A Tendency to Despair

Whenever you study the end times there can be a tendency to despair. The things that are coming can be frightening. Sometimes when we watch the news and see what is happening in our world right now we get scared. But over and over again in the Bible God reminds us not to be afraid. God tells us not to panic or worry. He reminds us He is in control, He is with us, and He will save us.

So the first this to remember when we go through difficult times is don’t be afraid, God is with us. The second thing we need to do is encourage one another. We are meant to build up and help one another. Sometimes the best way to get through a tough time is by lending a helping hand to someone else. By encouraging others, we encourage ourselves.

Another important thing to do when going through a difficult time is to not give up. Keep going, never quit. The enemy is out to stop you and once you stop, he’s won. Don’t give up! Instead of stopping or slowing down increase your relationship with God. Don’t miss church, worship, read your Bible, pray and most of all “Give thanks in all circumstances.” (1 Thessalonians 5:18)

Always remember God knows your situation. He cares about you. Peter wrote to a church that was facing the harshest persecution, “Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.” (1 Peter 5:7) Don’t fret. “Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life?” (Matthew 6:27) Paul writes, “May the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way.” (2 Thessalonians 3:16)

Continue

These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication.
Acts 1:14 (NKJV)

And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.
Acts 2:42 (NKJV)

There is a principle of continuing in the Christian life. Throughout the Book of Acts the Christians continued in the practice of their faith. There is no such thing as a one time experience in the Christian life. We have a salvation experience but then we “work out our salvation” (Philippians 2:12) We are filled with the Holy Spirit but then we are to be continually filled with the Spirit. (Ephesians 5:18)

So many Christians start the race of faith only to stop after crossing the starting line. We will never be all that God created us to be if we don’t continue. We had quite a weekend last weekend at Christian Life Church. We launched our Randall Road Campus. And let me tell you, it was great! We packed out our meeting room. It was a powerful service! But it was just the beginning. Now we continue each week watching Christ build His church in the far northwestern suburbs of Chicago. We had a powerful Miracle Service last Sunday night in Mount Prospect. It was a great time of praying and waiting on God for the supernatural. But it can’t be a one-time experience. We must continue walking in faith.

No matter where you find yourself today I believe the word of the Lord to each one of us is… continue. You’re not finished. God’s not finished with you. Remember and hold on to His promise in His Word, “being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 1:6)

Faith

And without faith it is impossible to please God…
Hebrews 11:6 (NIV)

This is a historical weekend at Christian Life Church. This Sunday (after years of preparation) at 11:30AM we officially launch our Randall Road Campus. A brand new church has been birthed in the far western suburbs of Chicago. Seventy percent of the households in this fast growing community do not attend church. What an exciting place to plant a church!

This is just one of the many great things happening this fall season at Christian Life. We have a slogan for this time of growth and expansion at our church: “We’re doing the Book of Acts until Jesus comes back.” I believe now more than ever before God is calling Christian Life Church and each one of us to do great things for Him.

To do great things for God requires faith. When we feel good and are experiencing growth it is easy to have faith for more. But what happens when things get bad and we feel overwhelmed? Sometimes we lose our faith when we need it the most. The disciples said to Jesus, “Increase our faith.” (Luke 17:5) You and I can make this our prayer to the Lord each day no matter how we feel, “Lord, increase our faith!”

This Sunday (9/14) evening at 6PM we will be having a Miracle Service at our Mount Prospect Campus. Come for worship, the Word, and prayer, but also come expecting God to increase your faith because we need more faith more than ever before. And don’t forget, “without faith it is impossible to please God.”

The End.

…the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage feast: and the door was shut.
Matthew 25:10

As we begin to look at The End (our End Times series) let me ask you a question: Are you ready? If Jesus was to come back today, are you ready? I know that we don’t think about it much, but if we did, I have no doubt it would revolutionize how we live our lives.

How we view the end times is important. A biblical view of The End will shape how we do our family, work, and church lives. It impacts your social and political views. It impacts your prayer life, your work for the Lord, how you spend your time, how you treat others, and what you value. Like I’ve said, thinking about End Times can revolutionize your life.

