To Be Wholly God's

"What folly to fear to be too entirely God's! It is to fear to be too happy. It is to fear to love God's will in all things. It is to fear to have too much courage in the crosses which are inevitable, too much comfort in God's love, and too much detachment from the passions which make us miserable.

So let us scorn earthly things, to be wholly God's. There would be only this difference, that instead of being devoured by our pride, by our overbearing passions, and by the malicious criticism of the world, we shall act instead with liberty, courage and hope in God. Confidence will animate us.

If we have a hard time believing this, experience will convince us. "Come, see and taste," said Daivd, "how sweet is the Lord." - Francois Fenelon ~1700

The True Meaning of Joy

Last Friday and Saturday we had the privilege of going to Seattle and visiting some friends of ours who are facing a serious illness in their family. As a family, they have been walking together through circumstances that must sometimes seem like black holes - sucking all the emotional and spiritual life out of people. This family, however, proves that God can fill that black hole faster than anything can suck it out and leave us absolutely certain of His love, power and holiness. We went to minister to them but, as usual, they ministered to us.

If you want to know the true meaning of joy as only God can provide, go to Matt's blog at http://www.fmcna.typepad.com/thomas/ and look for the entry on August 11. There is no one who can say it clearer than someone who is in the midst of the kind of trail that only God can get us through.

The next time you feel like GOD can't use you, just remember...
Noah was a drunk
Abraham was too old
Isaac was a daydreamer
Jacob was a liar
Leah was ugly
Joseph was abused
Moses had a stuttering problem
Gideon was afraid
Samson had long hair and was a womanizer

Rahab was a prostitute
Jeremiah and Timothy were too young
David had an affair and was a murderer
Elijah was suicidal
Isaiah preached naked
Jonah ran from God
Naomi was a widow

Job went bankrupt
Peter denied Christ
The Disciples fell asleep while praying
Martha worried about everything
The Samaritan woman was divorced, more than once
Zaccheus was too small
Paul was too religious
Timothy had an ulcer
...AND Lazarus was dead!

Now! No more excuses! God can use you to your full potential...Besides you aren't the message, you are just the messenger.