Training



Bobby's been coming to church a week now, and from what I can tell, he seems to be enjoying it. Playing with the other little ones does seem to take a lot out of him though, as I noticed Sunday morning he slept through my entire sermon.



But what do you expect from a dog?



Yes, Bobby's a dog. It's not unusual for us to have some dogs show up on Wednesday night with their owners. In fact, last night we had four in all. But Bobby has been very consistent in his attendance, and as his pastor, I wanted to commend him.



Really though, the praise should go to Ellen Fannon, as she is the one who's bringing Bobby with her to church. While he's here, Bobby learns about obedience, about how to get along with others, and experiences things he otherwise wouldn't.



Bobby's learning about life, and his caregivers are seeking to teach him while living it.



We have other little ones here whose parents haven't understood that lesson yet. At New Hope, we've always been thrilled to be a part of teaching children and youth about life, and especially about life in Christ. It's exciting to see them learn and grow.



But we only have them for a couple of hours a week. Given that, it is pretty hard for us to change the habits that form the rest of the week. Unless the parents are teaching about living the Christian life while living it, the kids will forget how to really live. That's why the Bible is so insistent on how to teach your children.



Deut. 6:4-7 (Msg)

Attention, Israel!

God, our God! God the one and only!

[5] Love God, your God, with your whole heart: love him with all that's in you, love him with all you've got!

[6] Write these commandments that I've given you today on your hearts. Get them inside of you [7] and then get them inside your children. Talk about them wherever you are, sitting at home or walking in the street; talk about them from the time you get up in the morning to when you fall into bed at night.



How do you get the wisdom of God inside your children?



By living the life in front of them - everywhere you go. It's impossible to give away what you don't have yourself, so let them see you reading your Bible, and praying to God in praise of His goodness, mercy, and grace. Show them about how much God matters to you by being faithful in worship and Bible study.



Teach the children of how great God is - how loving - how wise by using the creation He has provided and through life situations you encounter. Show them God's love in the rainbow, in a flower, even in His providing us with faithful companionship through pets like Bobby. Let them see you relate to others out of Christ's love to you.



Train them in the ways of God, and His path will be easy for them to find when He calls for their life commitment to Him.



Bobby's life's work is to be a therapy dog, giving aid and comfort to people in need. He's learning how to treat people by being with them.



God's clear intent for we humans is that we learn about Him by doing the same.



Grace!



David

Just another day



I had just finished my daily devotional time and thought I'd spend a moment checking in with the world. In today's environment, that means the internet, and for me it's navigating to Google's news page.



There's a picture of two smiling former hostages as they arrived home in Italy.

Another of Prime Minister Tony Blair of England - and he's not smiling as he fights for his political life.

One of the private spacecraft that successfully slipped the bonds of earth today out west.

And one of a baby, injured in a rocket attack on an Israeli town.



Just another day.



Hate and heartache, laughter and joy, delivered from all over the world and refreshed every few minutes.



On second thought, maybe I'm not through with my devotionals after all.



How about some good news?



Romans 3:25-26 (Msg) (emphasis mine)

God sacrificed Jesus on the altar of the world to clear that world of sin. Having faith in him sets us in the clear.



God decided on this course of action in full view of the public—to set the world in the clear with himself through the sacrifice of Jesus, finally taking care of the sins he had so patiently endured.



This is not only clear, but it's now—this is current history! God sets things right. He also makes it possible for us to live in his rightness.



So the next time you read too much of today's "news", remember this verse. While the world seems to rush to spread the news about what's going wrong, God continually is setting things right between people who believe in Jesus' sacrifice and Sonship and Himself.



Just another day of God's love reaching past our failures and drawing us into His love.



Grace!



David



This devotional is written by David Wilson, pastor of New Hope Baptist church in Valparaiso, FL. If you find you have received this via a forward and would like to receive it regularly, or find you no longer wish to receive it, drop me an email at dwilsonfl@earthlink.net and I'll make the change to the list. If you'd like to know more about New Hope, visit our website at www.newhopevalp.org . May God bless you.

After The Storm



We're coming up on two weeks since Hurricane Ivan passed by, and it seems we are in a holding pattern. Due to the widespread devastation, there are more roofs damaged than roofers to repair them. And too, all the piles of limbs and leaves still line the streets. It will be weeks before all that is cleared.



It was easy to spot that damage after the storm. You could see which shingles were missing - which limbs and leaves were at your feet. But that wasn't all the damage.



After every storm, it takes a while for some of the hurts to reveal themselves.



