Disappointment is inevitable. But to become discouraged, there’s a choice I make. God would never discourage me. He would always point me to himself to trust him. Therefore, my discouragement is from Satan. As you go through the emotions that we have, hostility is not from God, bitterness, unforgiveness, all of these are attacks from Satan.” Charles Stanley
In His Love, Cindy
Do you want to know more about Jesus? See my page Who Is Jesus?
“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: “May they prosper who love you.”
“You will know that I am the Lord, when I deal with you for my name’s sake and not according to your evil ways and your corrupt practices, you people of Israel, declares the Sovereign Lord.’” Ezekiel 20:44 NIV
Comments: As I read through the book of Ezekiel, I noticed that the prophecies frequently said that God would deal with the people “for my name’s sake” and not according to what they have done. Pastor David Jeremiah explains:
“When God says that He deals with Israel for my name’s sake, He means that He interacts with the people on the basis of who He is – a holy, righteous, sovereign, patient, gracious, wise, and omnipotent God – not on the basis of who they are or according to their evil ways or corrupt practices. God shows us grace and showers us with His mercy because of His character, not because of our behavior. It is because of His unchanging character that we can place our trust in Him.” (Jeremiah Study Bible Notes)
The first flock of storks stopped at the Hula small lake (Agmon) for a night’s rest. Approximately 600,000 storkswill pass over the skies of Israel in the coming weeks! (Amir Tsarfati, Behold Israel)
“There the birds make their nests; the stork has its home in the junipers.” Psalm 104:17 NIV
Both parents regurgitate water over the chicks to cool them off in the heat of the day. This is often accompanied by one of the parents extending one or two wings to block the sun and create shade for the young chicks, sometimes for hours.
Storks are mentioned in the Bible five times. The Hebrew word for “stork” is Hasidah and is related to the word hesed, which is the main term for the kindness, love, mercy, and goodness of Yahweh, the God of Israel. The stork is remarkable for its tender care, not only for its young but also for the aged.
As the hundreds of thousands of storks arrive in Israel, may she be reminded of God’s great love for His people!
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16 NIV
In His Love, Cindy
Do you want to know more about Jesus? See my page Who Is Jesus?
“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: May they prosper who love you.”
“Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you. I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands.” Psalm 63:3-4 NIV (A song of David) Read full chapter
My daughter, Christiana (vocal) and her husband, Isai (on keyboard) Woodlands Church, Woodlands, Texas
In His Love, Cindy
Do you want to know more about Jesus? See my page Who Is Jesus?
“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: “May they prosper who love you.”
“When we long for life without difficulties, remind us that oaks grow strong in contrary winds and diamonds are made under pressure.”
Peter Marshall
A Little About Peter Marshall
Peter Marshall was born in Coatbridge, Scotland, a poverty-stricken coal-mining community, where he was reared by his mother and stepfather. From an early age, he decided he would be a missionary to China. To meet the educational requirements, he enrolled in evening classes while working in the mines by day, but his progress was slow. In 1927, a cousin offered to pay Peter’s way to the U.S., where he could receive proper ministerial training. He graduated from Columbia Theological Seminary in 1931. He went on to become pastor of the New York Avenue Presbyterian Church in Washington, DC, and was appointed as Chaplain of the United States Senate in 1946.
Catherine Marshall wrote a biography of her husband, A Man Called Peter (1951), which was a popular success. It was adapted as a movie and released in 1955 and was nominated for an Oscar. You can watch the movie here.
In His Love, Cindy
Do you want to know more about Jesus? See my page Who Is Jesus?
“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: “May they prosper who love you.”
“The Father loves the Son and has placed everything in his hands.Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them.” John 3:35-36 NIV
Commentary: God does not send people to hell; rather, people send themselves, choosing the condemnation they are already under. God’s wrath remains on fallen humanity, but thankfully, God has provided a way out through faith in Christ. (Jeremiah Study Bible Notes)
In His Love, Cindy
Do you want to know more about Jesus? See my page Who Is Jesus?
“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: “May they prosper who love you.”
“If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.” 1 Corinthians 13:1-3 NIV
In His Love, Cindy
Do you want to know more about Jesus? See my page Who Is Jesus?
“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: “May they prosper who love you.”
“Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; therefore he will rise up to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him!” Isaiah 30:18 NIV
In His Love, Cindy
Do you want to know more about Jesus? See my page Who Is Jesus?
“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: “May they prosper who love you.”
The Hiding Place, by Corrie ten Boom, greatly impacted my life. If you haven’t read it, you must obtain a copy for your library and read about how she showed God’s love for others by hiding Jews in her home during WWII. Here is a passage from the book.
"Would you be willing to take a Jewish mother and her baby into your home?"
Color drained from the man's face. He took a step back from me. "Miss ten Boom! I do hope you're not involved with any of this illegal concealment ... It's just not safe! Think of your father!"
I pulled the coverlet back from the baby's face. The man bent forward, his hand in spite of himself reaching for the tiny fist curled around the blanket. For a moment I saw compassion and fear struggle in his face. Then he straightened. "No. Definitely not. We could lose our lives for that Jewish child!"
Unseen by either of us, Father had appeared in the doorway. "Give the child to me, Corrie," he said.
Father held the baby close, his white beard brushing its cheek, looking into the little face with eyes as blue and innocent as the baby's ... "You say we could lose our lives for this child. I would consider that the greatest honor that could come to my family."
What makes someone literally risk their life for another like Corrie, her sister Betsy, and their father did? All three of them were eventually caught and taken to a prison camp by the Gestapo where Corrie’s father died. Corrie and her sister were eventually taken to Ravensbruck Concentration Camp where Betsy died from maltreatment.
The terrorist attack on Israel on October 7 was the most shocking example of anti-semitism since the Holocaust. Today, anti-semitism is worse than it’s ever been since Hitler’s reign of terror. What will happen next? What will Christians be willing to do? What would you be willing to do?
Jesus said, “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” John 15:13
In His Love, Cindy
Do you want to know more about Jesus? See my page Who Is Jesus?
“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: “May they prosper who love you.”
