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open Our heavenly Father doesn’t abandon us when those hard times come. Not at all. In fact, He may be nearer to us in those moments than He has ever been before, even if we aren’t aware of it.

Even if we can’t put our heartaches into words, Christ is still praying for us. The Bible tells us that “the Spirit helps us in our weakness... intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.” Also, “Christ Jesus... is also interceding for us.” (Romans 8:26 and 34)

Take comfort in this truth. And at the same time turn your burdens over to the Lord, even if you find it hard to put them into words. He knows what you are going through. He loves you with a love that will never fail.

If His Son was willing to give His life for you, won’t He also be willing to hear your prayers and help you? Of course He will. The Bible says “Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall.” (Psalm 55:22)

These may not be easy times for you – but Christ is with you! My prayer is that you will sense His presence each and every day.

Here is your copy of firstIMPRESSIONS, Volume 9.34. Live for God, on purpose, knowing that He is a friend who sticks closer than a brother!

five Five Words of Encouragement

The dictionary defines discouragement as follows; “a feeling of despair in the face of obstacles; or a state of distraught and loss of sense of enthusiasm, drive or courage.”

Are you discouraged now? Here are some signs of discouragement:

• Sleeplessness, as your mind and soul is full of worry.

• Restlessness and absent-mindedness, resulting in weariness.

• Complacency, including a loss of interest in food even though you might not have eaten for hours.

• Negative thoughts, including the contemplation of suicide.

Everyone will have their share of discouragement at some point in their lifetime. When you face those difficult, discouraging times, rather than running away from the Lord, turn to Him. His Word is a source of strength and encouragement.

In Revelation 2:8-11, Jesus speaks to a group of people who were going through a very discouraging time. And, His words to them are also words of encouragement to each and every one of us.

Be sure to join us this Sunday morning as we look at Jesus‘ “Five Words of Encouragement.” I am convinced that this is a very time-sensitive word for many people today – including you!

amim Am I My Brother’s Keeper?

A rat looked through a crack in the wall to see the farmer and his wife opening a package. What food might it contain? He was aghast to discover that it was a rat trap. Retreating to the farmyard the rat proclaimed the warning; “There is a rat trap in the house, a rat trap in the house!”

The chicken clucked and scratched, raised her head and said, “Excuse me, Mr. Rat, I can tell this is a grave concern to you, but it is of no consequence to me. I cannot be bothered by it.”

The rat turned to the pig and told him, “There is a rat trap in the house, a rat trap in the house!”

“I am so very sorry Mr. Rat,” sympathized the pig, “but there is nothing I can do about it but pray. Be assured that you are in my prayers.”

The rat turned to the cow. She said, “Like wow, Mr. Rat. A rat trap. I am in grave danger. Duh?”

So the rat returned to the house, head down and dejected, to face the farmer’s rat trap alone.

That very night a sound was heard throughout the house, like the sound of a rat trap catching its prey. The farmer’s wife rushed to see what was caught. In the darkness, she did not see that it was a venomous snake whose tail the trap had caught. The snake bit the farmer’s wife.

The farmer rushed her to the hospital. She returned home with a fever. Now everyone knows you treat a fever with fresh chicken soup, so the farmer took his hatchet to the farmyard for the soup’s main ingredient.

His wife’s sickness continued so that friends and neighbors came to sit with her around the clock. To feed them the farmer butchered the pig.

The farmer’s wife did not get well. She died, and so many people came for her funeral that the farmer had the cow slaughtered to provide meat for all of them to eat.

So the next time you hear that someone is facing a problem and think that it does not concern you, remember that when there is a rat trap in the house, the whole farmyard is at risk.

“Am I my brother’s keeper?” (Genesis 4:9d)

iamt I Am the Worst!

“Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners – of whom I am the worst.” – 1 Timothy 1:15

I’m glad Paul wrote that.

I’m not totally sure he’s right – that he is the worst – but that is what he says – and as a destroyer of the followers of Jesus, he must certainly be close to the mark. Anyway since that is what the Word of God says I am prepared to accept it at face value.

I’m glad he said it; I’m glad the Lord recorded it and left it there for posterity. Why? Because I have talked to so many people who thought that they were such “bad sinners” that there was no longer any hope for them, or that theirs was a lost cause.

Whether in prison or out, it has always been a great joy for me to reassure them, that no matter what they had done, they could not make the claims of either being no hopers or the worst sinner because as I have been able to point out to them – Christ has already saved the worst – the Bible says so – so you are able to be saved. No one is outside of the scope of Jesus‘ salvation – it engulfs all people – no one is too bad.

Isn’t that Good News too? Not only that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners – at which He is the expert – but more than that – He is so successful He had already saved the worst!

Go share that with someone today! They are not too bad, they are not beyond hope, they are not beyond help, and they are not beyond salvation.

Jesus‘ death is totally adequate – He has already proved it!

Extremely Valuable

Possessions of the powerful, wealthy, or famous, no matter how common, can become extremely valuable, even priceless...

