Finish the Race!

2 Timothy 4:7 (NIV) "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful." Acts 20:24 (NIV) "However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God's grace." 1 Corinthians 9:24-25 (NIV) "Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever." Once again, the Indianapolis 500 Race is here. There will be thousands of people at the legendary track who will watch the race from start to finish. Yet there will be many others who don't care about the race, but will attend the event just to be a part of the festivities. For the past few weeks, drivers have competed in a series of time trials as they have raced around the track to see who qualifies for the Pole Position for today's annual race. Drivers have designed their engines, and have assembled a well-trained pit crew, and have also determined the best strategy in order to win the race today. The bible speaks very clearly about racing, also. There are several passages that compare our lives to a race. We must read our bibles daily, and pray, and love each other along the way, and share the Wonderful News with everyone who is also in the race of life. The main difference between today's race and the race of our lives, however, is that everyone who runs in the race of life can win the eternal prize. Dear Friend, how about you? Are you running your race as if to win the prize? The prize has already been declared, and is available to all who faithfully serve and complete the race in a worthy manner. If you have drifted and are in the wrong lane of your life, God is calling you to get back in the race and to strive for a strong finish. Running the Race with You, Dave Henry

In Christ Alone

In Christ alone will I glory
Though I could pride myself
In battles won
For I've been blessed beyond measure
And by His strength alone, I overcome
Oh, I could stop and count successes
Like diamonds in my hands
But those trophies could not equal
To the grace, by which I stand

In Christ alone
I place my trust
And find my glory
In the power of the cross
In every victory
Let it be said of me
My source of strength
My source of hope
Is Christ alone

In Christ alone will I glory
For only by His grace
I am redeemed
And only His tender mercy
Could reach beyond my weakness
To my need
Now I seek no greater honor
Than just to know Him more
And to count my gains but losses
To the glory of my Lord

In Christ alone
I place my trust
And find my glory
In the power of the cross
In every victory
Let it be said of me
My source of strength
My source of hope
Is Christ alone

 

In Christ Alone – Michael English

 

The words to this song are so powerful and meaningful that they could

have only come from God to man. It is only by God's grace and mercy

that we can be who we are…who we are in Christ. He is my strength!

 

 

In Christ,

Rick

Love One Another

Philippians 2:1-4 "Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others." 1 John 4:7 Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. John 13:34-35 "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." Dear Friend, what have you done today to show the love of Christ to others? As brothers and sisters in Christ, we are being watched and judged by our actions each and every day. Take a few moments right now to ask God to fill your heart with His love. Loving one another isn't always easy, but with God's help, we can make a huge difference in the lives of everyone around us each and every day. Blessings to You, Dave Henry

God's Workmanship

God's Workmanship…

 

If we don't acknowledge God, we are flotsam in the universe. At best we are developed animals. At worst we are rearranged space dust.

           

            With God in your world, you aren't an accident or an incident; you are a gift to the world, a divine work of art, signed by the Master.

 

            Think about this, you receive an autographed book of your favorite author. There is nothing spectacular about the book itself; it is one of hundreds or thousands just like it. The thing that makes it unique is it signed by its creator.

 

            The same is true with us. In the scheme of nature, we are not unique. We aren't the only creatures with hair and flesh and blood and hearts. What makes us special is not our bodies, but the signature of God on our lives! We are his works of art. We are created in His image to do good deeds. We are significant, not because of what we do, but who He is.

 

            Who has more reason to worship than the astronomer who has seen the stars? Than the surgeon who has held a beating heart? Than the oceanographer who has explored the depths? The more we know, the more we should be amazed!

(Devotional Bible, Max Lucado)

 

I stand amazed, how about you?

 

In Christ!

Rick

Act Like a Man!

1 Kings 2:1-4 (NIV) When the time drew near for David to die, he gave a charge to Solomon his son. "I am about to go the way of all the earth," he said. "So be strong, act like a man, and observe what the LORD your God requires: Walk in obedience to him, and keep his decrees and commands, his laws and regulations, as written in the Law of Moses. Do this so that you may prosper in all you do and wherever you go and that the LORD may keep his promise to me: 'If your descendants watch how they live, and if they walk faithfully before me with all their heart and soul, you will never fail to have a successor on the throne of Israel.' While visiting a church over the weekend, the pastor read this passage in the opening minutes of his sermon. I have read these verses several times since Sunday morning, and I have been deeply inspired by this wonderful instruction. If every man were 'strong and acted like a man' and 'walked in obedience to Him' what a wonderful world it would be! Have you ever thought what it means to act like a man? The passage clarifies that when we are obedient to Him and truly follow His laws and regulations, then we will prosper. I am often reminded that because we have failed as a nation to be obedient to God's laws, we have fallen extremely short of God's ideal plan for us. Dear Friend, how about you? Are you living your life in obedience and faithfulness to Him? Do you shape your life around God's laws and are humbly abiding by His teachings? There is no better time than right now to test your own life and to be honest with the One who loves you most. Blessings to You, Dave Henry

Question ???

Have you done what God has asked you to do?

