Coffee ☕️ And Conversation A Ray Of Hope ✝️

Always Praising

Psalm 89:15--- Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound: they shall walk, O LORD, in the light of thy countenance.

To praise God with our mouth can be nothing more than noise. However, true praise happens when we praise God with our heart, mind, soul, and life. There are some people who are incredibly good at praising God with their mouths. There are other people who have the spark of His divine love in their life who praise God with their life. Praising God with our mouths is important. Praising God with our life is even more important. The person who praises God with his or her life is like salt upon the earth…adding his or her seasoning in unseen ways. What a blessing and song of praise it is to live a life of praise to God! What a blessing and joy it is when God sees us live a life of praise to Him. May all the days of your life be spent praising God first by how you live, then by what you speak. Your world needs to see you give God's light in the darkness. Your world needs to see you give praise for Christ's hope, giving praise for His forgiveness, and giving praise for His love.

Coffee ☕️ And Conversation A Ray Of Hope✝️

Knowing The Will Of God

1 John 2:17---The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.

You know right from wrong because you know His will.

You have always known right from wrong because of deep, deep, down you know His will.

There is so much to know about the Lord.

Never deny His will for you, even when you want to be in denial.

Never escape His will for you, even when you want to escape.

Never run away from the truth of His will, even when want to run away…even when you already know His will deep within your soul.

Never think there is a mystery about His will when there is no mystery because you know His will already.

A Love For The Church, Part 2

Coffee ☕️ And Conversation A Ray Of Hope

Doing To Much

Luke 10:42---but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her."

Some people would feel they are living a diminished life if they did not live an over-committed life.

Constantly living like you are putting out "brush fires" is a lifestyle hurtful to you in a major way.

This kind of lifestyle becomes a dependent/co-dependent lifestyle when over-committing is done from a sense of weakness or powerlessness.

Even when weakness and powerlessness are not issues, some people lead a "too busy" life.

Piling up commitments in our life to the point where we run ourselves ragged is not helpful to us, to others, and is not a blessing to God.

To healthfully maintain our soul, we are to live in peace and harmony with God.

Over-committing is not a way to live in peace and harmony with God.

Having more things on our agenda than we can do also takes away from our efficiency because we can easily miss doing what is important.

Coffee ☕️ And Conversation A Ray Of Hope ✝️

A Life Filled With Light

John 1:7-9---The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. He was not that Light but was sent to bear witness of that Light. That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.

All of us carry darkness in our life.

We carry the darkness of sadness, pain, loneliness, sinfulness, and memories we want to forget.

However, all of us can be filled with the light of Christ.

All of us can come to the foot of His cross and find in His most tragic moment an eternal light for our souls.

The light of Christ is not like the burning light of the sun.

The light of Christ is not like the blinding light of bright light made by humankind.

The light of Christ is a light of love taking away all of our darkness.

In the emptiness of our life, there is a bright light filling up the emptiness.

Christ's light of love and life fills up our emptiness.

When we accept Christ into our heart and life, our heart, mind, and soul are filled to overflowing with His light and love. Although we can understand what being filled with overflowing means in physical terms, with Christ we are being filled to overflowing in supernatural terms.

In Christ, there is no darkness.

When we take Him into our life, our life is filled with Him and our darkness disappears.

Coffee And Conversation A Ray Of Hope✝️

A Letter to the Weary from Jesus

Matthew 11:28-30--- Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

Life can be full of challenges at times. But no matter what we face, we can be assured that God is always with us.

Dear Child,

I heard you cry last night.

I was there in the darkness when the tears slipped down your face and your heart broke within you.

Did you think I didn’t see and didn’t care?

Do you really think I don’t know how tired and weary you really are?

Child, I’ve been with you when life has dealt its bitterest blows. I’ve watched you handle all the sorrow and all the pain.

But you are weary now, and I can see the broken spirit and the faded hopes and dreams.