Napoleon’s toothbrush sold for $21,000. Can you imagine paying thousands of dollars for someone’s cruddy old toothbrush? Hitler’s car sold for over $150,000. Winston Churchill’s desk, a pipe owned by C. S. Lewis, sheet music handwritten by Beethoven, a house once owned by Ernest Hemingway. At the Sotheby’s auction of Jackie Kennedy Onassis’s personal belongings, her fake pearls sold for $211,500 and JFK’s wood golf clubs went for $772,500. Not because the items themselves are worthy but because they once belonged to someone significant.

Are you ready for a surprise? We fit that bill too. Think of the value of something owned by God. What incredible worth that bestows on us, what inexplicable dignity! We belong to Him.

whow Who Was So Depressed He Asked God to Take His Life?

by Rick Warren

“I know what I’m doing. I have it all planned out—plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for” – Jeremiah 29:11 (MSG)

Here’s a Bible trivia quiz: Can you name any of three men who became so depressed that each of them asked God to take his life?

Answer: Moses, Elijah, and Jonah.

Each of them got depressed, but for different reasons; depression is always a symptom of a deeper problem.

Like a warning light on your car, depression is meant to get your attention; it shouts something is wrong! The real problem is not how you feel, but the cause of those feelings. Here are three of the most common causes of depression.

1. Fatigue (Moses‘ problem): When you try to maintain a hectic pace week after week in spite of physical and emotional exhaustion, you set yourself up for depression. Or, if you try to play God, attempting to control everything and everyone around you, depression will eventually catch up with you. In Moses‘ case, the solution was to learn to delegate (Numbers 11:10-17).

2. Fear (Elijah’s problem): Whenever you swallow your anxieties, your body keeps score. Instead of focusing on your depression, ask, “What is it that I’m afraid of? What’s got me worried?” Resolve the worry and your blues will vanish, if that’s the cause. In Elijah’s situation, the antidote was to trust God to handle things out of his control (1 Kings 19:1-18).

3. Frustration (Jonah’s problem): When you don’t see a purpose behind the events of your life, when it all seems so arbitrary or hopeless or unfair, then depression strikes.

Life without meaning and significance is depressing. That’s why God’s solution to Jonah’s depression was to help him see the bigger picture. Perspective is a powerful cure. When Jonah finally understood God’s purpose for his life, his depression faded.

Does life sometimes seem like an endless rat race to you? Ask God to open your eyes and help you see his purpose for your life. God, who made you, has this to say about you: “I alone know the plans I have for you, plans to bring you prosperity and not disaster, plans to bring about the future you hope for” (Jeremiah 29:11 TEV).

as seen in the August 14, 2009 issue of Rick Warren’s The Purpose Driven Connection Daily Devotional newsletter

winn Winners And Losers

The loser is controlled by obstacles; the winner is excited by challenges.

The loser is fearful of failure; the winner is confident of victory.

The loser magnifies misfortunes; the winner creates opportunities.

The loser worships conformity; the winner expresses originality.

The loser is a pessimistic part of the problem; the winner is a dynamic part of the answer.

The loser resists change; the winner dares to be different.

The loser has a convenience excuse; the winner has a compelling purpose.

The loser believes the worst; the winner expects the best.

Attributed to William Arthur Ward. As seen in the August 10, 2009 issue of Rocky Henriques‘ “The Timothy Report,” www.timothyreport.com

lasti The Last Impression

A priest, a Pentecostal preacher, and a rabbi all served as chaplains to the students of Northern Michigan University in Marquette. They would get together two or three times a week for coffee and to talk shop.

One day, someone made the comment that preaching to people isn’t really all that hard. A real challenge would be to preach to a bear. One thing led to another, and they decided to do an experiment. They would all go out into the woods, find a bear, preach to it, and attempt to convert it.

Seven days later, they all came together to discuss their experience.

Father Flannery, who had his arm in a sling, was on crutches, and had various bandages on his body and limbs, went first. “Well,” he said, “I went into the woods to find me a bear. And when I found him, I began to read to him from the Catechism. Well, that bear wanted nothing to do with me and began to slap me around. So I quickly grabbed my holy water, sprinkled him and, Holy Mary Mother of God, he became as gentle as a lamb. The bishop is coming out next week to give him first communion and confirmation.”

Reverend Billy Bob spoke next. He was in a wheelchair, had one arm and both legs in casts, and had an IV drip. In his best fire-and-brimstone oratory, he claimed, “WELL, brothers, you KNOW that we don’t sprinkle! I went out and I FOUND me a bear. And then I began to read to my bear from God’s HOLY WORD! But that bear wanted nothing to do with me. So I took HOLD of him and we began to wrestle. We wrestled down one hill, UP another and DOWN another until we came to a creek. So I quickly DUNKED him and BAPTIZED his hairy soul. And just like you said, he became as gentle as a lamb. We spent the rest of the day praising Jesus.”

The priest and the reverend both looked down at the rabbi, who was lying in a hospital bed. He was in a body cast and traction with IVs and monitors running in and out of him. He was in really bad shape. The Rabbi looked up and said, “Looking back on it, circumcision may not have been the best way to start.”

I’m looking forward to sharing the Word of God with you this Sunday at WFA! My prayer is for each and every person to be encouraged and lifted up in the presence of the Lord, and to be ready for a week of serving Him and walking by faith. Hope to see you this Lord’s day as we worship Jesus Christ together in Spirit and in truth!