Have a great day!
RTW

Are You Building Your Relationship with Him?

Philippians 3:10-14 (NIV) "I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." Today my wife and I share our 12th Wedding Anniversary. I remember meeting her many years ago. Both of us enjoyed spending time together in person and over the phone. Living in a different city about an hour away, I clearly remember setting aside time after work to visit with her and talk with her on the phone, in a purposeful effort to strengthen our relationship. She was certainly as interested and as willing as I was to develop our relationship. Building strong, cohesive interpersonal relationships with our spouse and with our family is very important. However, building a strong, cohesive, everlasting relationship with our Savior should be our greatest goal. Dear Friend, do you remember the day that God changed your heart? Do you crave to know the power of His resurrection? To strengthen our relationship with Him, we must take time each and every day to read our bible, and talk to Him. He is waiting for you right now. Take a few moments from your busy day and focus on the One who first loved you. Blessings to You, Dave Henry

The Good Shepherd

Psalm 23

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures:
He leadeth me beside the still waters.
3 He restoreth my soul:
He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil: for Thou art with me;
Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me.
5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies:
Thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life:
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

                                ___________________________________

Jesus is the Good Shepherd sent to care for us, His sheep.

He gives us what we need, not what we ask for. Most of us don't have a clue what

we want or need. I know I have been in that place in my life, I thought I knew what I needed and got mad when I didn't get my way. I did things that should have caused others to give up on me. I felt I had no faith in myself, no love for others.

 

I became in that instant the lost sheep. I was so scared; I needed the guidance of the Good Shepherd. I gave up on myself, and was angry and bitter at the world for no reason. I was in my valley. Christ found me in the depths of my pain and gave me faith and helped me stop asking why everyone and everything was against me, I found that at every step I had been guided by my Savior. He left the other sheep and came for me, bringing me back and making sure I was filled with love. He instilled in me the ability to tell others about the poor decisions and path of anger and wrong I was walking. I was filled with His love, touched by the Holy Spirit.

 

Do I think I am completely perfected? No. But I know who is. Do I sometimes wonder if I am making the right choices? Absolutely I do. I have my doubts, but they are mine alone. And when I feel this way, I give my thoughts and fears over to the Lord. I am filled completely with the peace that I am a child of God, a sheep of the Good Shepherd. He will be there for me always. He has always been there for me. He is my Shepherd. I will not fear. Even though the world has all its shiny dangly trinkets, all the choices that are there to turn me away from my Lord, I am continually led back to the right path by the guiding hand of my Christ. I believe in the Father and He has prepared a home for me with Him. I will forever be cared for.

 

I ask you today to be a sheep of the Good Shepherd. If you have fears, doubt, pain, I urge you to talk to Christ. He doesn't care if you know how to pray. He doesn't care if you wear hand-me down clothes or tailor made suits. He knows your heart, he knows your path. He will lead you where you will be, if only you allow him to be your guide. Please be a part of the flock of the Good Shepherd, and live in Jesus Christ.

 

In Christ,

Rick

Why We Should Pray

Philippians 4:6-7 "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." James 5:16 (NIV) "Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective." Ephesians 6:18 (NIV) "And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord's people." Romans 8:26 (NIV) "In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans." Last week as our nation set aside a special day called The National Day of Prayer, which is the first Thursday of the month in May, I was reminded once again of the importance of individual and corporate prayer. Our county had a local gathering on the grounds of the courthouse, and many Christians gathered at lunchtime to pray for our country. I've heard many people ask the question that if God already knows what will happen in the future, why do we need to pray? Brothers and Sisters, we have been commanded to pray. Prayer is our lifeline, and is our primary connection with God. Sometimes we don't know how to pray or what we should pray for, but the Holy Spirit is our intercessor as the scriptures have promised us. Isn't that awesome?! Dear Friend, how about you? Do you take time each day to present your requests to God? The bible tells us that we should come before Him with thanksgiving, and the peace of God, which passes all earthly understanding will be granted unto us. Wow! The scriptures also tell us to confess our sins to one another and to pray for each other so that we may experience healing. And remember, even when we don't know how to pray, the Holy Sprit is always here to guide us, and is always ready to intercede for us. God is truly an awesome God, and He wants His children to daily interact with Him. Take a few moments right now to thank God for the wonderful gift of prayer! Praying for His Blessings on Your Life, Dave Henry

Finding good in others!

Find something good in someone you spend time with today. Maybe a family member, co-worker,
or friend. Share with them the good you see in them. You may just change the outlook on
their day and provide comfort for them. Finding good in other will raise moral in the work
place. Give it a try, and watch what God does today all around you.

Hebrews 13:16
And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.

Have a great Monday

RTW

Have We Lost Jesus?

 

We as Christians should be able to understand and forgive more quickly than others. However, that is not the case most of the time. Why? We are opinionated, overbearing, and confrontational. Some of us are just downright mean. That is what happens when you lose sight of the reason we are who we are. Jesus Christ.

 

Joseph and Mary had gathered their belongings and started for home; after a time they noticed something was wrong, someone was missing. Jesus.

