From: "Dwayne Savaya" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> God's Work Ministry E-Mail
Dear Friend, The goodness and favor of the Lord reaches from everlasting to everlasting. He wishes to comfort us in our distress and lift us up when we are feeling low. The Bible says that God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. He is our light, our shield, our protector, our Lord and our Savior. The Bible declares in Psalm 34:8-9 "O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in Him. O fear the LORD, ye His saints: for there is no want to them that fear Him." In the tough times of life, we must bring into remembrance the faithfulness of the Lord and know that He is with us and that all things will work together for our good. Be encouraged to trust the Lord in every area of your life knowing that He is faithful to those who trust Him. (Psalm 103:17) (Isaiah 59:1) I hope this message ministers to your heart to always depend on the Lord and know that God will not withhold any good thing from you. THE SHADOW AND THE CHICK This story, about one of our numerous pets, happened many years ago, but it is one of those unforgettable events that leave a lasting impression. My shadow fell at an eighty-five degree angle behind me as I passed the gravel pit, but I barely noticed. I was exhausted after having climbed the two-kilometer hill from where my car had decided to go on strike. "And to think, I still have two or three more kilometers to hike before I reach home." I sighed. My mind was already on flopping down in my lazy-boy chair, a large glass of ice water in my hand, kicking off my shoes, and closing my eyes. Thinking about it, my eyelids drooped. As I shuffled along the gravel road, I had a creepy feeling that someone was following me. My eyes popped open; I spun my head around; I froze. After looking in every direction, but seeing no one, I continued my walking. But the feeling of being stalked increased. Again I spun my head around, slowing my pace. That's when I saw him, his size exaggerated by my fright. He crouched, just at the tip of my shadow, when he saw me turn my head. My hand flew to my heart. "Oh!" I said, taking a step toward the object of my fright. "You scared me half to death!" As I walked slowly toward the big gray cat he began to retreat. "Well, if that's the way you want it, fine." My heart still pounding, I changed direction, heading once more toward home. Every once in awhile I would turn my head to see if the cat was still following me. He was, always just within my shadow. If I stopped, he stopped. If I turned around and walked toward him, he walked away from me. If I ran a few steps, he ran a few steps. It became a game to him. I decided that his intention was to become my shadow. So, like one ignores a shadow, I ignored the cat. It wasn't until the following morning when I went out to do the chores that I thought any further about the cat. But there he was, hiding in the shadow of the house. How had he managed to maneuver his way around the geese, the ducks, the turkeys, the chickens, the dog, and the two about-to- be-mother cats, to even enter our yard? And how had he been allowed, by the menagerie to remain? Picking up a dish of cat food I crept toward the shadow. He tensed, slinking a few feet away. I set the food down and stood back to watch. As slowly as a shadow turns with the sun, the cat moved toward the food. Our big Malamute, Skipper, wagged his tail, as if approving my decision to let the shadow stay. I gave the big dog a pat on his head. Then and there he took it upon himself to become the cat's personal bodyguard. Two weeks after The Shadow's arrival, "Sugar" and "Cinnamon", on two consecutive days, presented the family with three kittens each. Then a strange thing happened. "Shadow" -- as I decided to name the cat -- for the first time since allowing us to adopt him, entered the house and began to explore. This time it was I who did the shadowing. And it was when I was following him around that I discovered that "The Shadow" had not come alone, and that "he" was a "she", and she was looking for a place to deposit her litter. An hour later she produced two kittens, one dead, and one as gray as herself. At the same time as the cats were having their kittens; the hens were hatching their chicks. Fourteen lively, fluffy chicks followed behind their respective mothers. But one chick, not so lively, lagged behind, peeping at the top of its lungs for its mother to come back and get him. Mother hen had no time for an offspring who couldn't keep up, so she ignored him. The peeping grew louder. Leaving her kitten in the safety of its box, Shadow trotted off in the direction of the distressed chick. Picking him up in her mouth, as gently as she would have, had he been her kitten, she carried him back to the house, depositing him in the box beside her own sightless baby, then nestled in beside them. For two days, until it died, she showered on that chick all the love and devotion she had reserved for her own dead offspring. Every time she tried to wash him, he wobbled and tumbled over onto his back, peeping his protest, unresponsive to her love. Try as she may she could not make a kitten out of that fluffy yellow chick. A devoted mother to an ungrateful chick, Shadow remained aloof and distant, watching and following us in secret. One day, like a shadow on a cloudy day, she disappeared, perhaps to become someone else's shadow. But left behind was her one remaining kitten, who, strangely enough, could often be found in the chicken pen, snoozing contentedly in one of the nesting boxes. By Helen Dowd Read and meditate on these scriptures: 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 "Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God." Psalm 37:3-5 "Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed. Delight thyself also in the LORD; and He shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in Him; and He shall bring it to pass." Joshua 1:9 "Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest." Psalm 37:3-6 "Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed. Delight thyself also in the LORD; and He shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in Him; and He shall bring it to pass. And He shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday." All of these scriptures can be found in the King James Version Bible. Today's Selected Poem: DO NOT FEAR Click here to read --- http://www.Godswork.org/inpoem174.htm Today's Selected Testimony: GOD IS FAITHFUL Click here to read --- http://www.Godswork.org/testimony118.htm ================================================= From: "Dwayne Savaya" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> God's Work Ministry E-Mail Dear Friend, In this day that we are living, people more and more are only interested in their own life and what they are going through. They do not take the time to look at the needs of others and think about how they can be helpful to make somebody else's life better and easier to cope with. We are all connected in this world because there is One Creator who has made us all and His principal command is to love one another as He loves us. How do we love one another? We love one another by thinking of them as highly and preferably as we think of ourselves. We think about how they are getting along. If they are in need of assistance, we have to make ourselves available to lend a helping hand and lighten the burden that they carry. Jesus said 'love one another as I have loved you.' He also tells us to do good works towards others that they may see our good works and Glorify our Father in Heaven. (2 Timothy 3:1-5) (3 John 11) (Psalm 100:2-5) (John 13:34) I hope this message encourages your heart to see that we are all brothers and sisters in this world and are all connected by One Creator. We are to care for those around us just as we do for ourselves. THEY ARE ALL OUR CHILDREN There are few things in this life more difficult to experience than the loss of one's child. Jim Wallis, in "Who Speaks For God?" tells about a sad and terrifying incident that occurred during the tragic war in Sarajevo a few years ago. A reporter who was covering the violence in the middle of the city saw a little girl fatally shot by a sniper. The reporter threw down his pad and pencil and rushed to the aid of the man who was now holding the child. He helped them both into his car and sped off to a hospital. "Hurry, my friend," the man urged, "my child is still alive." A moment or two later he pleaded, "Hurry, my friend, my child is still breathing." A little later he said, "Hurry, my friend, my child is still warm." When they got to the hospital, the little girl was gone. "This is a terrible task for me," the man said to the reporter. "I must go tell her father that his child is dead. He will be heartbroken." The reporter was amazed. He looked at the grieving man and said, "I thought she was your child." The man replied, "No, but aren't they all our children?" Jim Wallis adds this: "Yes, they are all our children. They are also God's children as well, and he has entrusted us with their care in Sarajevo, in Somalia, in New York City, in Los Angeles, in my hometown of Perry, Georgia and...in Washington, D.C." What a fascinating question: Aren't they all our children? Under our roof and across the street? In the next town, the next state, the next country? In Europe and North America? In Africa and Asia? In prosperous nations and developing countries? In the jungles of South America and on sandy island coastlands? Aren't they all our children? Ours to feed? Ours to clothe? Ours to educate? Ours to keep safe? But mostly, ours to love? "If we have no peace," said Mother Teresa, "it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other." If we belong to each other, they are indeed our children. Ours to care for. Is there a greater privilege? By Steve Goodier Read and meditate on these scriptures: 1 John 3:16-18 "Hereby perceive we the love of God, because He laid down His life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth." John 13:12-15 "So after He had washed their feet, and had taken His garments, and was set down again, He said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you? Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you." Matthew 25:37-40 Jesus declares "Then shall the righteous answer Him, saying, Lord, when saw we Thee an hungred, and fed Thee? or thirsty, and gave Thee drink? When saw we Thee a stranger, and took Thee in? or naked, and clothed Thee? Or when saw we Thee sick, or in prison, and came unto Thee? And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto Me." 1 Peter 3:8-11 "Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous: Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing. For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile: Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it." All of these scriptures can be found in the King James Version Bible. Today's Selected Poem: YOU ARE IMPORTANT Click here to read --- http://www.Godswork.org/enpoem134.htm Today's Selected Testimony: MY MIRACLE STORY Click here to read --- http://www.Godswork.org/testimony186.htm In Christ's Service, Dwayne Savaya God's Work Ministry Please feel free to visit the Website to read more Encouraging and Inspirational stories, poems and testimonies. Our E-mail Archives are available as well to read the messages that have been sent in the past. You can now hear our stories and poems right on our website. Volume One contains 15 messages that can be heard and enjoyed at Godswork.org. To hear our messages, please click on this link: http://www.Godswork.org/Audio.htm You can also send Free E-cards to friends and loved ones with the many choices available. You are also welcome to post your prayer requests in our Prayer Forum. All this and more available at --- http://www.Godswork.org You can also send prayer requests to --- [EMAIL PROTECTED] Add your E-mail address if you'd like correspondence with the prayer partners.
