From: "Dwayne Savaya" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> God's Work Ministry E-mail
Dear Friend, We should be grateful to the Lord for the good times in our life and be quick to seek the Lord when tough times come our way. In good and in bad we must be in communion with the Lord. We should not seek the Lord only when bad things happen, but rather we are to give God praise and thanks in the good times and realize that we are blessed beyond compare. The Bible declares in Psalm 34:1 "I will bless the LORD at all times: His praise shall continually be in my mouth." The Lord is good and deserving of our praise. He answers us when we call upon Him and He gives us peace to know that all will be well. Be encouraged to trust that God will be with you all the days of your life and will make all things to work for your good because you love Him. (1 Thessalonians 5:18) (Isaiah 26:3) (Romans 11:33-36) I hope this message encourages your heart to trust and depend on the Lord when tough times come your way. Have faith that God has not left your side, but is right there working all things to your benefit. DADDY HANDS I awoke in the night to find my husband, Marty, gently rocking our baby son, Noah. I stood for a moment in the doorway; watching this amazing man, with whom I was so blessed to share my life, lovingly stroke Noah's fat pink cheeks in an effort to comfort him. I felt in my heart that something was seriously wrong with Noah. This was one of several nights Noah had been up, burning with a high fever. Tears filled my eyes as I watched my beautiful husband move Noah's little cheek up against his own chest, so that Noah could feel the vibrations of his voice. Noah is deaf. Learning to comfort him has brought on a whole new way of thinking for us. We relied on our voices, a soothing lullaby, audio toys, and music to comfort our other children. But with Noah, we need to use touch, his soft blankie, sight, the feel of our voices, and most importantly, the use of sign language to communicate emotions and a sense of comfort to him. My husband made the sign for "I love you" with his hand and I saw a tear roll down his cheek as he placed Noah's tiny, weak hand on top of his. We had taken Noah to the doctor more times than I can remember. It had been a week and a half and Noah's fever remained very high and very dangerous, despite everything the doctor or we had tried. I knew in my soul the way only a mother can know, that Noah was in trouble. I gently touched my husband's shoulder and we looked into each other's eyes with the same fear and knowledge that Noah's wasn't getting any better. I offered to take over for him, but he shook his head, and once again, I was amazed at this wonderful man who is the father of my children. When many fathers would have gladly handed over the parenting duties for some much needed sleep, my husband stayed stubbornly and resolutely with our child. When morning finally came, we called the doctor and were told to bring him in again. We already knew that he would probably put Noah in the hospital. So, we made arrangements for the other children, packed bags for all three of us, and tearfully drove to the doctor's office once again. Our hearts filled with dread, we waited in a small room, different from the usual examining room we had become used to. Our doctor finally came in, looked Noah over, and told us the news we expected. Noah had to be admitted to the hospital. Now. The drive to the hospital in a neighboring town seemed surreal. I couldn't focus on anything, couldn't think, and couldn't stop crying. My husband reassured me that he felt in his heart that Noah would be okay. We admitted Noah and were taken to his room right away. It was a tortuous night, filled with horrible tests that made my son's tiny little voice echo though the halls as he screamed over and over. I felt as if I were shattering from the inside out. My husband never wavered in his faith. He comforted me and Noah, and everyone who called to check on Noah. He was a rock. When the first batch of tests were done, the nurse informed us that a spinal tap would be performed soon. Meningitis was suspected. Marty and I had prayer together with Noah. Our hands intertwined, we held our son and the love of my life lifted his voice to the Lord, telling him how grateful we were for this awesome little spirit with whom he had entrusted us. With tears streaming down his face, he humbly asked the Lord to heal our son. My heart filled with comfort and gratitude. A short time later, the resident doctor came in. He told us that Noah's first results were back, and that he had Influenza A. No spinal tap was needed! Noah would recover and soon be back to his zesty, tornado little self. And Noah was already standing up in the hospital crib, bouncing like he was on a trampoline. My husband's talk with the Lord was already being answered. Marty and I grinned at each other through our tears, and waited for Noah to be released from the hospital. Finally, in the middle of the night, our own doctor came in and told us that it was fine to take Noah home. We couldn't pack fast enough! A few days later, I was cooking dinner. Noah was healing, slowly but surely. I felt at peace and knew my husband was the greatest father I could ever want for my children. I peeked around the corner into the living room, and chuckled at the picture I saw. There was my husband, sitting in his "daddy chair", Noah in his lap. They were reading a book, dad taking Noah's teeny hands to help him form the signs for the words in the book. They both looked up and caught me watching them, and my husband and I simultaneously signed "I love you" to each other, then to Noah. And then Noah put his little arm up, trying to shape his chubby hand in his own effort to sign "I love you" to his daddy. I watched with tears as my husband carefully helped him form his tiny fingers into the sign with his own gentle hands. Daddy hands. By Susan Fahncke Read and meditate on these scriptures: Romans 11:33-36 "O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are His judgments, and His ways past finding out! For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been His counsellor? Or who hath first given to Him, and it shall be recompensed unto Him again? For of Him, and through Him, and to Him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen." Psalm 147:3-7 "He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds. He telleth the number of the stars; He calleth them all by their names. Great is our Lord, and of great power: His understanding is infinite. The LORD lifteth up the meek: He casteth the wicked down to the ground. Sing unto the LORD with thanksgiving; sing praise upon the harp unto our God." Philippians 4:4-7 "Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice. Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. Be careful for nothing but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." Hebrews 13:5 "Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for He hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me." All of these scriptures can be found in the King James Version Bible. Today's Selected Poem: I AM NOT ALONE Click here to read --- http://www.Godswork.org/enpoem124.htm Today's Selected Testimony: GOD SAVED MY DAD Click here to read --- http://www.Godswork.org/testimony144.htm ============================================= From: "Dwayne Savaya" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> God's Work Ministry E-mail Dear Friend, I hope you are doing well and are in the best of health. I pray that you are rejoicing in this day that God has created and blessing His name for keeping you alive in this beautiful day in time. We must be quick to realize that to be alive in this day is a privilege that the Saints of old could have only wished for. Even with the troubles, heart aches and setbacks, we must see that we are a privileged people who have both been given much and are required of much also. The Lord has gifted each of us in varying ways and calls us to stand in the authority that He has given us through His Word to live a life of victory and triumph to become all who He has made us to be. You are not ordinary, but are a child of God who is special and called to accomplish great things in life. (Jeremiah 31:3) I recently watched a story about a young man named Gustavo Dudamel. Gustavo is a world renowned music conductor who was born in Venezuela. He is known in all circles where classical music is involved and yet he is not even 30 years old. Some might say he is a musical genius. Gustavo started taking music lessons at age 4, he conducted his first orchestra at age 12, he was named conductor of Venezuela's National Youth Orchestra at age 15 and at only 26 years old the Los Angeles Philharmonic hired him as their next music director. I believe those are some great accomplishments for someone who is still so young, but if you see and adapt for yourself how this gifted person thinks, you will say to yourself I can do similar things in areas that I am gifted. (Romans 12:4-8) (1 Corinthians 12:12-31) The interview for the program was filmed mostly in Vienna, Austria and when the interviewer asked Gustavo if he had conducted The Vienna Philharmonic ever before, Gustavo's answer really stayed with me. Gustavo answered, "This is the first time that I am conducting this orchestra for real, but I have been conducting since I was a kid in my mind over and over and over again. In my imagination I have conducted many concerts. Only this time it is for real." The thing that is so special about Gustavo Dudamel is that he has realized the secret to success is found in the imagination. What we imagine to do is what we will bring to pass. The seeds of our imagination will eventually become the fruit and realization of that dream or imagination. (Matthew 17:20) (Proverbs 23:7) (Galatians 6:4-7) There is a powerful story in the Bible concerning man's imagination. You may know the story of the Tower of Babel where men gathered themselves together and decided to build a tower so high that it would reach into the heavens. The story is found in Genesis 11:1-10, but I want to share a brief excerpt from verses 4-7 "And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth. And the LORD came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men builded. And the LORD said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do." The Lord Himself said that 'nothing will be restrained from them which they have imagined to do.' In other words, what they think in their mind is so powerful that nothing can keep them from fulfilling and accomplishing what they first imagined to do. Of course it wasn't God's will for them to succeed and in order to stop them the Lord confounded their language so that one person would not be able to understand another person. Now for us in this day and time that love the Lord and want to do His will, we need to gird ourselves up and imagine the life that we want for ourselves. We must imagine and see ourselves blessed and highly favored. We are to see ourselves successful, healthy, blessed, prosperous, whole, encouraged, above only and not beneath, lending to many people and not borrowing. The picture that we see for ourselves is the picture that will eventually come to life. (Deut. 28:12-14) How do you see yourself? Do you see yourself with a family? Do you see yourself in a successful job? Do you see yourself healthy and whole? This is not a matter of positive thinking, but it is a rule of God that whatever you imagine for yourself and pursue wholeheartedly is what will come to pass in your life. You must believe in yourself as God believes in you and not doubt the gifts and talents that have been instilled within your heart. You must nurture your ability and see yourself succeeding. You must imagine in your mind what you would like your future to be. In which job position, on which stage, in which area of life, etc. What are you imagining about your life? (2 Corinthians 9:8) (2 Chronicles 16:9) God said nothing will be restrained from them which they have imagined to do. Imagine for yourself great things; even things that you can't believe will come true. Think and imagine bigger than you have ever done before and use your faith to believe for what you have not believed for in the past. Always remember that our God can do the impossible, but He will not move unless faith is first put into action. One of my favorite scriptures is found in Hebrews 11:1 "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." I encourage you again to imagine. Do exactly as Gustavo Dudamel has done and see yourself victorious and triumphant. Allow the seeds of your imagination to take root so that in due time those seeds will grow and mature and will finally bring into realization what first started with a simple image in your mind. Praise the Lord that He has given us every tool necessary to live an overcoming, abundant and blessed life in Him. (Galatians 6:9) (John 14:15-19) Read and meditate on these scriptures: 2 Chronicles 16:9 "For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew Himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward Him..." Romans 8:31-32 "What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?" Matthew 21:21-22 Jesus says, ".Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done. And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive." 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: BROUGHT THROUGH THE TRIAL Click here to read --- http://www.Godswork.org/testimony167.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.