 

How odd is it that they lost him in the temple. They lost Jesus at church. If the parents of Jesus of Nazareth could lose him at church, how easy then is it for us to lose sight of our Jesus. We tend to lose sight of Jesus at church, when we argue about the color of the carpet, or the lighting or where the picture of Jesus should be placed.

 

There were two older men from a church and they complained and bickered about everything. The two men lived next to each other for years and had never once been able to agree on the fence line that divided their property. They argued and complained about each other to the minister who finally suggested to both men that the only way to sort out their differences was to sit down with each other and read the Bible. The pastor even suggested a few passages. The two men met and one agreed to read while the other prayed. The one who was to read forgot his glasses and couldn't see to read any of the book. The other man said, "Try my glasses and see if they help." Both men sat and read and prayed. The man who had forgotten his glasses but had been using the other mans' glasses looked up at his companion and said, "I am sorry for all the trouble we have had. It's odd; looking through your glasses, that fence line doesn't look so wrong."

 

Friends, when you complain about others are you seeing things through their eyes? Are you being a good Christian? Have you lost sight of Jesus?

 

We as Christians have to keep searching and seeking the Word of our Lord. We have to help others to see when they cannot. But we must be willing to look when others are showing us what we are missing. Compromise, love, and compassion are traits that we all have to grow in our hearts to "see" through another's glasses.

 

In Christ,

Rick

Trust God to Lead the Way!

Psalm 121:1-2 (NIV) "I lift up my eyes to the mountains— where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth." Isaiah 41:10 (NIV) "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." As I was driving today to meet my clients, I traveled on some roads that had eroded and were certainly in disrepair. Driving on the back roads, but trying to take the shortest route, I encountered many potholes and dips in my path that were not beneficial to my car. I became increasingly frustrated and angry as my car continued to endure the punishment of our local roads. Travelling down the twisting, turning, winding roads, there was no feasible way to return back to my point of origin and try a different route. I was already late for my appointment, and there was no way to gain back the lost time. In the peak of my anger, I asked God to help me find the destination. Very quickly thereafter, I found my client's home and God reminded me of today's verses as I pulled in their driveway. They were sitting outside at the picnic table, in the sunshine, relaxed and didn't show any concern over my being late. Dear Friend, how about you? Have you ever been lost, and let frustration overcome you? It is so easy to ask God for help, isn't it? God made it very clear to me, once again, that He is always there to direct us, but we must ask Him to be our guide, and be willing to let Him lead us to our destination. Trusting God to Lead the Way, Dave Henry

Too Loud!

I was out at a church practicing music for an event I've been asked to play this month with my youth group and I lost track of time. I had the church doors locked so no one could come in but I was playing past 10 o'clock. And as we all know...old people like to go to bed early, fun killers. So as I was jamming away and losing track of time, I realized there was a car outside in the parking lot. I imagine they were knocking on the door trying to tell me to be quite. I'm kind of waiting to see if I get any trouble from it, but what a perfect example of suffering hardship for my Lord and Savior. I'll take a fine or ticket for rockin' too loud for Jesus anyday! I have a greater reward coming for it anyway! -Rockin' Loud For Jesus- -Tyler

One Heart, One Mind

Acts 4:32-35 (NIV) "All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had. With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God's grace was so powerfully at work in them all that there were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned land or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to anyone who had need." Last week I was talking to some friends, and we discussed the huge disparity between the filthy rich and the destitute people in our town and in our country. I offered the words from a well-known author and financial advisor from many years ago, who stated that God has placed enough resources on this earth for everyone to have what they need to survive, if we will all just share what we have. We have often heard people say that you can't take it with you, so why do we try so hard to accumulate wealth and assets like we are in a major competition with each other? I have joked with others and have said that when I die, I want to have the hearse pull a trailer. Of course, those who are alarmed always inquire why I'd do such a crazy thing, and my reply is always that I want to offer one last laugh for those who truly think I am trying to take my things with me to the grave! Dear Friend, what about you? Have you shared your possessions with others, or have you engaged in personal wealth and acts of hoarding? The very first verse in this passage states that ALL of the believers were in ONE HEART and ONE MIND, which is how God wants us to live. The passage also tells us that they shared EVERYTHING they had. I truly believe that if God is alive in us, and we allow him to lead us and control us, then and only then will we be in ONE HEART and ONE MIND. Blessings to You Today, Dave Henry

Mother's Day is Sunday!

Today I want to take a moment and thank my Mom for all that she has done for me. Mom has always
been there, through the tough times and the good. I have been able to depend upon my Mom every
time I need something. As the years have past I have found that my Mom and I have a great
relationship. I try to speak to my Mom everyday to keep her up on everything that is going on
and to tell her I love her.
Thank you to all Mom's for the things you do. Organizing, Cleaning, picking up after us, cooking,
running errands, laundry, nurse, Mom's play a very important roll in our lives.

It gives me a lot of joy to know that when ever I need my Mom, she is always there. Thank you MOM!

Have a Great Monday! Don't forget Sunday is Mothers day!
RTW

Eph.6:2