Good Things

by Everett Christian, McAlester, OK  GOOD THINGS Tuesday, May 24, 2011 GOD SPEAKS TO US THROUGH HIS HOLY WORD 10 My child, if sinners entice you, turn your back on them! - Proverbs 1:10(New Living Translation). GOD'S PROMISE TO US FROM HIS HOLY WORD 2 Dear friend, I hope all is well with you and that you are as healthy in body as you are strong in spirit. 3 John 1:2(New International Version). A QUOTE The serene beauty of a holy life is the most powerful influence in the world, next to the power of God. - Blase Pascal - THOUGHTS TO REMEMBER There are things that are known and things that are unknown - in between are the doors. - From Reminisce Magazine - Life isn't a matter of milestones, but of moments. - From Reminisce Magazine - NOTES Today has been mostly cloudy with a high temperature of 83 degrees. We have had a thunderstorm tonight starting around 8:00 p.m. The thunderstorm has passed by but there is still some light rain. Tornados have been reported all over Oklahoma tonight but I haven't heard of any real bad ones. We won't know until in the morning when we get the news. The tornado sirens sounded in McAlester a few minutes ago. A tornado was reported in the country about 10 miles west of McAlester but according to the local radio that storm is passing to the north of McAlester. Thanks to Michele Filitti and daughter Amy in California whom I heard from a little while ago. They had heard about the bad weather tonight and were praying for me. Thanks a lot and God Bless you both! I had lunch with Charley. I went to the post office to get my mail. I took a nap this afternoon. I sat out with the cats this evening. The picture tonight is Little Girl on the back of the couch. The cats are fine. Little Girl on her blanket and Rascal is also in the den. He has been close most of the night. The other cats are hiding out until the storms pass by. At 10:30 p.m. we are having another thunderstorm with some heavy rain. I will see you next time. In Christian Love, Everett.

Daily Jewel

by Pastor J.T. Carnell, McAlester, OK “Trust the Pilot” “Counsel and sound judgment are mine; I have insight, I have power.” – Proverbs 8:14 There’s the story about a man who had a frightening experience on board a jetliner at 32,000 feet. The pilot announced turbulent weather ahead and directed everyone to buckle their seat belts. The passenger became quite distressed by the subsequent bumping around until he noticed a young boy seated next to him who was not even slightly fazed by the sudden, violent movements of the plane. Upon landing, the passenger asked his young companion, “I noticed you were not frightened up there. Why was that?” The boy replied, “Sir, I know the pilot. He’s my dad. I knew that as long as he was in charge of things, I would be safe.” What a great affirmation for the Christian life. I know the Pilot. As long as the controls are in His hands, I’m okay. We all experience frightening times in our lives, even those of us in ministerial assignments. Often, like clear-air turbulence, those times come without warning. There we are, flying high; everything is going fine, and then suddenly, without warning, trouble hits. The bottom falls out of our support system. No one offers to help, other than to offer advice like, “Hang in there; everything’s going to be okay.” But we know everything is not going to be okay. Nothing we learned in college or seminary prepared us for these sudden, underserved attacks to our credibility. In turbulent times I have found comfort in the promises of God—particularly in the Psalms. One psalm on everyone’s list of favorites is Psalm 91. Note the beauty and strength of this passage (verses 9-12): “If you make the Most High your dwelling—even the Lord, who is my refuge— then no harm will befall you, no disaster will come near your tent, For he will command his angels concerning you, to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.” The key to all the blessings promised in Psalm 91 is knowing the Pilot. There isn’t anything that falls outside of His control. There are no problems so great that He cannot solve them. There are no adversaries so powerful that He cannot overcome them. And when the turbulence is greatest, He is greater. Read the closing promise in the psalm from the mouth of the Lord Himself (verses 14-16): “Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name; He will call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honor him. With long life will I satisfy him and show him my salvation.” Do this for me, please: re-write the above paragraph, setting it in the first person singular. Begin like this: “Because you love me, I will rescue you; I will protect you, for you acknowledge my name.” Once you have re-written the paragraph, make it your personal promise from God. Read it to yourself whenever you feel turbulence coming. You know the Pilot; turn over the controls of your life to Him. Do it now. He wants to bring you safely through whatever is troubling you. Trust Him to do so.

