With My Whole Heart #178

Psalms 103:1-5

1 Let all that I am praise the Lord;

with my whole heart, I will praise his holy name.

2 Let all that I am praise the Lord;

may I never forget the good things he does for me.

3 He forgives all my sins

and heals all my diseases.

4 He redeems me from death

and crowns me with love and tender mercies.

5 He fills my life with good things.

My youth is renewed like the eagle's!

David, the Psalmist wrote this Psalm in his later years. He was deeply moved with the thought of all that God had done for him. He uses the word, Lord, the personal name of God. He does so with much endearment.

Have you ever stopped to reflect on all the Lord has done for you? David did; so he had a little talk with himself. His words are spoken to his inner being. His whole heart is a translation of the word for soul. He reminds his own soul, his whole heart, to praise the Lord. He tells his own heart to never forget what the Lord has done.

David then remembers his own sin and the need he has for forgiveness. David was called a man after God's own heart and yet he sinned deeply. He lied, committed adultery and murder. Needless to say as he reflected on his own sin and his forgiveness, he had a reason to praise the Lord. His mind also went to the great healing power of God and again praises the Lord.

David then with his eyes on the future remembers the promises of eternal life. His life would not be over when he closed his eyes in death. There was a future life to anticipate because he had been redeemed. He quickly reminds himself that is only possible because of the love and mercy of God. He was not worthy, but God is a God of forgiveness.

He is rejuvenated and feels his youth return to his thoughts. No wonder he could say to himself, "Praise the Lord". Have you praised the Lord today? I am sure if you reflected on your life you would realize that the mercy and grace of God have sustained and guided you during this past year and you would have no reason except to PRAISE THE LORD.

__________________Today's personal note from Dennis

Greetings from Starbucks in beautiful Tempe, AZ

I do hope you had a great Christmas. I especially hope the New Year brings hope, joy and love to your life. It is hard for me to comprehend that we are on the doorstep of

2012. Remember Y2K? Everything was supposed to come apart and we were in for major changes in life because of computers. Well, Y2K did not turn out as was expected. We probably have more to be concerned about now with "hackers." Oh well, something needs our worries.

I am sure as the year ends you will find something to worry about. I like to think we can also find something to praise God for right now. Search your life and your heart and then practice a little praise. You may actually have to do (as the devotional today says) talk a bit to yourself.

Our family is about finished with birthdays and Christmas and after Saturday night 2011. I am sure you, as I have, had some ups and downs this past year. I can only pray that things in your life will be surrounded by the love and mercy of God. Collin turned 11 on the 28th. He is tall for his age. (5' 1") He loves school and playing video games. He went to Starbucks with me on his birthday

and the entire Starbucks staff and customers sang Happy Birthday to him. Think he was a little embarrassed.

Sandy and I continue our teaching ministry at FBC of Tempe. She begins the Reflections class on Tuesday January 3rd at 9 AM. It will continue until April 17. I will be preaching Sunday (Jan 1) at FBC Tempe at 9:30 AM Intersect Service and at the evening service at 6PM on January 15th, and again on March 4th at the the 9:30 AM Intersect Service.

We leave for Quartzsite, AZ and the ministry during the Gem and Rock Show on January 18th and finish on January 28th. We will be teaching the devotional time each morning and Sandy will be teaching Sunday School to the entire church and all of the Campers on Mission Team. It is one of the highlights of our year. Pray for our

preparation and for the Word to be received with accompanied action.

This has been a good year for our ministry. We so appreciate your prayers,

encouragement, support and concerns. You are wonderful.

May God bless you throughout this New Year.

"May the Lord smile upon you and be gracious to you." Numbers 6:25

~ DGW

A Christmas Newsletter #177

Colossians 4:7-9

7As to all my affairs, Tychicus, our beloved brother and faithful servant and fellow bond-servant in the Lord, will bring you information.

8 For I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know about our circumstances and that he may encourage your hearts;

9 and with him Onesimus, our faithful and beloved brother, who is one of your number. They will inform you about the whole situation here. (NAS)

Do you get Christmas newsletters from friends, family members and even those you hardly know? Paul wrote at the end of the Colossian letter a series of statements and questions that read much like a Christmas newsletter. Newsletters contain universal elements. The first element is the latest information. Tychicus was the deliverer of the letter from Paul. His job was to inform the Colossians as to the well being of the Apostle; which hopefully would lead to great encouragement. Paul after all was a prisoner. Paul says that Tychicus will inform them of the whole situation. Paul continues the letter with word that Tychicus and Onesimus will be bringing encouraging words. They will accomplish that by sharing the latest news. Good news is always encouraging.

