Are You A Child Of God? #264

Ephesians 1:1-2                                                                                  1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To the saints who are at Ephesus and who are faithful in Christ Jesus: 2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.                              Romans 8:16 The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God…                                                                                          1 John 3:1 See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God; and such we are. 

What does your name mean? What is the characteristic that your name implies. Does your name depict a relationship? In the Hebrew Bible names had meaning. The name David for an example meant ‘beloved’.  

The New Testament names also had meaning. The name Peter meant rock. Likely your name has a meaning. Is your name Ryan? The name Ryan is Irish and means “Little King.” God has given all believers a special name. In the Book of Ephesians the Apostle Paul begins by telling you God’s name for you. Your name is Saint, meaning holy one. You might question God’s choice of names for you, or maybe for another believer, but in God’s eyes you are a Saint. Why? It is because you are in Christ. It is God’s designation of a believer in Jesus.

God also signifies your character. He proclaims that you are faithful in Christ Jesus because of God’s grace. You may again question God’s choice of words, but the Bible even tells you in 2 Timothy 2:13 “If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself. ” No doubt there are times when you appear faithless but remember that even in those times God is faithful.

Our name also describes our relationship to God. When Jesus taught His disciples to pray He said to do it in this way, “Our Father Who art in heaven.” Our relationship with God can be described as children of God. He is your heavenly Father. You are His child. As children of God He cares for, loves, protects and even disciplines. What a marvelous concept. YOU ARE A CHILD OF GOD! May you rejoice in your name, your character and your relationship with God and may He bless you this very day. 

___________________Today's personal note from Dennis

Greetings from Starbucks in beautiful Tempe, AZ

What wonderful week. The Northpointe Baptist Church that I have told you about that has been without a pastor; called a new pastor on Sunday. He is a wonderful young man named Matt. I so appreciate your prayers. The Northpointe Church has been very special to me over the last few years, and it was my desire to see them have a great pastor. I think they have found God's man for them. He also has a wonderful wife and two great kids. Pray for Northpointe and Matt and his family. 

Sunday I had the privilege of preaching at Grace Community Church in Tempe. They are a wonderful congregation. I was able to finish two morning services. The church has prayed for me and Sandy for several years. I first spoke there in 2008. At the conclusion of the service on Sunday they brought Sandy and me to the front of the auditorium and the Elders laid hands on us and prayed for our lives and ministry. I thank God for them. 

This past week I saw the oncologist for the first time in four months. The lab work was completed and I ask you to praise God with me. The labs showed all my liver enzyme counts in the NORMAL RANGE!! My liver is functioning well in spite of the fact that one half of it is already dead, and that I still have cancer. I can attest to the fact you can live on one/half of a liver. My left lobe is functioning well after the stent was placed in the bile duct. 

Sandy and I are excited about ministry opportunities that are coming up. She begins her Ladies Bible Study on September 10th at First Baptist Church of Tempe. She is teaching the Book of Ruth. 

I will be preaching at First Baptist Church in the contemporary LOFT service on October 13th and again on November 3rd at 9:30 AM. 

I will be preaching at Second Baptist Church of Lebanon, MO September 29-October 3. The church is only about an hour drive from my home town so I plan to see family while I am there. The pastor, Roger Marshall, was my roommate in college and one of our groomsmen in Sandy and my wedding. He and his wife, Dee Ann, are real special to us. 

Sandy's and my nephew, Casey will be getting married on October 5th in Arkansas. We are planning to attend the wedding. Looking forward to our time with Sandy's brother, Sammy and his wife, Kathy at the wedding. We also will see their daughter and her husband. 

I have been asked to share in a memorial service for a former church member, Betty Tillery. We have known the family for many years. It is good to encourage family and friends at a time like this. 

