Gifts from above: July 2010

Friday, July 2, 2010

His Faithfulness

A couple of weeks ago we had a couple of days of very heartbreaking news.

I can only share about our friend J who we found out had pancreatic cancer.

The other news well...... I am waiting to see what God is doing.

A sweet friend of mine went home to be with Jesus last June from the

same cancer. She was a runner and had just participated in a marathon and

wasn't feeling well. Subsequent medical exams discovered the cancer.

We were all shocked because she seemed so healthy.

We had been praying for J to know the Lord. He wasn't interested at all.

He had seen the changes in my husband after he surrendered his life to the

Lord. Most everyone DH worked with saw how much he had changed.

When we renewed our wedding vows in the Lord in 2000, I asked the Pastor
to share about Jesus, to really evangelize. My heart's desire was for the
whole ceremony to glorify our Father in heaven. I invited the neighbors
and everyone I could think of so they could hear about the Love of Jesus.
J wouldn't come. That was ten years ago!

Learning about the cancer so suddenly, I was praying we could have one
more chance to share about Jesus with him and that he would have a
receptive heart. If not us, for the Lord to put someone else in his life
that would share with him.

He wanted to be at home for hospice care and we were waiting for his
family to get him settled in. He passed away the very next morning.
We never were able to talk to him. I was so sad.

His sweet daughter called and talked to me for a very long time.

I just listened, trying not to cry. When she realized she had many

phone calls to make, we started to say good bye and she said," I have

one more thing I want to tell you. On Father's Day, my dad and mom

accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior." We ended up talking and crying
together for a while longer. I was able to encourage her in knowing she
will see her dad again.

But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who
have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope.
For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will
bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus. Thessalonians 4:13,14

Streams In The Desert
July 1

There shall be a performance (Luke 1:45)
My words shall be fulfilled in their season [their fixed appointed time]
(luke 1:20, Greek version).

   There shall be a performance of those things
   That loving heart hath waited long to see;
Those words shall be fulfilled to which she clings,
   Because her God hath promised faithfully;
And, knowing Him, she never can doubt His Word;
   "He speaks and it is done." The Mighty Lord!

   There shall be a performance of those things,
   O burdened heart, rest ever in His care;
   In quietness beneath His shadowing wings
   Await the answer to thy longing prayer.
When thou hast "cast thy care," the heart then sings,
   There shall be a performance of those things.

   There shall be a performance of those things,
   O tired heart, believe and wait and pray;
   At eventide the peaceful vesper rings,
Though cloud and rain and storm have filled the day.
   Faith pierces through the mist of doubt that bars
   The coming night sometimes, and finds the stars.

   There shall be a performance of those things.
   O trusting heart, the Lord to thee hath told;
   Let Faith and Hope arise, and plume their wings,
   And soar towards the sunrise clouds of gold;
   The portals of the rosy dawn swing wide,
   Revealing joys the darkening night did hide.
   Bessie Porter
Matthew Henry says: "We must depend upon the performance of the
promise, when all the ways leading up to it are shut up. 'For all the
promises of God in him are yea [yes], and in him Amen [so be it},
unto the glory of God by us'" (2 Cor. 1:20).