CALIFORNIA FIRES

A MEDITATION IN OUR BULLETIN 10-28-07


One million people flee the fire and destruction in California!
Pray about this and pray especially for our brothers and
sisters in Christ who are being impacted by all this.
Pray that God will turn this tragedy into triumph as
people repent and turn to Him. Pray that people
will cooperate in love and concern working together
for recovery. Pray for faith and hope and love!


Problems = Opportunities, Different sides of the same coin

Our USA seems convulsed with problems. CNN News
compared what is happening to our USA with the
Four Horsemen of Revelation. The sixth chapter of
Revcelation and the opening of the Seals show
Christ bringing/allowing disasters upon mankind.
Fire & flood & drought & economic calamity. It is
right that men/women should cry for mercy
from "the wrath of the Lamb."

But at the same time millions are reaching up
to God for salvation. CNN also spoke of the Revival
going on in China and other parts of the world. Islam,
they said, grows through having large families.
Christianity grows through converting people to Christ.
The numbers show that it is Christianity which
is growing the most! Jesus said: "And I, if I be lifted up
from the earth, will draw all men unto me." John 12:32.
So we Lift Him Up and we Let Our Lights Shine!


Some Thoughts to consider:

Exodus 9:23-24
Moses lifted his staff to the skies
and God sent peals of thunder and hail
shot through with lightning strikes.
God rained hail down on the land of Egypt.
The hail came, hail and lightning-fire —
There had been nothing like it
in Egypt in its entire history.


Rev. 8:3-5; Psalm 141:1-2
Then another Angel, carrying a gold censer,
came and stood at the Altar.
He was given a great quantity of incense
by Christ, so that he could offer up the prayers
of all the holy people of God
upon the Golden Altar before the Throne.
Smoke billowed up from
the incense-laced prayers of the holy people,
and rose before God from the hand of the Angel.
Then the Angel filled the censer
with hot coals of fire from the Altar,
and heaved it down to the earth
in answer to the prayers of God's people.
It set off thunders, voices, lightnings,
and an earthquake. God had heard those prayers!


Acts 6:2-4
The Twelve called a meeting of the disciples.
"It wouldn't be right for us to abandon our
responsibilities for preaching and teaching
the Word of God to help with
the care of the poor.
Choose seven men from among you
whom everyone trusts,
men full of the Holy Spirit
and good sense, and we'll assign them
to this task. Meanwhile, we'll stick to
our assigned tasks of PRAYER
and speaking God's Word."


PRAYER
Dear Lord, our God and Father,
we are shaken by life's circumstances.
We raise our voice to You in prayer.
We come to Your Throne of Grace
with holy boldness and Christian love.
Give us grace as you gave to Paul
when he complained about his "thorn."
We do complain, but we avoid murmuring.
We know You are testing and teaching
all of us in the world by these things.
Help us to love and to learn and to
prepare to be with You in Eternity!
Through Christ, Amen.