I hope you are looking forward to Jesus’ return. He could come back at any moment! But what if God waits 10 more years? What about 25? What about 50? I remember thinking when I was my boys’ ages that the Lord would probably return before I became an adult. I hate to be morbid about this, but what if the Lord takes another 50 years to return? The reality is that most all of us will be dead. Not a happy thought, but true.

The Bible is clear, we are not guaranteed tomorrow. We need to be right with God right now. 2 Corinthians 6:2 says, “…the ‘right time’ is now. Today is the day of salvation.” As we long for the return of the Lord, let’s make sure we’re ready and those around us are ready for eternity to begin today. Take time this week to reflect on the sobering words in James…

Now listen, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money." Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.
James 4:13-14

Let me ask you the question again. Are you ready?

Olympic Confession

Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win.
1 Corinthians 9:24

I have to make a confession. I have broken my TV fast. For the past two weeks I have been watching a lot of television. I’ve been watching in the morning, throughout the day, even late at night into the early hours of the morning. I confess. I was addicted to the Olympics.

I loved it when the Americans did well. I taught the boys to chant USA as we cheered on our countrymen. Like most, I especially enjoyed Michael Phelps’ run of eight gold medals in swimming. As the days passed each race became more intense, we sat and watched to see if he could accomplish the impossible. When the final relay was won our family cheered as we realized we had just witnessed a historic sporting moment.

Paul in the Scriptures used various sports as illustrations of the Christian life. His favorite picture was that of a race with the idea that we run with perseverance until we finish the race.

I was thinking about Michael Phelps record setting eight gold medals. While there is no doubt he now ranks as one of the best athletes ever, he couldn’t have set the record by himself. He needed the help of his relay teammates. In fact, it was their extra effort that gained him a couple of those gold medals.

What a powerful example of the Christian life. We do our personal best but we can’t always do it on our own. We need our brothers and sisters in Christ. Our second mission at Christian Life Church is to connect people to people. You weren’t meant to be a Christian on your own. We all need people alongside of us encouraging, challenging, and praying for us as we run the race set before us.

While most of us will never receive a medal in this life, we run the race to win. We run to hear Him say, “Well done!” Keep on running! And run with passion!

My Book Shelf – Wild Goose Chase by Mark Batterson

I want to start something new in my blog to our church. Every now and then I want to share with you what I’m reading that challenges and inspires me. My hope is that these books do the same for you.

Right now I am reading Mark Batterson’s latest book, Wild Goose Chase. You may remember Mark from our Chase the Lion series. He is the author of In A Pit, With A Lion, On A Snowy Day, which was my favorite book so far this year but may be replaced now by Wild Goose Chase. You can check it out at www.chasethegoose.com.

Mark has a way of communicating that excites your spirit and gets you longing for all that God has for you and your life. Let me share with you some of Mark’s words from the introduction.

"Most of us have no idea where we’re going most of the time. Perfect. Celtic Christians had a name for the Holy Spirit–‘An Geadh-Glas’, or ‘the Wild Goose.’ The name hints at mystery. Much like a wild goose, the Spirit of God cannot be tracked or tamed. An element of danger, an air of unpredictability surround Him. And while the name may sound a little sacrilegious, I cannot think of a better description of what it’s like to follow the Spirit through life. I think the Celtic Christians were on to something…. Most of us will have no idea where we are going most of the time. And I know that is unsettling. But circumstantial uncertainty also goes by another name: Adventure."

Here's another quote from chapter 1...

"Here's a thought... Do angels yawn? I know it seems like an inane theological question, but I seriously wonder if angels have the capacity to get bored. More importantly, I wonder if some of us are living such safe lives that not only are we bored, but so are our guardian angels."

It only gets better from there. I don’t want to give away the surprises in the coming chapters, but I’ll just say this book will release you to follow the God as you never have before. I hope everyone reads and allows themselves to challenged by this book. I was so captivated I read it in one sitting! I would love to see it in all of our small groups. Allow this book to dare you to chase God and His plan for your life! Hey college students, I’m going to put a copy in the Christian Life College library. Check it out, you won’t be disappointed.

