouth with arguments.  I would know the words which He would answer me, and understand what He would say to me.  Would He contend with me in His great power?  No!  But He would take note of me.  There the upright could reason with Him, and I would be delivered forever from my Judge” Job 23:6-7.  Job, in the midst of his great suffering in body and in his grief wondered where he could go to find this Great God and present His case before Him.  He lived in the ancient days, in the times of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.  And yet, he had great questions, and his questions foretold of our coming Redeemer.

And we, as believers are so blessed because in the midst of our questions and struggles can indeed come right into His very presence because of the sacrifice on Calvary and our Lord’s death and resurrection.  I believe that Job somehow foresaw a day when it would be possible to come right into the throne room of Almighty God.  “Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need” Hebrews 4:16.

In the days before Christ came, only the Priest could enter the Holy of Holies once a year and not without blood to enter God’s Presence and the Ark of the Covenant.  And there was a veil between the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies in the Tabernacle and the Temple.  When Jesus died on the cross, that veil was rent in two from top to bottom, signifying that the way was now open to come right into God’s Presence with all our problems, and He hears and understands.

“For I know that my Redeemer lives, and He shall stand at last on the earth; and after my skin is destroyed, this I know, that in my flesh I shall see God, whom I shall see for myself, and my eyes shall behold, and not another.  How my heart yearns within me!”  Job 19:25-27

Job, in the midst of great suffering, knew that His Redeemer did indeed live and someday He would stand upon the earth.  And Jesus did come and did stand upon this earth, to bear the sins of mankind on that cruel cross, but then be resurrected and ascend back to His Father, to accomplish God’s eternal plan from the beginning of time.

And He foresaw the day of His own resurrection from the grave, and He would see His God face to face!  Oh, what a foretelling of that great day coming, when we too, will behold our God face to face.  And, like Job, we long for that great day to come, and look for His Great Appearing, and what a day that will be!  I can hardly wait, how about you?

Are you ready for that day?  As we look around us, it could be even at the doors right now.  Jesus could come and you would be left out.  Make sure your sins are washed away by the blood of the Lamb, and that you have made peace with your God.  And you too can say, “I know that my Redeemer Lives!!  Have a blessed Resurrection Sunday!

In the Name of Jesus,

Pastor Sharon

HIS GUIDING HAND

As I enter this new decade of my life, I can look back and see how His unseen hand has led me all the way, even though the way was difficult at times for me, especially as a child.  But even then, I knew that His precious hand was there guiding me, protecting me, giving me strength for the journey, as I am now on the path towards my heavenly home.

How about you, my friend?  Can you look back over your life and see the path that He has led you, and feel you have truly been led by the Unseen Hand.

 THE UNSEEN HAND

Written by A.J. Simms

 There’s an unseen hand to me

That leads through ways I cannot see.

While going through this world of woe,

This hand still leads me as I go.

 I’m trusting to the unseen hand

That guides me through this weary land.

And some sweet day I’ll reach that strand

Still guided by the unseen hand.

 I long to see my Savior’s face

And sing the story of His grace.

And there upon that golden strand

I’ll praise Him for His guiding hand.

 I’m trusting to the unseen hand

That guides me through this weary land.

And some sweet day I’ll reach that strand

Still guided by the unseen hand,

Still guided by the unseen hand.

This song reminds me of the times in my life, especially as a child, times were hard in our home.  There were three of us little girls and a very sick father, and I remember my mother working long hours to supply our needs and put food on the table.  I was raised in church and Sunday school from birth, and at this time, when I was 10 years of age, a revival came to our church. 

The evangelist was preaching on God opening the books and looking for names in the Book of Life.  I then realized that I was not saved, being in a Christian home could not save me, being in church and Sunday School could not save me.

So on that night, I left my seat and went forward and gave my heart to Jesus and that is when I realized that He alone would guide my life no matter how difficult the journey of life would be.  He would always be there for me, in every situation.

“The LORD will guide you continually, and satisfy your soul in drought, and strengthen your bones; you shall be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water whose waters do not fail” Isaiah 58:11

He truly has led me in many different ways through the years and there were times I didn’t understand the way He was leading me, but His unseen hand was still there leading me on.  He has led me on though many trials and difficult places.  He has led me through cancer and all its fears.  And I know that there are many of you out there reading this who may be going through great physical struggles and sorrows.  And this world is indeed a “world of woe.” 

I am reminded again that in this verse God promises to satisfy us in those dry times of our lives, and gives us “health to our bones” or strength in times of pain and sickness, and our God still is a healing God, and He indeed does work miracles in our hearts and lives, Praise the Lord!

