Waiting Eagerly #249

Romans 8:22 For we know that all creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. 23 And we believers also groan, even though we have the Holy Spirit within us as a foretaste of future glory, for we long for our bodies to be released from sin and suffering. We, too, wait with eager hope for the day when God will give us our full rights as his adopted children, including the new bodies he has promised us. 24 We were given this hope when we were saved. (If we already have something, we don’t need to hope for it. 25 But if we look forward to something we don’t yet have, we must wait patiently and confidently.)

Do you have something special in your future that you are eager to experience? Maybe you have a birthday or anniversary, or a graduation, or big vacation planned. You can hardly wait. The expectations of future events can bring great joy. Likely no other future event will bring greater joy and fulfillment than the day God takes you to your eternal home in heaven.

You are obviously aware of the struggles of this life. The Bible calls it groaning. Something within you longs for some relief from the struggles of life. It does not mean all of life is one big GROAN, but it does mean we suffer in our present state, (living in this body.) We have peace within at the same time because God has placed His Holy Spirit in every believer as a foretaste of the future. As a believer in Jesus Christ God has given you hope. One day you will find release from the current body that enshrouds you. You will be released from sin and suffering.

Right now you are waiting eagerly for that day. That is hope. You don’t have it yet. You were given this hope when you first trusted Jesus as your Savior, Lord and Life. Your hope is based on God’s promises of life eternal. For all of time mankind has longed for immortality. In Jesus that has become reality. Yet it is still not completed. You are waiting in hope. In the meantime the Holy Spirit guarantees the future with no pain, sorrow, suffering or groaning. You can wait patiently and confidently in the promises of God and His indwelling presence. Someday you will have a brand new body. It will be one without corruption. It will be free indeed. You will be totally free.  

______________Today's personal note from Dennis

Greetings from Starbucks in beautiful Tempe, AZ

Starbucks just built a new store near my house. I now have five Starbucks within 

two miles of my home. I can go in any direction and be at a Starbucks in less than five minutes. "Way too convenient." It does allow me to move around and get an opportunity to meet more people also. 

What a wonderful time of year. Beautiful weather, end of school activities, church functions, and family times. We celebrated Mother's Day with our family's Moms on Sunday as we shared a meal together.

Sandy, Mandy and Susan went to our Churches Mother's Day luncheon on Saturday. They had a great time. Sandy was thrilled to share the day with her girls. 

The week of 13-20 will be busy as usual. The end of the year band and choir concerts will find Sandy and I sitting in some of the most uncomfortable chairs in the world. Have you ever noticed how school chairs are made to keep parents and grandparents awake with pain. Collin and Bennett have concerts. Burke's band concert is not for another week. Bennett attended the "1950's Prom Activity" this past week end. 

Promise Keepers is in town this week end. I have been asked to be an evangelism counselor. I was eager to serve. Preaching opportunities have began to come together. I will be preaching at the Church on Randall Place on May 19th and at First Baptist Church of Tempe on the 26th. (all three morning services)  I am still working with other churches for scheduling future Sundays. Thanks for your prayers. 

This summer will be a wonderful time as we are hoping to spend time camping with the family. We hope to be able to take Johnny on his first camping trip. That should be exciting. He loves "outside" as he calls it. 

God has so blessed us with family, friends, ministry, and a wonderful church family. We are grateful for the renewed strength and health. 

I was asked this week how I was feeling. I had to answer that I was the best I have been in a long time. I know I am better because I climbed on top of my travel trailer to fix a vent and then I waxed the whole camper. I have not had that kind of strength and energy in many months. God is good. 

God bless you today with renewed HOPE!!  ~ DGW

Freed From The Curse #248

Galatians 3:13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”
14 in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we would receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

When Christians are asked the question, “Why did Jesus come to earth?” the answer is most often, “To die for our sins.” That is only part of the answer. Jesus, God in human flesh, did die on a cross for the sins of all mankind. He did suffer the cruel death on a cross. The writer of Galatians calls the cross, a tree. The Bible says it is a curse to die on a cross. So in all reality Jesus did die on a cross to forgive the sin of mankind by becoming a sin offering and taking the place of every sinner and as a substitute died in your place also.

He did far more than that. His death was preparation. It was on the cross that Jesus provided a way to be forgiven. He vicariously took the place of sinners. The Bible says in 2 Corinthians 5:21 “God made him who had no sin to be a sin offering for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” (NIV) It was because we are forgiven that God sent God the Holy Spirit to live in every believer. The Bible uses the words ‘so that’ to connect the cross with the promise of the indwelling Holy Spirit. We receive the Holy Spirit through faith in Jesus Christ.

