Discouragement

               This past week I read a devotional by David Jeremiah that met a particular need that I have been dealing with.  Since I assume that many of my readers may have the same battle, I thought I'd share it with you.

          "It's natural to become discouraged, but it's unhealthy to stay that way.  Satan loves to utilize the giant discouragement to cast down our faith and progress.  John Bunyan called it Giant Despair in his classic The Pilgrim's Progress and it imprisoned Christian until he found the Key of Promise in his clothing.

          If Giant Despair has you in his dungeon today, remember you have the key to escape.  It's inside your Bible, found in one of the hundreds of promises God has given you.  For example, you can claim Joshua 1:9 which says, "Be strong and courageous.  Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go."

          Discouragement is the temptation to evaluate your momentary circumstances apart from the overarching plan of God for your life.  God is a God of encouragement.  As soon as you become discouraged, cry out to Him in prayer and ask for His help.  God wants to hear your prayers, even when discouraged.  He will answer and bring encouragement to your heart."

          I don't know if you need that reminder, but I do  My wife is facing knee replacement surgery on July 31 and unless Medicare or the Lord provide help, I will need to care for her.  Physically I'm not sure that I can do that.  Then two days ago I fell in a parking lot while onloading our walkers from our van.  Thankfully I did not break anything, but I am bruised and aching and am having difficulty walking.  But I know that the Lord knows this and He will provide the strength and help that we need.  I will appreciate your prayers.
           

I close this blog with one of my favorite hymns.

(1)   Is there a heart o'erbound by sorrow?

Is there a life weighed down by care?

Come to the cross, each burden bearing—

All your anxiety, leave it there.

All your anxiety, all your care,

Bring to the mercy seat, leave it there;

Never a burden He cannot bear,

Never a friend like Jesus!

 

(2)   No other friend so keen to help you,

No other friend so quick to hear;

No other place to leave your burden,

No other one to hear your prayer. 

All your anxiety, all your care,

Bring to the mercy seat, leave it there;

Never a burden He cannot bear,

Never a friend like Jesus!

 

(3)    Come then at once, delay no longer!

Heed His entreaty kind and sweet;

You need not fear a disappointment,

You shall find peace at the mercy seat.

All your anxiety, all your care,

Bring to the mercy seat, leave it there;

Never a burden He cannot bear,

Never a friend like Jesus!

 

             

Keep Cool!

FUN RIDDLES TO HELP YOU BEAT THE HEAT!

Answers are at the bottom. Don't peek!

 

1. The maker doesn't want it; the buyer doesn't use it; and the user doesn't see it. What is it?

 

2. A child is born in Boston, Massachusetts to parents who were both born in Boston, Massachusetts. The child is not a United States citizen. How is this possible?

 

3. Before Mount Everest was discovered, what was the highest mountain on Earth?

 

4. Clara Clatter was born on December 27th, yet her birthday is always in the summer. How is this possible?

 

5. Captain Frank and some of the boys were exchanging old war stories. Art Bragg offered one about how his grandfather led a battalion against a German division during World War I. Through brilliant maneuvers he defeated them and captured valuable territory. After the battle he was presented with a sword bearing the inscription: "To Captain Bragg for Bravery, Daring, and Leadership. World War One. From the Men of Battalion 8." Captain Frank looked at Art and said, "You really don't expect anyone to believe that yarn, do you?" What's wrong with the story?

 

6. What is one thing that all wise men, regardless of their religion or politics, agree is between heaven and earth?

 

7. In what year did Christmas and New Year's fall in the same year?

 

8. A woman from New York married ten different men from that city, yet she did not break any laws. None of these men died and she never divorced. How was this possible?

 

9. Why are 1990 American dollar bills worth more than 1989 American dollar bills?

 

10. How many times can you subtract the number 5 from 25?

 

11. A taxi driver was called to take a group of passengers to the train station. The station is normally an hour away, but with traffic being extra heavy, it took a full hour and a half. On the return trip the traffic was still as heavy and yet it took only 90 minutes. Why?

 

12. How could you rearrange the letters in the words "new door" to make one word? Note: There is only one correct answer.

 

13. Even if they are starving, natives living in the Arctic will never eat a penguin's egg. Why not?

 

14. Which is correct to say, "The yolk of the egg are white" or "The yolk of the egg is white"?

 

15. In Okmulgee, Oklahoma, you cannot take a picture of a man with a wooden leg. Why not?

 

16. There were an electrician and a plumber waiting in line for admission to the "International Home Show". One of them was the father of the other's son. How could this be possible?

 

17. After the new Canon Law that took effect on November 27, 1983, would a Roman Catholic man be allowed to marry his widow's sister?

 

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**  The Answers  **

 

1. A coffin

2. The child was born before 1776

3. Mount Everest, it just hadn't been discovered!

4. Clara lives in the southern hemisphere.

5. World War I wasn't called "World War I" until World War II.

6. The word "and"

7. They fall in the same year every year, New Year's Day just arrives very early in the year and Christmas arrives very late in the same year.

8. The lady was a Justice of the Peace.

9. One thousand nine hundred and ninety dollar bills are worth one dollar more than one thousand nine hundred and eighty-nine dollar bills.

