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Walking by Faith in Perilous Times – Jonathan Brentner - https://www.jonathanbrentner.com/https/jonathan-brentner-g8fgsquarespacecom/config/2020/11/11/walking-by-faith-in-perilous-times
I still experience varying emotions in the aftermath of the 2020 presidential election in the United States. At times, I feel a calm confidence in God’s sovereignty. I know we live in the last hours of human history as we know it and all the signs point to the nearness of the seven-year tribulation and hence our departure to the place Jesus is preparing for us (John 14:2-3). On too many occasions, however, what I read about the widespread election fraud aimed against President Trump stirs up panic in my soul. It’s then that I find myself scurrying back to Scripture and prayer through which I bring my heart’s unrest before the Lord. The outcome of the election in the United States impacts the entire world in the sense that if America falls under the leadership of those dedicated to the New World Order, this will remove the most powerful obstacle in the way of the globalists that seek to establish a Marxist one-world government. Habakkuk lived in a day remarkably similar to ours and he felt the same despondency we often feel as we witness the corruption, violence, and injustice of our day. His words below express his desire for the Lord to intervene in the wickedness rampant in ancient Judah. O LORD, how long shall I cry for help, / and you will not hear? / Or cry to you “Violence!” / and you will not save? / Why do you make me see iniquity, / and why do you idly look at wrong? / Destruction and violence are before me; / strife and contention arise. / So the law is paralyzed, / and justice never goes forth. / For the wicked surround the righteous; / so justice goes forth perverted. Habakkuk 1:2-4 Not only does this prophet of old express many of our thoughts today, there’s also much we can learn from the ongoing dialog between Habakkuk and the Lord. The exchange teaches us much about a walk of faith during perilous times. WE CAN EXPRESS OUR THOUGHTS AND FEELINGS TO THE LORD Habakkuk knew that he was not conveying new information to the Lord in his initial complaint, but he felt the freedom to fully express his heart to Him. Putting his feelings in words helped him unburden his heart and clarified the answer he sought from God. We have the freedom to follow the example of the prophet in sharing our deepest feelings with Him knowing that He cares for us. There are a great number of Psalms where David and others do exactly that. As I battled feelings of despondency last week, I made my distress known to the Lord. In response, He brought the words of Psalm 37:28 to my mind. “For the LORD loves justice; / he will never forsake his saints. / They are preserved forever, / but the children of the wicked shall be cut off.” Just as He did with the prophet, God responded to my complaint through His Word, though not quite as directly as He did with Habakkuk. This verse assured me that the Lord sees all the great injustice taking place in America. As a result, I found I could rest in His sovereignty and righteousness while still praying for a favorable resolution to the election. I very much want justice to prevail in the U.S., but I also agree with JD Farag in that if I had a choice between “four more years” and the rapture happening in the next few days or weeks, I would without hesitation pick Jesus’ appearing to take me home. He alone is my Savior and my ultimate hope. WE MAY NOT LIKE GOD’S ANSWER In His response to Habakkuk, the Lord told the prophet about His future judgment of Judah. In 1:5-11, He revealed that the Chaldeans, also known as the Babylonians, would come against Judah because of the violence and injustice the prophet had cited in the opening verses. The Lord’s answer troubled the prophet (see Hab. 1:12-17). How could the Lord use such a fiercely violent and idolatrous people as his instrument of justice on his chosen people? The Lord again assured the prophet that He knew all about the wickedness of the Babylonians and would judge them accordingly (2:6-20). I cannot help but wonder if the great division in the United States stems from the great wickedness that is rampant here. I grieve over the widespread acceptance of the evil and the horrors of abortion and so many other matters such as sex trafficking that surely deserve God’s judgment. I wonder if I would have been happy with God’s response to my complaints during the past week if He would have responded to me as specifically as He did with the prophet. What would the Lord say about the fate of the United States? Would it be as dire as His message concerning the future of Judah in Habakkuk’s day? WE WAIT AND THEN WE WAIT SOME MORE If there’s anything I have learned from my walk with the Lord over the years is that He often makes me wait. He does not answer my pleas as soon as I would like, nor do I see Him respond as quickly to injustice as I expect. But I have also learned that His final answer is always worth waiting for. In response to Habakkuk’s second complaint, the Lord told him to “wait” and that “the righteous shall live by faith” (Hab. 2:2-4). Notice the Lord’s answer to the prophet in these verses: Write the vision; / make it plain on tablets, / so he may run who reads it. / For still the vision awaits its appointed time; / it hastens to the end—it will not lie. / If it seems slow, wait for it; / it will surely come; it will not delay. / “Behold, his soul is puffed up; it is not upright within him, / but the righteous shall live by