Journey Through The Bible e-letter

The kingdom building ministry of Pastor Charles J. Williams, Jr., M.Div. promoting five Christian disciplines; obedience, prayer, reading and studying the Bible, ministry service, and personal evangelism.  This newsletter version represents the prayerful hope that you will grow closer to God and live the abundant life which only comes through Jesus Christ.

Monday, May 17, 1999

 From God's Word:

  Lessons from the Life of David, Part 1 of 4: David Was Blessed

 

"When your days are over and you rest with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, who will come from your own body, and I will establish his kingdom. He is the one who will build a house for my Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. I will be his father, and he will be my son." (2 Sam 7:12-14a)

 

David was indeed a blessed man. God called him to be King of all Israel while yet a boy; He shielded him from harm and protected him from persecution by those who would seek to hurt him; He gave him much success in his daily work and task; He granted him fame and wealth and more -- much more. Still, I can not help but realize how blessed I am when I read about God's blessing upon the King, and David's subsequent prayer of thanksgiving, in chapter seven of second Samuel. For like David, I -- and all who accept Christ by faith alone, have been greatly blessed.

    Harbored within our selected text lies blessing far exceeding earthly wealth and treasure. First, there is the blessing of eternal life. David would indeed rest "with his fathers." Second, there is the blessing of ancestry. David's children would succeed him. I particularly like the way God clarifies this blessing with David. He leaves no room for misinterpretation as Abraham did in Genesis 16:1-2. Third, there was the blessing of Messianic lineage. David may or may not have fully understood this but it was, in fact, the greatest blessing of all.

    If you are like most believers, you too consider David to be blessed. And if you do, then you should count yourself equally blessed. As redeemed children of God, we too enjoy God's promise of eternal life (see John 14:3, Rom 6:23, Rom 10:13); we too enjoy the blessing of fruitfulness (see Rom 8:38-39); and we too enjoy the promise of sharing Christ's eternal inheritance (see Rom 8:16-17).

    Yes, David was blessed. But from this passage we can also discover an important life lesson which aids us in overcoming the doldrums of the world -- for we are greatly blessed too!

 

How great you are, O Sovereign Lord! There is no one like you, and there is no God but you, as we have heard with our own ears. And who is like your people whom You accept on faith. You have performed great and awesome wonders by sending us Your only begotten Son, that through Him we shall not perish but have everlasting life. You have established us as your children forever, and You, O Lord, have become our God. Amen. (adapted from 2 Sam 7:22-24)

Together We Pray

For a father in serious condition following a family car accident; give thanks for the man's pregnant wife and two small boys as they escaped unharmed.

    For those in the hospital who are unchurched -- may God grant us wisdom to reach them by helping meet their needs.

    For a wife and mother who has been sick but is feeling some better.

    For a beautiful couple in Fairfax, Virginia who have been trying to have a baby -- may God grant them a child by this time next year.

    For a couple who has separated and are in the process of seeking help before it is too late.

    For a couple undergoing the mortgage process.

    In thanksgiving for a youth yard sale and car wash that raised over $700 for an upcoming youth missions trip.

    For a senior adult who fell recently and dislocated his shoulder.

    In great gratitude for a young mother who had been confined to bed during the last weeks of her pregnancy; the mother gave birth to a healthy baby girl recently.

    In gratitude of new church members and the promise of more fruit to come.

    For a beautiful but sick 10-year old in whom doctors can not yet determine what is wrong.

    For a couple in Oklahoma who lost everything but not their faith -- there are no doubt others.

    For ongoing Kosovo and Oklahoma relief efforts.

    For God's great love, His boundless blessings, and His very presence in times of trouble . . . Amen.

Click here to share your prayer concerns and/or updates!

Living By Faith:

Faith At Gunpoint: Cassie Bernall's Story and More

By Art Toalston

LITTLETON, Colo. (BP) -- As Jesus fed the 5,000 with five loaves of bread and two fish, "Cassie fed the world with one word, 'Yes,'" said Dave McPherson, youth minister at West Bowles Community Church, Littleton, Colo., the Sunday after Cassie Bernall was slain at Columbine High School.
    Cassie's "Yes" came in response to the question, "Do you believe in God?" posed by one of the two deranged classmates who shot her to death, along with 11 other students and a teacher, and wounding nearly two dozen others, before taking their own lives in a April 20 melee at the 1,900-student school.
     "Yes, I believe in God," Cassie, 17, told the gun- and pipe bomb-wielding gunman.
     "Why?" he mused rhetorically without giving Cassie a chance to respond before pulling the trigger.
     "Bernall entered the Columbine High School library to study during lunch. She left a martyr," the Denver Rocky Mountain News stated.
     Cassie's answer came after a long pause.
     "I think she knew she was going to die if she said that," one of her friends, Kevin Koeniger, a member of Cassie's youth group at West Bowles Community Church, told National Public Radio's "Morning Edition."
     "That's why she waited so long. She didn't wait determining whether to say yes or no. But she knew that if she said yes, she would die," Koeniger said. . . .