Please don’t forget that I care.

My touch and caress can restore and mend your broken heart and kindle the flame of hope once more within you.

Let Me love you.

Takedown the barricades around your heart and lean on Me.

I am not tired and I am not weary and I have the strength enough to carry you if you will let Me.

You are not alone, and you have never been, for I am your friend and I will never, ever leave your side.

Trust Me!

Your Friend, Jesus

Constraining The Beloved

Coffee And Conversation A Ray Of Hope✝️

A Deep Faith

1^st Peter 1:7---That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:

A deep faith results in our having a guiding light in our life.

This guiding Light, the Holy Spirit, produces wisdom.

Many of the decisions we make every day, even the decisions of seeming insignificance, require wisdom.

Wisdom is not something with which we are born.

Wisdom is acquired.

Deep faith produces within us a hunger to know about God and about how to live our life according to His guiding Hand.

Deep faith produces within us a starting point for acquiring wisdom.

Persons of faith should always want to do the right thing.

We should always want to do what God wants from us.

As we hunger and thirst to do the right and the smart thing, we acquire wisdom.

Coffee And Conversation A Ray Of Hope✝️

What Is Right And Wrong?

Isaiah 5:20--- Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!

We have been desensitized to the gruesome ideas of abortion, euthanasia, assisted suicide, and scientific experimentation.

We no longer treasure life.

We consider life to be expendable, unless, of course, it is our own.

Many dark forces in the world come against us to convince us life is not worth living.

Many forces in the world come against us hoping we will cave in and give up our Christian Faith.

However, we have a force of Light, Love, and redeeming glory within us called the Holy Spirit.

May we always depend on the Spirit of the Living God to carry us through these dark times when people want to make what is wrong right and what is right wrong.

Coffee And Conversation A Ray Of Hope✝️

True Sacrifice, Humility

Psalm 51:17---The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.

Before God, we cannot be “together.”

Before God, we cannot be proud, or arrogant, or puffed up. Before God, we cannot be selfish.

Before God, we cannot be rude.

Before God, all of who we are is exposed.

Before God, we will be humbled.

Before God, we will fall down.

However, when we fall down before God He will most surely pick us up.

God has a reason for wanting us to be humble and contrite.

For when we are humble and contrite we are then able to listen to God’s wisdom and truth.

When we are able to listen to God in our humility we are then able to become more like the person of love, caring, understanding, and compassion He wants us to be.

On the surface, a broken spirit appears to be a bad thing. However, with God, there is power in His humility.

The power of His humility is the power of God in our hearts molding us and shaping us into His likeness.

Coffee And Conversation A Ray Of Hope✝️

Love For The Church, Part 1

A Better Place for the Bible

“Thy Word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against Thee.” - Psalm 119:11

A home is a good place for the Bible.

The hand is a better place.

The heart is yet a better place.

We must learn to hide God’s Word in our hearts.

And for it to get in our hearts, we have to read it.

We have to study it.

How much time are you spending with the Word of God?

Do you wonder why you can't live a pure life?

Or live in victory?

Why you cave in when temptation comes?

Why you can't be an overcomer?

How much time are you spending daily with the Word of God?

Many spend far more time with the television or the newspaper than with the Word of God.

And then they wonder why they fail.

This is the book God has given to help you to live victoriously.

Many are just playing at Bible study.

You never really get into it.

You say, "Oh, the Bible is a wonderful book."

What good is that going to do you?

What good are the promises in God's Word unless you appropriate them into your life?

Do you have a quiet time, a time when you get alone with God?

Do you get up every morning and saturate your soul with the Word of God and bathe your soul in the presence of Jesus?

Dedicate yourself to read and study at least one chapter of a book of the Bible Daily! And write some of it on the tablets of your heart.

Coffee And Conversation A Ray Of Hope✝️

We Have A Choice

We may think we cannot do many things when we are burdened down and in great pain.

We may think we have no choices.