Colossians 4:10-11

10 Aristarchus, my fellow prisoner, sends you his greetings; and also Barnabas' cousin called Justus; these are the only fellow workers for the kingdom of God who're from the circumcision; and they have proved to be an encouragement to me. (NAS)

Paul also sent greetings from the others who were with him. A good newsletter almost always has a line that says something like, "Everyone here says hi."

Colossians 4:12

Epaphras, who is one of your number, a bonds lave of Jesus Christ, sends you his greetings. always laboring earnestly for you in his prayers, that you may stand perfect and fully assured in all the will of God. (NAS)

By the way we are praying for you. There is nothing as assuring and encouraging as the knowledge that you are being prayed for. Epaphras, a pastor, was a prayer warrior. He labored in prayer and everyone must have known that he prayed for them. His prayers were specific: "that you may stand perfect and fully assured in all the will of God."

Colossians 4:18

I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. Remember my imprissonment. Grace be with you. (NAS)

Ministry is not done without support. Prayer and encouragement, love, concern and finances were all needed to fulfill the ministry God had called Paul to accomplish. He was a prisoner spreading the gospel through verbal witness, a lifestyle and the written word. "Remember me" was Paul's reminder. Send out your newsletter. Read the ones you get. Remember to encourage everyone with the latest information, a sincere greeting, prayer, and whatever support is needed.

Merry Christmas!

________________Today's personal note from Dennis

Greetings from Starbucks in beautiful Tempe, AZ,

What a great month. Birthdays, Christmas musicals, grandon's performances and programs, Christmas, and of course shopping fills every moment. Sandy and I have so enjoyed having our family over to our home for several special occasions.

I finished the four Sunday morning teaching sessions with our Sunday School class. I really enjoyed doing that. I am grateful for Steve Landis, our regular teacher, for allowing me that privilege. They are a great class.

Collin was one of twelve in his entire elementary school to qualify for the spelling bee. He did great and we were thrilled.

Burke has a summation of his last quarter's work at a night called Summative. He constructed a castle which depicted the study of the social studies assignment. He did great as you can tell by the picture.

Mandy celebrated her birthday on Sunday evening. We had a great time in spite of the fact that both Mandy and John have shared a bad cold. They neither one were feeling very well.

Our whole family is having a great time with a baby this year at Christmas. Johnny gets to be the center of attention for everyone. Even Aunt Susan gets to give him a bottle; and he does like to eat.

Christmas Eve Services will be held in churches around our world to remind us of that wonderful night 2000 years ago when God invaded our planet in the form of a little baby. He came to die on a cross for our sins and resurrect to give us His life. That is the essence of Christmas. Emmanuel sums it up: God with us. On Christmas Day we

celebrate His birth. I do hope and pray you find a place of worship to attend with fellow believers.

I thank God daily that He has granted me the opportunity to live and hopefully be a blessing to as many people as God brings my way. Almost daily I have the privilege of

telling what God has done for me. The story God gives each of us varies, but it still is HIS story. God has blessed us all so much. Praise Him, Thank Him and Worship Him

this Christmas season.

May God bless you and may you truly find the meaning of Christmas.

Sandy and I both wish all of you a very Merry Christmas. May God's joy fill your heart and mind. Share HIS story with someone this wonderful time of the year. ~ DGW

Between A Rock and A Hard Place for Christmas #176

Philippians 1:21 For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. (NAS)

Philippians 4:13 I have the strength to face all conditions by the power that Christ gives me.

Do you ever seem to accomplish getting between a rock and a hard place without even trying? What if the rock and the hard place was the choice between life and death? You might make that choice quickly because you like living. You might believe that you can accomplish more alive than dead; but for the Apostle Paul it was much easier. For to him, whether he was alive or dead, his whole life was Jesus. His life was more than the space of a few years between birth and death. His life was for eternity and he saw eternal life as Christ's life. In order to call death a gain you need to have an eternal perspective.

Paul also saw life as Jesus’ life. Jesus is the life that everyone desires. His life is full and abundant. It is not a life free from trials and tribulations, but a truly living in the midst of whatever would come your way.

The Apostle Paul saw not only that Christ was life; but also that He was the strength and the power to face all conditions. Another translation says, “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.” Life was never meant to be experienced apart from His life. Anything and everything else falls short.

The Christmas season is a wonderful time to find a meaningful and full life. The baby born in a manger was the one who came to give us His life. He lived a perfect sinless life, died on a cross for our forgiveness, and arose from the dead to give us a way to have a relationship with God. Jesus Himself was God in human flesh. He came to earth to give you life. Real purpose in life is having an eternal perspective on life and death through Jesus Christ.

