firstIMPRESSIONS
from Senior Pastor Timothy Satryan

Christmas is over, and the New Year lies in front of us. I always seem to remember my childhood during this time of the year, and today especially to the days following my childhood Christmas. I recall going to my friends' homes, and them coming to mine. There was always one question that was asked everywhere we as kids went – "Whadja get?" (otherwise being interpreted as "What did you get?") As typical American children, we would show off our favorite toys, and then talk to each other about what we didn't get that we wanted!

It somewhat reminds me of what I recently read about comments that were received by the Forest Service on registration sheets and comment cards by backpackers completing wilderness camping trips:

• "A small deer came into my camp and stole my bag of pickles. Is there a way I can get reimbursed? Please call."

• "Escalators would help on steep uphill sections."

• "Instead of a permit system or regulations, the Forest Service needs to reduce worldwide population growth to limit the number of visitors to wilderness."

• "Trails need to be wider so people can walk while holding hands."

• "Ban walking sticks in wilderness. Hikers that use walking sticks are more likely to chase animals."

• "All the mile markers are missing this year."

• "Found a smoldering cigarette left by a horse."

• "Trails need to be reconstructed. Please avoid building trails that go uphill."

• "Too many bugs and leeches and spiders and spider webs. Please spray the wilderness to rid the area of these pests."

• "Please pave the trails so they can be plowed of snow in the winter."

• Chairlifts need to be in some places so that we can get to wonderful views without having to hike to them."

• "The coyotes made too much noise last night and kept me awake. Please eradicate these annoying animals."

• "Reflectors need to be placed on trees every 50 feet so people can hike at night with flashlights."

• "Need more signs to keep area pristine."

• "A McDonald's would be nice at the trail head."

• "The places where trails do not exist are not well marked."

• "Too many rocks in the mountains."

It seems that some people are just never satisfied! Christmas has come and gone, and people are now at the malls returning and exchanging gifts, and shopping to buy even more items. They just aren't satisfied with what they have.

Christ came some two thousand years ago, to provide for us eternal life. And, unfortunately it seems as though some people are simply not satisfied with what God has done, even though He has given the very best.

Have you found what you are looking for in life? As we prepare ourselves to enter another new year, look to Jesus Christ, for He is the only one that can satisfy the longings of your soul!

Here is your copy of firstIMPRESSIONS, Volume 3.52. Live for God, on purpose, for He has given each of us the true reason to live now and in the New Year to come! God bless you, and may you have a very wonderful New Year!

He came to my desk with a quivering lip;
The lesson was done;
"Dear Teacher, I want a new leaf," he said.
"I have spoiled this one."
I took the old leaf, torn and blotted,
And gave him a new one all unspotted
And into his sad eyes smiled
"Do better now, my child!"
I came to the Throne with a trembling heart;
The year's work was done.
"Dear Father, I want a new year," I said.
"I have spoiled this one."
He took the old year, torn and blotted,
And gave me a new one, all unspotted.
And into my sad heart smiled:
"Do better now, my child!"

Written by Helen F. Fisher, as seen in The Timothy Report, Swan Lake Communications, Swanlake@jam.rr.com, December 22, 2003

(top)

The "U" in

Before U were thought of or time had begun,
God even stuck U in the name of His Son.

And each time U pray, you'll see it's true
You can't spell out JesUs and not include U.

You're a pretty big part of His wonderful name,
For U, He was born; that's why He came.

And His great love for U is the reason He died.
It even takes U to spell crUcified.

Isn't it thrilling and splendidly grand
He rose from the dead, with U in His plan?

The stones split away, the gold trUmpet blew,
and this word resUrrection is spelled with a U.

When JesUs left earth at His upward ascension,
He felt there was one thing He just had to mention.

"Go into the world and tell them it's true
That I love them all – Just like I love U."

So many great people are spelled with a U,
Don't they have a right to know JesUs too?

It all depends now on what U will do,
He'd like them to know,
But it all starts with U.

Will yoU pass it on.

(top)

I'm writing to say I'm sorry
For being angry yesterday
When you seemed to ignore my prayer
And things didn't go my way

First, my car broke down
I was very late for work
But I missed that awful accident
Was that your handiwork?

I found a house I loved
But others got there first
I was angry, then relieved
When I heard the pipes had burst!

Yesterday, I found the perfect dress
But the color was too pale
Today, I found the dress in red
Would you believe, it was on sale!

