God changes lives. His love slowly, patiently uses the circumstances and relationships of life to cut away everything that doesn't look like His creation.
My uncle Gus was a wood worker (wheedler). He created works that were mind boggling.
I would ask how do you make this block of wood look like a rose.
He said "I cut away everything that does not look like rose"
I would ask how do you make this block of wood look like a rose.
He said "I cut away everything that does not look like rose"
Simple would you say?
Some of us need extra work but can rest in the truth that if God is the One doing the cutting, the results will be beautiful.
The woman at the well was in desperate need of someone who could change her life.
"She said to Jesus, 'You are a Jew, and I am a Samaritan woman. Why are you asking me for a drink?' Jesus replied, 'If you only knew the gift God has for you and who I am, you would ask me, and I would give you living water.' 'But sir, you don't have a rope or a bucket,' she said, 'and this is a very deep well. Where would you get this living water?' Jesus replied, 'People soon become thirsty again after drinking this water. But the water I give them takes away thirst altogether. It becomes a perpetual spring within them, giving them eternal life.' 'Please, sir,' the woman said, 'Give me some of that water! Then I'll never be thirsty again, and I won't have to come here to haul water." (John 4:9-15 NLT)
The living water Jesus described is God's unconditional love, a love that was completely foreign to the Samaritan woman. She had spent her whole life going from man to man, desperately searching for someone who would really love her. She came to the well at noontime, the hottest hour of the day, to draw her water. All of the other women came in the morning or evening in order to avoid the brutal heat, but she came alone, I believe, to avoid their condemning eyes and sarcastic whispers. I can imagine the loneliness she must have been feeling that day as she made her way to the well. The love that he offered her was that of the purest that could have been felt. The Samaritan woman had no hope, no self worth and there set the light of the world,on the side of the well.
The minute she saw Him she knew that He had come for her, His eyes filled with something that she did not quite recognize. It was unconditional love that reached out through her sin and drew her to Him, tearing down the guilt and stripping away the shame that had become such a familiar part of her being. It was the unfailing love for which we all thirst that compelled her to come. Real love, God's love, with no conditions, no hidden clauses and no strings attached. Scripture tells us God is not just loving or able to dispense love, but is the very definition and substance of love itself. When we know Him, we know love. "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." (1 John 4:8-10 NLT)
Like this woman, we cannot give what we do not have. We are incapable of giving real love until we have received real love. It is only in a personal encounter with God that we can experience a love so powerful that it reveals the very person of God to us. We must understand and remember that God does not love us because we are lovable and deserve to be loved. He loves us simply because He is love -- and He cannot help Himself!
Life has been hectic and there is no slowing down as we see it. The work of the Lord is rarely ever done. We can stoop and reflect on the last couple of weeks and see what has been happening coming or going.
First Pastor CC was healed. Yes the Vine reports healed. The surgeons went in to operate and there was no need. The night before the surgery CC had many praying for him. The results:
No surgery needed. So church that is a HEALING BEFORE YOUR VERY EYES.
Speaking of healing many know that Dennis Minter had by-pass surgery.
The Vine reports that he is home and Joyce is doing fine, oh Dennis is doing fine. He is up and walking and looking at the cows. So you know he is happy. We are thank full for the outcome of this event in Dennis and Joyce's life.
Thank You Lord.
Denzel Teel also had a healing. He went in for stint application and not a stint was needed. Denzel and his wife Donna believed that he would be healed and he was. Once again right before our eyes.
Doris Caudle asked for prayer before her heart surgery, this is submission and the results were that she did not have to have by-pass. She did have to have 3 stints, but that is better than open heart on any level. She went home the next day and is back to her life. And we Thank You Lord for that life. A side note Doris is my Aunt and she is headstrong. Wonder where I get it?
Carl Ansley also reports that the doctors say he does not have lupus. When the first doctor told him he had the markers of lupus his first reply was I REBUKE THAT IN THE NAME OF JESUS.
He went to war , Jesus was his armor and this war was won.
Johnnie Couch reports that all cell phone numbers go public next month. You must call
888-382-1222 from your cell phone . This call will block your number for 5 years.
Taking one min. will save a lot of trouble.
Children's Church lead the service this last Sunday. It was wonderful to see all the grown up moving around , swinging their arms and laughing. Linda and Joe lead a very thoughtful service. Refreshing to see the children worshiping the Lord in the way children do.
VBS is just around the corner June 22nd-26th .
For further information contact
Johnnie Couch 817-243-4663
Margie Solomon 8717-408-5483
LET IT BE SAID
INFORMATION PARTNERS..GET INVOLVED..CONNECT-THE-VINE
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