newsseptoct05

His Hands and Feet
By Rev. Verna Brown - Sept.-Oct. 05

How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of
those who bring good news, who proclaim
peace; who bring good tidings; who proclaim
salvation…...Isaiah 52:7 NIV

As Dana closed a recent Soul Devotion
concert with an invitation for prayer, a teenage
girl was reluctantly brought to me at the alter.
Everything about her screamed, “I’m hurting,
I’m mad, don’t touch me!” She looked as if she
were about to explode. Her eyes were red from
crying, and she turned her face away from me
as I gently spoke to her. When I realized that
my words were falling on deaf ears, I stopped
speaking, wrapped my arms around her, and
held her like I would my own child. As I hugged
her, she broke down and began to sob. She
told me she had planned to kill herself that
night, and was brought to our concert against
her will. Her story broke my heart. She told me
she longed for her mother to just “touch her.”
She said, “A slap in the face would be better
than nothing.” Her mother was a cold, angry
woman, who told her she was a mistake, and
wished she had never been born. She told her
she was worthless, and would never amount
to anything. She said, “I might as well kill
myself, all I’m doing is taking up space. And,
this God you talked about tonight, WHERE IS
HE? I can’t see Him. I’ve tried talking to Him,
and nothing happens!”
In that moment, as I held her hand in mine, I
explained that God heard every prayer. It was
Jesus, that wrapped His arms around her, not
mine. It was His comforting words she was
hearing, not mine. It was His hand she was
holding, not mine. It was His love flowing
through her friend, that had brought her there
that night. It was as if someone flipped the
lights on for her. God became tangible to her
through the acts of love she received from God’
s people. She realized God was listening to her
all along, and he’d been working through
loving Christians who refused to stop loving
her, even though she was angry and
defensive. Her defenses came down, and she
asked Jesus (the love she was crying out for)
to come into her heart.
The world is crying out, “WHERE ARE YOU
GOD?” I challenge you to reach out to
someone hurting today. Show them, “Jesus is
here for you right now, through me.”

Prayer: Lord, I may never preach a sermon, or
sing with the choir, but I offer You my life. I’ll be
Your hands and feet, and lead others to you.
Let Your love flow through me today. Let them
see You, in me…...

Have Faith
By Rev. Dana Waller - Sept.-Oct 05

“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and
certain of what we do not see.” Hebrews 11:1 NIV

The foundation of the Christian life is faith (Hab.
2:4, 1 Cor. 5:7). You couldn’t receive Jesus as
your Savior without faith (Eph. 2:8). You can’t
accept the Bible as the infallible Word of God
without faith (John 1:1). You can’t believe that
the universe was formed at His command, and
that He’s absolutely, positively a miracle-working
God without faith (Heb. 11:3). You can’t please
God without faith (Heb. 11:6).
Throughout His life here on earth, one of the
primary messages of Jesus was “have faith.”
Many times after Jesus had healed someone,
he’d say, “your faith has healed you.” (Matt. 9:22,
Mark 10:52, Luke 18:42). In contrast, Jesus
rebuked those with little or no faith, saying
“...Oh ye of little faith.” (Matt. 6:30, Mark 4:40,
Luke 12:28). His promise to those with
unwavering faith is unmistakable (Matt. 21:
21,22). We will HAVE what we ask Him for!
God always rewards faith—because He is
FAITHFUL (Lam. 3:23). It’s not as if God has a
limited supply of miracles to distribute to those
most “worthy”. He is OMNIPOTENT—meaning
he’s all powerful. There is no end of or limit to,
nor any way to measure the abundance of His
power, resources and blessings—which are at
our disposal if we would only ASK, and then
BELIEVE (Matt. 7:7-11).
Don’t be someone whose faith only goes far
enough to believe that God CAN do a miracle.
Be a person who believes that God WILL do a
miracle. For YOU!

Prayer: Lord, I choose to trust You. I invite you
into my situation right now, Jesus. I believe
somehow You’re going to work it out. You’re a
faithful God. You’ve never failed me, and you
never will. Today I stand firm, unwavering on
Your Word, and apply its promises to my life. I will
have faith in You. Amen.