We may think there is no end to our plight.

We may think we cannot deal with things as they are.

However, when we are in the deepest darkness, we must be willing to admit we can be wrong and we must be willing to admit we can be deceived.

When we think we have no choice, we must be honest.

For when we have Christ alive within us, He gives us the power to do many things we cannot normally do when we are burdened down.

When we have Christ in our life, our pain may not stop, but our victory over the pain can still be achieved.

When we have Christ in our life, we have many more choices than we think we have if we are honest about how things are and what we have done and not done.

When we have Christ in our life, there is for us a great and victorious end to our plight. In Christ, there are victories to be won every minute.

In Christ, there are triumphant moments every moment.

In Christ, we have won even when we seem to have been pounded down in utter defeat.

In Christ, the trials and heartaches of this life grow dim as we come to Him seeking His healing love.

In our life, there is more to life than the reality of our trauma and tragedy.

In our life, we have a mountain of great power where we can go and kneel in prayer.

In our life, our mountain of great power is a place called Calvary.

On Calvary, a place where Christ suffered more than we have suffered or will suffer, our victory over every moment of our trauma and tragedy was won.

On Calvary, Christ died to set us free forever.

Coffee And Conversation A Ray Of Hope✝️

Being Connected To God

James 4:7-8---Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double-minded.

At the root of everything meaningful in life is your connection to God.

You can say your connection or non-connection to God does not matter.

However, being connected to God is what matters most.

Whether you are super rich or whether you are super poor, once you have your basic needs met, you need a connection to God.

You can try to fill your consciousness with all kinds of thoughts and ideas.

However, your consciousness is like a vacuum drawing in ideas and thoughts.

However, your consciousness is never full.

No idea or thought in life will ever fill the infinite vacuum of your soul.

The only idea and the only entity in the universe able to fill the infinite vacuum of your soul is the infinite love of God through Christ.

While you are on the earth, you can get a glimpse of a full connection to God when you open your heart, mind, and soul to His love for you.

Coffee And Conversation A Ray Of Hope✝️

Victory

In Christ, there is victory.

God's love knows no end in the battle leading to victory in your heart and life.

God's love in victory seeks to banish your every weakness.

At those times when your limbs and spirit begin to fail, Christ Jesus will push you on.

When your knees begin to weaken and your hands begin to tremble, your Lord God will steady you.

When your eyes begin to dim, Christ will show you His Light.

When your soul grows tired and you have lost all energy, Christ will supply you with new energy and new power.

When your heart begins to falter, He will inspire you anew with His mercy. When you shrink back as you think about giving up, Christ will keep you keeping on.

God will give you a most powerful vision of a world needing your touch through Him, all you have to do is ask.

When it seems you are whipped and beaten by the foe, Christ will pour His spirit into your heart.

If you are willing, the Holy Spirit will conquer every foe and defeat every evil in your life.

In your hour of tribulation, Christ will show you His Cross…then He will show you His empty tomb…the empty tomb is where victory was won.

Overcoming Fear With Strong Faith

Coffee And Conversation A Ray Of Hope✝️

Finding God

Jeremiah 29:13--- And ye shall seek me, and find me when ye shall search for me with all your heart.

To find God use your heart.

Use all your heart.

No half-hearted effort is permissible if you want to find Him. In your search, you must all of your heart.

You cannot have half a heart to find God.

In your search, do not make things harder or more difficult than they already are.

Keep things simple.

Finding the love of God is not a complex thing.

Be childlike.

Use your simple faith.

Use your heart and trust that He loves you.

Believe that He cares so much about you that He died for you and you will not be far from Him.

Coffee And Conversation A Ray Of Hope✝️

Do You Think You Are Not Good Enough?

Acts 13:46---Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles.

Many of us feel we do not measure up.

Many of us feel we are not quite good enough.

Realistically, no one can be the best at everything.

No one can "measure up" in every part of life.