On that last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink.  “He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water” John 7:37-38.  If you are thirsty and dry today, He promises to guide you and satisfy your soul with springs of living water, the water of the Holy Spirit, to flow out of you to those around you, who also are thirsty in their souls, and need to be led and guided by the unseen hand of the Lord Jesus.

And as we travel through this weary world, on our journey home, He will continue to guide us through the rough places along the road, right up to the gates of our eternal home.  And there we will be in continual praise for how His guiding hand has led us all the way home.

 Oh, don’t you long to see your Savior’s face?  And we will sing around the throne of His saving grace and mercy. “Beloved, now we are the children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is” I John 3:2.

Yes, my friend, we have no idea what it will be like, but we know that we are going to be just like Him in our new resurrected bodies and we will see Him face to face at last!  Oh, praise the Lord!

if you have drifted away from the unseen hand, or have never asked Him into your heart, please ask Him now.  We live in precarious times, and we know not the hour or the time when He will come back to gather His church to Himself.  So please, ask Jesus to come into your heart and life, and let Him change your heart to a new heart and a new life with Christ Jesus leading and guiding you with His unseen hand.

In Jesus’ Name,

Pastor Sharon



A MILESTONE ON MY

JOURNEY HOME

This month of March I will pass a major milestone in my life.  Usually birthdays have come and gone, but this one seems a little different, as if I have passed a mile marker in my life.  As I turn seventy years old, I wonder where the years have gone.

And I look back down the path and see His footprints leading me all through the years.  And the older I become, I realize that each year brings me closer to my heavenly home, and I think more and desire heaven more these days.  And as I minister to many senior citizens, some much, much older than I, I feel heaven is not far away.  And for some in my little “flock” it is right at the doors. 

So in this blog I will share some of God’s Word regarding the elderly saints and how our Lord looks down upon them.  If you are there already, or will be soon, these scriptures are for your encouragement, as you head up the winding path towards your heavenly home.

“Even to your old age I am He, and even to gray hairs I will carry you!  I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you” Isaiah 46:4.

The Lord reminds us not to forget Him, even when our hair turns gray, or starts to turn gray.  When our strength begins to fail, he reminds us that He made us, and like the Shepherd that He is, He will carry you in His arms, and walk with you through all your struggles.  Oh, how He loves His elderly ones!

“Gray hair is a crown of splendor; it is attained by a righteous life” Proverbs 16:31.  (NIV)

I particularly love this promise.  Imagine that your lovely gray or white hair is like a crown of splendor when He looks upon you.  He literally crowns the elderly one with splendor and majesty because you have walked with Him in righteousness.  I use this one as an encouraging word when ministering to many in this work, and share with them how blessed by the Lord they are and how much He loves them.

Cast me not off in the time of old age; forsake me not when my strength faileth” Psalm 71:9.

Sometimes as we enter the winter of our lives, we can begin to feel like we are forsaken by Him and those around us.  Many I have dealt with are indeed forsaken by family, left forgotten in a nursing home or they are the only survivor of their family, and they feel so alone.  So we cry not to be forsaken by Him when our strength is failing, or our eyes are dim, hearing gone.  But He promises in Hebrews 13:5 that He will never forsake you.

“O God, thou hast taught me from my youth: and hitherto have I declared Thy wondrous works.  Now also when I am old and grayheaded, O God, forsake me not until I have showed Thy strength unto this generation, and Thy power to everyone who is to come”  Psalm 71:17-18.

Many of us have been serving Jesus since we were children and were taught about Him in Sunday School, and most of our lives have shared the Gospel with others.  And now we have entered our Senior years, and we ask the Lord to sustain us so we can pray and witness to the next generation, our grandchildren, great grandchildren and family members,  so that when we are gone, the generations that follow will know of your mighty power and love because of our witness for Christ.  Such a promise!

“Nevertheless I am continually with You; You hold me by my right hand.  You will guide me with Your counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.  Whom have I in heaven but You?  And there is none upon earth that I desire besides You.  My flesh and my heart fail; but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.  Psalms 73:23-26.

All of our lives, as His children, He has guided us, us on our journey home, given us counsel, and then, Praise God, He will receive us into our heavenly home.  Our flesh and our hearts may fail, but our God is our strength forever.

 SAVED BY GRACE

Someday the silver cord will break, and I no more as now shall sing; but oh, the joy when I shall wake within the palace of the King!

Someday my earthly house will fall.  I cannot tell how soon ‘twill be; but this I know my All in All has now a place in Heav’n for me.

Someday, when fades the golden sun beneath the rosy tinted west, my blessed Lord will say, “Well done!” and I shall enter into rest.

