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I will be a little on the “light side” in this week’s opening comments! As most folks at WFA know, I have two Golden Retrievers, Breeze and Booty. Since Breeze was a part of my 50th birthday gift from the church, I have often used her and her sister, Booty, as illustrations in my sermons. And, if time goes by without my saying anything about the two pups, I am bombarded with people asking why I haven’t talked about them for a while!

So, to make up for those “missed opportunities” of sharing “Breeze and Booty Stories,” I submit the following lessons you would learn if Breeze and Booty were preaching instead of me!

• When loved ones come home, always run to greet them.
• Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride.
• Let fresh air and the wind in your face be pure ecstasy.
• When it’s in your best interest, practice obedience.
• Let others know when they’ve invaded your territory.
• Take naps.
• Stretch before rising.
• Run, romp, and play daily.
• Thrive on attention and let people touch you.
• Avoid biting when a simple growl will do.
• On warm days, stop to lie on your back on the grass.
• On hot days, drink lots of water, and lie under a shady tree.
• When you’re happy, dance around and wag your entire body.
• No matter how often you’re scolded, never hold a grudge! Run right back and
make friends.
• Delight in the joy of a long walk.
• Eat with gusto and enthusiasm. Stop when you have had enough.
• Be loyal. Never pretend to be something you’re not.
• If what you want lies buried, dig until you find it.
• When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by and nuzzle them gently.

Now, there’s some “dog-gone good” sermon material there! By the way, I just took the picture of Breeze (on the right) and Booty (on the left) today. As the saying goes, “Lord, let me live to be half the man my dog thinks I am!”

Here is your copy of firstIMPRESSIONS, Volume 8.16. Live for God, on purpose, as devoted to Him as our pets are to us!

Trouble, Hope and Praise

Trouble often brings depression. We pity ourselves. We ask, “Why me, Lord?” Kids are especially prone to pity parties. So are adults. Psalm 43:5 gives us a solution. “Why are you in despair, O my soul? And why are you disturbed within me? Hope in God, for I shall again praise Him, the help of my countenance, and my God.”

First, being disturbed, getting down, and being troubled are real experiences. We should never put down people who go through such times of depression.

Second, we should recognize God is the answer to our troubles and depression. We should not look at ourselves and engage in self-pity. Instead, we should hope in God.

Third, the hope mentioned in the Psalm is not some vague euphoric feeling about the future. We have this nebulous hope when we hope tomorrow will go well. Rather, the hope mentioned here is a gift of the Holy Spirit. It is a solid foundation upon which to build our present lives.

Fourth, since hope is a gift from God, it must be used. It must be exercised. We exercise hope when we turn to God and offer Him praise and thanksgiving.

Finally and fifth, guess what? Praise and thanksgiving put a glow on our faces. Inner hope is turned to outward joy. We move from the pits to the pinnacle.

Grow

by Rich DeVos

“He covers the sky with clouds; he supplies the earth with rain and makes grass grow on the hills.” — Psalm 147:7-9

April showers bring forth sprouts from the ground. Trees are budding, lawns are greening and early spring flowers are opening. Watching the earth awake from a winter sleep reminds us for another year that God wants things to grow.

As we think spring, let’s also think growth and marvel at the many ways God has built growth into his plan. On a simple level, we can experience that God wants us to grow physically. We grow from children to adults. With proper nutrition and exercise, our bones grow stronger and our muscles larger. We can appreciate, as the Bible reminds us, that we are wonderfully made.

We also can grow in knowledge and wisdom. God has blessed us with intelligence and emotions that we can continually grow to become better human beings. The more life we experience, the more we can grow rewarding and lasting relationships, appreciate other people and the world around us, and be thankful that we are blessed simply to be a part of this wonderful life.

I am now 82, so I have a few years of experience and now know that you continue to grow and flourish all your life (at least this far).

As life goes on, you change your methods and goals. At one point you need to grow to get out of school, and then grow to stay in school so you can move on and up. Then you need to start a business or a career and grow in learning how to survive.

