Look to the Hills #238

Psalms 121: 1-8                                                                                              1 I will lift up my eyes to the hills—
From whence comes my help?

2 My help comes from the Lord,
Who made heaven and earth.

3 He will not allow your foot to be moved;
He who keeps you will not slumber.

4 Behold, He who keeps Israel
 Shall neither slumber nor sleep.

5 The Lord is your keeper;
 The Lord is your shade at your right hand.

6 The sun shall not strike you by day,
 Nor the moon by night.

7 The Lord shall preserve you from all evil; He shall preserve your soul.

8 The Lord shall preserve your going out and your coming in
From this time forth, and even forevermore.

When you need help where do you look for help? Do you look to friends, family, your bank account, your status, your influence, or your own inner strength? David, the Psalmist looked to the hills. The hills symbolized the ascent up to Jerusalem. It was there David could see the Mt. of Olives, Mt Zion, and Mt. Moriah. Jerusalem, the Holy City, represented to David the very presence of God.

His help came from God. “My help comes from the Lord.” It was not just any god. It was the God who made the heaven and the earth. The creator knows all. He is capable of being the help David needs. He desires as well to meet your needs.

Matthew 6:8 "Your Father knows what you need before you ask him.”

He is a God who does not sleep. David knows God is ever aware of what needs are in his life. God knows your needs and is not only aware of them, but is eager to come to your aid. He will not allow you to stumble or fall. He is speaking of your spiritual life. It is God who keeps you. He is your defense against attacks from the evil one. He is the shade to protect you at all times. The Book of Romans in chapter 8:31 says: “If God is for you, who can be against you.” You are protected.

You are kept in the hand of God. He preserves you from evil. He preserves your soul from destruction and danger.

God knows where you are, where you have been, and where you are going, and He is always with you. As a believer in Jesus Christ; He is also in you. It is Christ in you that is the hope of Glory. Look to the hills. God is your strength. 

__________________Today's personal note from Dennis

Greetings from Starbucks in beautiful Tempe, AZ 

I know God is Good!! Do you?? Over and over God shows us His goodness, and yet some of our greatest struggles come as we are tempted to doubt His goodness to us. I think it may 

have been the primary struggle Jesus had with Satan in the wilderness. Satan tempted Jesus at the place of His identity and His belief in the goodness of His Heavenly Father. No matter what life brings your way trust that God is good. 

I do hope you have had a good week. It seems with the hospitalization and being off schedule that maybe I just sent out The Encourager a couple of days ago. I hope this puts me back on schedule.

This is week two since I went to the hospital. I am still weak; have lost nearly 20 pounds and still am in some pain all the time. I have seen a liver specialist. He is going to do two procedures in the next three weeks. Hopefully it will help. The last hospitalization also included two procedures neither stopped the jaundice. I thank God I do not have an infection right now; no fever or chills.

I will see a liver surgeon on the 28th. I do not anticipate he will be able to do anything, but thought another opinion will not hurt anything. Please continue to pray. 

Sandy has been watching the two little grandsons this week. John, our son-in-law, is very sick with the nasty cold that is going around. As of Tuesday both boys were beginning to show signs of catching it. I jokingly told Sandy if she caught it I was changing the locks on the doors and locking her outside. 

It was good to attend church on Sunday. I miss the fellowship so much when I am not able to attend. One of my prayers is that God will give me the opportunity to regain my strength where I can continue the ministry of preaching He has given me. Right now I have nothing scheduled because I would not be able to fulfill the opportunity. Please join me in that prayer. 

Sandy has been recalled by the radiologist to redo her mammogram. We are hoping and praying there is nothing wrong. Join in praying for Sandy. She has the test redone on Thursday. (21st)

So many of you have written an email or sent a card or called. Thanks for your concern. I do apologize that I have not responded to each email as I generally do, but the energy evades me to accomplish the task. 

God bless all of you. So grateful for your love, prayers, concern and responses. I love all of you and am grateful for such a great support system. 

May God give you joy in your heart that lifts your spirit and revitalizes your soul.  ~ DGW

The Good Shepherd #237

Psalm 23 New American Standard Bible (NASB) The Lord, the Psalmist’s Shepherd.                                                                                                                  Psalm 23:1 The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.                                      2 He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters.                                                                                                 3 He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness
For His name’s sake.                                                                                         4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I fear no evil, for You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.                                                                              5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You have anointed my head with oil; My cup overflows.                                                 6 Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life, And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

It is likely one of the first verses that you memorized. It is also likely one of those verses that has become more meaningful as your life passes by. You have found in its words: comfort, peace, hope, assurance, victory, joy, and most of all, your Savior.

