Daily Renewal
The Apostle Paul tells us twice in 2 Corinthians Chapter 4, to "Do not lose heart". He understood that we are human vessels, "Jars of Clay" as he put it in verse 7, and that we would sometimes be inclined to give up & quit the journey when facing difficult times.
I had one of those difficult days on Saturday. It was the one month anniversary of receiving my cancer diagnosis. It was a dreary, rainy day in Carolina. As I sat around the house, I began to feel overwhelmed at the enormity of my illness, and found myself sinking into a depressed state. I mostly stayed in bed the whole day, not wanting to get up. Later in the afternoon I decided to take a walk around the neighborhood and have a little talk with Jesus. He reminded me of Paul's letter to the Corinthians, which just happened to be my sermon text for Sunday. DO NOT LOSE HEART! NEVER GIVE UP! I was reminded that although I am human, fragile, and imperfect, (a clay vessel) the "contents" of my vessel are DIVINE! (The Spirit of Christ). Therefore, "We are hard pressed on every side, BUT NOT CRUSHED; perplexed, BUT NOT IN DESPAIR; persecuted, BUT NOT ABANDONED; struck down, (Cancer) BUT NOT DESTROYED" Then He reminded me of a very special promise found in verse 16: "Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being RENEWED day by day".
As I continued to walk and talk with Jesus, He renewed my faith and hope! As I preached to my congregation yesterday, I had renewed passion, urgency, and divine anointing. I thank God today for His DAILY RENEWAL that is available to each one of us!
A very special blessing happened to me last night. One of our new biker converts had been absent from church since my diagnosis. The reason was because he felt angry towards God for allowing his pastor to get cancer. After a few weeks of doing business with God, he felt at peace and knew what he needed to do. So last night, he came into my office and laid hands on me. He not only prayed a very humble and simple prayer for my healing, but he asked God to take the cancer out of me and place it in him so that his pastor could continue reaching people for Christ. I was reminded of Christ's statement that the greatest act of love is to lay down one's life for a friend. Thanks for loving me so deeply, and for being willing to trade your life for mine. After praying, I assured him that God was going to let us both live, for we both still had lots of souls to touch for the Kingdom!!
Thanks for your prayers! They are working! God is helping! I am blessed! I love you!
I had one of those difficult days on Saturday. It was the one month anniversary of receiving my cancer diagnosis. It was a dreary, rainy day in Carolina. As I sat around the house, I began to feel overwhelmed at the enormity of my illness, and found myself sinking into a depressed state. I mostly stayed in bed the whole day, not wanting to get up. Later in the afternoon I decided to take a walk around the neighborhood and have a little talk with Jesus. He reminded me of Paul's letter to the Corinthians, which just happened to be my sermon text for Sunday. DO NOT LOSE HEART! NEVER GIVE UP! I was reminded that although I am human, fragile, and imperfect, (a clay vessel) the "contents" of my vessel are DIVINE! (The Spirit of Christ). Therefore, "We are hard pressed on every side, BUT NOT CRUSHED; perplexed, BUT NOT IN DESPAIR; persecuted, BUT NOT ABANDONED; struck down, (Cancer) BUT NOT DESTROYED" Then He reminded me of a very special promise found in verse 16: "Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being RENEWED day by day".
As I continued to walk and talk with Jesus, He renewed my faith and hope! As I preached to my congregation yesterday, I had renewed passion, urgency, and divine anointing. I thank God today for His DAILY RENEWAL that is available to each one of us!
A very special blessing happened to me last night. One of our new biker converts had been absent from church since my diagnosis. The reason was because he felt angry towards God for allowing his pastor to get cancer. After a few weeks of doing business with God, he felt at peace and knew what he needed to do. So last night, he came into my office and laid hands on me. He not only prayed a very humble and simple prayer for my healing, but he asked God to take the cancer out of me and place it in him so that his pastor could continue reaching people for Christ. I was reminded of Christ's statement that the greatest act of love is to lay down one's life for a friend. Thanks for loving me so deeply, and for being willing to trade your life for mine. After praying, I assured him that God was going to let us both live, for we both still had lots of souls to touch for the Kingdom!!
Thanks for your prayers! They are working! God is helping! I am blessed! I love you!
David said it all: I saw God before me for all time. Nothing can shake me; He's right by my side. I'm glad from the inside out, ecstatic; I've pitched my tent in the Land of Hope. I know You'll never dump me in Hades; I'll never even smell the stench of death. You've got my feet on the life-path, with Your face shining sun-joy all around.
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