Wolf-Rayet Star
Can you bind the chains of the Pleiades or loosen the belt of Orion?
Can you bring forth the constellations in their seasons or lead out the Bear and her cubs?
Job 38:31-32
Note: Take your time going through this
Hi Men:
I pray you have had a peace-filled and blessed week “in” Christ!
How many of us can take just one verse, pitch your tent, campout and meditate on it? For example, “For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive” (1 Corinthians 15:22).
I was thinking, what does it truly mean to be made alive? We know from the previous verses that those who are in Christ will be raised from the dead, just as Christ was raised, and will enjoy eternal life with Him. But do we truly acknowledge what a great treasure this is? Our life is like a morning mist (James 4:14), we will soon exit this “sin-sick” world forever and be with our beautiful Savior throughout eternity. So why do we get so wrapped-around-the-axle and worked up over temporal (earthly) matters? Jesus said, “These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). So do we not believe these words from Jesus’ own lips? The Greek word for tribulation is: thlipsis and can also mean, affliction, trouble, anguish, persecution, distress, pressure, etc. Are you surprised when you pull up the news of the day, get your shorts in a knot over it and tell the next 10 people who will listen, “Hey, did you hear about the ______________ that happened today?” Don’t misunderstand me, I’m not saying we are flippant when traumatic things occur and we are commanded to mourn with those that mourn, but what I AM saying is that in the midst of all this, we can have peace in our soul. Jesus said in Matt 11:28-30 that if we get under His yoke, we will find rest for our souls. Doesn’t that sound good? For our short time on this “pale blue dot” let’s keep our eyes on the eternal and to obey all that Jesus commanded. Don’t forget: Everything that is happening in our own life, family, country and around this world is perfectly orchestrated by our Sovereign Lord. As R.C. Sproul said:
“If there is one single molecule in this universe running
around loose, totally free of God’s sovereignty,
then we have no guarantee that a single promise of God will ever be fulfilled.”
ANOTHER PHOTO FROM THE JWST (James West Space Telescope)
I’ve been negligent in keeping you updated on the more detailed photos from the JWST. Wolf-Rayet (WR-124) is a massive and luminous star located in the constellation Sagitta, approximately 15,000 light-years away from Earth. Here are just a few facts:
- This star is estimated to be around 30 times the mass of our Sun
- It ejects a huge amount of solar material (cosmic dust) that the JWST can detect with its infrared light detecting cameras (NIRCam)
- It is extremely hot, with a surface temperature over 160,000 Kelvin (287,540°F) Note: Our own Sun is only 5,778 Kelvin (9,941°F)
- WR-124 is particularly fascinating is that it is surrounded by a beautiful and intricate nebula.
- But the beauty of WR-124 comes with a price. In the next few decades, astrophysicists believe it will explode in a spectacular supernova.
- Even now, WR-124 and its surrounding nebula provide a stunning display of the raw power and beauty of the universe.
When I look at these images, the word awesome doesn’t even begin to describe what God has spoken into existence. The blessing in all these is that the “Fear of the Lord” increases and the fear of the circumstances surrounding us decrease.
Fear the Lord, you His saints;
For to those who fear Him there is no lack of anything.
Psalm 34:9
IN YOUR OWN BACKYARD (actually just down the road)
Several days back I had to go to the bank. For once there was no one behind me when I walked up to the teller. After conducting my business I said to myself, “nah…..she doesn’t want a Steps To Piece With God” and I was getting ready to leave, I was convicted to stop and give her one. I mentioned her name (from her name tag) and said “……..I have something to give you that literally changed my life…… it’s the Gospel” and slipped it under the glass. She excitedly picked it up and no kidding said, “Thank you so much, I am going to read this on my lunch break.”
As I departed, two things took place: 1) I was repenting for my lack of courage and 2) almost skipping out the door praising our wonderful Lord! Men….. don’t miss those opportunities
Praying to be “In His Grip” 24/7
Dan
(Gal 2:20)
“The one who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me; and the one who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will reveal Myself to him.” (John 14:21)
Men: Make sure you take some time on these 2 devotionals…….. Here are (2) excerpts:
Paul said, “Brethren, do not be weary in well-doing” (2 Thess 3:13). The Christian life is continuous warfare. Like Israel, you can tire of it and make peace with the world, compromising in what you think are unimportant areas of life
God did not create you so He can help you obtain what you want. He created you so that you can do what He wants
Half-Baked Followers of Christ – Part 1 & 2 Red Book Day 90-91
The purpose of these devotionals is to help you think Biblically
Solomon said, “As a man thinks, so is he
Men: Does your Church Do This?
Listen to this short 3 minute comment by Francois from Mozambique introduced by Paul Tripp (YouTube)
The Difference Between a Convert and a Disciple
What the discipleship process looks like in Mozambique
“……….I’m here because someone cared and made me a disciple.”
Evangelist vs Discipler
It’s been a couple years since I included this. (PDF attached)
This chart assumes an evangelist reaches one person a DAY and a discipler trains one person a YEAR.
What year does the discipler overtake the evangelist?
Why aren’t more men discipling other men?
Then Jesus said to His disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest.” (Matthew 9:37-38)
This is Discipling
This is Discipling (YouTube 2 mins)
How does this video impact you?
Notice what happens to some of their hearts……..
- Disciple making is a work of faith
- Disciple making is a labor of love
- Disciple making involves the patience of hope
Facts of the Matter
IN DISCIPLING PEOPLE, WHAT ARE THE PRIMARY VALUES WE SHOULD SEEK TO BUILD INTO THEIR LIVES?
Good Morning!
Is it to help them develop a strong prayer life, or a disciplined pattern of Scripture memory? Or to be a faithful witness to the lost? Very possibly but…
Infinitely more basic is to help them form rock-rib convictions in three fundamental areas (I Cor. 13:13):
FAITH – Does your “disciple” believe God?
Does he demonstrate faith in God by a willingness to lay it on the line when the chips are down, even to the point of climbing into the fiery furnace (so to speak), as did Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego? (Daniel 3) Does your disciple authenticate his faith by demonstrating congruency of life between the secular and the spiritual? (Psa. 24:3,4)
“…Without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him…The work of God is this: to believe in the One He has sent.” (Heb. 11:6; Jn. 6:29)
HOPE – Does your disciple have a “Pilgrim Mentality”?
Is his primary focus on the temporal or on the eternal? Does he, by his life demonstrate the fact that he understands the transitory nature of our earthly existence, and the importance of investing in the eternal?
“These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth…looking for a country of their own…longing for a better country–a heavenly one…” (Heb. 11:13-16)
LOVE – Does your disciple live a life of selfless sacrifice?
Has he been so impacted by Christ’s love that he is compelled to live a life of loving service rather than selfish indulgence?
“For Christ’s love compels us…that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for Him who died for them and was raised again.” (2 Cor. 5:14,15)
By the way, you and I both know that the way you build these qualities into the life of another is by modeling them first in your own life.
My prayer is that you are having a great week!
~ R. Dwight Hill ~
* (Original release date December 2nd, 1998)
This could very well change your Easter
Starts today!
His Only Son – HisOnlySonMovie.com/
Turn your eyes upon Jesus (Where we need to keep our eyes)
Helen Lemmel (1863-1961)
Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace.
An Inspiration Of Song – the story behind the song Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus (YouTube 11:30 mins)
If interested, here is a documentary on the life of Lilias Trotter. A painter and missionary to Algeria. I had never heard of her…..