This morning as I rolled to a stop at church, I looked over at our oak tree. Everything you could every want in a tree - it is. Beautifully shaped, huge trunk, large low branches just perfect for children's adventures. More than once a member has driven up on Wednesday night to find their pastor up a tree - rescuing a little one who went up a little too far.



At first glance after the storm, it looked fine - a few missing leaves. But today, some of the broken branches have revealed themselves with brown leaves among the green. Hidden before, though hurt, now the full extent of the damage is in plain view.



Maybe you've gone through a storm yourself recently. It wasn't your first one, and you've learned over the years what you need to do to get well. But this time, healing didn't come.



Or perhaps an event from your past, that you thought had long been dealt with - now haunts your thoughts again.



It's time then for a visit from the Master Gardener as revealed to us in John's gospel, chapter 15.



John 15:4-5 (Msg)

"Live in me. Make your home in me just as I do in you. In the same way that a branch can't bear grapes by itself but only by being joined to the vine, you can't bear fruit unless you are joined with me.

[5] "I am the Vine, you are the branches. When you're joined with me and I with you, the relation intimate and organic, the harvest is sure to be abundant. Separated, you can't produce a thing.



If you are dry right now, maybe it's because your relationship with Christ has been damaged by the storms. Or perhaps an old wound, never fully healed, has been uncovered by the winds of life.



Come to Jesus.



Give your hurts to Him.



The life you want - the life full of all the things that matter - only comes through Him. When no one else can spot your hurts - He sees them and seeks to heal - if you'll come to Him.



Grace!



David



This devotional is written by David Wilson, pastor of New Hope Baptist church in Valparaiso, FL. If you find you have received this via a forward and would like to receive it regularly, or find you no longer wish to receive it, drop me an email at dwilsonfl@earthlink.net and I'll make the change to the list. If you'd like to know more about New Hope, visit our website at www.newhopevalp.org . May God bless you.

"Blue is my favorite color"



Mark 10:15 (Msg)

"Mark this: Unless you accept God's kingdom in the simplicity of a child, you'll never get in."



While I was checking the mail this morning, a mother and her daughter walked by. I had seen them in the neighborhood, so said hello and asked how they made out in the hurricane.



The mom then explained...

about the loss of power,

the loss of everything they had in the freezer,

the loss of income since her business was closed for a few days,

and the loss of shingles from their roof.



Then she said:

"We went and got tarps from FEMA to cover the damage until the roofers get around to us. They don't look too good, that blue really sticks out on a gray roof."



Her daughter looked up and me and smiling said, "blue is my favorite color."



Sometimes children teach their parents, if we'll listen.



Think about it.



The mom was telling me about things that had happened, lamenting really, about losses that had occurred. She was working in the past, from what was wrong.



Her little girl, like all children, was living in the now. And that folks, is where we have to live too.



We've been given today - because today is all we can handle. So find a reason to praise God in the midst of wherever you find yourself.



"Blue is my favorite color."



Mine too.



Grace!



David



This devotional is written by David Wilson, pastor of New Hope Baptist church in Valparaiso, FL. If you find you have received this via a forward and would like to receive it regularly, or find you no longer wish to receive it, drop me an email at dwilsonfl@earthlink.net and I'll make the change to the list. If you'd like to know more about New Hope, visit our website at www.newhopevalp.org . May God bless you.

Starting Over



Sitting here today, my first day back after Ivan ravaged the Gulf coast, I can look out and see trees stripped of their foliage, and some of their fellows lying broken around them.



Looking past them, I can see homes missing considerable amounts of shingles.



And on a brilliantly beautiful afternoon, the air that normally would be filled with the sounds of children at play across the street at Valparaiso Elementary is quiet. They are absent today, many of their families still coping with a loss of power, damage to their homes, spoilage of food and a loss of income from being laid off, as businesses struggle to recover as well.



It's like the whole area is having to learn how to start over.



I'm no stranger to that process. Over fifty years ago, my father and mother anticipated the delivery of two babies. Yet when the twins were born, (my older brothers Michael and Mitchell) due to complications from my Mother carrying them too long, they both died within a week of their birth.



Devastated doesn't begin to describe what my parents experienced.



My mother is in heaven now, but while she lived she very seldom ever talked about it. Oh, she might mention "the twins", but briefly, and quickly move on. It was a deep, lasting hurt that never really went away.



So many people never recover from such a wound. Marriages, even whole lives, just wither and die.



But not when you find the will to start over.



My Mother told me she found that will in Jesus Christ.



One day we were talking, and I brought up the loss of my brothers. She reached over and opened up her Bible and read me this.