The Holy Spirit lives in you. He gives you the power to live the Christian life. So not only does God forgive you through Christ’s death on the cross, He then comes to live in you because you have been redeemed from the curse of the law. The law is only able to condemn you of your sin. The cross is able to free you from that curse. Then the Holy Spirit indwells you to give you abundant life. It is through the Holy Spirit who lives in you that you are able to call your Heavenly Father, Daddy. The relationship is close. You are His child. You are special to Him.

If Jesus had not died for you then you would be cursed because of sin. But now because you have been forgiven and by faith received forgiveness you are also able to receive the Spirit of promise, God’s Holy Spirit to live in you.

You are forgiven in order to be indwelt. Praise God for His two-fold blessing. Live in the Spirit and walk in the Spirit and call upon your Daddy for life itself. 

________________Today's personal note from Dennis

Greetings from Starbucks in beautiful Tempe, AZ

Happy Mother's Day!! Sunday is a day of celebration for those who brought us into this physical life. My own Mother has been with Jesus for over six years. She is missed by all of us, but mainly by my Dad. He will be 88 years old in June. He is doing well. Our family will celebrate Mother's Day with a meal together on Sunday evening.  

School is almost finished for this year. Our next few weeks will be filled with end of school activities. Monday night Sandy and I had the privilege of attending Collin's end of school Honor's Team Potluck and a special YOYO presentation. A professional YOYO master showed the students the art of YOYOING. Collin ended up on stage and became part of the program. He received a free YOYO for his appearance. 

Band concerts, choir concerts, and end of year activities fill our calendar until the first of June. We already are planning some camping trips this summer. Living in the Valley of the Sun in the summer means 110 plus temperatures. Camping in the beautiful mountains of Arizona is a great reprieve from the heat. 

I was contacted by a church that is currently without a pastor about the possibility of preaching for them this summer. Pray with me about this opportunity. I am feeling well enough to begin preaching again. I saw the liver specialist this last Friday and he said the stent was working and I did not need to see him for another six months. Praise the Lord for that. 

I do hope God will bless you as you finish the school year and  plan for your summer activities. Don't forget!! God is good!!!  ~ DGW

A Strategy For WInning #247

Galatians 5:16-24                                                                                             16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. 17 For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law. 19 Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, 21 envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. 24 Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.                                     

Do you like to win? Whether it is a pick-up basketball game, a board game, a race, or a friendly game of poker most people like to win. Someone has said that the real issue is not that they like to win; they just hate losing. In your walk with God it is easy to lose and not win. The Bible gives us insight to winning. In some ways it is a strategy for spiritual life. It is simply “walk in the Spirit.” That is winning. The opposite, “walking in the flesh” is losing. They are on opposite ends of life. One is pure self-effort, living for and in the flesh, while the other is a surrender of your life to the Spirit of God.

The flesh is loosing because the life in the flesh ends in failure, deception, and in the end brings destruction. The Bible lists these deeds of the flesh: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy and on and on. All these deeds lead to death to spiritual well being. On the other side is the spiritual life that leads to really winning. It is called the fruit of the Spirit. It is a life of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. That is real life.

The strategy for winning is simply to walk in the Spirit, accomplished by belonging to Jesus and crucifying the flesh. Surely you want to win. It may sound strange, but you win by surrendering your life to Jesus. 

__________________Today's personal note from Dennis

Greetings from Starbucks in beautiful Tempe, AZ

Wow!! It sure feels good to feel good. After nearly three months I am feeling really good. I thank God for allowing me to emerge from this last liver issue enjoying a good quality of life. Thanks for your prayers. 

I asked a friend who had just completed a rather important ministry, "What are your plans now?" His reply was, "Just waiting for God to give me my next assignment." That is what I am doing right now. I am waiting for the next assignment that God has for me. At this point (for those of you who know me well) I am not real patient. I keep asking God to show me, but nothing seems to be happening. Many of you have been kind enough to tell me how "The Encourager" is a ministry to you, and for that I thank you. I guess after preaching for fifty years I am eager to get back into the pulpit. I would appreciate your prayers in this area. 

Sandy and I had the privilege of attending a musical performance at the high school where our oldest grandson Bennett attends. Taking after his Dad he had a lead role. We were so thrilled to hear him sing and see him act. He is a chip off the old block. The picture is of him on stage. He is in the foreground.

I was reminded this week that faith is not figuring everything out, nor is it a feeling. "Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen." (Hebrews 11:1) You don't need figuring or feelings when you have faith. Faith is in God not your ability to muster up a feeling or try to figure things out. Trust Him!!

I pray that you have a great week. May God bless you with opportunities to share His love with those who need it most. ~ DGW