All of us have deficiencies and faults.

However, should we carry a burden on our back because we feel we are not quite good enough?

No, we should not carry such a burden.

The reason we should not carry this kind of dark burden is that in Christ's eyes we ARE good enough.

In Christ's eyes, we were good enough He was willing to die for us.

In Christ's eyes, His destination for us in the world and heaven is such a glorious destination, the idea of your not being quite good enough is ridiculous to Him.

As a child of God, you are more than worthy.

As a child of God, you can exceed all expectations of what the world expects a person to be.

To think about your trying to measure up to a defective yardstick the world creates is total foolishness.

In Christ, you measure up.

In Christ, you are called one of His own.

Coffee And Conversation A Ray Of Hope✝️

Things Aren't Always What They Seem

Two traveling angels stopped to spend the night in the home of a wealthy family.

The family was rude and refused to let the angels stay in the mansion's guest room.

Instead, the angels were given a small space in the cold basement.

As they made their bed on the hard floor, the older angel saw a hole in the wall and repaired it.

When the younger angel asked why the older angel replied, "Things aren't always what they seem."

The next night the pair came to rest at the house of a very poor, but very hospitable farmer and his wife.

After sharing what little food they had, the couple let the angels sleep in their bed where they could have a good night's rest. When the sun came up the next morning, the angels found the farmer and his wife in tears.

Their only cow, whose milk had been their sole income, lay dead in the field.

The younger angel was infuriated and asked the older angel how he could have let this happen?

The first man had everything, yet you helped him, he accused. The second family had little but was willing to share everything, and you let the cow die.

"Things aren't always what they seem," the older angel replied. "When we stayed in the basement of the mansion, I noticed there was gold stored in that hole in the wall.

Since the owner was so obsessed with greed and unwilling to share his good fortune, I sealed the wall so he wouldn't find it. "Then last night, as we slept in the farmer's bed, the angel of death came for the farmer's wife.

I gave him the cow instead."

"Things aren't always what they seem."

Sometimes that is exactly what happens when things don't turn out the way they should.

If you have faith, you just need to trust that every outcome is always to your advantage.

You might not know it until sometime later.

- Author Unknown -

Hospice Chaplaincy Through The Eyes Of A Retired Hospice Chaplain

Written by, Dr. Danny V. Ray

Several years ago someone asked me, “Preacher what is a Hospice Chaplain?”

After having the opportunity to serve as a hospice chaplain for Hospice of Tift Area for seven years and Bethany Hospice for two years, I learned that hospice care is much more than treating pain, suffering, and symptoms. If I was looking for words to describe some of the things I learned there would be words like empathy which is the ability to understand and share the feelings of another. One of the most important things anyone can ever do for those who are terminally ill is to reach a place of understanding and caring. Another word is the word sympathy and one must be careful with this word. Those who are terminally ill wants you to understand but not to pity them. With that being said, the greatest gift I believe God has given to me is the spirit of compassion.

To be compassionate is to be so caring for the sufferings of others that you are willing to suffer with them. As I study the life of Christ I see Him as one who had this type of compassion. I believe that is why he had to go to the mountain places to get away to refuel and strengthen himself for service. I have called this refilling your bucket. I remember one time feeling so empty and weak that I went to my Director and told her that I needed a day to go and refill my bucket. Her reply to me was, “go you know what you need to do.” I believe one of the greatest illustrations of being compassionate is given in John’s Gospel chapter eleven verses thirty-two through thirty-five, where we read the story of Lazarus. (Then when Mary came where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet, saying unto him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. When Jesus, therefore, saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled, and said, Where have ye laid him? They said unto him, Lord, come and see. Jesus wept.) Though He appeared to have arrived late He was there providing the ministry of presence (Being There). Notice what those who saw Him cry said, “Behold how he loved him!”

