Nan's Calendar

by   Nan Forehand, Statesville, NC

What do we live for; if it is not to make life less difficult to each other?  
T. S. Eliot (1888-1965)

We have different gifts, according to the grace given us.  If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith.  If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully. 
Romans 12:6-8

But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness.  Hebrews 3:13

Charles Wesley (1707-1788) wrote approximately 6,000 hymns, usually writing three hymns a week.  Many are still being sung in churches around the world.  One in particular speaks of a spirit of unity.  This hymn is entitled Blest Be The Dear Uniting Love.  Mr. Wesley penned the lyrics in 1742.  Today I want to share the lyrics with you and also a poem I wrote  regarding a spirit of unity.  I hope you don't tire of Nan's Calendar messages when, at times, they are a bit lengthy, as is the one today.  When the Spirit moves me, I must respond accordingly. 
1.
Blest be the dear uniting love
that will not let us part;
our bodies may far off remove,
we still are one in heart.
2.
Joined in one spirit to our Head,
where he appoints we go,
and still in Jesus' footsteps tread,
and do his work below.
3.
O may we ever walk in him,
and nothing know beside,
nothing desire, nothing esteem,
but Jesus crucified!
4.
We all are one who him receive,
and each with each agree,
in him the One, the Truth, we live;
blest point of unity!
5.
Partakers of the Savior's grace,
the same in mind and heart,
nor joy, nor grief, nor time, nor place,
nor life, nor death can part.
 
Spirit of Unity

written by Nan Forehand
March 26, 2006

the whole of God's universe
consists of peoples vastly diverse
millions on the face of the Earth
every one meek and mild at birth
somehow learned to fight
God's desire is that we unite
all for one and one for all
unisonant voices whatever befall
this talk of unity is nothing new
Charles Wesley wrote of it in 1742
oh what joy from deep within
set free from the entrapment of sin
freedom from sin is God's gift of immunity
go now and live in a spirit of unity

Romans 15:4-6

For everything that was written (in the Bible) in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Daily Jewel

by   Pastor J.T. Carnell, McAlester, OK

“It’s a Family Thing!”  

“Say to Wisdom, you are my sister...” – Proverbs 7:4 (NIV)

It appears that in the last couple of days I have been on a “family kick,” in my messages revealing some very delicate issues of my past so I guess there is no reason to stop now. 

Although I do have siblings I was raised as an only child.  (It is a long story that there is not near enough time to go into great detail here.)  Let me just say that I did not know what it was like to have a brother or sister to fight with, bother, tease or even talk to.  A good portion of my childhood was spent with me in my room either watching television or listening to the radio.

With that said I think I understand why Solomon uses this as an analogy—what is more important in regard to human relationships than that of family?  And although sibling rivalry has probably been given a bad-rap through the ages, there is something special when it comes to the bonds between brothers and or sisters.

Now, one might argue that the Bible may not be the best place to make this statement since there are some rather extreme encounters that would prove otherwise.  For example, Cain to Abel, “You were always the favorite!”  Esau to Jacob; “You are nothing but a Momma’s boy!”  Joseph’s brothers to Joseph; “We know what to do with tattle-tells!”  Unfortunately, there are a number of not so funny examples where lives were hurt (and destroyed) by jealousy, greed and power. 

Even Solomon himself was not exempt from such rivalry.  He was around to witness one of his step-brothers (Amnon) seduce and then rape a step-sister and then another step-brother (Absolam) out of anger and revenge kills Amnon.  There is no “made for TV” scenario that could play out situations any more intense than what we find here.

So how can we apply what Solomon is saying here without remembering all of the times we would have just as soon “choked” or flattened a brother or sister rather than embrace them in love and appreciation?  

Something I noticed with my own children—and I can certainly remember the times when I felt more like a referee than a father—that even though they may not have embraced each other at all times they certainly stood up for each other when times called for it.  They supported each other in their activities and were there to congratulate one another on their accomplishments.  They understood then and even in their adulthood, how important the bonds they have are.  Friends will come and go—but family is with you forever and we should do everything in our power to appreciate one another—protect one another and embrace one another.

Say to wisdom—you are a member of my family!  Other things in life, as important as they are (like friends) may come and go:  Wealth, fame, power, possessions, etc., but family should be guarded to the utmost degree, and the wisdom of God which comes directly from His heart is top priority. 