I know you're watching over me
And I'm feeling truly blest
For no matter what I pray for
You always know what's best!

I have this circle of E-mail friends,
Who mean the world to me;
Some days I "send" and "send",
At other times, I let them be.

When I see each name download,
And view the message they've sent;
I know they've thought of me that day,
And "well wishes" were their intent.

I am so blessed to have these friends,
With whom I've grown so close;
So this little poem I dedicate to them,
Because to me they are the "Most"!

So to you, my friends, I would like to say,
Thank you for being a part;
Of all my daily contacts,
This comes right from my heart.

God bless you all is my prayer today,
I'm honored to call you "friend";
I pray the Lord will keep you safe,
Until we write again.

God Bless You

(top)

Hold on to Faith;
it is the source of believing that all things are possible.
It is the fiber and strength of a confident soul.

Hold on to Hope;
it banishes doubt and enables attitudes
to be positive and cheerful.

Hold on to Trust;
it is at the core of fruitful relationships
that are secure and content.

Hold on to Love;
it is life's greatest gift of all,
for it shares, cares, and gives meaning to life.

Hold on to Family and Friends;
they are the most important people in your life,
and they make the world a better place.
They are your roots and the beginnings
that you grew from;
they are the vine that has grown through time to nourish
you, help you on your way, and always remain close by.

Hold on to all that you are; and all that you have learned,
for these things are what make you unique.
Don't ignore what you feel,
and what you believe is right and important;
your heart has a way of speaking
louder than your mind.

Hold on to your dreams;
achieve them diligently and honestly.
Never take the easy way or surrender to deceit.
Remember others on your way
and take time to care for their needs.

Enjoy the beauty around you.

Have the courage to see things differently and clearly.
Make the world a better place one day at a time,
and don't let go of the important things
that give meaning to your life.

(top)

by Dr. Ralph F. Wilson

They're just a young couple, I can tell. These mouseholders who have taken up residence in the woodpile are just starting out in life. They've built a nest under the pile of oak firewood I am loading into the back of our station wagon.

We had our first frost a few days ago, and had spent several days winterizing our house. So had this mouse couple. At the bottom of the woodpile their nest would be dry and warm in all but the wettest of storms, ready for the young ones that would surely be coming soon.

I think of my wife and I in our first apartment 32 years ago. So excited, so optimistic.

These are tiny mice, equipped with miniature jumping legs, their little bodies only 2-1/2 inches long -if you don't count the tail. I must seem like a huge giant as I deconstruct their carefully built lives, one log at a time.

I feel sorry for them. Such cute little creatures, so hopeful for the future, yet so filled with terror at what is happening to them.

"What's going on, dear?" the mouse bride cries.

"I don't know," her husband answers. "Nothing like this has ever happened before."

He's wrong, of course. Change happens — constantly. But, thankfully, it's not too often that our entire lives are altered forever by external events.

A few weeks after my bride and I had moved into our first apartment, I received a draft notice: "Greetings from the President of the United States." Yes, greetings to you, too, Mr. President. Our carefully constructed lives suddenly took a sharp turn.

You've had some of those turns, too.

The death of someone very close to you.

Divorce.

Loss of a job.

Failure of a business.

An illness or injury.

Suddenly, life is not the same and never will be again.

Everything's different. And we try to cope — sometimes in healthy ways, sometimes in self-destructive ways.

I keep loading the firewood into the back of the wagon. I'm about to stack it higher yet when I see one of the tiny mice clinging to a piece of firewood in the back of the car. Another few seconds and he would have been crushed. I pick him up by his long tail, set him on the ground, and go back to get more logs. When I return he is still at the same place on the ground where I put him — stunned by these events, barely able to get out of harm's way. We're so mouse-like sometimes.

Life goes on. The props change, sometimes all too often. We're so tempted to cling to the props as they are being dragged off the set. And sometimes we're hurt because of our inability to let go, so attached to the accouterments of the past that it's impossible for us to welcome the future.

Change requires courage, great helpings of it. My mind goes to Joshua in the Bible. For nearly forty years he has been an understudy to the great leader Moses. Now Moses is dead and leadership is thrust fully upon Joshua. Ahead is the Jordan River running at flood stage, and beyond that the fortified cities of Canaan — the "Promised Land" that seems so elusive. Talk about change? Joshua has change swirling all around him.