Now to answer the question, “What is A Hospice Chaplain?” A hospice chaplain is one who cares when no one else takes the time to care, to love those who everyone else has written off because of their lifestyle, to cry with those who are crying, to hurt with those who are hurting, to just be present with a listening ear maybe even not having to say one word, just being there to represent a spiritual presence. I have spent Christmas Eve with families who were hurting, sitting with them, as they say, goodbye to their loved ones. I watched as they cried and have cried with them. Being there not so much because it was my job to be there, but being there because I wanted to be there with a hurting family. I suppose Theodore Roosevelt said it best, “Nobody cares how much you know until they know how much you care.”

I have cared for so many in the nine years that I served as a hospice chaplain. Being there, representing God, and His spiritual presence to many who would have never had a relationship with Him if chaplaincy had not been provided. In the nine years that I served, I made many friends in our service area. I have stood by the bedside, and at the funeral home and helped with many funerals to these families. I would dare say I probably preached three hundred or more funerals for families who allowed me to walk through the deepest of all dark valleys with them.

I have been out of the full-time hospice chaplaincy for several years now. I use the term burnout as I felt I needed a break from seeing so much death and suffering. In the time that I have been away, I have used hospice services with my mother and have stood by the bedside of our church members and their families as loved ones died. We live in the land of the dying and the only hope we have to offer is the hope of Christ. As a chaplain I never tried to teach people how to die, I always prayed to be able to teach them how to live. Jesus said in John’s gospel chapter eleven verse twenty-six, “whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?” I believe it.

I may one day soon if God opens the door walk back into hospice chaplaincy. While I have enjoyed being back in the church and the pulpit, I must share the truth there is nothing like taking the church into places it can’t go to represent God’s presence, I love the Hospice Chaplaincy Ministry as well as the opportunity to serve as a pastor.

Coffee And Conversation A Ray Of Hope✝️

You Choose Heaven Or Hell

Matthew 16:24---Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

Every second we make choices.

Every second we choose between God or Satan.

Too often we do not realize we make choices.

Too often we live in ignorance about our choices.

However, we do make a choice every second between God or Satan.

If we want to find the road to heaven we must look at emptying ourselves.

We must always walk the road where we are never to be selfish.

We must remember we are always under attack by Satan because Satan tries to make us selfish.

For this reason, whatever pain or misery we might be in at any moment must be taken to God.

Whatever worries we have must be taken to God.

Whatever hopelessness we have must be taken to God.

When we take our darkness to God, God is light and His light will surely blip away our darkness.

The road to heaven begins when we reject ourselves and connect to God and others.

The road to hell begins when we are puffed up in our ego and selfishness as we try to handle the darkness alone.

We become the tool of the darkness when we believe we are all-powerful and do not need God or we do not believe God loves us.

Coffee And Conversation A Ray Of Hope✝️

The Homeless Man

Matthew 25:42-43---For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.

It was a cold winter’s day that Sunday.

The parking lot to the church was filling up quickly.

I noticed as I got out of my car that fellow church members were whispering among themselves as they walked to the church.

As I got closer, I saw a man leaned up against the wall outside the church.

He was almost lying down as if he was asleep.

He had on a long trench coat that was almost in shreds, and a hat topped his head, pulled down so you could not see his face. He wore shoes that looked 30 years old, too small for his feet, with holes all over them.

His toes stuck out.

I assumed this man was homeless and asleep, so I walked on by through the doors of the church.

We all gathered for fellowship for a few minutes, and someone brought up the man lying outside.

People snickered and gossiped, but no one bothered to ask him to come in, including me.

A few moments later, the church service began.

We all waited for the preacher to take his place and to give us the Word when the doors to the church opened.

In came the homeless man walking down the aisle with his head down.

People gasped and whispered and made faces.

He made his way down the aisle and up onto the pulpit.

He took off his hat and coat.

My heart sank.

There stood our preacher he was the “homeless man.”

No one said a word.

The preacher took his Bible and laid it on the stand.