his faith. In these verses and those that follow, the Lord tells the prophet that He will also judge the Chaldeans, but he would need to wait for it. I believe there was a near and far fulfillment to the vision that Habakkuk saw in the remainder of chapter 2 and most of chapter 3. Under Nebuchadnezzar, the Babylonians destroyed Jerusalem and took many people captive. Habakkuk may have lived to witness this as it happened a decade or two after he wrote. He would not have lived long enough, however, to see God judge the great Chaldean Empire, which occurred almost a century later. As for the future fulfillment of the vision, the Lord will destroy a future representation of Babylon as described in Revelation 18, which I believe is the kingdom of Satan during the tribulation. We see it coming to power now under labels such as the New World Order or The Great Reset. I believe the globalists behind the movement for a one world government lie behind the current coup to remove President Trump via election fraud. He stands in the way of their aspirations to control the world. Spurred on by the devil himself, what we see is evidence of their impatience as they seek to bring the world under their total control. We live in a time of waiting. It may be several weeks, or more, before we learn the final outcome of the 2020 U.S. presidential election. At the same time, we also wait for Jesus’ imminent appearing to take us home. We do not know the timing of what lies ahead for us, but we know that when the end comes, it will come suddenly (1 Thess. 5:3; 1 Cor. 15:52). These words from Habakkuk aptly apply to our current period in history as we wait for the Lord to intervene, “If it seems slow, wait for it; / it will surely come; it will not delay. While we wait, we walk by faith knowing that the convergence of signs tells us we live in the season of Jesus’ return. WE LOOK TO THE LORD FOR STRENGTH AND JOY The book of Habakkuk ends with one of the strongest proclamations of faith in Scripture. The prophet starts his book questioning God’s absence amid the violence and corruption of his day, but ends with these amazing words recorded in 3:17-19: Though the fig tree should not blossom, / nor fruit be on the vines, / the produce of the olive fail / and the fields yield no food, / the flock be cut off from the fold / and there be no herd in the stalls, / yet I will rejoice in the Lord; / I will take joy in the God of my salvation. / God, the LORD, is my strength; / he makes my feet like the deer's; / he makes me tread on my high places. After the prophet describes conditions that would be totally catastrophic to any agrarian nation such as Judah, he amazingly states his total faith in the Lord. Regardless of the future for his nation, he would “rejoice” and rely upon the Lord’s strength. He knew dark and traumatic days were coming to Judah, but that didn’t shake his absolute trust in the Lord. We have a distinct advantage over the prophet Habakkuk. We live in New Testament days and have the entirety of Scripture at our fingertips. The Bible is essential to our faith in times like these. It pushes our hearts and souls ahead to the promises of Jesus’ appearing, our reign with Him in His millennial kingdom, and our eternal enjoyment of paradise on the new earth and in the New Jerusalem. We do not know what tomorrow will bring, but we rest in what the Lord has promised in His Word. In times like these, we look to the Lord for both our strength and joy. I love the United States and the freedoms I have enjoyed here all my life. I feel great sorrow at the prospect that corrupt people might erase many of our liberties through election fraud. However, I also value my heavenly citizenship and know that someday, possibly quite soon, my hope will become a reality, “But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself” (Phil. 3:20-21). I long for the day Jesus returns and transforms my “lowly body to be like his glorious body” and takes me home to be with Him forevermore. Jesus’ appearing is the hope that keeps us going as we walk by faith in perilous times. We know that much better days lie ahead for us, days when we will experience the redemption of our bodies and live forever in paradise. It may seem like we live in the midst of a long delay, but keep watching; Jesus will surely come for us! We live on the very edge of eternity. A Biden presidency would “resurrect” hopes for a Palestinian state - Michael Snyder - http://endoftheamericandream.com/archives/a-biden-presidency-would-resurrect-hopes-for-a-palestinian-state For the past four years, the Palestinians have been deeply frustrated with the White House. The U.S. embassy in Israel was moved to Jerusalem, the Palestinian mission in Washington D.C. was shut down, and financial aid to the Palestinians was reduced. Last January, President Trump introduced his plan for a two-state solution, but it was immediately rejected by the Palestinians. Everyone knows that the Palestinians absolutely hate Trump and they were never going to agree to any deal that involved him. So that meant that as long as Trump was in the White House, it was extremely unlikely that we would see a Palestinian state. But now, it appears that everything could change. When Joe Biden was declared the winner of the presidential election by the U.S. media, Palestinians greatly rejoiced. They are absolutely thrilled that Trump could soon be gone, and they are desperately hoping that U.S. foreign policy under a Biden administration will look very much like it did during the eight years of the Obama administration. Of course Barack Obama was a tireless