Mentioning many years ago reminds me that 25 years ago this past Sunday our family began life in Tempe, AZ. It was the first Sunday that I was officially pastor of Church on Mill. The time has flown by in many ways, and in other ways it seems like a lifetime. We have had many wonderful people who have been a part of our lives and ministry here in Tempe. We are grateful to God for such great memories. We have also shared in our struggles. But I am reminded of the faithfulness of God. His grace truly is sufficient. I Praise Him for His love, grace, mercy and strength He has provided for me and Sandy. 

We will celebrate our 47th anniversary on September 4th. I wouldn't trade that love relationship for anything. God has seen fit to bless us with three wonderful children, a daughter-in-law and son-in-law and 5 super grandsons. We have had the privilege of ministering to and with some marvelous people during our many years of marriage. GOD IS GOOD!!

I hope you will continue to praise God with us.  ~ DGW

God's Prerequisite #263

“1 John 3:23 And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us. 24 The one who keeps God’s commands lives in him, and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us.”

Did you ever attempt to take a class in school and then discover you couldn’t because you had not had the prerequisite. That meant that until you took chemistry you had to take biology, or before you took calculus you had to take geometry and algebra.

Life has a lot of prerequisites. The New Oxford American Dictionary defines prerequisite as “a thing that is required as a prior condition for something else to happen or exist:”

The Bible is likewise filled with prerequisites. In order for God to live in you and you to live in Him it is necessary to meet the criteria. The prerequisite for that to happen is to keep His commandments. It seems rather harsh of God to require that you keep the commandments in order to have God in you and you in God. Maybe it is the greatest prerequisite in the world.

It is necessary to ask the question, “What Commandments?” Jesus said His commandments are not burdensome. He undoubtedly was not speaking of the Mosaic law or commandments, because they not only were a burden, but they were impossible to keep, and brought death for breaking them. 1 John tells us that the commandments of Jesus are two-fold. The first is to believe in the name of His Son, Jesus Christ. The second commandment is to love one another.

And how do you know that he lives in you? You know because the Holy Spirit of God lives in you. He gave you the Holy Spirit to live within you in order that will know you belong to Him. Romans 8:16 “For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God's children.” NLT

________________Today's personal note from Dennis

Greetings from Starbucks in beautiful Tempe, AZ

Hope you had your lagniappe this past week. Hope several of you had to go to the dictionary to check the word. I learned the word while living in Louisiana. Of course it has French beginnings and means 'something extra special.'  It is always great to have something extra special. Our lagniappe was watching Justin start pulling up to the couch and climbing our one stair in our house. 

Sandy and I had a marvelous time in Globe, AZ. Sandy spoke Sunday morning to the First Christian Church of Globe on the subject, "Extravagant Grace." As usual she did a superb presentation. She used John 2 and the wedding feast in Cana of Galilee as her text. 

We stayed at the beautiful Dream Manor Inn. It is a bed and breakfast perched high on the mountain outside Globe. Carl and Rebecca Williams are the owners and are great hosts. I recommend you check into staying with them sometime. The web site is www.dreammanorinn.com. It is always fun to find local eating establishments that are unique and GOOD. We found one in Globe; Georges Hamburger Shop. Great burgers. 

We had another blowout on a vehicle. This time it was our truck. Sandy and I had both Johnny and Justin in the truck with us. When the tire blew (we were on the freeway going 65 miles per hour plus) I was able to hold it in the road and bring it to a stop. I ended up having to call the Department of Public Service (highway patrol) to help. John came and picked up Sandy and the boys and I got to ride in the back of the squad car. We ended up buying two new tires and have enough damage to the rear quarter panel to have to replace the whole thing. The Arizona heat is my answer to why tires don't last long. It was 114 degrees on Saturday. BUT IT IS A DRY HEAT!!

I will be preaching at Grace Community Church in Tempe on Sunday the 25th at 9:15 and 11:00 AM. Please pray for both of these services and that God would give me the message that the church needs. 