I traveled that road and succeeded, and now my goals are to be a worthy husband to my wife, Helen, and to focus on my family. Our children are all wonderfully married and between them have 16 grandchildren. Now they are in the growing process and I cheer them on and encourage them to be good students and always be positive.

Each generation has to learn it again. We are only one generation away from losing our faith and our freedom. Only one generation from becoming whiners instead of winners.

Keep growing in:
Faith in Christ
Learning
Working smarter
Giving love and receiving it
Serving your Lord
Love of Country and your neighbor

Go and grow, you can do it!

Rich DeVos is the former chairman of Gospel Communications. He is also the author of “Hope From My Heart: Ten Lessons for Life,” co-founder of Amway Corp., and owner and chairman of the NBA’s Orlando Magic.

Parable of the Candles

by Max Lucado

There was a blackout one night. When the lights went out, I fumbled to the closet where we keep the candles for nights like this... I lit four of them.

I was turning to leave with the large candle in my hand when I heard a voice, “Now, hold it right there.”

“Who said that?”

“I did.” The voice was near my hand.

“Who are you? What are you?”

“I’m a candle.”

I lifted up the candle to take a closer look. There was a tiny face in the wax. “Don’t take me out of here!”

“What?”

“I said, don’t take me out of this room.”

“What do you mean? I have to take you out. You’re a candle. Your job is to give light. It’s dark out there.”

“But you can’t take me out. I’m not ready,” the candle explained with pleading eyes. “I need more preparation.”

I couldn’t believe my ears. “More preparation?”

“Yeah, I’ve decided I need to research this job of light-giving so I won’t go out and make a bunch of mistakes. You’d be surprised how distorted the glow of an untrained candle can be....”

“All right then,” I said. “You’re not the only candle on the shelf. I’ll blow you out and take the others!”

But right then I heard other voices, “We aren’t going either!”

I turned to the other candles, “You are candles and your job is to light dark places!”

“Well, that may be what you think,” said the first one, “You may think we have to go, but I’m busy... I’m meditating on the importance of light. It’s really enlightening.”

“And you other two,” I asked, “are you going to stay too?”

A short, fat, purple candle with plump cheeks spoke up. “I’m waiting to get my life together, I’m not stable enough.”

The last candle had a female voice, very pleasant to the ear. “I’d like to help, “she explained, “but lighting the darkness is not my gift... I’m a singer. I sing to other candles to encourage them to burn more brightly.”

She began a rendition of “This Little Light of Mine” The other three joined in, filling the closet with singing... I took a step back and considered the absurdity of it all. Four perfectly healthy candles singing to each other about light but refusing to come out of the closet.

Here is a question for you, when was the last time you shared the gospel to someone? This world is full of darkness, with many people stumbling around trying to find their way. You can be a light for them, and believe me, there’s a light waiting for you. It can all happen with something as sharing the faith, to just a smile across the room, to a quick hello to a forgotten friend.

“You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” — Matthew 5:14-16

Finding Treasure

by Jim Liebelt

“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.” — Psalm 119:105

The story has been told of a great adventurer and student of the Old West. The greatest thrill of his life was to search for treasures hidden from the days of the great California gold rush in the 1800s. He would begin by investigating leads on so-called “treasure maps” that had been uncovered or found in antique shops. He would buy the maps and begin to do research on the locations. When an area was located, he would search history books to see if a treasure was supposed to have been hidden in that area. If so, he would begin searching. In this fashion, he had made a number of successful finds during his life and had become quite rich through his efforts. In fact, he became so successful that his adventures became routine to the point that he tired of them.

One day, the man decided he would attempt the ultimate adventure. He would find another treasure, but this time without the help of a map. He purchased another old treasure map and figured out the general area that held the promise of a great hidden treasure. Then, he set out on his adventure without the assistance of the map. He was never heard from again. Some years later, others found his remains in a mountainous desert area. Apparently, the great adventurer had died of starvation during his quest. Alongside his bones, amongst his gear, the treasure map was found – clearly indicating where to look. He was nowhere near the treasure, but had died in search of riches that could have been easily found.