Read the rest of Cassie's story, and that of other students at Columbine High, on the JTTB Web Site!

How has God helped you?  Where have you seen God at work?  Share your story today!

Ministry Needs . . .

Kosovo . . .  An effort is now underway to help the needy in Kosovo with an item overlooked at present -- underwear. It's not something we often talk about but it is very much in need right now.

    Operation Save the Children, in conjunction with Southern Baptists and other churches in South Carolina, are collecting undergarments for both sexes and all sizes. Diapers are not being asked for but one may contribute such if your heart desires. If you are interested in helping, please buy NEW undergarments and contact your Operation Save the Children or contact me and I will make arrangements to receive your donation. Other relief organizations are collecting other items and, of course, monetary contributions. Our Journey Through the Bible web site has more details.

 

Oklahoma . . .  NAMB Releases $150,000 to Help Oklahoma Tornado Victims, By James Dotson

ALPHARETTA, Ga. (BP)--The North American Mission Board has released $150,000 in disaster assistance funds to help victims of May 3's deadly tornadoes in Oklahoma.
    The money will be used primarily for $500 grants to individual families through local churches, said Jim Burton, director of volunteer mobilization for NAMB.
    "The local churches are screening the families, verifying the needs, and the checks eventually will be delivered to them to help them from anything ranging to apartment deposits to food and anything else they need," Burton said.
    The NAMB funds are in addition to another $150,000 in disaster assistance funds released by the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma last week, Burton said.
    Burton said the expenditure is the largest amount released at one time since disaster relief became the responsibility of NAMB at its formation in 1997.
    "This is just a first step, and we anticipate many requests," he said, noting damage assessment is not complete and long-term rebuilding efforts likely will be extensive. "We're into a catastrophic type of response. It's going to take an extraordinary means to help these people get their lives back together and minister to them in the name of Christ."

 

Click here to discover ways you can get involved. . .

 

Internet Corner

 

The NEW Old Farmer's Almanac!   I found a good one for you this week. A few weeks ago I was wondering what the weather would be like for our scheduled Vacation Bible School. I then remembered that as a boy, my neighbor, "Mr. Bill," always kept a copy of "The Farmer's Almanac" in his barn. I recall flipping through it's pages more than once with the wide eyes and boundless interest of a young man. The Almanac's pages fascinated me for they were famous for accurately forecasting the weather -- at least that's what Mr. Bill said.

    The Farmer's Almanac continues to intrigue me -- and today, it is doing it online at www.almanac.com.

    Visitors to The Old Farmer's Almanac will find something of interest regardless of age. Senior adults will enjoy a walk down memory lane with it's quaint graphics and the personalized way the site provides weather forecasts for your area. Younger visitors will much enjoy the warmth and variety of activities and articles available. In short, you are going to love it!

    They say a picture is worth a thousand words. I believe that to be true. So check it out for yourself . . . it's some of the good stuff on the Internet.

 

Have you an idea for "Internet Corner"?  Write us.

For other interesting web sites, check out our list of links on the Journey Through the Bible web site.

Want More?

e-mail us at jttb@oocities.com or visit us on the World Wide Web at www.oocities.org/~jttb for the latest updates on Service/Ministry opportunities, the complete one year Bible reading plan, links to web sites that help you grow in Christ, e-letter back issues, biographical data on Pastor Williams, and much more.

God loves you!  (cf John 3:16)

(c) 1999 Charles J. Williams, Jr., M.Div.  All rights reserved.

Preview subscribers will automatically become subscribers unless we hear from you otherwise.  Send an e-mail to Journey Through the Bible to unsubscribe from this free ministry.  Submitted testimonies and prayer requests are subject to editing by Pastor Williams for length and content.  Bible readings alternate between Old and New Testament selections so as to journey the reader through the Bible in one year.  Reflection verses are suggestions for daily spiritual growth.  When reflecting, ask yourself: "What is God saying to 'me' in the this passage?"  Then ask "What will I say to God in response?"