10 Don't be afraid, for I am with you. Do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you. I will help you. I will uphold you with my victorious right hand. Isaiah 41:10 (NLT)



She told me she took God at His Word and started over.



I cannot imagine how much courage it took for her to do that. But whatever amount it took, her God supplied it.



How do I know?



Because 51 years ago today, in the afternoon, my mother's third child, also a boy, was born.



She named him David Anthony Wilson. (My middle name is the same as my brother that I will meet someday in heaven.)



Friends, I don't know what you are facing today. But I know this - the God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and yes, the God of Lodie Marie Bowden Wilson (and her sons) is big enough, strong enough, and cares enough to help you start over.



When you do, that's when you understand how deep God's love really is. Start over.





Grace!



David



This devotional is written by David Wilson, pastor of New Hope Baptist church in Valparaiso, FL. If you find you have received this via a forward and would like to receive it regularly, or find you no longer wish to receive it, drop me an email at dwilsonfl@earthlink.net and I'll make the change to the list. If you'd like to know more about New Hope, visit our website at www.newhopevalp.org . May God bless you

Picking Up the Pieces



1 John 4:12 (Msg)

No one has seen God, ever. But if we love one another, God dwells deeply within us, and his love becomes complete in us—perfect love!



Back in the office this evening checking on the buildings. As I walked around the place on the map called New Hope Baptist, I picked up shingle after shingle. The roof didn't really fare too well under the 100+ mph winds.



But the church did just fine.



After talking to almost every family both before and after Ivan came through, I've not heard of any injuries except for one broken ankle, suffered by Susie Finlayson, characteristically for her, suffered while trying to help someone else.



During the storm, people were calling offering to share homes, power, food, hot water, whatever anyone needed. After, people were calling just to check on one another.



Yes, the buildings may have suffered, but the church is doing just fine, even becoming more complete in Christ's love.



Please keep praying for those affected throughout the South by Ivan.



Grace!



David



This devotional is written by David Wilson, pastor of New Hope Baptist church in Valparaiso, FL. If you find you have received this via a forward and would like to receive it regularly, or find you no longer wish to receive it, drop me an email at dwilsonfl@earthlink.net and I'll make the change to the list. If you'd like to know more about New Hope, visit our website at www.newhopevalp.org . May God bless you.

There's power, and then there's POWER



We are still experiencing pretty gusty winds of I'd guess 50 mph, but it's nothing like it was last night, when the power of Hurricane Ivan came and took our electricity but left our house.



I've seen tropical storms before, but a hurricane - that's a whole different kind of power.



With the arrival of Jesus, the Messiah, that fateful dilemma is resolved. Those who enter into Christ's being-here-for-us no longer have to live under a continuous, low-lying black cloud. 2 A new power is in operation. The Spirit of life in Christ, like a strong wind, has magnificently cleared the air, freeing you from a fated lifetime of brutal tyranny at the hands of sin and death.

Romans 8:1-2 (MSG)



There's power than can kill the body, but no power that can touch the soul of one who has given their life to Jesus Christ.



Look to that power as you deal with the storms of life.







Grace!







David



This devotional is written by David Wilson, pastor of New Hope Baptist church in Valparaiso, FL. If you find you have received this via a forward and would like to receive it regularly, or find you no longer wish to receive it, drop me an email at dwilsonfl@earthlink.net and I'll make the change to the list. If you'd like to know more about New Hope, visit our website at www.newhopevalp.org . May God bless you.

Keepers and Leavers



Ivan bears down on the Gulf coast as I write this, and we're still here. But literally millions of people have evacuated the area, hoping to find places of safety.The stories coming out tell of some people in panic mode, not being able to take everything with them and having to make tough choices. I've seen vehicles leaving that looked a little like they were moving away for good, with furniture and appliances piled high in the back of the vehicle. Animal welfare shelters are full with animals that have given their owners uncompomising devotion and unconditional love. But when push came to shove.. their owners decided they weren't worth keeping or were too much trouble to take.



What do you take and what do you leave?



Do you grab the TV?

What about the PC?

Maybe the pictures?

What about those golf clubs, the jet ski or atv?





People that have been through a few of these storms talk about how they realized what really mattered to them. Jesus gave us insight into what those choices say about those that make them.



34 Wherever your treasure is, there your heart and thoughts will also be. Luke 12:34 (NLT)



The choices you make at times like this really offer a window into your heart.



Maybe this is the time to take a look at just what your "valuables" are.



And the only way to do that is to begin with your relationship with God. Is it something you can take or leave? Or is it the one relationship that every single value comes out of and is evaluated by?



Take time today to remind yourself of what really matters.



Grace!