promoter of a two-state solution based on the 1967 lines, and many in the Middle East are anticipating that there could be a major push to finally make that a reality during a Biden presidency. The following comes from a Jerusalem Post article entitled “A Biden presidency resurrects ’67 lines, Palestinian state – analysis”… US President-elect Joe Biden’s presidency will erase many of the gains the Israeli Right made over the last four years with regard to Israeli sovereignty over Area C of the West Bank – and reintroduces the concept of a two-state solution to the Israeli Palestinian conflict at the pre-1967 lines. The Trump administration had also been pushing a two-state solution, but the map that Trump administration officials were envisioning was vastly different from the one that the Palestinians have been envisioning. And even if they were close to being on the same page, Palestinian officials were simply not in the mood to do any deal with Trump because of a lot of the other moves that he decided to make… He cut off US aid to the Palestinian Authority in the occupied West Bank, formally recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, and moved the US embassy there from Tel Aviv. Trump refused to condemn settlement building and expansion as illegal – in defiance of international law. He also withdrew funding to the UN refugee agency, which millions of Palestinians depend on for education, food and livelihoods. Trump also brokered “normalization” deals with three Arab countries who recognized Israel without so much as demanding Palestinian gains in return, leaving the Palestinian leadership increasingly isolated. But with Trump out of the way, the Palestinians will be very excited to get back to the negotiating table, and that is because Joe Biden and the Democrats seem quite eager to give the Palestinians what they want. The 2020 Democratic Party Platform states that the creation of a “viable” Palestinian state is the official position of the Democratic Party… The 2020 Democratic Party Platform, which calls for the creation of a “viable” Palestinian state, in which Palestinians “should be free to govern themselves,” and explicitly opposes “unilateral action” from either side, is one place to start. Democratic strategist Joel Rubin, who served as Jewish Outreach Director for the Bernie Sanders 2020 presidential campaign, wrote in Israel’s Haaretz newspaper that it was “the most realistic and most progressive of its kind.” And Joe Biden has repeatedly stated that he wants to see a two-state solution based on the 1967 lines… In an interview with The New York Times in February, he affirmed his support for a two-state solution based on the pre-1967 lines, but explained that he supported the Israeli retention of the long time settlements, not defining what he meant. For the Israeli Right, the setback is enormous, given that this summer Israel seemed to be on the verge of annexation – and now it seems as if that possibility is all but buried. Perhaps even more importantly, Kamala Harris is a big proponent of a Palestinian state. As I discussed yesterday, it is quite clear that Biden will not be able to serve in the White House very long and that it will just be a matter of time before Harris is elevated to the presidency. During an interview just a couple of weeks ago, Harris made it quite clear how she feels about a Palestinian state… “Joe and I believe in the worth and value of every Palestinian and every Israeli and we will work to ensure that Palestinians and Israelis enjoy equal measures of freedom, security, prosperity and democracy,” Harris said. “We are committed to a two-state solution, and we will oppose any unilateral steps that undermine that goal. We will also oppose annexation and settlement expansion. And we will take immediate steps to restore economic and humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian people, address the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza, reopen the U.S. consulate in East Jerusalem and work to reopen the PLO mission in Washington.” If Trump’s legal challenges fail and Joe Biden and Kamala Harris are inaugurated next January, I believe that it is very, very likely that we will see the establishment of a Palestinian state at some point within the next four years. If that happens, a major red line will have been crossed and there will be no going back. In my new book, I detail many of the things that we should expect to see following the creation of a Palestinian state. Once you understand the consequences for dividing the land of Israel, you will never look at foreign policy the same way again. Unfortunately, most Americans do not have much interest in foreign policy these days. In fact, foreign policy considerations were not really a factor at all when voters went to the polls on November 4th. But the truth is that the outcome of this election is really going to matter in the Middle East. If Trump’s legal challenges are successful and he ends up winning, there probably will not be a Palestinian state during the next four years. But if Joe Biden and Kamala Harris win, I believe that a Palestinian state will almost certainly be created within the next four years. The stakes are incredibly high, and it won’t be too long before we know which way things will go. Are Israel and the US planning to attack Iran? – Yaakov Katz - https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/are-israel-and-the-us-planning-to-attack-iran-649030 An Israeli strike against Iran is extremely complicated and has always been viewed in the IDF as a last resort. In 2008, after the