Merry Christmas From Grandma and Grandpa Wright

Merry Christmas

From

Grandma and Grandpa Wright

We wish you a Merry Christmas to each one of you. Christmas is a time of celebration, gift giving and enjoying special foods and candy.

The gift we want you to especially receive is the gift, we all can receive, and it’s the gift God provided for us, JESUS.

When someone gives you a gift, it must be received and accepted.

We celebrate Christmas because Jesus was born, God son came to earth, to save us from our sins. God loved us so much he was willing to provide his son as a provision for us to get forgiveness of the things we have done that are not pleasing to God.

When we ask God to forgive us, he has set in place a way for us to set things right with God. All it takes is our willingness to ask, and we will receive.

In our mind we don’t want to leave Jesus in the manger as a baby, like we celebrate at Christmas, or on the cross when he died for us, but we want to understand that after he died for our sins, he rose from the grave and went to be God, as we celebrate at Easter, where he waits for us to join him.

This is the greatest gift you can receive, because accepting his provision for us, makes way for us to have eternal life, living with him forever.

The most important thing you can do in your life is to accept the Greatest Gift ever, JESUS.

Grandma and Grandpa love you so very much and want to you to be with us in Heaven for ever, and boy can we celebrate, with Jesus forever.

Love you all very much,

Grandpa Max and Grandma Lea

My Great Grandfather Harris

As I wrote about Miracles yesterday, I thought more on examples of true Miracles.

My Great Grandfather Harris was quite a man, he lived much of his life in Shirley, Indiana.
He was well know in town, as Happy Harris, and Happy he was.

Unfortunately much of notoriety was not one based on admiration. He was the town drunk.
He served in the Spanish American war, and traveled to Philippines, as well as Hawaii during his service. He could play almost any stringed instrument quite well, and often played for his drinks.

He had a little dog, he loved that dog, I did not think much of the dog, nipped at my heels as a very young child, the dog out lived him, but I doubt that the dog drank.

My Great Grandmother was a wonderful lady and I'm sure struggled with Happy's drinking.

The town taverns were his hangouts. But after many years of drinking, he found himself at home in the early evening, haven fallen asleep.

My Great Grandmother left and went to a special evening church service just a few steps from the house.

Happy awoke, startled by the music that drifted into his room. He got up to check out where it was coming from, and ended up in a church less than 1/2 a block from home.

That night changed Happy life forever. He heard the old pastor tell about the love of Jesus, and the forgiveness of sin, which I'm sure he knew had accumulated more than a few.

That night he accepted Jesus Christ as his personal Savior.

Knowing who Happy was, it would have been easy to see the transformation in his life, as so they did.

He never drank alcohol again. The taverns lost a good customer that night. A few days or weeks later Happy was walking past one of his old hangouts, and the owner said Happy come on in and have one, and Happy said no, I won't be back. And he wasn't. It was even reported that his former drinking buddies placing bets on how long he would last, forever is a long shot but he made it.

You see not only could others see the transformation in him, he could tell that he wasn't the same man any more.

I share this story with you to say, this is not the natural order of life, most who have fallen into a life of drink never stop until their liver stops them.

My father shared this story recently and though I had heard it before, it seems like this is a wonderful plan that God has for our redemption.

Miracles

Miracles:

I've heard people talk about Miracles in a rather casual way. Not that they don't think they're special but none the less, without much to do or notice except at a specific time frame.
So what is a Miracle? What sets it apart from other so called special situation.

I believe there is only one source of a miracle, and that is the move of the creator of the universe, GOD, the great I AM, not Alla, or Buddha, or one of the thousands of Hindu gods. There is only 1 GOD. And one day you and I will stand before him.

If you can't acknowledge this fact then you will never find the source of any miracle, or probably believe there are miracles. I have seen magicians make thing happen, with so called magic, by illusion, slight of hand. I think of David Blaine doing card tricks, and pulling coins out of the air. All illusions. What I'm taking about has nothing to do with illusions of sight or mind.

GOD has set forth in the universe a natural order of things, we experience this on a daily bases whether you want to attribute this to GOD or not, it exist, and you nor I or any man can change that.

This natural order of life is set, and it has to with all life as well as death. No man escapes this. Even those who would like to disprove, operate under these same parameters.

When were happy we laugh, when were sad we cry, when were sick we look for solutions, we live, love or not. Whether were happy or sad, our lives follow some sense of natural order.

We most often hear of Miracles when there are crisis of one sort or another, with health, or life or situations.

What do you think, when a man or women goes to the Doctor and they give the patient the news, that they have found a tumor,  or they think they have cancer. Quite devastating, but they need to check it out to make sure. They run the test and come back and say yes you need to have surgery or chemo or ... but a week or month later they check again and nothing, no sign of what the Doctors saw before. I have heard reports of this stated several times during my life. I don't know what took place, don't know the people, or the Doctors, However something took place, when they have a photo of a tumor, and it gone in weeks, something happen. So at least we probably could agree, it's not an occurrence of a natural order.

