Pastor Shaker is one of the seventeen individuals giving their time and energies to minister to a small church in Jamaica so he was unable to write an article for the August newsletter. He gave me a few very beautiful devotionals written by FBC member, Joan Mifflin.

 

Joan has worked diligently as a spiritual leader at FBC (Sunday School teacher, Deacon, circle hostess, board member, prayer warrior, etc.) as well as for many years she was in the Pastoral Care Department at St. Joseph Memorial Hospital until she retired. Some of her devotionals have been published by leading daily devotional magazines. She has touched and changed many lives for God’s kingdom. We are truly blessed to have her as a part of our family of faith. I hope you enjoy this devotional as much as I did.

 

“This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah: “He took up our infirmities and bore our diseases.” -Matthew 8:17

 

Thought for Today: He Himself took our infirmities, and bore our sickness.

 

Have you heard the song, “I Believe in Miracles for I believe in God?” Do you believe in miracles: Are they only something that happened a long time ago? Not so. A miracle can happen to you anytime and often does. It is something so wonderful, so out of the ordinary, so unexplainable that you know it is surely an act of God. Many of us have walked through the fires of serious illnesses, death of a loved one, loss of fortunes, rejection from friends and family. Many have laid down, pulled the cover around our heads and prayed that God would take us home–get us out of pain that wracks our bodies and numbs our mind. Instead of giving into our cry of defeat, He gives a miracle of grace. Grace to keep going when we feel as if we can’t. He lifts us up, dusts us off and sets our feet on a straight path. Then it’s up to us to keep going.

 

Prayer: Praise you Father! Your love is so wonderful, it shows us that You care so much for your people. Help us to share this love with someone today who says they don’t believe, because we do believe and you are the miracle God.

 

Amen.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As a young child I remember singing “Jesus loves me this I know.” This song has always been with me throughout my life. Throughout my life I have been blessed by His love toward me through tough times and good times.

Recently, our church gave us the privilege of visiting the Holy Land. While we were there, we visited several places Jesus travelled, met with people, did miracles, ultimately was crucified and arose to sit at the right hand of God. During the visit, I really understood my childhood song “Jesus Loves Me.”

Jesus left everything to come to earth. Not only that, the land He came to was not anything like the beautiful hills and mountains of our country or the never ending streams and landscapes either. It is a place which is dry and drab. There were no roads or conveniences but falling rocks and occasional rainfall. We did not see the acres and acres of trees and flowering bushes we see here. The guide shared that they didn’t receive sufficient rainfall on a regular basis to grow enough crops to feed their people. Everything had to be imported. I can go on and on but Jesus did come because He loved me. He came to a family where they did not have much. He wanted to identify with people like me. He had to work as a carpenter’s helper. He understood day to day living. Jesus interacted with people who were fisherman, the unwanted lepers, blind and crippled, also with people who were in authority, rich and well to do. He understood life in many aspects. He was with the people at weddings, at funerals, at the synagogs. He also served at the campfires and sat with people of means. Jesus understood despair, needs, suffering, shame and not being wanted and being abused. Why? Because “Jesus loves me.” The visit to Israel made me realize to what lengths Jesus went to get me back to Him and tremendous sacrifices He made, accepted humiliation and pain for me. So don’t let me take it for granted–all the blessings I receive each and every day.

I must also recognize His dedication to spending time with His father, being obedient to His father, following through the commitment He made to die on the cross at calvary. Why? Because “Jesus loves me.”

 

 

1. Numbers 23:19, “God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a son of man, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?”
2. 1 Kings 8:56, “Praise be to the LORD, who has given rest to his people Israel just as he promised. Not one word has failed of all the good promises he gave through his servant Moses.
3. Joshua 21:45, “Not one of all the LORD’s good promises to the house of Israel failed; every one was fulfilled.”
4. Joshua 23:14, “Now I am about to go the way of all the earth. You know with all your heart and soul that not one of all the good promises the LORD your God gave you has failed. Every promise has been fulfilled; not one has failed.”
5. 2 Peter 3:9, “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”
6. Hebrews 10:23, “Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.”

What are God’s great and precious promises?

God has said that he will do a number of things, here are just a few:

Jesus said “I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.” (Mt. 16:18)
1. Most of us are a part of that church that Jesus built.
2. It has been in existence for 2000 years and it will remain until the end.

