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firstIMPRESSIONS
Here’s a man who was fainting and failing. The psalmist! He was like a wineskin in the smoke. Wherever he walked there was a pit for him to drop into. What did he do? He turned to God! His source of hope was His Word. “My soul faints for Your salvation... For I have become like a wineskin in smoke, yet I do not forget Your statutes... The proud have dug pits for me, which is not according to Your law” (Psalm 119:81-83, 85) He told God! “My eyes fail from searching Your word, saying, ‘When will You comfort me?” People will fail you, but God never will. The psalmist clung to the comfort, hope and faithfulness of God, and as a result he experienced revival. “Revive me according to Your lovingkindness.” (:88) God came with a Breath of fresh, heavenly air – the Holy Spirit – and revived him. He trusted in God! ”...but I hope in Your word.” “All Your commandments are faithful.” (:86) If you hope in circumstances, you will be disappointed, because they change. The psalmist hoped in the Word and trusted in God’s faithfulness, and God comforted him. “Do not be afraid of sudden terror, Nor of trouble from the wicked when it comes; For the LORD will be your confidence...” (Proverbs.3:24-25) Thank God for His faithfulness! If you are having a rough day, remember that you can depend on Him and Him alone! God is your confidence! And He will revive you, release you and reward you! Amen! Here is your copy of firstIMPRESSIONS, Volume 6.45. Live for God, on purpose, trusting on Him each and every day. |
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 The Day of the Rabbit
In his book A Severe Mercy, author Sheldon Vanauken tells the story of a dog named Gypsy. Gypsy was a furry, wheat-colored collie, who lived and played on a ranch – several hundred acres of hills and woods, full of good things like rabbit trails and streams. She loved it there. At the ranch house she was given a comfortable bed and good meals. Her Master, who owned the ranch, made no unreasonable demands on her. She knew that her job was to love her Master and to be faithful to him and to obey other commands – to follow, to come, to lie down. And she also knew that she wasn’t supposed to chase the chickens and the rabbits. Actually these were easy for Gypsy, because it was in her nature to obey and to love her master. But one day when Gypsy was prowling on a hill far away past the spring house and pasture, two things happened at once: the Master called her and a rabbit dashed across the hill. Gypsy turned and raced towards the Master, as she had always done. Then she stopped. It entered her mind that she didn’t have to obey. Perhaps the Master didn’t understand about that rabbit. Anyway, these were her hills. The rabbit was hers, too. Very likely it was all lies – that story of everything, including herself, belonging to the Master. How did she know that the food in her dish came from him? Probably there was some natural explanation. She was a free dog and that was the end of it. These thoughts went through her mind swiftly while she stood irresolute. Again came the Master’s command; the rabbit crossed the hilltop. Gypsy whirled and raced after the rabbit. She had made a choice. She was free to choose. Hours later she came home. She saw the Master waiting for her, but she did not rush gladly to him, leaping and frisking as she had always done. Something new came into her demeanor: guilt. She crept up to him like a snake on her belly. Undoubtedly she was penitent at the moment. But she had a new knowledge – the knowledge of the possibility of sin – and it was a thrill in her heart and a salt taste in her mouth. Nevertheless she was very obedient the next day and the day after that. Eventually, though, there was another rabbit, and she didn’t even hesitate. The Master still loved her, but he trusted her no longer. He put Gypsy in a pen and took her for walks with a rope around her neck. All her real freedom was gone. But the Master gave her from time to time, new chances to obey of her own free will. Had she chosen to obey, she would have once again had perfect freedom to roam her hundreds of acres. But she did not. She always chose, if she were out of reach, to run away. The Master, knowing that hunger would eventually bring her back, let her run. He could have stopped her. A rifle shot would have ended her rebellion once and for all. But she was allowed to live. Perhaps she would someday choose the way of obedience and true freedom. One day, during a journey by car, Gypsy and her young daughter Flurry were taken to the edge of the woods. Always before, Gypsy had limited her disobedience to the ranch. But now, coming back to the car, she suddenly felt the old thrill. She turned and ran away. The Master called with a note of sharp urgency. Flurry, in her innocence, came at once. But Gypsy, her ears dulled to the voice of the Master, continued her rush into the dark forest. After hours of searching and calling, the Master sadly abandoned the lost dog and with Flurry beside him, went home. Flurry continued to live in freedom, always being obedient to the Master who loved her and took good care of her. She was happy to be in his service and she loved the look on his face when she did something that pleased him. She obeyed gladly of her own free choice. But lost Gypsy, as long as she still lived, wandered the woods and roads as an outcast. She had lost her way home. She became dirty and matted with foxtails and thorns. Stones were often thrown at her and she was always hungry. She had more puppies who, like her, were lost and inclined to disobedience – as were their puppies for generations to come. The kind and