And God speaks to him a word: "Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified, do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go" (Joshua 1:9).

Our mouse couple looks up as their world is trembling. One by one the logs that comprise their shelter are disappearing, and soon only open sky is above. What do you do?

Do you cling to the firewood and risked being crushed by it? Or do you cling to God's promise to you?

God has promised to be with you wherever you go. He has promised never to leave you or forsake you. What He asks of you is faith to overcome your terror. Courage to meet your discouragement. And confidence to draw on His strength. Change is a constant. No part of our lives will endure unchanged for more than a few years, a few decades at most. But the LORD our God is unchangeable. He is forever. You can put down your roots into Him, knowing that in this way you will never be utterly uprooted again.

I think of Mr. and Mrs. Mouse. My heart goes out to them. I've been where they are, and so have you. And I hope that, even as I am writing these words, they are dragging their nest into another shelter in the woods to keep them dry and warm this winter. I hope that Mr. Mouse has finally got over his shock and got with the program. Older now, and wiser they are.

And if I could offer just one word of advice for them and for you – and for me – it would be this: Don't cling to the firewood.

(top)

When Jesus looks upon my life,
What picture does He see.
Does He see His own reflection,
Or does He just see me.
Does He see His likeness,
The product of His hand.
Or just another Christian,
Who never took a stand.
Does He see a child of God,
A child that He made free.
Living life to honor Him,
Or does He just see me.

What about the other folks,
I meet along the way.
Do I show them Jesus,
To brighten up their day.
When someone looks into my eyes,
Can they truly see.
That calm and gentle peace of God,
That dwells inside of me.
When I reach out and shake a hand,
Is He right there in my grip.
Can they feel that strength from God,
That steadies when I slip.
When folks are in my presence,
Do they know His Spirit's there.
Can they see that He's the one,
Who guides me everywhere.

When other people think of me,
What is on their mind.
Do they think of Jesus Christ,
So gentle and so kind.
I try to be like Jesus,
Every single day.
Spreading love and kindness,
All along my way.
I'm afraid that I have failed,
I could not pass the test.
Deep inside my heart I know,
I haven't done my best.

I have had to fight my flesh,
Since the day that I was born.
It's always causing trouble,
And being such a thorn.
That's why His Spirit dwells in me,
He's helping me to learn.
In every situation,
Where I need to turn.
He knew I'd never pass the test,
That's why He took my place.
He gave His life to save my soul,
He suffered my disgrace.

Now I try to be like Him,
I must represent Him well.
So other folks will want His gift,
And turn their backs on hell.
Other folks should see the joy,
That Christ has given me.
They should want to have it too,
Especially since it's free.
They should begin to ask me,
What is it they must do.
Just how it is they go about,
Getting Jesus too.
Then I get to tell them,
This wondrous gift is free.
It only takes a humble heart,
A prayer on bended knee.

Someday when I'm face to face,
With the Lord who made me free.
Will He see His own reflection,
Or will He just see me.

(top)

by Rubel Shelly, Ph.D.

Some people waste a lot of perfectly good energy wishing they could do things they can't. They hear someone play the piano and say longingly, "If only I could make such beautiful music!" They watch an athlete, hear a stirring speech, or read a well- crafted novel and lament, "I wish I could do that!"

My theory is that everybody is good at something and that the key both to achievement and satisfaction is in knowing what that "something" is, developing it to a maximal degree, and using it. In other words, play to your strengths.

One young family I know has a daughter who is casting about to decide what she wants to do when she grows up. As with most seven-year-olds, she sees the world as her domain to conquer. She has ruled nothing out as yet. You have to admire that kind of optimism – and pray that nothing wrings it out of her.

At the same time, her optimism must have a bit of reality mixed with it. So there has been a dilemma. Her current hot options are between being a rock singer and a star tennis player. The reality factor here is that she occasionally hits the tennis ball; she never hits a note! So, her mom and dad have had no great difficulty in deciding between voice lessons and tennis instruction.

With grown-ups, time is more of the essence. We don't have another five or ten years to cast about among unlimited options. So how do you find your strengths? Begin with four sheets of paper, and use these headings: (1) things that are easy for me, (2) things people tell me I do well, (3) things that make me lose track of time, and (4) things that are fun and fulfilling for me. Now circle the thing(s) that appear on all four lists. You've probably discovered your strength(s).