election that brought Barack Obama to power, in Israel there were some officials who were confident that President George W. Bush would not leave office with Iran’s nuclear facilities still standing. They were wrong. Iran’s nuclear facilities are not only still standing; they have grown in quality and quantity. This is important to keep in mind amid speculation - once again during a presidential lame duck period – that in his last few weeks in office, Donald Trump will either order US military action against Iran or give Israel a green light as well as some assistance to do it on its own. The speculation has a number of catalysts. First was the firing of Mark Esper as secretary of defense this past week and the replacement of him and other top Pentagon officials with Trump idealogues. Some media in the US have raised the possibility that Trump wanted to get Esper out of the way, so he could more easily carry out controversial military moves. In addition, there is no doubt a lot of coordination already taking place on Iran. Elliott Abrams, the administration’s top envoy on Iran, was in Israel this week for talks with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu; Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will be here next week for three days to continue those conversations; and on Thursday night, IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Aviv Kochavi held a video call with his US counterpart, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs General Mark Milley. And then there was the interview H.R. McMaster, Trump’s former national security adviser, gave Fox News on Wednesday in which he raised the possibility that Israel – fearful of President-elect Joe Biden’s Iran policies – would attack Iran in the twilight of Trump’s term in office. For veteran Israel-Iran watchers, this feels like a rerun of what happened in 2008 as well as in 2012 when also then Israel seemed on the verge of an attack. While ministers later confirmed that Netanyahu had in fact wanted to launch an attack in 2012, he ultimately failed to muster support in the cabinet and the IDF and had no choice but to back down. This is all important to keep in mind amid the current speculation. While anything is possible – especially with Trump – there does not seem to be an immediate urgency right now to attack. There are also no signs of activity in the IDF that would indicate a possible war like beefing up forces in the North or preparing the home front for the missile onslaught that will likely follow. On the other hand, we should not necessarily expect to see moves that would give away a strike in the planning. In 2007, ahead of Israel’s bombing of Syria’s nuclear reactor, almost no one knew about it within the IDF, let alone throughout the country. When it comes to the sense of urgency, while the International Atomic Energy Agency’s report this week about Iran’s growing uranium stockpile is concerning, Iran is still not at the point that it is building a bomb since it is not yet enriching uranium to military grade levels. If that were to happen, the clock would definitely start ticking toward a possible bombing but absent such enrichment – or some other piece of secret intelligence that the public is not aware of – there does not seem to be an immediate reason to attack right now. Keep in mind, that an Israeli strike against Iran is extremely complicated and has always been viewed in the IDF as a last resort. The threat is just not yet at the point that would warrant a military strike. And then there are politics. Netanyahu has enough trouble heading into a new election campaign that has a good chance of starting sometime in the coming week or two. His management of the coronavirus crisis has weakened him and his popularity ratings are falling. A war with thousands of rockets raining down all across Israel will probably not help. Despite all the above, it is important to keep in mind that almost anything is possible when dealing with these two leaders – Trump and Netanyahu – who are unpredictable and willing to do a lot to stay relevant and in office. Eternal Life Is Not Given by Measure - By Gene Lawley - https://www.raptureready.com/2020/11/12/eternal-life-is-not-given-by-measure-by-gene-lawley/ The parable Jesus told of a vineyard owner hiring workers throughout the day but paying each of them the same wage for the day’s work seems to illustrate the principle, as in the title above. The parable is recorded in Matthew 20:1-16: “…For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. Now when he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard. And he went out about the third hour and saw others standing idle in the marketplace, and said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right I will give you.’ So they went. Again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour, and did likewise. And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing idle, and said to them, ‘Why have you been standing here idle all day?’ They said to him, ‘Because no one hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right you will receive.’ “So when evening had come, the owner of the vineyard said to his steward, ‘Call the laborers and give them their wages, beginning with the last to the first.’ And when those came who were hired about the eleventh hour, they each received a denarius. But when the first came, they supposed that they would receive more; and they likewise received each a denarius. And when they had received it, they complained against the landowner, saying, ‘These last men have worked only one hour, and you made them equal to us who have borne the burden and the heat of the day.’ “But he answered one of them and said, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? Take what is yours and go your way. I wish to give to this last man the same as to you. Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with my own things? Or is your eye evil because I am good?’ So the last will be first, and the first last. For many are called, but few chosen.” It is a rather long narrative, but there are three points to be considered as insight into the “likeness of the kingdom of heaven” so revealed in this parable—the same wage being paid to each of the workers; the first is last and the last first; and many are called, but few are chosen. The challenge is to learn how those three points are illustrated by this parable. It brings me to that proverb that says, “And knowledge of the Holy One is understanding” (Proverbs 9:10b). But wait! The first part of that verse also has an important input to this as well: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom” (Proverbs 9:10a). The first item is the way the workers were paid—each one received the same amount, although their hours of work differed. As the article title indicates, it compares to the gift of eternal life and how it comes to those who believe and receive it. No one gets more eternal life than anyone else. That seems to be a simple answer, but does anyone have difficulty with the realization that someone who receives the gift of eternal life through Christ at an early age and spends his life in service to the Lord, while someone on his deathbed accepts Christ and has no life left to live for the Lord, yet he also has eternal life? Perhaps not so much, but that is a reasonable comparison with the details of the parable. That old Adam nature each believer spars with all day long, every day and night, has a way of crying out, “That’s not fair!” Remember how the disciples, James and John, wanted to sit on each side of Jesus when He was seated on His throne in heaven? Who doesn’t want special privileges to satisfy his self-centered soul? The passage that sheds light on this is found in 1 Corinthians 3:11-15: “For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is. If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.” There is only one foundation for eternal life, and that is Jesus Christ. Likewise, there is only one full and complete eternal life. It is not handed out in pieces, depending on how well we have served. Notice in that passage how well one has served results in rewards that are not burned up by the test of fire. Yet, the foundation remains firm and sure. That is the assurance of salvation, as so stated in 1 John 5:11-12: “And this is the testimony that God has given to us eternal life, and this life is in His Son; he who has the Son has life, and he who does not have the Son does not have life.” That thief on the cross who believed did not have time for any good works; his only one was his recognition of Jesus as the Savior. Yet, his salvation was as assured as anyone else’s. As an example, a man who accepts Christ on his deathbed might say, as his wife, perhaps, tells him of the Jesus he has avoided all his life, “I love you more now than I ever did before you helped me find Jesus to save me.” That comment of love may be the only “good work” he would be able to do, but it would be in the gold, silver or precious stones category and not burned up. As Jesus said to Peter when he asked about the purpose Jesus had for that other disciple, “If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you? You follow Me” (John 21:22). Believers are saved one by one and not in groups as a whole. Believers are individually responsible to God for their own service. It is spelled out in 2 Corinthians 5:10, the reference that speaks of the judgment seat of Christ: “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.” Now, what does the phrase, “the last shall be first and the first shall be last” mean in respect to this parable? It is possible that it is an idiom, a saying, that means all entrants will be equally together at the end of the day. That seems to be the picture painted by the parable, at least. But here is another way to look at it: In short, “the first shall be last and the last first” means that being first has no meaning in the kingdom of heaven, for everyone arriving there is totally on the same level. The difference comes in what a person’s calling for service is, as Romans 12:3-4 tells us that God does measure out our gift of faith to perform that calling: “For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith. For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function….” Then, the phrase, “many are called, but few are chosen” — how does it fit into this parable? It is a phrase repeated in another parable, the one of a king who prepared a wedding feast for his son; invitations were sent out but none came who were expected. Instead, his servants were sent out to invite anyone to come, and many did. That parable is found at Matthew 22:1-14. In that parable, it is clear how the statement fits the passage. But in this one, when the owner of the vineyard came each time during the day, he found men standing around, waiting—as they said—for someone to hire them. Those who responded to his invitation to go to work ended up being his chosen, while it was an open invitation for anyone to go to work. That is comparable to our sharing the gospel—the Great Commission. Some respond favorably, but many do not, then or even later. The Scriptures are clear, in spite of