Someday: till then I’ll watch and wait, my lamp all trimmed and burning bright, that when my Savior opens the gate, my soul to Him may take its flight.

CHORUS:  And I shall see Him face to face, and tell the story Saved by grace; and I shall see Him face to face, and tell the story Saved by grace.  (Fanny Crosby)

When we gave finished this journey, and walked the final milestone of our life here on earth, we will wake in the “Palace of the King.”  These old bodies will indeed fail someday, unless Jesus comes and catches us away.  But we know He has prepared each of us a mansion and has promised to come back and receive us to Himself.  Oh, what a precious promise, and I can hardly wait, how about you? 

Keep your eyes on Jesus, and someday, then face to face!

In Jesus’ Name,

Pastor Sharon

OH LORD, USE ME!

As I again sit here at my computer looking out the window at the dark clouds and see the cold wind blowing through the trees, I think of friends and loved ones who are going through deep valleys right now with seemingly no answer in sight.  And some of you might feel useless in God’s kingdom because of your situation in life.  You may be suffering in your body and feel useless and discouraged.  Well, God always has an answer in His Word, and encourages us there.  Oh, what a blessing to open God’s Word and feel Him speaking to my heart!

“I will go in the strength of the LORD God: I will make mention of thy righteousness, even of thine only.  O God, thou hast taught me from my youth: and hitherto have I declared they wondrous works.

Now also when I am old and grey headed, O God, forsake me not, until I have shown thy strength unto this generation, and thy power to every one that is to come. Thy righteousness also, O God, is very high, who hast done great things:  O God, who is like unto thee!   Thou hast shown me great and sore troubles, shalt quicken me again, and shalt bring me up again from the depths of the earth. Thou shalt increase my greatness, and comfort me on every side” (Psalm 71:16-21.

 My Bible says that this Psalm is the prayer of an aged man.  He asked in verse 9 that God would not cast him off in the time of old age, and not to forsake him when his strength is failing.  But he says in verse 16 that he can go on in the strength of the Lord, and that he will make mention of your righteousness, and that to me, is the desire to continue to be a soul winner, to being souls into God’s kingdom.

Now let me tell you about a dear friend in the nursing home.  This precious godly woman is totally bedbound now, but she has led countless men and women to the Lord Jesus from her bed, and has prayed for caregivers who needed a touch in their bodies, and God healed them.

I don’t often have the opportunity to visit with her as she is often under sedation because of her pain, as she has many afflictions in her body.  But she told me this week an amazing experience that she had regarding the lady in the first bed in their room.  There is also a curtain separating the beds.

Her roommate was suffering in her body and near death, and my friend heard this lady swearing in her pain, taking the Name of Jesus, and God in vain, and she was deeply disturbed, knowing that this lady did not know Jesus Christ as her personal Savior and was in danger of entering eternity without Him.

So she called the lady by name, and the lady listened closely, as she gave her the plan of Salvation, and told her how much Jesus loved her and that He died on the cross for her and wanted to forgive all her sins and make her ready for heaven and eternity with Him.  And she told her how to ask Jesus into her heart.

Later, my friend was having a very bad night and couldn’t get to sleep, and listened for the other lady if she should need to talk but it was quiet.  Then, suddenly, she heard her speaking.  And she was praying, saying: “Oh, Sweet Jesus, O Sweet Jesus,” and my friend was so blessed at those words.  Then it was very quiet and she was able to get some sleep.

In the morning when the Caregiver came into the room, she asked her about her roommate, and how she was.  And the Caregiver informed her that she had passed away at 5:30 am.  My friend heard that lady asking Jesus into her heart before she died! Isn’t our God Wonderful?  I was in tears as she shared this story with me.  Here she is, in pain and distress herself, but leading others to Jesus Christ.

The Psalmist asked that when he was old and his hair was grey, that he be able to witness God’s mighty power to those around him, his generation, and also to his grandchildren or great grandchildren.  We are never too old to tell others about Jesus.  God will give us the strength we need and the Power of the Holy Spirit to lead us into situations to minister, bring comfort, or win someone to Jesus.  And if we cannot do anything else, we can also pray and intercede for those around us.

And in these situations, we praise our God!  Who is like Thee?  You, Oh God, who, even at death, your mighty power is at work bringing men and women to salvation.  And like my friend, there in the nursing home, you may have much affliction and pain.  But look at that last promise from this Psalm.  Someday, when this life is over, and our bodies have gone back to the dust, we will be resurrected from our graves, when Jesus comes!  Oh, Praise the Lord!