“Folks, I don’t think I have to tell you what I am preaching about today.”

- Author Unknown -

Coffee And Conversation A Ray Of Hope✝️

The Candle With No Flame

Mark 4:21---Is a candle brought to be put under a bushel, or under a bed? And not to be set on a candlestick?

A man had a little daughter an only and much loved child.

He lived only for her, she was his life.

So when she became ill and her illness resisted the efforts of the best obtainable physicians, he became like a man possessed, moving heaven and earth to bring about her restoration to health.

His best efforts proved fruitless, however, and the child died. The father was totally irreconcilable.

He became a bitter recluse, shutting himself away from his many friends, refusing every activity that might restore his poise and bring him back to his normal self.

Then one night he had a dream.

He was in heaven and witnessing a grand pageant of all the little children.

They were marching in an apparently endless line past the Great White Throne.

Every white-robed, tot carried a candle.

He noticed, however, that one child's candle was not lit.

Then he saw that the child with the dark candle was his own little girl.

Rushing towards her, while the pageant faltered, he seized her in his arms, caressed her tenderly, and asked, "How is that your candle is the only one not lit?"

"Father, they often relight it, but your tears always put it out again," she said.

Just then he awoke from his dream.

The lesson was crystal clear, and its effects were immediate. From that hour on he was no longer a recluse but mingled freely and cheerfully with his former friends and associates.

No longer would his little darling's candle be extinguished by his useless tears.

Coffee ☕️ And Conversation A Ray Of Hope✝️

❤️ Love Is Not Selfish

Christ Is Coming Back Soon

Isaiah 64:1---Oh that thou wouldest rend the heavens, that thou wouldest come down, that the mountains might flow down at thy presence.

For the devout Christian, one of the ways we can think about Christ’s return is that He is “on His way”.

In our daily life, in all our problems, fears, troubles, and trials, we can always look forward to a time when He will be, perhaps is even now, on His way.

As much as we experience the presence of God within our hearts, there has never been, nor will there ever be, anything in our life like seeing Him with our physical eyes.

Our Text verse from Isaiah talks about mountains trembling.

In addition to mountains trembling, on the day when Jesus makes His return, there are going to be many knees trembling, some from fear, others from excitement.

His return is an absolute ironclad guaranteed certainty!

He is on His way.

We have waited a long time for Him to come back.

Of course, we can wait a while longer even when we don’t want to wait.

While He is on His way, all it takes is a little patience on our part is waiting to see Him.

Get ready, be ready, the time for His return is getting closer and closer each minute.

O Happy Day! He is coming back!

Coffee ☕️ And Conversation A Ray Of Hope✝️

Rewards Of Life

John 16:33---These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

If you look at the lives of the people in your life who have money, power, fame, and worldly success, look deep and you may see something lacking.

Look deep and you may see the worldly reward of others often comes with spiritual emptiness.

Look deep within yourself and you will see it is better to have inner peace, even in your pain, than to have only your worldly rewards and live in spiritual emptiness.

Many of the people you know only live for worldly rewards.

Their inner life, if you could see it, would be a life full of emptiness, torment, meaninglessness, depression, and loneliness.

It is because people live for worldly rewards and receive emptiness, torment, meaninglessness, depression, and loneliness that so many people drink, use drugs become addicted, as well as living a life full of anger and hate.

Think long and hard about this issue.

Do you want the world or do you want Christ alive in you?

Satan will offer you the rewards of the world, but do you want the rewards of the world and all the pain in the world?

God will not offer you the world.

God will offer you His only begotten Son dying on the cross for you, hoping above all hope you accept Christ and receive His reward of eternal life.

What reward will you choose today?

Coffee ☕️ And Conversation A Ray Of Hope✝️

The 23rd Psalm

The Lord is my Shepherd – That’s Relationship!

I shall not want – That’s Supply!