Underdog

Benaiah son of Jehoiada was a valiant fighter from Kabzeel, who performed great exploits. He struck down two of Moab's best men. He also went down into a pit on a snowy day and killed a lion.
2 Samuel 23:20


A month from this weekend we will make history as we embark on the next chapter of Christian Life Church. On September 14 we launch weekly weekend services at our Randall Road Campus. This is an exciting moment as a church is birthed in one of the fastest growing areas of our nation. It feels like the Book of Acts happening right now in 2008.

This is a monumental undertaking for a church our size. I often find myself asking the question, “How is this going to work?” I mean when you look at all of the obstacles and risks involved it can be overwhelming.

We began this year studying the life of Benaiah and how he chased the lion. What I’ve noticed in Scripture is that God is on the side of the underdog. Moses against Pharaoh. Gideon’s 300 against the Midianites. David against Goliath. The early church against the Roman World. Against impossible odds God does the supernatural. His kingdom is without end!

There is no doubt that where God leads, He provides, in every way, and right on time. I know that God is with us in Mount Prospect, out West, and in our work around the world. I also know that God is with you and your family in every step of your journey. Expect the supernatural!

For the next month please join me in prayer for our new campus plant. For more information about our Randall Road Campus, please visit www.clcwest.org.

Have you ever come to your wits end?

Have you ever come to your wits end? You've tried everything. There is nothing else you can do. You have nothing left to give. You feel completely empty and helpless.

I’ve had a couple of days like that this summer, especially with our boys out of school. The time off allows them to find all kinds of mischief. Not to mention the constant noise and sometimes all out brawls that occur until our precious ones are asleep in bed for the night.

Now I’m being a bit silly I know. Boys will be boys and quite honestly there are much bigger things we have to deal with in life. There can be overwhelming circumstances, bad situations, and people that hurt us. There are “thorns in the flesh” that Paul talked about in 2 Cor. 12. At times, there seems to be no relief except for God’s grace.

What can you do when you’re at your wits end? Go to God and keep on going. You never know, you may be close to a miracle breakthrough! I do know that when you take it to the Lord, He is with you, giving you strength for the battle.

When you’re going through a difficult season meditate on the words of David in this Psalm and make it your prayer to God…

I run to you, God; I run for dear life. Don't let me down! Take me seriously this time! Get down on my level and listen, and please—no procrastination! Your granite cave a hiding place, your high cliff aerie a place of safety. You're my cave to hide in, my cliff to climb. Be my safe leader, be my true mountain guide. Free me from hidden traps; I want to hide in you. I've put my life in your hands. You won't drop me, you'll never let me down. Psalms 31:1-5 (MSG)

Remember that God and His grace is sufficient (2 Cor. 12:9) throughout the storms of life.

Time with God

Pray continually.
1 Thessalonians 5:17

This is one of the shortest verses in the Bible. While it may be easy to memorize, it’s difficult to practice. This is one of the verses that challenge me to the core.

I’ve noticed that most Christians either have a casual or crisis approach to prayer. The casual approach is prayer happens when it happens. This person says if I have time, or when I have a family meal, or when I’m at church, I’ll pray. Basically, when it fits and/or when I think about it, I’ll pray. The crisis approach is prayer when we desperately need God, when we are uncomfortable, in bad situation, or see no way out. It’s when God is our last resort.

It’s OK to pray when we think about it or when we are in a crisis, but it seems like God wants a 24/7 approach to prayer. How is that possible? I’ve heard it reported that the average pastor only prays approximately 7 minutes a day. It’s scary to think that the average Muslim prays more than the average pastor.

So why does God want us to pray so much? It begs the question, what is the purpose of prayer? Prayer is communication or connection with God. So really, prayer is communion with God. God desires each one of us to be in relationship and to spend time with Him. It’s like any relationship we have. What if you rarely talked with your best friend or your spouse and when you did it was only because you needed something? What kind of relationship would that be? God is with us all of the time, He is a constant friend, He will never leave you or forsake you. He wants you to return the favor and commune with Him. This week set aside your casual or crisis modes of prayer and take time to commune with God. Put God’s Word into practice and watch what happens to your relationship with Him.

Change

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.
Ecclesiastes 3:1

Leslie and I watered my parents’ plants while they were away on vacation. Even though we live close by, it’s been a while since I wandered through the backyard I grew up in. I remember the hours of fun back there playing baseball, building forts, basically wasting time goofing off all summer long.