September 29-October 3 I will be preaching at Second Baptist Church of Lebanon, MO. I again ask for your prayers for preparation of messages as well as my own spiritual life. 

Don't forget: "GOD IS GOOD" and His grace and mercy reaches down to all of us.

May God bless you with spiritual renewal. May He be real to you as you walk this life this week. ~ DGW

Introduce Jesus! #262

John 1:40 One of the two who heard John speak and followed Him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. 41 He found first his own brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which translated means Christ). 43 The next day He purposed to go into Galilee, and He *found Philip. And Jesus *said to him, “Follow Me.” 44 Now Philip was from Bethsaida, of the city of Andrew and Peter. 45 Philip *found Nathanael and *said to him, “We have found Him of whom Moses in the Law and also the Prophets wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.”

God uses people!! Did you ever think that God could use you for His glory? Jesus called the first of His followers from a group of men that He later used to bring others into His flock. Andrew had been a disciple of John the Baptist when he met Jesus. The Bible says that he followed Jesus after meeting Him. His first action as a new disciple of Jesus was to introduce Jesus to his brother, Peter. God used Andrew as a spokesman for the man who was to become known as The Messiah. Since that day many have come know Jesus as the Messiah. Both the Bible and the Quran proclaim Him, The Messiah.

Whenever believers call Jesus, the Christ, they are actually calling Him, The Messiah. God has used many, and maybe even you, to tell brothers and sisters and friends and family about The Messiah. Faith in Jesus as the Messiah is the basis of being a true believer of God. Placing your faith in Him is the answer to eternal life. His death and resurrection satisfied the holiness of God, and through His death on the cross He became our substitute and died for our sins. When The Messiah died and rose again He made it possible for you to live forever in heaven.

You may think that God cannot use you, but He can. He can use your life, your story of salvation through Jesus, your faith, your joy, and peace as a means of expressing your relationship with The Messiah, Jesus, who is also called The Christ.

Never sell your opportunity to be used by God to introduce others to The Messiah. God desires for you to be an Andrew or a Philip and use your life to proclaim to a needy world that there is a Savior, Jesus, The Messiah. Use this day as the opportune moment when God uses YOU!!    

______________Today's personal note from Dennis

Greetings from Starbucks in beautiful Tempe, AZ

Aren't we all glad God is not finished with us yet. He still desires to use our lives for His glory. It seems God is continually teaching me about Himself, my identity in Him, and my need for further sanctification. I know I am complete in Christ, Colossians 2:10, but I also know He is growing me in the grace and knowledge of Christ. God still has a lot of work on me in order for me to be like Jesus. I am thankful that "He who began a good work will complete it." Sometimes I get a glimpse of how much more work God has to do on me to finish the job He started. WOW!!

I hope and pray God has blessed your life this past week. I don't necessarily mean everything went well from your personal perspective, but that you see God at work in every area of your life. He is you know. 

Sandy has a new license on her car. The plates were due so I decided she needed a speciality plate. GRRMMIE was available. For a long time Johnny could not say Grammie so it came out as only GRR. Thus the license. She likes it. 

I went fishing on Friday last week with Richard, a friend from church. We had an eventful trip when we noticed a boat near us capsized. We went to the rescue. It took almost an hour to get them to shore and and upright their boat. They lost everything in the boat. Not a good day for them. No one was hurt and for that we were thankful. 

Sandy and I both are preparing for our upcoming speaking engagements. Sandy will speak on Sunday, August 18th at the First Christian Church in Globe, AZ. She is also preparing for the Ladies Bible Study, Reflections, at First Baptist Church of Tempe. She will be teaching the Book of Ruth beginning on September 10th. 

I will be speaking at the Grace Community Church in Tempe on August 25th. I will speak at both the 9:15 and 11:00 o'clock services. Grace is located on Southern Ave between McClintock and Rural. Hope you can join me. 

The Second Baptist Church of Lebanon, Mo has asked me to preach a revival September 29-October 2. I am praying and studying for that series of messages. 