He maketh me to lie down in green pastures – That’s Rest!

He leadeth me beside the still waters – That’s Refreshment!

He restoreth my soul – That’s Healing!

He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness – That Guidance!

For His name sake – That’s Purpose!

Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death – That’s Testing!

I will fear no evil – That’s Protection!

For Thou art with me – That’s Faithfulness!

Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me – That’s Discipline!

Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies – That’s Hope!

Thou anointest my head with oil – That’s Consecration!

My cup runneth over – That’s Abundance!

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life – That’s Blessing!

And I shall dwell in the house of the Lord – That’s Security!

Forever – That’s Eternity!

AMEN

Coffee ☕️ And Conversation A Ray Of Hope✝️

The Truth About Death

Proverbs 12:14---A man shall be satisfied with good by the fruit of his mouth: and the recompense of a man's hands shall be rendered unto him.

Death is the end of our life on earth.

Death is sad for those left behind.

Death is a grievous event in the life of those left behind because we treasure the life of those who died.

When others pass away, we miss them.

Death is the end of our earthly life but death can also be the beginning of our life in heaven.

Conversely, death can also be the beginning of our life in hell.

Death is fearful because death is unknown in our direct life experience.

Our fear of death can be taken away by our blessed assurance Christ has saved us from the eternal fire of hell.

Some people have trouble telling the truth about death because they have no faith there is a heavenly life.

If people of no faith told the truth about death, they would tell a tale of terror and horror.

With no faith, persons face unknown outer darkness a place of terror and horror.

However, the terror and horror of death need not grip a person.

Death can be the beginning of heaven if we accept Christ as Savior and Lord of our life.

Coffee ☕️ And Conversation A Ray Of Hope✝️

Sharing The Truth Of God’s Word, Growing Spiritually, Sermon 2

Sharing With And Telling God About Hurts

Psalm 32:5--- I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin.

It should be obvious to everyone God knows all.

For this reason, we may sometimes forget to talk to God and tell God where it hurts.

God does not need us to tell Him where we hurt because He already knows.

God needs us to tell Him where we hurt because our talking to God helps us.

Telling God where we hurt does not need to be a time of whining and complaining to God.

Instead, telling God where we hurt can be a time when we are honest with God about how things are going in our life.

God is with us and He always wants us to talk with Him in total and complete honesty, especially when we hurt.

Amazingly, when we are honest with God about where we hurt, He will respond to us as He gives us comfort and hope for the future.

Open Your Eyes And See!

Mark 8:18---Jesus asked, "Having eyes, see ye not? and having ears, hear ye not? and do ye not remember?"

Everybody better open their eyes and realize what's going on. 

In three short months, just like He did with the plagues of Egypt, God has taken away everything we worship. 

God said, "You want to worship athletes, I will shut down the stadiums. 

You want to worship musicians, I will shut down Civic Centers. 

You want to worship actors, I will shut down theaters. 

You want to worship money, I will shut down the economy and collapse the stock market. 

You don't want to go to church and worship Me, I will make it where you can't go to church. 

"If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land."

Maybe we need to take this time of isolation from the distractions of the world and have a personal revival where we focus on the ONLY thing in the world that matters, Jesus.

Coffee ☕️ And Conversation A Ray Of Hope✝️

Striving For A Life Of Success

Joshua 1:8--- This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have success.

A Christian must strive for success in matters both large and small.

You should not accept anything from yourself that is not successful.

We all fail, but you must never accept failure as if failure were acceptable.

When you fail, glorify God by coming back with a renewed spirit and new determination to be successful.

You must never falter in striving to be successful in your walk of faith.

If you accept failure as normal, you will fail at being Christ-like.

You must not shrug off failed attempts. You must work hard to be successful in your relationship with Christ, with others, and in your daily endeavors.

Christ expects you to achieve great things for Him.

One of His expectations of you are that you give 110% of all you are and all you have in working towards His destination in your life.