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2022 |
2019 |
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Saturday, April 16, 2022 |
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Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 4:1 (MEV) – “Finally, brothers, we urge and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as you have learned from us how you ought to walk and to please God, you should excel more and more.” Message: Do we really live our lives to please God? Yes, we do try, but I'm sure like everyone else, I fail at times. Those of us who are believers and call ourselves Christian, can say and do different things we regret sometimes, but we have a wonderful, Heavenly Father who knows our weaknesses and will forgive us if we sincerely pray for forgiveness. God wants us to seek Him out and He stands ready to listen and forgive us. When we pray, we need to be sincere and truly believe He is listening and is happy we have come to Him for forgiveness. As a Christian, God is waiting to hear from us and to be in communion with us. Family Activity: As we wait patiently for Easter Sunday, let the family make “Empty Tomb Rolls” or “Resurrection Cookies (with Bible references)”. If you are adventurous, perhaps you will make both! – see below. Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for being in relationship with us, even when we don’t deserve it. We are so grateful, that You listen to our prayers and forgive us and bless us. Help us to live our lives as Jesus did, so that we live to please You. In Your Holy Name we pray. Amen. Von Hancock (deceased) |
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Thursday, March 18, 2021 & Saturday, March 11, 2023 |
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Scripture: Matthew 11:28-30 (NIV) - "Come to me all who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. My yoke is easy and my burden is light." Message: During this time of the COVID-19 virus I am weary, but I am getting plenty of rest and those I talk to are gentle and very humble. During this rest we can concentrate more on the Lord and have time to read the Bible and join Bible Studies on Zoom. Like everyone else I want to come back to Church and have it like it was before all this, but my age has been a factor. I have been to Sunday, school and Church since I was a little girl and I love the Lord. If I was young helping to feed families in need this would be something I would want to do. Some good will come out of pandemic I am sure; we just need to look for the good that is displayed by those who love Him towards those who are weary and burdened. Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, You know our hearts and our needs. Please bless us and help us to meet the needs of others and bring us all closer to You. We love you, please bless our efforts. In the precious name of Jesus. Amen. Von Hancock (deceased) |
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Monday, December 2, 2019 |
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Scripture: Matthew 7:1 (AKJV) - "Judge not, that ye be not judged." Message: On the Thursday, after Hurricane Dorian had hit the Bahamas, I stopped by the Dollar General to pick up a few things. Chicken breasts were on sale for a very good price. I picked up a package and a man came up next to me and put about ten packages in his basket. I said to him, "You must be getting ready for a really great cookout." He said, "Oh, they aren't for me. I buy them when they are on sale and cook them for women and their children whose husbands and fathers are on dope or alcohol. I cook them all kinds of ways and take them to needy families who have little to eat." I started asking him other questions and was amazed at what this man was doing for these needy families. Here I was, going about a typical Thursday, and this man was taking his precious time to do for others. I don't know if these were people he had known, or simply people he had found out were in need and stepped up to the plate to provide what he could for them. But what I do know, is that he was doing what he could on that Thursday, to hopefully spread a little joy and lend a hand. When I left the store, I wondered why I had not asked him if he was a Christian. He was, after all, the Good Samaritan taking care of the needy. Prayer: Dear God, thank You for people who are aware of the needy and actively doing something to love them and care for them. Help us to keep our eyes open for ways to show others Jesus' love. In Jesus' name. Amen. Von Hancock (deceased) |
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Tuesday March 25,2014 & Monday, August 10, 2020 - "The Connection" Series |
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Scripture: 2 Kings 20:1-6 (NIV) – “In those days Hezekiah became ill and was at the point of death. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz went to him and said, ‘This is what the Lord says: Put your house in order, because you are going to die; you will not recover.’ Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord, ‘Remember, Lord, how I have walked before you faithfully and with wholehearted devotion and have done what is good in your eyes.’ And Hezekiah wept bitterly. Before Isaiah had left the middle court, the word of the Lord came to him: ‘Go back and tell Hezekiah, the ruler of my people, “This is what the Lord, the God of your father David, says: ‘I have heard your prayer and seen your tears; I will heal you. On the third day from now you will go up to the temple of the Lord. I will add fifteen years to your life. And I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria. I will defend this city for my sake and for the sake of my servant David.’”’” Message: You can't go wrong reading “The Upper Room”. In 1989, a message in that booklet led me to read 2 Kings 20 verses 1-6 and each word spoke to me. On my knees that morning in December, I felt God telling me He had heard my prayers and had seen my tears and there would be healing. My husband, Jim, was in Bethesda, Maryland, awaiting a bone marrow transplant and I felt God saying He would add fifteen years to Jim’s life. That day my faith was renewed and I knew for certain this would happen. Jim had a few setbacks, but in January of 1990, he came home and God gave him twenty more wonderful years. Sometimes we find our answers by chance, but for certain there is power in God’s promises and His Word! Prayer: Thank You, dear God, that You give us faith to believe and promises to trust. When things look hopeless, You give us hope. Amen. Von Hancock (deceased)(first published Lent 2014) |
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Sunday, December 14, 2014 & Wednesday, February 3, 2021 |
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Scripture: Hebrews 11:1 (NET) – “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for, being convinced of what we do not see.” Message: Having faith in a person and letting them know it can be powerful if it helps them gain that same faith. My mother was a heavy smoker and I remember telling her that I didn’t believe she could ever quit even though she had tried numerous times. Many years later, I attended a women’s conference in Sebring, Florida, and heard a woman speak on the power of faith. Her talk changed my attitude about faith. Talking long distance to my mom a few days later, I told her she was going to quit smoking and would never smoke again. I told her I had faith in her and was going to pray for her every day, and she must do the same. At first it was hard for her and she ate a lot of hard candy, but both of us continued to pray and believe. She quit smoking and never smoked again in the 17 years before her death. She ended up even hating the smell of cigarettes! Mom said knowing someone had faith in her was what kept her trying so hard. Prayer: Lord, show us the people in our lives who need to know that we have faith in them and give us the courage to tell them. Amen. Von Hancock (deceased)(first published in 2014) |
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