From: "Dwayne Savaya" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> God's Work Ministry E-mail
Dear Friend, The beauty of God's creation is a wonder to behold. In the moments when we see ourselves discouraged or when we just don't feel like giving thanks, we should take a moment to look at the beauty that surrounds us. God has created many things that upon closer inspection will make us realize how Great God really is. The vastness of His Creation and the versatility of beauty that is all around us should make us focus more on how big God is and how small our problems are. We are to give praise and thanks to the Lord for giving us dominion over His creation and we are to appreciate this day that He has given us to live. Never allow yourself to become down or discouraged simply because you have trials in your path, but rather give thanks to the Lord that He is with you and has promised to meet all of your needs. (Revelation 4:11) (Psalm 8:3-6) (Psalm 145:14-19) (Philippians 4:19) I hope this message inspires and challenges your heart to appreciate and enjoy to its fullest each day that you are alive. A DAY AT WORK Some folks have a tendency to believe that a bad day fishing is better than a good day at work. Then along comes a day like today. The two inch snow that was predicted had turned in to a six incher, and more in some of the drifts. And at 3 a.m., it made for a pretty interesting trip to work. A half-hour later, I had the windshield cleared and backed up to the door to load. By 5 a.m., the bread was loaded and ready to roll. Everything went pretty well, considering the parking lots were far from being cleared. Everything that was taken in was either packed or dragged. Around seven o'clock, it started getting light. I was headed down a two-lane highway, going to the "country" part of the route, and just starting to see the beauty of the first snowfall. Just a few more stops, then I'd turn and head north, to the top end of the route. Just a few miles out of town, the countryside starts changing. The rolling hills and valleys are considered to be the foothills of the Ozarks. With the snowfall fresh on the landscape, it was a quite a sight. The hilltops were capped with snow, and the valleys were blanked with a deep white layer, drifting sometimes even deeper. The trees were laden with snow, their limbs drooping under the weight. As I topped the highpoint, I stopped the truck just to look out over the landscape. The winter scene spread out before me like a giant painting. With the white trees, and everything covered, and the gray sky background, it gave everything a quiet and peaceful setting. I was surprised to see a beam of sunshine break through the clouds, and shine in to the crystals of ice and snow. The light broke into thousands of tiny rainbows from the natural prisms. A small stream wound its way down and around the hills, its crystal water bubbling over the stones and gravel, and ran by close to the road. Just down and off to the right, a deer had stopped for a drink from the stream, and was staring, unafraid. The whole scene was like a moment suspended in time, not moving, just there to be appreciated, savored. At that particular moment, it was easy to feel very small, almost insignificant. And I realized that all of this, no matter how large or small, is God's creation. And that nothing He created is insignificant orunimportant to Him. Everything has its space and reason for being, a purpose. Everything. A snowflake, an ice crystal, a rainbow that dances like the laughter of a child. Everything... By Bob G. Shaw Read and meditate on these scriptures: Psalm 8:3-6 "When I consider Thy heavens, the work of Thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which Thou hast ordained; What is man, that Thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that Thou visitest him? For Thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour. Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of Thy hands; Thou hast put all things under his feet." Jeremiah 33:2-3 "Thus saith the LORD the maker thereof, the LORD that formed it, to establish it; the LORD is His name; Call unto Me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not." Psalm 145:14-19 "The LORD upholdeth all that fall, and raiseth up all those that be bowed down. The eyes of all wait upon Thee; and Thou givest them their meat in due season. Thou openest Thine hand, and satisfiest the desire of every living thing. The LORD is righteous in all His ways, and holy in all His works. The LORD is nigh unto all them that call upon Him, to all that call upon Him in truth. He will fulfil the desire of them that fear Him: He also will hear their cry, and will save them." Psalm 138:6-8 "Though the LORD be high, yet hath He respect unto the lowly: but the proud He knoweth afar off. Though I walk in the midst of trouble, Thou wilt revive me: Thou shalt stretch forth Thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies, and Thy right hand shall save me. The LORD will perfect that which concerneth me: Thy mercy, O LORD, endureth for ever: forsake not the works of Thine own hands." All of these scriptures can be found in the King James Version Bible. Today's Selected Poem: ENRICHING THOUGHTS Click here to read --- http://www.Godswork.org/inpoem157.htm Today's Selected Testimony: DO YOU BELIEVE IN MIRACLES? Click here to read --- http://www.Godswork.org/testimony30.htm =========================================== God's Work Ministry E-mail Dear Friend, We should never take for granted the time that God has given us with one another. The wonderful memories that are created by our interaction with one another will be remembered far longer than we can ever think or imagine. We must take the initiative to enjoy every moment that we are lucky to have with those whom we love and not squander those