benevolent hand of the Master was unknown to them, except as a tale. But this is the way Gypsy chose on the Day of the Rabbit, and continued to choose, until finally there was no more choosing left to do. Where to take it from here... God created Adam and Eve with complete freedom – freedom not only to enjoy all that God had given them, but freedom to choose to obey or to disobey. We all know how they chose. Adam and Eve, filled with guilt over their disobedience, covered themselves and hid from God. Their innocence was gone, and they could no longer be trusted. God had to place them and their offspring under tighter restrictions called the Law. But still they disobeyed, and all of their offspring – that’s us – have inherited their tendency to disobey. “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). That’s why Jesus came. If the Master in this story could have actually become a dog and chased Gypsy through the woods to bring her back, that would approximate what God did when he sent Jesus. God continues to call us back, and we still have the freedom to choose the way of obedience over the way of sin and death. The Bible says, “Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve” (Joshua 24:15). We can use our free will to choose the way of obedience. And when we do, God gives us even more freedom to enjoy life to its fullest. Jesus said, “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full” (John 10:10). The way of sin and disobedience robs you of your freedom. Don’t be a slave to sin. Choose Jesus Christ and you will have more freedom than you ever knew was possible. from Still More Hot Illustrations for Youth Talks by Wayne Rice. As seen in Laugh and Lift. http://www.laughandlift.com/list.html (top)  He Hears Our Cry
by Tom Norvell God hears our cries. He hears our cry no matter the time of the day or night He hears our cry no matter where we are. He hears the cry of every creature on the face of the earth. He hears the cry of a child who cries as her daddy drives away on yet another business trip. She will see him again on Saturday morning. Make that Saturday afternoon. He has a golf game on Saturday morning. God hears her cry. He hears the cry of the teenage boy who cries himself to sleep in the security of his bedroom after spending his weekend with his step-dad and his mother. The rest of the week he will be with his Dad and his step-mother. He will repeat this same scenario next weekend, and the weekend after that, and the weekend after that. God hears his cry. He hears the cry of the wife who cries as she wonders if the man she married so many years ago will come home today. They had a big fight and he left angry. Words were spoken that neither one meant to speak. She wants to call him, but she is afraid he will not answer his phone. God hears her cry. God hears his cry... wherever he may be. He hears the cry of the executive who closes the door to his office and turns his chair away from the window so no one will see his tears. He has just gotten a notice that his position is being phased out. His wife moved out last week. He has no place to go. He has no one to tell. So he sits alone in his office and he cries. God hears his cry. He hears the cry of the husband who walks down the hall toward the exit of the nursing home where he left his wife. She has not recognized him for quite sometime. He puts the key in the ignition and cries for his wife. God hears his cry. He hears the cry of a lady who walks into a church and finds a seat. She sits alone. No one speaks to her. No one notices she is there. No one notices when she leaves. As she walks through the parking lot to her car she cries. She cries for the love of someone... anyone. God hears her cry. The Psalmist wrote of those who cry out for love. Psalms 28:2, “Hear my cry for mercy as I call to you for help, as I lift up my hands toward your Most Holy Place.” Psalms 28:6, “Praise be to the LORD, for he has heard my cry for mercy.” Psalms 34:17, “The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles.” Psalms 40:1, “I waited patiently for the LORD; he turned to me and heard my cry.” Psalms 55:17, “Evening, morning and noon I cry out in distress, and he hears my voice.” Psalms 88:1-2, “O LORD, the God who saves me, day and night I cry out before you. May my prayer come before you; turn your ear to my cry.” Psalms 116:1, “I love the LORD, for he heard my voice; he heard my cry for mercy.” The God who created the universe, the God who loves us, hears our cry. as seen in Tom Norvell’s “A Norvell Note,” Vol. 9 No. 44, October 29, 2006. © Copyright 2006. All Rights Reserved. (top) 
One SONG can spark a moment (top)  Feeding the Bears
In 1939, a Coast Guard vessel was cruising the Canadian Arctic when the men spotted a polar bear stranded on an ice floe. It was quite a novelty for the seamen, who threw the bear salami, peanut butter, and chocolate bars. Then they ran out of the food. Unfortunately, the polar bear hadn’t run out of appetite, so he proceeded to board their vessel. The men on ship were terrified and opened the fire hoses on the bear. The polar bear loved it and raised his paws in the air to get the water under his armpits. We don’t know how they did it, but eventually they forced the polar bear to return to his ice pad – but not before teaching these seamen a horrifying lesson about feeding polar bears. Some people make the same mistake with sin that these sailors nearly made with the polar bear. They begin feeding it – a little at a time without thinking through the consequences. “It says something about our times,” writes Willard D. Ferrell, “that we rarely use the word ’sinful’ except to describe a really good dessert.” (top)  Why is God Silent?