beliefs to the contrary, that God does not charge into a person’s life uninvited. He honors a person’s freedom of choice, just as He did with Adam and Eve in the Garden so long ago. It can be no better explained than is done in Revelation 3:20, as Jesus pictures His approach to a person: “Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come into him and live with him, and he with Me.” It is also evident in the constantly repeated challenge in the Scriptures and by evangelists that “you must believe in Christ to be saved.” It is an act of the will. Contact email: [email protected] Daily Jot: The Farm Chronicles: A love letter, of sorts – Bill Wilson – www.dailyjot.com The postmark is Ellensburg, Washington, August 22, 1939, 3-PM. Sporting a Bucking Bronc logo and the words “The Rodeo” written in script using a lariat over an arrow, the envelop was addressed to Miss Thelma Humble, Windham, Ohio. No street address. No zip code. It was to my mom before dad and her were married. Found it in an old Seasons Greetings four-pound box of chocolates (all gone), the box given annually at Christmas time to my dad by the hunting club that often roamed our farm for deer and rabbits. Curious, I opened the letter, quite the treasure—handwritten by my dad who had taken a trip out west with his best friends Al Borchardt and Earl Jones and visited our rancher relatives in Washington. Here’s the text: “Dear Thelma, How are you, anyway? Got your letter, sure was glad to hear from you. Haven’t had any girl out yet, but oh is there a lot of them around here. We got here on Monday night the 14th. Stayed with Rose that night then Tuesday we ran around all day. Got a job and went to work Wednesday morning and can work as long as I want to. Wish you were around here some where. I would stay. Maybe I will anyway. Am taking hay into town for all this week. Been riding horses back every morning, sure been a real cowboy (haha). You should see my outfit. There is going to be a broadcast of the rodeo Saturday afternoon, September 2. The time will be from 5:45 to 6:15 your time. Don’t forget. “Well, don’t look for us home too soon because I may want to work a little longer. Earl and Al are both working. Sure had good luck coming this far. Haven’t had a flat tire yet, saw two cars smashed up and one truck. Saw Adam and went fishing with him; was out 12 miles in the big pond, got a lot of fish, big ones, too. Haven’t been homesick yet and I know darn well I won’t. Boy, there sure is a nice moon out here, sure better than back home. Sure wish you were here. Have been swimming tonight. Uncle Lou is at the head of the rodeo and that helps out a lot. Have been down to the grounds. Sure is a swell place. If you see dad, tell him all I have to say that is some of it. The car hasn’t fell apart yet, running good. “I haven’t made up my mind yet if I will ride at the rodeo or not. I think I will ride in the parade. That will be three or four times, so that will be a lot of fun. Getting bedtime for me, 9:00. You can write if you write real quick. It only takes four days. With Love, Carl.” Dad would have been 21 and mom 15 when this letter was written, a year and 8 days before he and my mom would elope to begin a marriage of over 49 years that ended only by Dad’s premature death. This letter recalls a simpler time when people concerned themselves with flat tires, fishing, swimming in the pond, and hauling hay. Proverbs 10:12 says, “love conquers all transgressions.” Even when you tell your sweetheart there are a lot of girls around and you don’t know if you are coming home! Oh, what a love letter, of sorts!!!! Daily Devotion: The Real Stars - by Greg Laurie – www.harvest.org Those who are wise will shine as bright as the sky, and those who lead many to righteousness will shine like the stars forever. —Daniel 12:3 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/the-real-stars/ - Listen Real stars are people who share their faith, not those who have the most followers on social media, not the celebrities of the moment, not the top athletes or musicians or whoever is in the public consciousness at any given time. I love this statement from Daniel 12: “Those who are wise will shine as bright as the sky, and those who lead many to righteousness will shine like the stars forever” (NLT). We should be looking for opportunities to share our faith. We invite people to come to Christ in every service at Harvest Christian Fellowship. Why do we do that? Because lost people come to church all the time. And I’m glad they do. If you bring a nonbeliever to church, then you’re thankful there’s an invitation to come to Christ, and you’re praying for that person to believe, aren’t you? And so you should be. We should be bringing people to church who don’t know the Lord. Can you imagine walking into the emergency room at a hospital, looking at the people who need medical care, and saying, “Get out of here! You’re all so sick”? No, you wouldn’t do that, because that’s what a hospital is for. In the same way, the church is a place where people can meet God. That is not all the church is for, of course. It’s a place to worship God as well. When we come to church, it’s so important that we engage in passionate and heartfelt worship. The Bible talks about offering a “sacrifice of praise” (see Hebrews 13:15 NLT). The church is also a place to hear the Word of God and develop our spiritual gifts. But the church also should be a place where people who don’t know the Lord can come meet Him and have their lives transformed by Jesus Christ. 
FROM THE HEART
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