You may not have had the best experiences in your life in regard to family issues.  And some of the Biblical examples I mentioned earlier are vivid reminders that no one is exempt from having difficult, life-altering encounters when it comes to family.  But consider this as a conclusion:  Despite their earlier rivalry, Jacob and Esau made amends and learned to live in peace.  Joseph showed compassion on his brothers and from that came the twelve tribes.  Are family’s perfect?  By no means.  We have problems and as long as we are on this earth will continue to have problems.  But God’s wisdom (and heart) is perfect and as long as we cling to that our lives will have strength, purpose and joy.

Good Things

by  Everett Christian,  McAlester, OK

 
GOD SPEAKS TO US THROUGH HIS HOLY WORD
 
 8 You love him (Jesus Christ) even though you have never seen him. Though you do not see him now, you trust him; and you rejoice with a glorious, inexpressible joy. 9 The reward for trusting him will be the salvation of your souls.  - 1 Peter 1:8-9(New Living Translation).
 
 
 
GOD'S PROMISE TO US FROM HIS HOLY WORD
 (Jesus said) 19 “Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. 21 Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be."  - Matthew 6:19-21(New Living Translation).

A QUOTE

An action that takes courage is telling the truth and accepting the consequences.  - Dr. Steve Stephens -

A THOUGHT TO REMEMBER

Having politeness and consideration for others is like investing pennies and getting dollars back.  - From Reminisce Magazine -

NOTES

The skies were cloudy this morning but we had sunny skies this afternoon. High temperature today was 67 degrees. Low temperature this morning was 35 degrees. Charley had a luncheon at his church today so I had lunch at home today. This afternoon I went to a Dollar General Store. I took some plastic bottles to the recycling center. I went to the post office. I had my nap. I planted some wild flower seeds at the front of the house. I will see if they make it. The yellow flowers that Flonnie and I planted or set out are blooming now. I don't know the names of the flowers. I also saw a couple of dandelions blooming. I think the dandelions have pretty blossoms although most folks don't want them in the lawns. I just let them grow.

The cats are fine. Little Girl is lying in the floor close to my feet and Rascal is in the recliner. Emmy was here a few minutes ago talking to me. She likes to talk to me. Sometimes when the door is closed and she wants out she will come and talk to me but the back door is cracked tonight where she can come and go as she likes.

At 10:15 p.m skies are fair with a temperature of 49 degrees. I will see you next time.

In Christian Love, Everett.

Nan's Calendar

by Nan Forehand, Statesville, NC

We cannot always be doing great work, but we can always be doing something that belongs to our condition.  To be silent, to suffer, to pray when we cannot act, is acceptable to God.  A disappointment, a contradiction, a harsh word, an annoyance, a wrong received and endured as in His presence, is worth more than a long prayer.  We do not lose time if we bear loss with gentleness and patience, provided the loss was inevitable, and was not caused by our own fault.
Francois Fenelon (1651-1715) French theologian and writer

Fenelon, an archbishop, wrote Christian Counsel and Spiritual Letters.  It has been said these writtings illustrate his keen sense of spiritual counsel.

I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.  Romans 8:18

I feel privileged to have discovered today's quote in one of my many books.  As I opened the book this morning, this quote practically jumped off the page at me and caused my body to be covered with glory bumps!  To be so inspired by the writings of a man who died in 1715 is the same way I feel when I read my Bible.  In the book of Romans, Paul speaks of suffering.  No one is immune from suffering.  However, it is very important how we behave through the time of suffering that matters immensely.  And we will suffer.  As we suffer, we identify with the suffering endured by Jesus.  We also suffer because "the world" is hostile to God and because we are followers of God, it is no surprise that suffering comes our way.
It is important to remember that we can still be filled wth joy as we suffer grief or loss.  Yes, we mourn the loss of a loved one.  It is an honor and a tribute to that loved one when we speak to others of that person's life and their positive impact on ourselves and others during their lifetime.  Remember with gladness of heart the privilege of sharing in the joys of that person's life while in human form.  My Mama breathed her last breath in Sept. 1984, but she lives in my heart forever.  Her love will never die as long as I remember her and tell others of her love and compassion.  Because she lived, I am here today to encourage you!  Little did she know how my life would turn out!  It was a mystery to her what I would do with my life and it is a mystery to me what I will do with the rest of my life.  Rest assured, I will continue to be an encourager! 
I want to share a poem with you I wrote as a tribute to Mama.  In the poem I mention tears....at some point, I stopped crying.  I can't remember how long it has been since I cried as I remembered Mama, but in time, your tears will dry and you will remember your loved one with a smile and the lump in your throat will disappear.  I speak today of suffering and grief because that is what God has entrusted me to share with you.  Receive comfort and encouragement from the Lord through my humble offering to you.