Good Things

by Everett Christian, McAlester, OK GOOD THINGS Sunday, May 22, 2011 GOD SPEAKS TO US THROUGH HIS HOLY WORD (Jesus said) 6 "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled." - Matthew 5:6(New International Version). GOD'S PROMISE TO US FROM HIS HOLY WORD 18 Christ is also the head of the church, which is his body. He is the beginning, supreme over all who rise from the dead. So he is first in everything. - Colossians 1:18(New Living Translation). A QUOTE Light your candle so that His love will shine in your corner of the world. Then the reflection of that light will spread around the globe. - Gene Williams - THOUGHTS TO REMEMBER It is no shame not to be able to do everything. - From Reminisce Magzine - Count your age by friends, not years...count your life by smiles, not tears. - From Reminisce Magazine - NOTES Today we have had partly cloudy to cloudy skies. We are now having a rain shower that started about 20 minutes ago. We have also been having some hail along with the rain. High temperature today was 87 degrees. Low temperature this morning was 73 degrees. I attended Sunday School and Worship Service this morning. I had lunch at home. I rested with a nap this afternoon. I put food outside for the outside cats about 4:45 p.m. I attended church tonight. This was fellowship night at the church where we share a meal and visit. Some friends that I visited with tonight who also receive the Good Things were Curtis and Debra Schock, Stan McMullen, Burlene Wilson and Pastor J.T. and Dianne Carnell. Of course there were other people there who do not receive the Good Things or do not have a computer. Fellowship time is always an enjoyable hour. The cat picture tonight is Friendly, Beau and Smokey. The cats are fine. Little Girl has been on the couch and Rascal has been on the desk close to me during the thunderstorm. At 9:35 p.m. it still raining lightly with a temperature of 79 degrees. I will see you next time. In Christian Love, Everett.

Good Things

by  Everett Christian,  McAlester, OK

 
GOD SPEAKS TO US THROUGH HIS HOLY WORD
 
(Jesus said) 13 "Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends."
- John 15:13(New International Version).
 
 
 
GOD'S PROMISE TO US FROM HIS HOLY WORD 
 
(God said to Jacob) 15 "I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.”  - Genesis 28:15(New International Version).
 
 
 
A QUOTE
 
I have loved to hear my Lord spoken of; and wherever I have seen the print of his shoe in the earth, there I have coveted to set my foot too.  - John Bunyan -
 
 
 
THOUGHTS TO REMEMBER
 
Wisdom is learning that new and thrilling can't hold a candle to old and familiar.
- From Reminisce Magazine -
 
He who can compose himself is wiser than he who composes books.
- From Reminisce Magazine -
 
 
 
NOTES
 
We have had rain most of the day, sometimes heavy rain with thunderstorms and sometimes very light rain. High temperature has been 77 degrees which happened just after midnight. Low temperature has been 63 degrees. I had lunch with Charley. I went to the post office to get my mail. I took a nap in early afternoon with Beau and Emmy. I couldn't sit out with the cats due to the weather but I did put food out for them in the outside storage house where they can go in and eat anytime. The picture tonight is of Everett, Rascal, Itty Bitty and Smokey taking a nap. About four months ago I was in my insurance agent's office and in talking of my activites I mentioned that I sent out Good Things. Her name is Valerie Cashmere. She wanted me to send her the Good Things so I started them going to her. I hadn't heard from her and this evening I decided to call her to see if she was receiving them and if she wanted them to continue. She said "I am reading them right now." She said that she didn't always read the notes because she gets so many e-mails and I can certainly understand. At one time I tried to discontinue the notes but I soon started getting feed back wanting to know why the notes had stopped. Valerie said she would let me know if she ever wanted them discontinued. That is what I want each of you to do. Let me know when you want to be dropped and I will certainly understand.  
 
The cats are fine. They have had to stay inside today and sometimes when it would thunder real loud some of them would run and hide. Others would just stay in the room where I was and Rascal would sometimes get in my lap. Leo is the exception. He was gone somewhere most of the day but he was dry when he came in so he has a shelter somewhere, probably under a buliding. At present Little Girl is on her blanket.
 
At 10:05 p.m. skies are partly cloudy with a temperature of 63 degrees. I will see you next time.
 
In Christian Love, Everett. 

Israel

by Quentin Clingerman, Monrovia, MD A call for urgent prayer for Israel and peace in the Middle East. President Obama's announcement yesterday that Israel should return to its 1967 borders sides with the terrorists who want to annihilate Israel. The president is no friend of Israel. Yet, Israel is our one real ally in the region. Al Qaeda has just scored a huge victory! Congress needs to repudiate the president's proposal. Those who are opposed to Israel, I firmly believe, are against God's design and will experience His displeasure. The Bible instructs us to pray for the peace of Jerusalem. It is a prayer exceedingly urgent.