Conventional wisdom may tell you to find your areas of greatest weakness and shore them up. Does that really make sense? You'll probably never be more than mediocre at something you dislike, try to avoid, and feel frustrated doing. If you're tone deaf, don't waste money on voice lessons. Try tennis!

It seems far wiser to explore your aptitudes, passions, and talents. Focus and develop your energies there. Become really, really good at something you enjoy. You will find tremendous satisfaction in generating excellence in your field. And the great likelihood is that people will reward you for it.

"A man can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in his word. This too, I see, is from the hand of God" (Ecclesiastes 2:24).

Rubel Shelly is a Preaching Minister at the Woodmont Hills Church of Christ. This artlicle is from the July 7, 2003 issue of "The FAX of Life," his weekly message, found at http://www.rubelshelly.com.

(top)

The story is told of a little boy who was given a priceless possession. It was his deceased grandfather's beautiful gold pocket watch. My, how he treasured it! It was to be a lifelong reminder of his dear grandfather and his love for him.

But one day, while playing at his father's ice plant, he lost the watch amid all the ice and sawdust. He searched and searched, but he could not find the watch. He became frantic.

Then he suddenly realized what to do. He stopped scurrying and scratching around and became very still. He just listened. And in the silence, he heard the watch: tick, tick, tick, tick. He found his treasure by becoming quiet!

Followers of our Lord Jesus Christ also have a wonderful and priceless possession. The Bible says, "This precious treasure — this light and power that now shine within us — is held in perishable containers, that is, in our weak bodies" (2 Corinthians 4:7, NLT).

The priceless possession and treasure within us is none other than God Himself, the Holy Spirit, who dwells there!

This treasure within us brings pardon, peace, purpose, and power. He brings joy and love, for both Himself and others. He brings guidance. These are things that money cannot buy.

But we may not hear or sense His presence if we are always scurrying around in this life, our hearing impaired and His voice obscured by the incessant noises of the world, some of them coming from our own mouths, or our radios, or our televisions.

Like the little boy, we need to stop and listen. We may even need to shut up!

"Be silent, and know that I am God! The LORD Almighty is here among us" (Psalm 46:10-11, NLT).

Our Lord exhorted, "When you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father secretly" (Matthew 6:6, NLT). The King James Version says "enter into thy closet."

Prayer is communing and communicating with God, and not necessarily dominating the conversation and trying to outtalk Him, as many are prone to do. We should remember Ecclesiastes 5:2: "Do not be hasty in word or impulsive in thought to bring up a matter in the presence of God. For God is in heaven and you are on the earth; therefore let your words be few" (NIV).

Our "closet" can be the quietness of our heart. In that quiet place, at home, office, or our automobiles, let us be still, know that He is God, and let us listen for Him.

As seen in "Daily Insights" by Dr. Bill Bright, the late Founder and President/Chairman Emeritus of Campus Crusade for Christ International and Co-Founder of Global Pastors Network.

(top)

A new young minister got his first charge – a tiny church way out on the prairies. He traveled from the big city early to familiarize himself with the parish, and visited the church on Wednesday. It was dark and dreary inside, and remembering the suggestion that he find a cause to get the congregation working together, he got the bright idea that hey should raise funds to buy a chandelier to hang in the middle of the sanctuary, and spent the next three days preparing his sermon.

On Sunday morning he spent twenty minutes telling the congregation how great it would be to have a chandelier, He chandeliered this – and he chandeliered that, and finished his sermon with a big pitch for funds with which to buy a glorious chandelier that would mean so much to the people of this parish. He felt after all the handshakes, and seeing the families off that he had made a successful presentation.

After three weeks, having heard no feedback he stopped one of the elders on the way out and asked him the direct question, "What are you going to do about the chandelier?"

"Oh, we talked about that and decided against it. You see nobody around here knows how to spell that word. And even if we got one of them things, there's not a soul within a hundred miles who knows how to play one. And furthermore, what this church really needs is more lights."

I pray that your holidays are going great, and that you are enjoying a time with family, friends, and loved ones! I am so very thankful for all of the many friends and loved ones that are a part of my life! My prayer for you for the coming year is that you would be more alive in the Lord, and more excited about doing His will than ever before! May God richly bless you!

Yours for HIM,
Timothy Satryan,
Senior Pastor
WILMINGTON first assembly of God