opportunities by not realizing how special they are. (James 4:11-14) (Romans 12:10) Be encouraged to take the time to tell those closest to you how you feel about them. Verbalize what you feel in your heart and make known your love. Love intended is not the same as love shown. Do something you haven't done before to show your love so that in the future, those loved ones can look back and think of what you did for them and smile. I hope this message ministers to your heart to not wait until it is too late to show your love, but rather start this day to share and make known how greatly loved those closest to you truly are. UNTIL THE END OF TIME Off in the distance the old record player is stacked with the sounds of the very best of days gone by. One by one the lp's drop, skid into place, and the sounds of Christmas fill the room. Perry Como, Frank Sinatra, Mel Torme and Ella Fitzgerald take turns serenading the old man as he opens the box marked "Christmas." "It's not the same, but it is the best it can be considering." "Considering what?" I ask. "Considering the fact that my love is not with me," he says quietly. "Have yourself a merry little Christmas" he sings above the scratchy sounds of Perry Como. If records are well before your time you would not appreciate this. But there are many who believe the purest sounds come from a 33 1/3 lp even with the scratches. You learn to tune them out. He pulls the box a little closer, then resting his hands on it for a moment, almost like the laying on of hands at a prayer meeting; he pauses, then unties the string. It appears that the string he used, like his dreams, is old, a little frayed and unraveled, but still serving a greater purpose. Lifting the lid, he stops once more and gazes into the box. "Ah, Christmas!" he says. Like a surgeon, he places his hands gently, slowly into the box before him and carefully removes the contents placing it on the table. Whatever this treasure may be, it is wrapped in plain brown paper. Moving it side to side, he pulls and tugs until it is revealed. "This, this is Christmas," he says. Then lifting it up slightly above his head he looks underneath as if searching for something. It is a classic old mantel clock. "Oh, my friend that is beautiful!" I said. "Mahogany wood?" He doesn't answer me. He sat there lost in a place and time perhaps when you and I did not even exist. He held the clock, no embraced it like he was holding the most precious thing on earth. "Oh, I'm sorry. I love this clock. It means the world to me," he said. "I can tell," I reply. He smiles and glances back at me. "This is Christmas," he whispers. "May I ask why? Why do you see it as Christmas?" He then went on to explain. His wife had been very ill for some time. In the spring of that year she could no longer walk. By fall, her interest in things around her dimmed. Then with the approach of Christmas she seemed to rise above it all. Her husband thought that this was a sure sign that she would recover. Just before Christmas she told him to go to the local store. He was to ask for the "Christmas Box" with her name on it. She made him promise not to open it nor ask what was inside. He did and as requested he returned with the box in hand. "Place it under the bed," she asked of him. It was on that Christmas Eve that she presented him with the box. Now weakened from the cold dampness and the return of her symptoms, she could hardly make it through the night. "Open it," she told him. He untied the string, unwrapped the contents and read the small card inside. "This is a symbol of my love for you...forever until the end of time." She reached under the clock and removed a small key. Opening the front glass covering the face of the clock, she took the key and began to wind it. With all her strength she could only manage to turn the key a few times. She carefully closed the door and laid her head on his shoulder. "We fell asleep that way," he said to me. The next morning, Christmas day, she was gone. "With all her strength she could not manage to wind the clock completely. It stopped just minutes short of midnight on Christmas day," he said. Then turning toward where I was standing he said, "She loved me until the end of time, her time. I have never wound that clock again. It holds Christmas, our last Christmas inside." We sat together until the last record dropped. How appropriate it was. "I'm dreamin' tonight of a place I love, Even more then I usually do and although I know it's a long road back I promise you. I'll be home for Christmas..." May the most valuable gift you receive this Christmas be found not in a box, but in the hearts of those you love... "until the end of time." By Bob Perks Read and meditate on these scriptures: John 13:34-35 Jesus declares "A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are My disciples, if ye have love one to another." 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." Psalm 34:17-19 "The righteous cry, and the LORD heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles. The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all." Galatians 5:13-16 "For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another. This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh." All of these scriptures can be found in the King James Version Bible. Today's Selected Poem: 25 SECRETS OF ENDLESS LOVE Click here to read --- http://www.Godswork.org/enpoem176.htm Today's Selected Testimony: AN EASTER MIRACLE Click here to read --- http://www.Godswork.org/testimony172.htm I pray that you have a very blessed Christmas and a joyful, prosperous and enjoyable coming year. As you depend on the Lord this coming year, may all of your hearts desires come true for you and fill you with God's peace, wholeness and happiness. In Christ's Love and 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.
