EVERLASTING LOVE!

I went to the greatest show on earth today. Yes, that's right -- we went to see The Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, at the Wachovia Spectrum in South Philadelphia. Their last performance in Philly will be on Sunday, April 27th of this year. I hope to go and see them again the next time they come in this area. The show was fantastic. It was the first time I had ever seen this circus and no other compares to this one. If you have never been to their performance -- you ought to make it a point to go -- if not this time -- next time. The children enjoyed it and the adults also... It was great and worth every penny.

What difference do you think it made when the Pilgrims invited the Native Americans to that first Thanksgiving dinner? What happened after they thanked God, who supplied the fish, the deer, and the corn -- and even the Native Americans who helped them survive? Did life become significantly easier or the winters less cruel? No. But the attitude of gratitude that was cultivated kept those Pilgrims' eyes fixed upon the many blessings they enjoyed and upon the one who provided them.   FROM THE BOOK Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good! Psalm 136:1 Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. If you do this, you will experience God's peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7 No matter what happens, always be thankful, for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesu...

Heaven -- My Future and Eternal Home! Revelation: CHAPTER 21 The New Jerusalem 1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone. 2 And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, “Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them.* 4 He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.” 5 And the one sitting on the throne said, “Look, I am making everything new!” And then he said to me, “Write this down, for what I tell you is trustworthy and true.” 6 And he also said, “It is finished! I am the Alpha and the Omega—the Beginning and the End. To all who are thirsty I will give freely from the springs of the water of life. 7 All who ...

"You just have to play the hand you're dealt." "Keep a stiff upper lip." It's the advice we get and give when times are tough. Others would have us pretend that "it's not as bad as all that. " But sometimes it is! So how can we remain hopeful when troubles surround us? When we recognize that God is in control!   FROM THE BOOK Evil does not spring from the soil, and trouble does not sprout from the earth. People are born for trouble as predictably as sparks fly upward from a fire. Job 5:6-7 (NLT) We know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. Romans 8:28 Our present troubles are quite small and won't last very long. Yet they produce for us an immeasurably great glory that will last forever! So we don't look at the troubles we can see right now; rather, we look forward to what we have not yet seen. For the troubles we see will soon be over, ...

Sometimes the most difficult people to forgive are ourselves. "If only" hounds us, robbing us of peace and piling on the guilt. We carry around 1,001 hurts and bear so many grudges, filling us with bitterness. Oh, to be cleansed and freed - to forgive and be forgiven!   FROM THE BOOK   "Come now, let us argue this out, " says the LORD. "No matter how deep the stain of your sins, I can remove it. I can make you as clean as freshly fallen snow. Even if you are stained as red as crimson, I can make you as white as wool." Isaiah 1:18 He has removed our rebellious acts as far away from us as the east is from the west. Psalm 103:12 You must make allowance for each other's faults and forgive the person who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Colossians 3:13 Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of malicious behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, fo...

So many singers sing about it. So many writers write about it. Poets long for it, and heroes die for it. What is this thing that the world needs now? Love! As human beings, we all need to love and be loved. God made us to experience love, and God, the source of love, can fill our need for love as no other person or idea can.     FROM THE BOOK   Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is born of God and knows God. But anyone who does not love does not know God -- for God is love. God showed how much he loved us by sending his only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. This is real love. It is not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins. Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other. 1 John 4:7-11     If I had the gift of prophesy, and if I knew all the mysteries of the future and knew everything about every...