Another precious promise of God is “I will be with you.”
1. God has made this promise to his people throughout time.
2. To Joshua God said, “No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.” (Josh. 1:5)
3. In the Great Commission Jesus said, “And surely I will be with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Mt. 28:20)
4. In 2 Tim. 4:16-17, Paul wrote, “At my first defense, no one came to my support, but everyone deserted me. May it not be held against them. But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength…”
5. That’s what God does for his people. He sticks close to them.

God has also promised: “I will strengthen you.”
1. I like Isaiah 41:10, “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
2. 2 Thess. 3:3, “But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen and protect you from the evil one.”
3. That’s why Paul declared, “I can do everything through him who gives me strength.” (Phil. 4:13)
4. I know that it’s because of God’s strength that I am who I am and do what I do. There’s no way I could do even half of what I do on my own!

One final precious promise: “I will come again.”
1. John 14:1-3, “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.”
2. How wonderful to know that we are saved and that we have eternal life.
3. 1 John 2:25, “And this is what he promised us – even eternal life.”
4. 1 John 5:13, “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.”
5. Jesus is coming back, and he will take us to live with him…forever. That’s a promise!

How do we receive God’s promises?

First we need to Prayerfully Study our Bibles. Second, to receive God’s promises we must patiently wait. A third aspect of receiving God’s promises is living in obedience to God’s will. A final way that we receive God’s promises is by FAITH. God has been faithful to our church, to our community most of all to me and my family. We need to praise God for His constant watch over us. God bless.

In Christ’s steps,

Shaker

“Guilty as sin! It happened just a few years ago. The banks in New Jersey had been robbed systematically, one after the other. What made the robber stand out was his politeness. He just gave the tellers a note which said, “Please place your money in this bag. Thank you.” The newspapers called him the GENTLEMAN BANDIT.

Forgiveness is costly — it’s not easy to ask for forgiveness and it’s certainly not easy to extend forgiveness to those who’ve wronged us. Proverbs 18:19 says that, “An offended brother is more unyielding than a fortified city, and disputes are like the barred gates of a citadel.”

“Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!” – 2 Corinthians 9:15

Christmas is right around the corner, and most of us are busy getting ready to find the right gift to give each person on our list. Sometimes we even exchange the first gift because we find a better one. We forget that the first Christmas was very simple, Joseph and Mary looking for the right place to bring the baby, who would one day bring salvation. Should we be asking, are we putting so much time and energy on things which are fleeting? Should we be thinking of how we are to relate to a child who is asking: what is Hanging of the Greens all about or what is advent? Maybe we should be thinking more of the event when God gave us the gift of HIS Son.

God is the greatest giver. The truth that Jesus Christ is the “gift” of God who had far reaching impact on the world. Not just at the time of His birth, but even today. By forgetting that Christ is a gift, we tend to forget the Father’s compassion for us. Secondly, if Christ is the “gift” of God then we should acknowledge the Father’s GRACE. There was no obligation of God to mankind who had strayed away from the creator. As sinners we do not have any right to expect such a “gift.” It is altogether unmerited and undeserved. The Father giving the Son was an expression of the purest form of GRACE.

If Jesus is the “gift” we can see the concern of the father to bring us back to Himself. He gave His son to die on the cross so our fellowship will come to a full circle back to Him. So one thing is obvious that only those who have received the “gift” can become part of the family. Romans 8:32 says, “He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?”

Christ was a king who came not to take, but to give. His gift was the ultimate sacrifice and therefore each of our Christmas gifts bring the focus back to where it should belong.

So, let us remember what the “Gift” is–this Christmas season. Here is a Christmas prayer to go along with our gift. “Please Lord Jesus forgive me for being so grumpy as I trudge through the never ending tasks set before me this holiday season. My to-do list seems to keep growing with shopping, church services, and family gatherings–and I’m running short on time! Restore the joy of Christmas to my heart…and help me to relax each day and make time for YOU…my one true source of Joy. In the name of Christ my Lord, Amen.”

Have a Merry Christmas from the Samuel Family!

“Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” – Lamentations 3:22-23

As I’m sitting and pondering what I can say for the newsletter it came clear to me what Jeremiah said in the above verse God’s “compassions never fail.” They are new every morning: great is your faithfulness. It is dreary and cold outside but in my heart there is “SONshine,” because of what Jesus did for me on the cross.

I’m reminded of a story I heard of two friends who bumped into one another. One of them looked sad, almost on the verge of tears. His friend asked “what has the world done to you?” The sad fellow said, “Let me tell you, three weeks ago my uncle died and left me $40,000.00. Two weeks ago, a cousin I never knew died and left me $85,000.00 free and clear. Read more…