People have reported of being very ill and they very quickly get well, that's not part of the natural order. I don't know ... but it's not life as normal.

There are reports of (Miracles) whether they are, I don't know, but I will share with you an occurrence that is without a doubt a Miracle.

I will tell you what I know ...

In the country of Haiti, in the village of Jean Rebel. A group of 12 women traveled from the village of Gonaives Haiti to the village of Jean Rebel in the far north west of the country. Very remote and a long trip from Gonaives. The roads are bad and you won't end up there by accident.

12 women made the trip in July of 2005, the night before they left for the trip, World Renewal International National Pastor Luc Joseph was with me in Indiana USA, he call his wife in Haiti and the women had gather to sleep and pray prior to the trip on Saturday. The pastor's wife Rosanna ask us to pray for their trip the next day. He relayed the information to me, and we agreed to do so and did. Because there were no communication during their trip, we did not communicate for several days. On Sunday Pastor Luc and I were speaking about his ministry at a small church in western Indiana, Rush Creek Friends. We had a set presentation to give, and due to Pastor Luc's limitation with English at the time I was to do most of the speaking. When I got up to start my presentation, I felt it was imperative that I ask the church to pray for the 12 women on that trip in Haiti. So we collectively prayed for them to have safe travel, and that they have opportunities to tell people about Jesus Christ.

I proceeded to share the story of the ministry and the needs for support. We proceeded for the next few days taking care of doing the same in other places. By the end of that week, Pastor Luc called his wife Rosanna and they had returned home, and were extremely excited about the trip to Jean Rebel.
She told him of visiting the many homes in the area, and they had an opportunity to talk to many people about Jesus's love and caring for them and that many had accepted Jesus.

In one home, a lady was bed ridden, and had been paralyzed from the waist down according to those caring for her. As they talked to the people in the home, the people ask the group of women to pray for the paralyzed woman, and the group agreed. And as they prayed for the woman's healing, the woman got up from her bed and walked praising GOD for her ability to walk, something she had not done for 12 years.

I was not there but I know the people who were present, and prayed for her, SHE WAS HEALED.

In a country that is known to have Voodoo and Satan worship, no one had healed this lady in 12 years, but when GOD was called, in the name of Jesus, she was healed and walked.

 That my friend is a real Miracle.

A more personal experience that happen I will share with you. In about 2009 I was diagnosed with frozen shoulder on my right side. I had very limited mobility of my right arm. They sent me to physical therapy, had a wonderful young man that helped me try to get my mobility back. But try as we did at best I could move it without much pain but only could lift my forearm to level with my shoulder.

I was (by chance?) in the very same church in Indiana, with another group leading the worship, raising money for Haiti. They were singing and praising God, and I was enjoying my friends leading this worship. However when I tried to raise my arms to praise God, only my left arm could be extended fully toward Heaven. One of the group had ask for people to come forward if they would like someone to pray for them. I spoke to God, not audibly but kind of in complaint, (I can't even raise both of my arms to praise you) and without even a thought, my right arm extended fully toward Heaven. Something I hadn't been able to do for months, try as we had through therapy, but all at once I had full range of movement, I was startled by this, but I knew only GOD had made this happen.

I believe that GOD healed me, in that very moment. Would I have gotten better, maybe but I have had no problems since.

Why do events like this happen. I can only speculate. GOD is sovereign. He does what he chooses and how he chooses. He can orchestrate events at any time, however he does not always do so. People stay paralyzed for life, people die from tumors, and cancer.

I do know that GOD inhabits the praises of his people, and he hears our prayers, even when we're frustrated.

As I reflect, just last week Good Friday and celebrated Easter, the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

The greatest miracle of all is that GOD sent his son Jesus Christ, to live on earth, for 33 years, as a man. He lived a sinless life, was despised by men, they put him on a cross to kill him. They buried him in a grave, after 3 days they check the grave and he was gone. He left earth to be with his father for eternity.

Some day you may have an opportunity to check this out, however depending on whether you believe in Christ or not, there may not be opportunities for you to ask questions, only answer them.

Why is this the Greatest Miracle? Because in GOD's natural order, no one, not even one could go to heaven to be with GOD and his son Jesus for eternity. You see GOD can not look on sin, and all men have sinned. In order for anyone to make it to heaven he did something out of his natural order. He let his only son take on all of the sin of mankind, be killed by man, and then raised him from the dead, in order that you and I have an opportunity to let Christ Jesus be our advocate on the the day we stand before GOD.

According to scripture there is only one way, to get to heaven, though a relationship with GOD through the blood shed by his son Jesus. John 3:16 ... Check it out.

Miracles still happen, but only when the GOD of the universe move out of his natural order of his  universes.

One of the great things we can do as indiviuals is to leave something for those we love. Follow the link and watch the video.

Leaving a Godly Legacy

God's Grace

When we think of grace, we may often think of letting things go ... or ignoring another's error or forgiving ourselves of a mistake.