Where do you look to find spiritual treasure? Some chase after possessions to find fulfillment. Others immerse themselves in pleasurable experiences. Some long for spiritual connection, but lose heart along the way and give up. Others become convinced that they don’t need the “map” to find spiritual treasure. They believe they can find it on their own.

God’s Word – the Bible – is our treasure map. God has assured us in His Word that we can have eternal life, and through the reading, study and meditation of Scripture, we will learn how to navigate through this life. And in the end, we will find eternal treasure: living forever with God in heaven. With the Bible as our map, we are assured of never losing our way.

We are all living out the adventure of life. Where are you headed? Don’t let your soul waste away in a spiritual wilderness while a trusted map collects dust nearby. Today, take some time to read your Bible. It will help provide directions on your way to finding real treasure.

as seen in “Today’s HomeWord,” a daily devotional with Jim Burns. Visit them online at www.homeword.com

Twenty Truths to Remember

1. Faith is the ability to not panic.

2. If you worry, you didn’t pray. If you pray, don’t worry.

3. As a child of God, prayer is kind of like calling home every day.

4. Blessed are the flexible, for they shall not be bent out of shape.

5. When we get tangled up in our problems, be still. God wants us to be still so He can untangle the knot.

6. Do the math. Count your blessings.

7. God wants spiritual fruit, not religious nuts.

8. Dear God: I have a problem. It’s me.

9. Silence is often misinterpreted, but never misquoted.

10. Laugh every day, it’s like inner jogging.

11. The most important things in your home are the people.

12. Growing old is inevitable, growing up is optional.

13. There is no key to happiness. The door is always open.

14. A grudge is a heavy thing to carry.

15. He who dies with the most toys is still dead.

16. We do not remember days, but moments. Life moves too fast, so enjoy your precious moments.

17. Nothing is real to you until you experience it, otherwise it’s just hearsay.

18. It’s all right to sit on your pity pot every now and again. Just be sure to flush when you are done.

19. Surviving and living your life successfully requires courage. The goals and dreams you’re seeking require courage and risk-taking. Learn from the turtle – it only makes progress when it sticks out its neck.

20. Be more concerned with your character than your reputation. Your character is what you really are while your reputation is merely what others think you are.

Five Ways to Get Rid
of Your Pastor

1. Sit up front, smile and say “amen” every time he says something good. He will preach himself to death.

2. Pat him on the back and tell him what good work he is doing in the church and community. He will work himself to death.

3. Increase your offering in the church. Then he will suffer from shock.

4. Tell him you have decided to join the visitation group and win souls for the Lord. He will probably suffer a heart attack.

5. Get the whole church to band together and pray for him. He will get so efficient that some other church will hear about him and give him a call. That will take him off your hands.

The Last Impression

A Minister was walking down the street when he came upon a group of about a dozen boys, all of them between 10 and 12 years of age.

The group had surrounded a dog. Concerned lest the boys were hurting the dog, he went over and asked “What are you doing with that dog?”

One of the boys replied, “This dog is just an old neighborhood stray. We all want him, but only one of us can take him home. So we’ve decided that whichever one of us can tell the biggest lie will get to keep the dog.”

Of course, the reverend was taken aback. “You boys shouldn’t be having a contest telling lies!” he exclaimed. He then launched into a ten minute sermon against lying, beginning, “Don’t you boys know it’s a sin to lie,” and ending with, “Why, when I was your age, I never told a lie.”

There was dead silence for about a minute. Just as the reverend was beginning to think he’d gotten through to them, the smallest boy gave a deep sigh and said, “All right, give him the dog.”

This Sunday is National Youth Sunday in the Assemblies of God, and here at WFA, we will be featuring our IMPACT Youth Ministry! Two of our young men, Jordan and Rahim, will share the “rap” they presented at the district Fine Arts Festival, where they were awarded the opportunity to go on to the national level! Our youth pastor, Rev. Steve Miller, will be sharing the message in a service that is sure to be a blessing to everyone! See you this week at WFA!