Jesus said unto her, “I am the resurrection and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: and whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die.”  Believest thou this?  John 11:25-26.

Yes, your redeemer lives! He is the resurrection and the life!  And someday when this life is over, we shall see Him face to face, at last!  And you will be comforted after all life’s trials.  And you who are afflicted, and still working for Jesus, even from beds of affliction you will be at peace forever.  So keep on working for Jesus, even when in the midst of great trials, in the midst of days when you feel your strength is gone.  You will be strengthened to go on one more step on the journey home!

Blessings in His Name,

Pastor Sharon

HE ROLLS THE CLOUDS AWAY 

As I was looking out my window this day, I saw dark clouds and stormy skies.  We had had several days of snow, rain, wind, and the day was so dark.  Even as I entered my office this morning, the skies were dark with snow and rain showers.

Then as I looked at those clouds, they seemed to roll away before my eyes, and there was blue sky!  I thought of our Lord and how He sends the showers and the rain to water the earth, and then He sends the sunshine to warm our hearts.  Oh, what a Wonderful Lord we serve!

 And our walk with the Lord and our journey with Him is a walk of cloudy days, rainy days, dark days.  Sometimes, because of our tears, we don’t see Him as He is walking ahead of us.  But then He turns and smiles upon us, and brings the ”Sonshine” back into our lives.

I love the old, old hymns, and am sorry that we don’t sing them anymore.  Some are not even in our hymnals.  But the Lord brings them back into our hearts with a song.  Here is one some of you might remember from your childhood.

 IT’S JUST LIKE HIS GREAT LOVE

“A Friend I have, called Jesus, whose love is strong and true, and never fails, howe’er ‘tis tried, no matter what I do; I’ve sinned against this love of His, but when I knelt to pray, confessing all my guilt to Him, the sin-clouds rolled away.

CHORUS:  It’s just like Jesus to roll the clouds away, it’s just like Jesus to keep me day by day, it’s just like Jesus all along the way, it’s just like His great love.

Sometimes the clouds of trouble dim the sky above, I cannot see my Saviour’s face, I doubt His wondrous love; but He, from Heaven’s mercy seat, beholding my despair, in pity bursts the clouds between, and shows me He is there.

When sorrow’s clouds o’er take me, and break upon my head, when life seems worse than useless, and earthly hopes are dead, I take my grief to Jesus, then, nor do I go in vain, for heav’nly hope He gives that cheers like sunshine after rain.

Oh! I could sing forever of Jesus’ love divine, of all His care and tenderness, for this poor life of mine; His love is in and over all, and wind and waves obey when Jesus whispers “Peace, be still!” and rolls the clouds away. (Edna R. Worrell)

Yes, we have many “clouds” in our lives as we walk this journey in our lives.  The first “cloud” we face is our cloud of sin.  And we must come to the cross, meet Jesus there, for cleansing.  For there at the cross He took all our sins and sorrows on Himself, so that He could bring us redemption and wholeness, so serve Him here and be safe with Him for all eternity.  It’s just like His great love………….

“You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away.  Then God made you alive with Christ.  He forgave all our sins.  He canceled the record that contained charges against us.  He took it and destroyed it by nailing it to Christ’s cross” Colossians 2:13-14.

And sometimes those clouds are “clouds of sorrow.”  Sometimes they are clouds of great troubles that come into our lives.  And sometimes those clouds dim the sky above, and are days become filled with darkness.  And many times we feel like He has forsaken us and we can’t seem to find our way out of our trials.  But He is there, and He will never forsake you.  You are very precious to Him, and it is because of His great love!

“Can a woman forget her nursing child, and not have compassion on the son of her womb?  Surely they may forget, yet I will not forget you.  See, I have inscribed you on the palms of my hands; your walls are continually before Me” Isaiah 49:15-16.

Yes, He loves you so much that He has engraved you on the palms of His nail pierced hands.  That is so precious!  It is so wonderful to know that He loves us so much that He would engrave each of us on the palms of His hands.  He sees you there, my friend.  And when those clouds darken your sky, and the wind blows your ship.  He comes and speaks “Peace, be still!” and those clouds roll away.  That is just like His great love!

And if you are going through troubles and you have not accepted this Wonderful Savior into your life, He is waiting for you with arms outstretched, calling your name.  As we begin this season leading up to Easter Sunday, wouldn’t this be a wonderful time to make that decision for Christ?  As we remember His sacrifice and resurrection, we also remember this is the season for new life, and especially new life in Jesus Christ.  And then the clouds of sin and despair will roll away, and the Son will shine in your life for now and for all eternity.

In Jesus’ Name,

Pastor Sharon