The LORD truly is your Shepherd. He loves and cares for you, his sheep. Because He is your Shepherd, you will be provided for. You are without want. He guides your life into right living. He leads you through the depths of the valley of death. For that reason you need not fear.

He comforts you with his rod and his staff. His staff is used to pull you through the struggles and difficulties. It brings such comfort to know The Great Shepherd is leading. He comforts through the rod. The rod was a stick used to throw at the sheep to warn them, correct them, and assure them they were being watched over. The Shepherd fills your life with joy. His presence overwhelms and your cup overflows.

The Sheep know and understand the Shepherd is an everlasting Shepherd. He not only is with us in this life, but leads us to the next and is with us forever. The Everlasting Shepherd is the Great Alpha and Omega. Remember He is a Good Shepherd and He loves you. 

__________________Today's personal note from Dennis

Greetings from Starbucks in beautiful Tempe, AZ 

Charles Spurgeon, the famous British Baptist preacher, once said, "If God has called you to be a missionary, don't stoop to be a king." Sandy and I had the privilege of speaking to volunteer missionaries Monday and Tuesday and saw in their lives the call of God to glorify Him by making Jesus known. Some worked in resort ministry caring for the spiritual and physical needs of people in RV parks. Some served in Collegiate Ministry called, Christian Challenge. Some worked on the Indian Reservations in Arizona. Their stories of God bringing people to faith in Jesus Christ brought joy to my heart, and sometimes tears to my eyes. If you know a missionary; pray for them right now. Sandy and I encouraged them to develop friendships and partners in ministry and beyond. It reminded me again how important all of you are to me. Thanks for your friendship. 

Sandy is enjoying baby-sitting a couple of days a week with Johnny, and one day with both him and Justin. She so loves all five of her grandsons. I think the feeling is mutual. They love their Grammie. (see pic) Several of you have enquired about Justin. He is doing fine after his bout with RSV and a week in the pediatric intensive care. Thanks for your prayers. 

Collin is headed to our church's Children's Winter Camp Retreat this week-end. They are headed to Prescott, AZ. The weather is predicted to be in the 20's at night and 40's in the day with a possibility of snow on Saturday. Collin is a true desert rat. I imagine he will freeze. Pray for him to grow in his relationship with Jesus during the time at camp. 

Wednesday my friend, Dr. Bob Moser was in town. I had the joy of meeting him at the airport and having lunch together. He was on the Pastor Search Committee that called us to Lincoln, Nebraska in 1973. In many ways it seems like a life-time ago and in some ways like yesterday. We have had the enjoyment of seeing Bob and Pat off and on during those forty years even though miles separated us. True friends far supersede time and distance. 

I have canceled two speaking engagements because of health reasons. Both meetings would have required travel and right now due to the Carcinoid Syndrome I find it difficult to travel and being too far from my doctors and hospital. Hopefully it will get better and I can resume the travel schedule; something for me to ask you to pray for me. (for those of you who are curious check out Carcinoid Syndrome and Carcinoid Crisis at the Carcinoid Foundation on the internet at www.carcinoid.org. I do appreciate your prayers. The oncologist stopped my chemo because it was actually making the Syndrome worse. I am glad he stopped. Currently his medical advice to me is to do nothing. He believes any treatment I would receive would cause more problems, not less. 

I will be preaching at the First Baptist Church of Tempe on the 17th of February at 9:30 AM in the Intersect Service. Please pray for my preparation and for the service itself. Join me if you can. 

Do you have any idea how much God loves you? I ask you to look at the cross of Jesus and see his life and his death and thank God He loved you so much He died for you. He took away your sins and gave you His life. He resurrected from the dead three days later to give you what He promised. John 10:10 "I have come to give you life and life more abundantly." He did not say a life without struggles, difficulties, or trials. He came to give you His abundant life. Praise the Lord for that. 

May Jesus bless you this coming week with His presence. I pray you will be aware of His love and provisions for you. May God bless you with friends. Share your life with someone. Be their friend and see if it doesn't come back to you. 

DGW

Badge of Honor? #236

Exodus 3:5 Then He said, “Do not come near here; for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.”                                                                       

What is your badge of honor? Maybe when you are asked how you are doing or who you are the answer is, “I’m busy” or “I’m tired.” It appears that the measure of your worth may be determined by the amount of work, the achievements you have accomplished, or what your newest project is.