by Warren Wiersbe “O God, whom I praise, do not remain silent...” – Psalm 109:1 What do you do when heaven is silent? What do you do when you cry out to God and there is no answer, or at least you can’t hear it? This happened to David. He kept crying out to God, “Do not keep silent, O God of my praise!” (v. 1). David was being attacked by the wicked – a frequent occurrence in his life. You must remember that when he prayed these prayers of judgment (v. 13), he was not seeking personal revenge. No, he was praying as God’s king over Israel. David wanted to see the wicked judged because they were attacking the people of God, the ones from whom God’s Word and His Son would come. Why is God silent at times? It may be because we aren’t listening or we don’t want to listen. Evangelist Billy Sunday used to say that a sinner can’t find God for the same reason a criminal can’t find a policeman – he’s not looking. Sin makes us turn a deaf ear to God. When Adam and Eve heard the voice of God in the Garden of Eden, they ran and hid. Children often do that when they disobey. Sometimes God is silent because we aren’t ready for the message. He wants to talk to us about something, but we aren’t ready. We have to go through refining trials to make us ready to listen. God is sometimes silent because He knows we aren’t willing to obey. He is always ready to show us His will, but He shows His will only to those who really want to do it. Jesus said in John 7:17, “If anyone wants to do His will, he shall know concerning the doctrine.” Obedient people always hear the voice of God. Finally, sometimes God is silent that He might test us – to teach us the importance of silence, the importance of waiting on Him. Waiting helps remind us of God’s sovereignty. The silence of God is one of the difficult tests of faith. What should you do when He is silent? Remember His faithfulness and past blessings. Live today on what He has already told you. Trust Him and wait. You will hear the voice of God again. as seen at http://www.backtothebible.org/devotions/print.php/psalms/277 (top)  The Last Impression...
It doesn’t hurt to take a hard look at yourself from time to time, and this should help get you started. During a visit to the mental asylum, a visitor asked the Director what the criterion was which defined whether or not a patient should be institutionalized. “Well,” said the Director, “we fill up a bathtub, then we offer a teaspoon, a teacup and a bucket to the patient and ask him or her to empty the bathtub.” “Oh, I understand,” said the visitor. “A normal person would use the bucket because it’s bigger than the spoon or the teacup.” “No.” said the Director, “A normal person would pull the plug. Do you want a bed near the window?” Here we are in the middle of this year’s autumn, with temperatures in the upper 60’s and low 70’s here in Wilmington. At the same time, there are places in the upper Midwest that are predicted to have significant snowfall today. The same day – but different weather conditions, simply due to location. Where is your soul located today? James tells us to “draw near to God, and He will draw near to us.” As we go through the seasons of our life, stay close to God! Stay in the warm Son-shine! |
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Yours for HIM, |
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Some days everything seems to go wrong! Every phone call brings bad news. The mails are demanding... The children come home from school with some kind of injury or a bad report... Work is frustrating... Health is disturbing... Friends are leaving... Foes are threatening... What do you do when you have one of these days?