Sandy and I both appreciate your prayers for our preparation sharing of God's Word.

May God bless you this week with a lagniappe or a serendipity. Appreciate and love all of you for your prayers and support. Our ministry would not be possible without you.  ~ DGW 

                                                                

A World Savior #261

Luke 1:25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him. 26 It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. 27 Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, 28 Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying:29 “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised,
 you may now dismiss[d] your servant in peace.30 For my eyes have seen your salvation,31 which you have prepared in the sight of all nations: 32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
 and the glory of your people Israel.”

Simeon was a watcher. He was constantly watching for the fulfillment of the Old Testament promise of the coming Messiah. He went into the Temple courts to observe parents who brought their sons to be dedicated to God. Simeon was an old man. He believed and was led by the Holy Spirit to wait for His coming. The Holy Spirit revealed to him that he would not die until the Messiah would be born. As he watched Joseph and Mary and saw the child, Jesus, he took Him in his arms and praised God.

He knew that he had truly seen the coming Messiah of God. As he praised God he called God, “the Sovereign Lord.” He knew the God of Creation had fulfilled His promise. He told God that he was now ready to die. “Let your servant go in peace.” He knew that in Jesus all the nations of the world would be saved. He saw the Messiah not just the Promised One to Israel, but the savior of the whole world.

Today we know that Jesus is not just a Savior for a specific nationality or race. Jesus is the Savior of the world. By faith everyone everywhere can receive Jesus as the Lord God and be saved from their sin, the world, the devil, the law, and their own flesh. Jesus was the answer to a lifetime of waiting for Simeon. He may be the answer for you today. This would be a wonderful time for you to receive Him as your Savior and Lord. Trust that His death and resurrection is for you.    

_______________Today's personal note from Dennis

Greetings from Starbucks in beautiful Tempe, AZ.

Can you believe that summer has either come to an end or nearly finished? In Arizona we don't measure that by weather. IT IS STILL HOT!! We measure it because the kids are back in school. Collin started seventh grade this week. The Starbucks where I write "The Encourager" is next to a High School. It is also on one of the main streets that leads to Arizona State University. So as a result I get to see lots of students. Summer is over when it becomes difficult to find a seat at Starbucks!

I meet with a group of men at Starbucks on Friday morning. We just had two of the guys and their families return to the mission field this week. One, Steve, returned to Senegal in Africa; the other Mark is on his way back to Hungary. He trains pastors. I will miss both of them. I went to Grace Community Church in Tempe on Sunday to hear Mark preach. He reminded me that we all need to return to the basics; love God, love people, and love yourself. Not bad advice that Jesus gave to the young lawyer. 

Sandy will be speaking at the First Christian Church of Globe, AZ on the 18th. I will be preaching at Grace Community Church in Tempe on the 25th. I will also be preaching a revival at the Second Baptist Church in Lebanon, MO September 29-October 2. So grateful that God continues to allow us to preach and teach. Sandy's ladies Bible study starts on September 10th at First Baptist Church of Tempe. 

Sandy, Mandy, Justin and I will be attending our nephew's wedding in Arkansas in October. Really excited about that opportunity. 

Everyday I am reminded how Good God Is. He has so blessed my life. Some of you may think I can say that because I am still alive after fighting liver cancer for the past seven years. The truth is I am blessed because I have cancer. God has shown me so much during these seven years. I have learned how much we all need encouragement. Sunday I spoke to a group from Church on Mill, where I used to be pastor. They were senior adults. I talked to them about needing encouraged. All agreed that we need to be reminded daily that God is Sovereign, that there is hope, and that He loves us. 

Maybe that is what you need today. 

God bless you. Just remember that blessings are not what you often think them to be. Struggles, trials, tribulations and difficulties are often our overlooked blessings. 

Blessings on you from Our Lord Jesus Christ.   ~ DGW