Gordon McDonald in his book, Ordering Your Private World, discusses the measurement of success not on your public life, but on your private life. He differentiates between a person who is called and one that is driven. People who are busy and tired often fit the driven personality. He says of driven people:1. Driven people are most often only gratified by accomplishments and symbols of achievement.  2. Driven people are caught up in the uncontrolled pursuit of expansion. 3. Driven people often have a limited regard for integrity. 4. Driven people are not likely to bother themselves with the honing of people skills. 5. Driven people tend to be highly competitive. It’s not enough to compete. Driven people have to win, no matter what it takes to do so.  6. Driven people often possess a volcanic force of anger. 7. Driven people are usually abnormally busy, are averse to play, and usually avoid spiritual worship.

It may be a badge of honor, but it more likely is a cause of conflict, broken relationships, inner turmoil, poor ethical choices, poor self-image, and a lackluster relationship with God. Do you find yourself driven for approval, acceptance and recognition? It just could be you are more driven than called.

Are you tempted to find status or power in material success? Are you struggling with relationships because you are more concerned about your position than your caring for others? Is your relationship with God shallow because you are more concerned with your public life than your private one?

Maybe it is time you took inventory of what is really important in life. The temptations of Jesus in the wilderness took the form of finding public life more important than His personal life. Who are you was the question of Satan to Jesus. Since you are the Son of God turn the stone to bread, jump from the temple, and just worship me for a minute. Turn aside from your real purpose of Glorifying the Heavenly Father and setting up the Kingdom of God and find approval in men’s applause. What is your struggle? Maybe it is time to ‘order your private world.’   

_________________Today's personal note from Dennis

Greetings from Starbucks in beautiful Tempe, AZ 

Charles Spurgeon, the famous British Baptist preacher, once said, "If God has called you to be a missionary, don't stoop to be a king." Sandy and I had the privilege of speaking to volunteer missionaries Monday and Tuesday and saw in their lives the call of God to glorify Him by making Jesus known. Some worked in resort ministry caring for the spiritual and physical needs of people in RV parks. Some served in Collegiate Ministry called, Christian Challenge. Some worked on the Indian Reservations in Arizona. Their stories of God bringing people to faith in Jesus Christ brought joy to my heart, and sometimes tears to my eyes. If you know a missionary; pray for them right now. Sandy and I encouraged them to develop friendships and partners in ministry and beyond. It reminded me again how important all of you are to me. Thanks for your friendship. 

Sandy is enjoying baby-sitting a couple of days a week with Johnny, and one day with both him and Justin. She so loves all five of her grandsons. I think the feeling is mutual. They love their Grammie. Several of you have enquired about Justin. He is doing fine after his bout with RSV and a week in the pediatric intensive care. Thanks for your prayers. 

Collin is headed to our church's Children's Winter Camp Retreat this week-end. They are headed to Prescott, AZ. The weather is predicted to be in the 20's at night and 40's in the day with a possibility of snow on Saturday. Collin is a true desert rat. I imagine he will freeze. Pray for him to grow in his relationship with Jesus during the time at camp. 

Wednesday my friend, Dr. Bob Moser was in town. I had the joy of meeting him at the airport and having lunch together. He was on the Pastor Search Committee that called us to Lincoln, Nebraska in 1973. In many ways it seems like a life-time ago and in some ways like yesterday. We have had the enjoyment of seeing Bob and Pat off and on during those forty years even though miles separated us. True friends far supersede time and distance. 

I have canceled two speaking engagements because of health reasons. Both meetings would have required travel and right now due to the Carcinoid Syndrome I find it difficult to travel and being too far from my doctors and hospital. Hopefully it will get better and I can resume the travel schedule; something for me to ask you to pray for me. (for those of you who are curious check out Carcinoid Syndrome and Carcinoid Crisis at the Carcinoid Foundation on the internet atwww.carcinoid.org. I do appreciate your prayers. The oncologist stopped my chemo because it was actually making the Syndrome worse. I am glad he stopped. Currently his medical advice to me is to do nothing. He believes any treatment I would receive would cause more problems, not less. 

I will be preaching at the First Baptist Church of Tempe on the 17th of February at 9:30 AM in the Intersect Service. Please pray for my preparation and for the service itself. Join me if you can. 

Do you have any idea how much God loves you? I ask you to look at the cross of Jesus and see his life and his death and thank God He loved you so much He died for you. He took away your sins and gave you His life. He resurrected from the dead three days later to give you what He promised. John 10:10 "I have come to give you life and life more abundantly." He did not say a life without struggles, difficulties, or trials. He came to give you His abundant life. Praise the Lord for that. 

 May Jesus bless you this coming week with His presence. I pray you will be aware of His love and provisions for you. May God bless you with friends. Share your life with someone. Be their friend and see if it doesn't come back to you.  ~  DGW