Beautiful and Sweet as any Rose

written by Nan Forehand 
December 2004

Warm and soft
fragrance so sweet
caressed by the morning fair.
Strawberry blonde the color of her hair.
Instead of a thorn in her finger
a needle and thread would linger.
Smile slowly crossed ruby red lips
new calico dress slipped over my hips.
Thank you Lord she witnessed me wed.
Too soon dear Mother was dead.
Beautiful as a velvet rose
A Christian life she chose.
Yes, she’s been gone many years.
Wet cheeks still feel the tears.
Her Lord and Savior she did love
and He took her to His mansion above.
Up from the grave she arose
beautiful and sweet as any rose.
These words and a flower carved on her stone.
Mama now sits by her Master’s throne.

Daily Jewel

by   Pastor J.T. Carnell,  McAlester, OK

“A Lasting Impression”  

“Bind them on your fingers...write them on the tablet of your heart...” – Proverbs 7:3 (NIV)

Without a great deal of fanfare I want to point out the latter part of that verse because it contains what I would call an element of permanence.  It is everlasting—something that we are not used to in our world. 

Understandably, some things in life really do change—aren’t you glad? A number of people reading this probably  learned to drive before cars came with turn signals, automatic transmissions, and power-steering. There may be those who can remember before there was power windows, back-up lights, power door-locks, and radial tires. Before power seats and disc brakes and tinted glass. Before GPS systems…Onstar…keyless starters…how did we ever get along without such “essentials?”? And what about cruise control and stereo surround-sound?

But even with all the modern conveniences (and accessories available if one has the money), there are some things about cars that haven’t radically changed much. A hundred years after Ford introduced his “Model T,” cars today have wheels and tires, brakes, steering wheels, lights front and rear, and a way to move the vehicle from Point A to Point B, and all points in between.

Unlike the manufacturing of automobiles, biblical principles never change. Especially when it comes to spiritual realities. I like the doxology of the catholic traditional evening prayers; “As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.” It sounds so majestic, so final, so ever-lasting, and so out-of-touch in a post-modern world. Maybe thats why I like it so much. And it reads the same in Latin, German, French, and Spanish.

Speaking of post-moderns, I ran across (translation: I wasn’t looking for anything special at the time) a blog (how about that for another something that didn’t exist a decade ago?) entitled, “The Evangelical, Post-Modern, Emergent, Missional, Orthodox, Conservative, Liberal Body of Christ.” Is that inclusive or what? The writer went on to say, “So you might say that I am just a mixed up kid. Or you might say I am rebelling against boxes and labels. What is important is: what will God say when I stand before him someday?” 

Indeed. That is the question that ends all questions. “What will God say?” Maybe He will want an explanation for how his church has become the creator of change in worship, music, methodology, and the interpretation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Maybe he will want a short answer. Maybe he will ask questions that we are not prepared to answer. Jesus had one question for Simon: “Who do you say that I am?” Could it be that simple for us at the Judgment?

Here is a truth about God: He doesn’t change! In theological language, he is immutable. Scriptures attest to this truth (Psalm 33:11; Ecclesiastes 3:14; Isaiah 14:24; Hebrews 1:12; Hebrews 6:17, 18; James 1:17). In a sermon by Jonathan Edwards, dated April 1738, the great preacher spoke from the Hebrews 13:8 text:

“Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, today, and forever.”

He said that Christ is unchangeable in two respects: In his divine nature, and in his office. By that he meant that Jesus “is unchangeable as the Mediator and Savior of his church and people.” Everyone has sinned, regardless of how one defines sin. Sinners are still welcome in his house. Sinners are saved by grace through faith. Heaven is the eternal home for those who believe. Hell is the eternal home for those who do not. The choice is ours. It always has been. It always will be, “world without end.”

“Unchangeable, almighty Lord, Our souls upon Thy truth we stay;

Accomplish now Thy faithful word, And give, O give us all one way!

O let us all join hand in hand, Who seek redemption in Thy blood;

Fast in one mind and spirit stand, And build the temple of our God.

Giver of peace and unity, Send down Thy mild and peaceful dove.

We all shall then in one agree And breathe the spirit of Thy love.

So shall the world believe and know That God hath sent Thee from above,

When Thou art seen in us below And ev’ry soul displays Thy love.”

Charles Wesley