To my dear brothers and sisters in Christ, I thank you all for these past 4 years of what God has and is doing in my life. I thank you all for in the past you have sent encouraging e-mails and cards. I want to share with you what has been going on since May. God placed on my heart to pick up once again "Holiest of All" by Andrew Murrey. It is an in depth study of Hebrews. A study of faith. But this time He has brought me through to the end of the book. I have picked up almost daily to read and study what is said of a few scriptures. The last time I picked this up it was way over a year ago. I got 1/2 way and that as far I was aloud to go. I got to the place about drawing back. God does not take pleasure in those who draw back. That hit me. At that point I took a hard look on the lack of trust in God to see me through. I repented. This past summer was very hard for me to breathe. I was very sick and had a hard time going out of the house. When I did go out. It took me a while to recover. But though this I was learning to have faith. I am now at the last quarter of this book. It is very powerful but basic teaching. Do you realize that the key to back sliding is walking in your own strength. Do you realize that faith is as natural as breathing and seeing. But what gets in the way is our hard hearts and our thinking. God showed me two examples of faith. A baby is born. He begins to breathe and later see. Does he whine and say I want to go back inside mom. If he does think that .He can't. The afterbirth is gone and the womb is closed. What about a butterfly? At one point he was a caterpillar. He was clawing along. One day he made a cocoon. The he ate his way out to become a butterfly. In both of these, neither could go back. No matter how great the trial is. We should not face it with our own strength. We must step forward in faith when it is God's time. Brethren, we need to surrender our wills daily. For we must face the day with His spirit. We are not our own and neither we own time or things we have. We neither own faith. Great faith is one that gives and gives. As God gives us His Word and builds our faith. We must let go and be free. As we are free of self. God can work through us to reach others. I surrender my will. I realized getting SSDI is lax of faith. That 6 times of being denied. Two of those where I had to call twice to get the paper work. I realize to get this. I had to lie and shut down Eagle Feather's 18th Century Clothing Shoppe. The day i did that. I had a peace that I could not work up. I had faith that could move mountains. That day also I realized that I need to trust God to go to church on a Sunday morning. To fear not what can harm me. But to trust in God who knows me best. I also received a phone call from an historical society. They were looking at many sutlers to do work for them. What did that tell me? That God cares. But brethren, there are no deals with God. Many have said that they will follow God if he would________. You fill in the blank. People want conditions. But God wants your heart. Feb. 96, God place on my heart. He ask was I willing to follow Him even if He does not healing me. I said yes. I had to get my eyes off my adversity and on to Him. What did I get in return? A deeper relationship with God. What did God get from me. My heart. God wants to use. But let our wills get in His way. We cling to things which we can not take with us to the grave. God wants us to let go of those. So we could be a vessel that he can use. Our motto should be "BY FAITH". rick/eagle feather (FCF/Wilderness Oct. 97) bond servant of the Most High God Isaiah 40:31 serving Christ as my Lord and master. He is the true owner of Eagle Feather's 18th Century Clothing Shoppe web site http://www.datasync.com/~jwmort/baldwin/welcome.html ___________________________________________________________________ Get the Internet just the way you want it. Free software, free e-mail, and free Internet access for a month! Try Juno Web: http://dl.www.juno.com/dynoget/tagj. _______ To unsubscribe, send "unsubscribe rangernet" to [EMAIL PROTECTED] "Eat the hay & spit out the sticks! - A#1's mule" RTKB&G4JC! http://rangernet.org Autoresponder: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