I was surprised by how much had changed. My mom has quite a garden paradise growing in the backyard. (A garden that would have no doubt been trampled by us and the neighborhood kids.) But the thing that surprised me the most were the trees and bushes. I couldn’t believe how big they had grown. I remember thinking they were tall while climbing them as a boy but now over twenty years later I can’t believe how high they had grown. And I remember the biggest tree in our backyard was a weeping willow. It’s gone now. Cut down and replaced with a playhouse. Everything had changed.

This transformation I saw in my backyard reminds me about the change that happens in all of our lives. Some things grow and develop, some things are taken away. There are good memories and memories of scrapes and bruises along the way. The only constant in life seems to be change. The good news is that no matter what happens in life, God never changes and He will never leave us or forsake us during the changes of life.

My hope and prayer for all of you is that as the years pass by and the changes of life come, you will always be growing and developing into the man or woman God is calling you to be. Allow God to work in your seasons of life bringing you to complete spiritually maturity.

Church

I will build my church…
Jesus - Matthew 16:18 (NIV)


Church was God’s idea. We connect with God at church. Jesus promised us that He would lead, build, and give victory to His church. Just read Matthew 16:17-19 to see the amazing things Jesus says about His church. When we gather together in His name Jesus said, “There I am in the midst of them.” (Matthew 18:20) What a promise! Every week we can experience the very presence of God with our brothers and sisters in Christ.

But unfortunately there are so many that miss out on the blessing, power, and presence of God because they do not regularly come to church. There is no substitute this world can offer. There is something supernatural that happens when we gather together with other believers and expect God to show up.

We live in a crucial moment in history that makes it more important than ever to be in church and yet satan has duped so many into believing that you can have be a part of the family of God but you don’t need the church. It is impossible to have vital, growing, and full relationship with God apart from His people.

We need each other. We are to encourage one another (1Thess. 4:18), comfort one another (2 Cor. 1:3, 4), and bear one another’s burdens (Galatians 6:2). You can’t do that independently from the church.

Christian Life Church’s mission is to first connect people with God. The second part of our mission is to connect people to people, which is what God meant for the church to do. Today let’s worship God together and take time to connect with the family of God.

Our Founding Fathers

The following quotes from our Founding Fathers are food for thought this 4th of July weekend and national election year.

While we are zealously performing the duties of good citizens and soldiers, we certainly ought not to be inattentive to the higher duties of religion. To the distinguished character of Patriot, it should be our highest glory to add the more distinguished character of Christian.
George Washington

The general principles on which the fathers achieved independence were the general principles of Christianity. I will avow that I then believed, and now believe, that those general principles of Christianity are as eternal and immutable as the existence and attributes of God.
John Adams

I am a real Christian – that is to say, a disciple of the doctrines of Jesus Christ.
Thomas Jefferson

Being a Christian… is a character which I prize far above all this world has or can boast.
Patrick Henry

All the… evils which men suffer from vice, crime, ambition, injustice, oppression, slavery and war, proceed from their despising or neglecting the precepts contained in the Bible.
Noah Webster

He called on the entire state to pray “that universal happiness may be established in the world [and] that all may bow to the scepter of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the whole earth be filled with His glory.”
John Hancock

The great, vital, and conservative element in our system is the belief of our people in the pure doctrines and the divine truths of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Congress, 1854

Connecting With God

God’s great blessing was upon them all.
Acts 4:33b (NLT)


Our mission at Christian Life Church is to connect people to God. Our relationship with God is the most important relationship any one of us will ever have. It is the relationship that we were created for. It is the relationship that shapes our life’s destiny. It is the relationship that will determine our eternity. Therefore, connecting with God is of the utmost importance for us all.

I recently asked our leadership teams how they connected to God. I received a wide variety of answers as they shared their favorite ways to connect with God. One of the reoccurring ways was through attending church. Whether it was the worship, the Word, the prayer around the altar, or the fellowship, each one described how important this aspect was to their Christian life.

