Second Star to the Right - - and Straight on til Morning

 

That famous line from PETER PAN, "...the second star to the right, and straight on til morning" that which led the way to Neverland - the place where children need never grow up; because when one grows up, they eventually get old; then they die. This expression rings with angst in our souls.

The conundrum of humanity is summed up by Gertrude from the Shakespearean play Hamlet when she addresses her young prince regarding his late father, recently (mysteriously) dead:

"Do not forever with thy vailèd lids seek for thy noble father in the dust. Thou know’st ’tis common. All that lives must die, Passing through nature to eternity."  

Death is the insult to our existence, the infringement and lastly the denial of what we would have - life unending (though there are those who find this idea abhorrent, having nothing to compare an eternal life with, other than the present one, fraught with sorrows and strife). Neverland was the symbol of exuberance, the escape from death, the perpetuation of youth, of life and vigor - and quite simply, fun! 

JEWELS FROM THE GOSPEL OF JOHN: JOHN 6:37-39 - A No Lose Situation

 The following is a series of short exhortations, brief commentary, and writings to convey thoughtful meditation on God's Word. I have chosen the Gospel of John as the subject. I pray that these will be a blessing and an edification for the saints.

JOHN 6:37-39
37 All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. 38 For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. 39 And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.

This is an argument that's lasted throughout the ages of the church: can a true child of GOD forfeit their salvation? Many solid arguments on both sides of that debate. It was a question I wrestled with as a young believer and in those days, I wasn't at all certain which view was correct. The one thing I was certain about was, I wasn't willing to experiment! So I held fast as close to Jesus as I could!

Things as They Are - October, 2021 with Greg Reid

Youthfire! Newsletter: 

Things as They Are - October, 2021

Dear Friends,

God bless you all, and thank you for your continuing prayers and support! September raced by, and the days have been full and productive.

This last month, I was blessed to attend the installation of both Mike Schuetzler and Kerry Boone as the new pastors at my former fellowship, Crosspoint Church. I was honored to have been their youth pastor for a time, and I am so proud to see how they have walked with Jesus and followed their call into ministry. I also was blessed to attend Pastor Dan Sattlemeier’s retirement weekend events. It was a wonderful time to reconnect with him and his family, and so many others I had not seen in a while. May God bless the new pastors and keep them steady and strong!

Last night I was privileged to be part of our Christian TV station’s telethon and share on an hour program with NRB president Troy Miller and host Pastor Joe Williams, as well as be able to donate 50 copies of Treasure from the Master’s Heart for giveaways to donors. The work KSCE TV has done for so many years is so vital in a media world growing increasingly dark. I am thankful we were able to have a small part in their efforts.

My God by Glenn Christopherson

I've been on Facebook now for about twelve years, and I've read a lot of powerful posts from my fellow saints. Makes me wish I had saved them on a WORD doc. Well, here is one that I asked to share with all of you, from a Facebook friend that I've come to know and appreciate in the last couple of years.
I look forward to his posts; they are rarely anything less than excellent!
I pray that you will be as blessed by this wonderful exhortation as I've been.

Perhaps you might even consider friending Glenn on Facebook?  I know you'll want to read more of his writings and you can! Check out his EMBASSY of PRAYER blog! Well, without further delay, let's get into Glenn's post!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

JEWELS FROM THE GOSPEL OF JOHN: JOHN 6:36 - SEEING Is Not BELIEVING

The following is a series of short exhortations, brief commentary, and writings to convey thoughtful meditation on God's Word. I have chosen the Gospel of John as the subject. I pray that these will be a blessing and an edification for the saints.

JOHN 6:36
But I said unto you, That ye also have seen me, and believe not.

"Let me see a miracle, THEN I'll believe!" someone usually says in regards to any discussion involving GOD, the Bible, Jesus Christ.

The old saying, "Seeing is believing" doesn't apply to the Kingdom of GOD and the truth that reigns there; at least not the sort of 'sight' that this world is accustomed to. In vs. 40 the LORD Jesus says, "40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day."

WONDERFUL WISDOM, FOLLY of FOOLISHNESS - A Look At PROVERBS 15:8-21

For the Facebook video of this teaching, at Shine Bright Church,  go here.

 Wisdom is knowledge correctly applied. Knowledge is important, but it’s useless unless we put it into practice.

And if we apply knowledge according to wisdom to our lives, it’s wonderful, and wonderfully effective in bringing blessing and benefits to us, because all gifts from the Father are given to us freely, and of all of His gifts, one of the greatest is wisdom. 

We’ve read before:

PROVERBS 4:7 
Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.

In his youth, as the successor to King David his father, Solomon was given a ‘blank check’ from GOD. Essentially GOD said to the new king of Israel, “Tell Me what you want Solomon, and it’s yours!” Wow! What would you ask for if GOD gave you that opportunity?

We know what Solomon asked for:

2 CHRONICLES 1:10-12
10 "Now give me wisdom and knowledge, that I may go out and come in before this people; for who can judge this great people of Yours?" 11 And God said to Solomon: "Because this was in your heart, and you have not asked riches or wealth or honor or the life of your enemies, nor have you asked long life-but have asked wisdom and knowledge for yourself, that you may judge My people over whom I have made you king 12 "wisdom and knowledge are granted to you; and I will give you riches and wealth and honor, such as none of the kings have had who were before you, nor shall any after you have the like."

Because Solomon made the Kingdom of Israel, GOD’s Kingdom the highest priority, by seeking wisdom to know how to govern in the Kingdom, the LORD decided to bless him with riches and honor as well.

NO MORE DEAD BABIES - A Testimony of James J. Fire

I was born August of 1962; I should have been born in October, but there were serious complications, so I was brought into this world early.

I almost wasn't. The afternoon my mother was rushed to the hospital was because her water broke, and there was a considerable amount of blood loss.

She was terrified as the hospital staff was preparing the delivery room. She was shaking from head to toe, not knowing what was wrong, but knowing something was terribly wrong. She kept looking at the crucifix over the door of the room where she was laying on a gurney. She told me she never felt the presence of GOD so powerfully as in those moments when she whispered a desperate prayer.

She was brought in to the delivery room and the doctors, after examining her and looking over her vitals understood that she could lose her life as well as her unborn child. She had three other children and a husband to care for. They decided for the sake of her life and her family to abort the child. That was me.

Meanwhile my father was at a funeral home, kneeling beside the casket of his deceased mother. Some men approached him and whispered to him, "You need to get to the hospital. They think you might lose Dorothy and your baby."
They had to physically lift my father to his feet, so despairing he was of his bleak future without mother, wife and son.