The last several weeks, Pastor Mark Wright and Brandywine Church has focused on Grace, obviously from a biblical perspective. You can listen to the series on line archive in Dec. 2013  ...  http://www.brandywinechurch.org/

The Term Cheap Grace has even been brought up in teaching, there is not such thing as cheap grace in God's eyes.

The price that was paid by Jesus Christ for us to have access to God's Grace, was a high price. It cost him death on a cross, that is a high price for the Son of God to pay for sinful man.

What I think people perceive as cheap grace, may be man's attempt to take grace that has not been given based on man's fleshly understanding of grace, from God and from others. We go through McDonald's and get a quick food fix, and somehow that may come into play when we are looking for our problems of life.

God's Grace is wonderful plan, receive it just as you receive him as your savior.

"Grace means to get something that you do not deserve; unmerited favor.  Mercy means you do not get a punishment that you deserve; compassion, forbearance. God is abundant in grace and mercy and we can read about it in the Bible. His greatest act of grace is the gift of salvation that is available for all people through faith (Eph 2:8-9).  When the gift is accepted, eternal life is promised to the recipient. This eternal life is a promise of a home one day in heaven with God. The promise to the believer is sealed with the Holy Spirit as a guarantee that one day Jesus the Christ will return to earth to claim His purchased possession (Eph 1:12-14; 4:30). Jesus purchased every sinner with His own blood on the cross at Calvary."

The above statement helps to understand where Grace comes from ... it comes from God to us, but we must accept what has been provided for us, we must accept it as part of our relationship with God. Once we accept it we then need to, in turn, understand that God desires us to give what we have received to others.

Some people find it hard to accept Grace that God gives us. Others find it hard to afford Grace to others. Neither are pleasing to God.

When someone has been given much, much will be required in return; and when someone has been entrusted with much, even more will be required. Luke 12 48 NLT

The woman at the well comes to mind, she had made may mistakes in life and Jesus knew this and she knew as well. Not only was the Woman at the well was aware of her sin, so were the others in the village where she lived. She probably came to the well in the heat of the day because she didn't want to deal with the gossip of the women as they came to get their water early in the day before the heat make the job harder.
Read the story.....

"Jacob’s well was there; and Jesus, tired from the long walk, sat wearily beside the well about noontime. 7 Soon a Samaritan woman came to draw water, and Jesus said to her, “Please give me a drink.” 8 He was alone at the time because his disciples had gone into the village to buy some food.

9 The woman was surprised, for Jews refuse to have anything to do with Samaritans.^b She said to Jesus, “You are a Jew, and I am a Samaritan woman. Why are you asking me for a drink?”

10 Jesus replied, “If you only knew the gift God has for you and who you are speaking to, you would ask me, and I would give you living water.”

11 “But sir, you don’t have a rope or a bucket,” she said, “and this well is very deep. Where would you get this living water? 12 And besides, do you think you’re greater than our ancestor Jacob, who gave us this well? How can you offer better water than he and his sons and his animals enjoyed?”

13 Jesus replied, “Anyone who drinks this water will soon become thirsty again. 14 But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life.”

15 “Please, sir,” the woman said, “give me this water! Then I’ll never be thirsty again, and I won’t have to come here to get water.”

16 “Go and get your husband,” Jesus told her.

17 “I don’t have a husband,” the woman replied.

Jesus said, “You’re right! You don’t have a husband— 18 for you have had five husbands, and you aren’t even married to the man you’re living with now. You certainly spoke the truth!” John 4 NLT

She probably had not experienced grace in the community, and now she was surprised to find someone who was affording her the Grace that only God gives.

Make sure we afford others similar grace as we have been given by God, though Christ blood.

The longer I live and walk with Christ, the more I see this as a failing in my own life and others. The price we and others pay for not affording Grace is high.

Love God above all else.

Being Thankfull @ Thanksgiving

It's the evening before Thanksgiving 2013 Turkey is cooked, waiting for me to carve. House smells good, as only the holidays seem to produce with the special fare.

In USA we often take for granite the abundance we enjoy. I have witness, that much of the world does not enjoy this abundance. Most people would look at the poverty of the world and say I'm sorry they don't have more. And there is a real need to meet the basic needs of food and shelter however I'm not sure I would totally share this view beyond these basics. Because of our abundance we lack the appreciation of what brings real joy in life. We may lack the very things that bring true happiness.  

Gathering of family is very much a tradition that I grew up with and it has served our family well over the years, when possible gathering together in large and at times smaller groups and giving thanks for the blessing in our life.

But even this tradition, leaves much to be desired, because if we can't gather as a family, many feel that somehow it's less of a holiday. Relationship are a big part of what makes our lives richer, but only one relationship make the eternal difference, one with our Creator.

I love to gather with family, and share the abundance, but I would love to see us take heart and focus on who has provided so well for us, and give him a heart felt thank you, for all the blessing of life,

And after we have done that, take assessment of what we have. If your living in the USA your wealth exceeds most people of the world, and our thankfulness should exceed all other peoples.

I just want to say THANK YOU  to my Heavenly Father for all the Blessings he has bestowed on me.

Life Changing message

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