Our verse for this Bible Blog comes at the beginning of the Book of Acts. The Day of Pentecost had come. The new Christians were filled with the power of the Holy Spirit. They gathered together sharing their lives in community. The apostles were teaching boldly about Jesus. It sounds like an amazing moment in early church history. It was a time of true unity and great power. And Acts 4:33b says, “God’s great blessing was upon them all.”

I know that we all desire God’s blessing in our lives. We love to feel Him close, His presence working in and all around us. There is no doubt that God’s blessing is in our life when we gather together with other believers as the church and experience Him.

As we seek to connect with God let’s remember Hebrews 10:24-25, “Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another…”

What are you waiting for?

“What are you waiting for?”
Acts 22:16 (NLT)

I can’t wait for our family vacation this summer. It’s on the calendar and will be here in a couple of weeks. It’s been a very busy season in my life and the life of our church with even bigger things coming this fall season. I need this upcoming down time with my family. Like I said, I can’t wait!

Do you ever get tired of waiting? Waiting for something on the calendar? Waiting for a dream to come true? Waiting for something or someone to change? Waiting for an answer to prayer? Waiting for your miracle?

There are seasons of waiting in our lives. The big problem is that it is the seasons of waiting that the enemy uses to cause us to doubt God and His faithfulness, goodness, etc. We have to remember that every saint of the Old and New Testament went through a season of waiting where they needed to keep their faith in God strong. Even Jesus went through seasons of waiting and yet kept focused on the Father and His will.

It is difficult to wait, especially during difficult seasons of life but always remember these verses…

If God is for us, who can ever be against us? Romans 8:31 (NLT)

For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)

For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen… 2 Cor. 1:20 (NKJV)

So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it. Isaiah 55:11 (NKJV)

I will stick with you until every word I spoke to you comes true. Jeremiah 1:11 (MSG)

Remember, God’s Word and promises do not have expiration dates. So wait patiently and pray persistently. Don't give up!

Family Reunion

But I lavish unfailing love for a thousand generations on those who love me and obey my commands.
Exodus 20:6 (NLT)

This coming week is the big Merrill Family Reunion. There aren’t many of us, but we sure do have a blast. I can’t wait. We haven’t seen everyone for some time now. I love getting together with our extended family. It’s exciting to see how the kids have grown, spend some quality time having fun, and hear how life has been treating everyone.

This is actually the 4th Merrill family reunion and even though we haven’t gotten together that often there are certain traditions we have begun. When we think about traditions we often think about the past. But traditions are really not about the past. Traditions are actually those special things you want to pass on from the present to the future. While all traditions are special we need to think about the spiritual traditions we pass on with our lives.

There is a strong foundation of faith in our family. My Grandpa and Grandma Merrill were godly people that passed their love for God on to their children and their children’s children. And now there is a whole new generation (their great grandchildren) growing up in the Christian faith.

What is the tradition of faith that you are passing on to your children and your children’s children? It’s never too late to start building new traditions. Begin this summer! As you share your faith with your family may God bless your family “for a thousand generations.”

Pray for your pastor

I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them.
1 Tim 2:1 (NLT)


Thank you to everyone who emailed me (mail@darylmerrill.com) last week expressing a desire to be a part of a new prayer ministry at Christian Life Church. If you are interested and haven’t emailed yet, please take time this week to let me know.

A week doesn’t go by that the pastors and the staff doesn’t spend time praying for each request that comes in. You can join in prayer by visiting www.christianlifechurch.org and clicking on the prayer requests page. We believe God hears our prayers and answers our prayers. That makes prayer powerful!

I appreciate it when people tell me they are praying for me. I admit, I need it. If you’re wondering how you can pray for the pastors and staff here are some suggestions.

• Pray for physical, mental, and spiritual strength.
• Pray for time to accomplish the work of ministry and time for family and fun as well.
• Pray for our marriages and families.
• Pray for God’s wisdom and understanding.
• Pray for Christ to live through us – Galatians 2:20
• Pray for time in God’s Word – Psalm 119:11
• Pray for an intimate knowledge of God – Philippians 3:10
• Pray for strength to stand firm – Ephesians 6:10-13
• Pray that we would live by the Holy Spirit’s leading – Galatians 5:25
• Pray that we would lead a life worthy of our calling – Ephesians 4:1

Thanks for your prayers and you can count on ours!