_______________Today's personal note from Dennis

Greetings from Starbucks in beautiful Tempe, AZ.,

Actually today it is a rainy and cold in Tempe. Guess that is beautiful for all of us here in AZ who seldom see rain or cool weather. I do hope you are enjoying your day. Have you finished your Christmas shopping? I am done!! Got a gift for Sandy. That is my one and only project. I let Sandy do the rest. I give her a little money and let her do her thing at the mall and online. Sandy has the house decorated and the tree is up. Under the tree are some wrapped gifts. I do hope one is for me. LOL

God has so blessed us. We have asked you to pray for Johnny. He had an MRI to determine if his enlarged head is hereditary or caused from fluid. We got word this week that he is doing great. No problems. There is a slight amount of fluid but he will outgrow it. We praise the Lord for that. He needs to be careful about choosing relatives.

Sandy is still dealing with some issues with reflux. She is on medication which we hope will help.

I have enjoyed teaching our Sunday School class. I was filling in for our regular teacher. I only have one more Sunday. So grateful for the opportunity.

Quartzsite Rock and Gem show is a little over a month away. We really look forward to sharing with our Campers on Mission group as well as the ministry in the streets.

Sandy will begin teaching again on Tuesday mornings in January. Pray for her preparation.

Our church is busy with music presentations this month. We so enjoy listening to them. Christmas is such a wonderful time for family and friends. I hope and pray you have a great time with yours.

God bless you all. Thanks for your prayers and love. It means a lot. ~ DGW

Take A Break! #175

Matthew 11:28-30

28 "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you best. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

"Wow! I am so tired." The words of the season seem to be expressed in those five poignant words. Do those words express the way you feel also? Work, school, family, holidays, pressure from finances, travel, and a fast paced life style all lend themselves to a tired, discouraged, and burdened down person. Jesus lived in a very different time and yet His observation of the people of His day concluded that they were also weary and burdened and needed rest.

Biblical lifestyle would seem laid back to you, but maybe the pressures were much the same. Jesus knew that people needed to eat, have shelter, support family and care for the needs of all, and yet He saw hurting people.

Jesus explained to the crowds that His concern allowed them to come to Him and find a gentle and humble heart, and a place of rest. The demands of life were shrouded in the pressure to perform religiously. How often do you find yourself burdened with your faith instead of freed from weariness and burdens of living up to the demands of religion and religious leaders. Take a break! Come to Jesus.

Jesus was surrounded with people who were overwhelmed with the rules and pressures of meeting religious expectations. He came to bring something different. He came to give "life and life more abundant." John 10:10 It is the "life" He offers you. The yoke Jesus brings is easy and His burden is light.

What a great time of year to learn to give your struggles to God. Let Him be your burden bearer. Let Him be your Lord and Savior and your very Life. Jesus says, "Learn from me." Undoubtedly Jesus exemplified a life that was filled peace, joy, love and patience in the midst of a chaotic world. Why not let Jesus have your burdens and weariness. Remember His yoke is easy and His burden is light.

____________Today's personal note from Dennis

Greetings from Starbuck in beautiful Tempe, AZ,

Merry Christmas! One of my grandsons asked yesterday, "how many days it was until Christmas." I guess that is the question being asked not only by the children, but by Moms and Dads, Grandparents, and everyone with a list. Well the answer is, "Way too soon." At least that is the way some of you feel.

Sandy has been on line with Amazon.com the whole week. UPS knows our house without even looking. Saves postage and taxes. Not a bad deal. What I like is it saves a trip to the Mall.

We are in the swing of birthdays. We celebrated Roger's 40th and Susan's 32nd this week. We had our usual birthday bash. Sandy has a hard time not having a big party for all holidays and birthdays. We have one three more birthdays. Mandy and Collin were also born in December. Although most question if Jesus was really born in December we still celebrate His birthday also.

What a wonderful Savior we have. This week for some reason I was hit with a new reality of the humanity of Jesus. I was overwhelmed to think of this baby being born in a manger in Bethlehem and realized that would be like someone being born in a barn in some little town in the midwest or Why, AZ.

Nothing in His birth said He was more than a baby with some strange things taking place. Not many babies have angels announce their birth.

I am still teaching Sunday School. I am enjoying sharing the first three chapters of 2 Corinthians. These verses are so filled with great truths and are such an encouragement.

Sandy and I will again be leading the devotionals at Quartzsite, AZ at the annual revival at Quartzsite Southern Baptist Church and sharing with the people on the streets. The annual Gem and Rock show brings thousands of people to this little desert town in January each year.

This week is concert week. Bennett has both a choir concert and band concert. Burke and Collin have band concerts. We so enjoy watching the grandsons perform.

Although this is a busy time of year I hope and pray you will remember it is the celebration of our wonderful Lord Jesus. I pray you will be encouraged because of your personal relationship with Him. May God bless you and your family. ~ DGW