10. Only once, then you are subtracting it from 20.

11. An hour and a half IS 90 minutes.

12. "one word"

13. Penguins live in the Antarctic.

14. Neither, the yolk of the egg is yellow.

15. You have to take a picture of a man with a camera, not with a wooden leg.

16. They were husband and wife.

17. He can't because he's dead.

 

STAY COOL!

Encouraging Reactions

          What do you do to encourage somebody who is going to have surgery?

          The best thing might be to pray for them, or even better yet, with them.  It is encouraging to know that you have a team taking you before the Lord, the true Great Physician.  What a blessing to have friends who pray.

          Don't forget to actually pray.  It is easy to make promises and then forget them.

          Depending how close you live to them, there are many little things that take little time but are really helpful – bringing their daily newspaper to the front door, getting their mail, watering their flowers, bringing their trash cans back to the house, or just making a short personal visit.

          Depending on the condition of the patient, they might appreciate a meal, some help with light house cleaning, some small help with minor repairs, some grocery shopping or other things that are part of normal life.
          There are so many simple things that would be meaningful to a person facing surgery.

          Now what shouldn't you do?  Don't tell them stories of those who suffered through serious pain or failed operations.  The patient doesn't need to hear all of these sad stories, even if they happened to you.  But believe me, these horror stories are the ones most share and they are not the least bit encouraging.  Don't people think about what they are sharing?

          And after surgery there are many things that the patient may need.  Don't forget them in their time of rehabilitation and slow return to normal life.

          Now Dianne is preparing for knee replacement surgery on July 31.  We are concerned because with my recent physical challenges, I will not be able to care for her.  Going to a rehab might not be possible due to Medicare rules.  So, we will see how the Lord provides.  And, we know He will.  And we know He may use some of our friends, like you, to pray and maybe help.

          But please don't share any stories of folks who were worse after their surgeries.  She has already heard too many of those.

Faithful Servant

"Looking Back" is a feature in which I choose a previous blog which I have written, rewrite it and share it once again.  This one was first posted in 2013. 

(Note – I am sharing a repeat of this blog since my wife will observe her birthday on July 11.) 

          Recently I shared about things that happened in my life 50 years ago. That was an important year in my life.  But after I wrote that, I thought of another important event that happened that year.  
          That event might not seem too important to any of you, but that was the year my bride officially became a member of Faith Bible Fellowship Church in Lancaster.  Before we moved here, she was a member of Emmanuel Bible Fellowship Church in Sunbury and my grandfather, Norman H. Wolf, was her pastor. There she was very active as church pianist and as a teacher.

          During the past 50 years she has had a quiet but profound influence on the history and development of our church which was actually founded just 63 years ago.  Her first impact has been on the music.  She had been the church pianist in Sunbury and since her move here she has faithfully played both the piano and organ - solos and accompaniment. She was actually our first organist.  
          In addition, she has sung solos, in duets, trios, quartets and in the choir.  And for about 25 years she arranged the music schedules for all of our weekly worship services.  She has played for most of the weddings, funerals and for other special events.  Working with me, we planned and directed the Christmas Eve service for about 25 years.

         She has been a teacher, teaching children for many years, and, in recent years, teaching Bible studies for women.  She has worked for 32 years as cofounder and head secretary of our Awana program.   She helped teach and lead the senior high program for many years as well as the junior department in Sunday School. She served as an officer in the former Women's Missionary Society and also as a member of several church committees.  She helped start the Young Married Couples Group, the Middlers Fellowship Group, and the Primetimers Group.  Unfortunately, none of these fellowship groups exist today in our church.  She faithfully remembers the birthdays of many of our folks, including children, and many looked forward to the cards she prepared annually.

       For 25 years she served as custodian of our building in Lancaster.  While she did receive some pay for this, she never had a paid vacation in 25 years. A few times family members had to fill in when she really couldn't be there.  That also meant that there often were very late nights to complete the work before we could leave for something like Pinebrook.  It meant cleaning after all big events, such as Bible School, weddings, funerals and special services.  That often included trying to clean up rice after weddings, which is almost impossible, as well as scraping wax off the benches and ironing the carpet to clean up the wax after Candlelight services.  Faithfully she served, behind the scenes, and few ever understood the time and energy that it took her to keep the church so nice and clean for services.

          Now she has never wanted praise or recognition for her service and she will probably be upset about me drawing attention to her.  She did receive a certificate from the church when she retired from cleaning.  But she has quietly served the Lord and His people here for 50 years.    She has been an example of a very faithful servant who has given her life to serving the Lord, often quietly, in the background.  
          I am so proud of what she has done and while she may never be rewarded here on earth, I know the Lord has a crown for her in glory.  And the things that I've mentioned here are just those done with our church.  It doesn't include the 25 years of family ministry, the 40 years of ministry at Pinebrook, teaching community women's Bible studies, or serving on the board of Bible Visuals and the Christian Womens Committees.

         Oh that more folks today would serve faithfully.  Today most won't take the time to do so.  They'd rather pay someone to do the work in church - look at how church staffs have grown.  And things, such as possessions and vacations seem to be more important.  Sports, the shore, and the mountains regularly draw people away from church and service today.  The Lord often seems to get just what is left over.  But in doing that, one misses the blessings that the Lord has for those servants who are faithful, and that is sad.
            Thank you Dianne for your example of a faithful servant.