Prayer @ Christian Life

I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them.
1 Tim 2:1 (NLT)

I am writing this Bible Blog on our most recent Day of Prayer at Christian Life. I always appreciate the opportunity to gather together with our church family to pray. I believe that God’s design for His church is to be a place of prayer. God’s work in this world and in our lives is accomplished only truly when we pray.

Prayer isn’t a gift or ministry for just a few. Paul in Philippians exhorts all of us to pray about everything. In 1 Thessalonians he tells us to pray without ceasing. The role of prayer in the Christian life can never be overstated. Our Christian faith is based upon a relationship with God. Prayer is how we commune with God. It is one of the vital parts of our connection with God.

There are a couple of exciting developments in regards to prayer at Christian Life Church that I would like to share with you.

• We are transitioning our Heritage Room on the west side of the sanctuary into a prayer room that will be available not only on the weekends but also throughout the week for prayer. This room will be used for a wide variety of prayer events at the church.
  
• We are also looking to develop prayer teams at the church. These prayer teams would be taking part in different aspects of prayer such as praying for revival, praying for needs, praying for people before, during, after services, etc.

If you are interested in becoming a part of our prayer ministry at Christian Life please email me (mail@darylmerrill.com) and let me know. Let’s make sure Christian Life Church is called a house of prayer!

Summer

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.
Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV)

It has been an exciting week around the Christian Life offices as we have been feverishly planning for the summer and fall. Pretty soon you will be receiving a mailing outlining all of the wonderful things ahead for our church.

Our mission as a church is to Connect People To God. Throughout the summer and fall there are things planned to connect people to God. There will be activities designed to connect our children and youth to God. There are times planned for our adults to connect with God. There will be special events designed for people who are far from God to connect with Him, maybe for the first time or to reconnect with Him. There are things planned this summer and fall to connect each of us into a deeper and stronger relationship with God.

One of the most exciting things happening this fall is the full-fledged launch of our Randall Road Campus. Weekly weekend services will begin on Sunday September 14, 2008 at 11:30AM!

No doubt you are planning some special activities for this summer. When making your plans, don’t forget about God. Make time this summer to connect with God. Make sure your family and friends are connecting with God as well.

As with all planning in life, remember to seek His plans first for you and your family. I can honestly say that we do not begin planning things for Christian Life Church until we have first sought the Lord and His guidance. It is important to be in prayer and in His Word so that God can guide your steps each day in every way.

Remember, His way is always the best way!

Mission Possible

Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
Matthew 28:18-20


This week I will be traveling to Florida for the board meeting of Mission Possible, one of the many mission organizations we support as a church. Mission Possible’s motto is, “Strategic projects, in historic times, for God’s glory.” MP (www.mp.org) is active in sharing the Gospel, training leaders, planting churches, and helping the poor on the other side of the world. I am blown away each year when we review what God has done through MP and we at Christian Life are helping them change the world through our support.

But like I said, they are only one of the many missionaries and organizations we support as a church family. I would like to invite you to visit the map in our church lobby and take a look at the various ministries and people we support. Take time to read a letter or two. Say a prayer for the various ministries. Allow God to speak to you about your involvement in world missions. Become a bigger part of building God’s kingdom around the world.

And by the way, Happy Mother’s Day! I would like to honor the mom’s in my life: my fantastic wife, Leslie, my godly mom and grandma, Gerry and Ella, my great sister, Jodi, and my wonderful mother-in-law, Kathy. I am proud of you all! You are the best!

Some Rules From God

I like simple ideas that make a big difference. I enjoyed reading these words this week and wanted to share them with you.

Some Rules From God

WAKE UP! Decide to have a good day. “Today is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” Psalm 118:24

DRESS UP! The best way to dress up is to put on a smile. A smile is an inexpensive way to improve your looks. “The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance; but the Lord looks at the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7

STAND UP! Stand up for what you believe in. Stand for something or you will fall for anything. “Let us not be weary in doing good; for at the proper time, we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore as we have opportunity, let us do good…” Galatians 6:9, 10

LIFT UP! Lift up your prayers. “Do not worry about anything; instead PRAY ABOUT EVERYTHING.” Philippians 4:6

Written by Joan Palace