David



This devotional is written by David Wilson, pastor of New Hope Baptist church in Valparaiso, FL. If you find you have received this via a forward and would like to receive it regularly, or find you no longer wish to receive it, drop me an email at dwilsonfl@earthlink.net and I'll make the change to the list. If you'd like to know more about New Hope, visit our website at www.newhopevalp.org . May God bless you.

Storm Warnings



Here on the Gulf Coast, we are under the gun for Hurricane Ivan. As it approached today, the people in our area reacted in different ways. Some took it very seriously, boarding up windows, buying large quantities of bottled water, and making sure their vehicles were full of gasoline. Others didn't really seem to do anything, And then there were those who I saw headed to the beach with surfboards resting on the roof of their car.



I'm sure every one of them knows of the hurricane. After all, the TV, radio, and every other media outlet was blaring the latest predictions of intensity and landfall. Watching what Ivan had done in Jamaica, the Caymans, and Cuba gave everyone a glimpse of the seriousness of the storm.



They were warned.



As a pastor, I see a lot of storms.



When people decide to live life outside God's will, they place themselves in real danger. Many if not all know better. They've been in Bible Study, heard hundreds of sermons. But all of those don't seem to affect their daily lives. Jesus acknowledged the problem and the results.



24 "These words I speak to you are not incidental additions to your life, homeowner improvements to your standard of living. They are foundational words, words to build a life on. If you work these words into your life, you are like a smart carpenter who built his house on solid rock. 25 Rain poured down, the river flooded, a tornado hit— but nothing moved that house. It was fixed to the rock.

26 "But if you just use my words in Bible studies and don't work them into your life, you are like a stupid carpenter who built his house on the sandy beach. 27 When a storm rolled in and the waves came up, it collapsed like a house of cards."

Matt 7:24-27 (MSG)



Friends, Bible trivia is a game. Bible study and prayerful application of what you learn to your daily life - that's real. Don't be fooled into thinking the storms won't come - they will. Take time each day to open your Bible and pray for the Holy Spirit to lead you to higher ground.



Build your life on the Rock of God's Word.



Grace!



David



This devotional is written by David Wilson, pastor of New Hope Baptist church in Valparaiso, FL. If you find you have received this via a forward and would like to receive it regularly, or find you no longer wish to receive it, drop me an email at dwilsonfl@earthlink.net and I'll make the change to the list. If you'd like to know more about New Hope, visit our website at www.newhopevalp.org . May God bless you.

A Rising Tide



One of the miracles of last week was in the approach of Hurricane Frances to the Gulf Coast. After battering across Florida, it popped out into the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico, and it appeared that Florida's panhandle would feel the power that destroyed so much property on the way here.



Yet just as Frances approached, it slowed. Not a lot, but enough that when it hit the coast, it hit at LOW TIDE. So a storm surge that could have carried millions of gallons of water over the beaches and into homes and businesses was nullified. There's no power at low tide.



For those who feel that life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness seems to have degenerated into tiredness, debt, and just trying to make it through another day,



For you who feel living a life of faith and trust is far too hard most times,



I suggest to you that maybe in your efforts to do it your way, you are living at low tide.



Doesn't mean God's power isn't available to you, just that you want it your way, on your timing, and God doesn't answer to your whistle or whine.



Notice in the verses below Who is supposed to do the heavy lifting.



Hebrews 13:20,21 (Msg)

May God, who puts all things together, makes all things whole...

Now put you together,

provide you with everything you need to please him,

Make us into what gives him most pleasure,

by means of the sacrifice of Jesus, the Messiah.



All glory to Jesus forever and always!

Oh, yes, yes, yes.



What looks so hard without God, is so simple when He's in control. Remember, His power flows into and through our weaknesses. It's not about us. It's about Him - always Him.



Do this. Pray at the beginning of each day, and before each challenge you face during it, for the power of God to be released in and through your efforts to make Him proud.



Let God be God.



You'll be amazed at the power of Love's rising tide.



Grace!



David



This devotional is written by David Wilson, pastor of New Hope Baptist church in Valparaiso, FL. If you find you have received this via a forward and would like to receive it regularly, or find you no longer wish to receive it, drop me an email at dwilsonfl@earthlink.net and I'll make the change to the list. If you'd like to know more about New Hope, visit our website at www.newhopevalp.org . May God bless you.

Forecasting



Everybody around here has become interested in the weather it seems. Here in the western panhandle, we are beginning to think that the law of averages is eventually going to catch up with us, and one of these hurricanes is going to hit instead of miss.



The other day, when Frances was to come calling but didn't, people in the neighborhood were reacting very differently. One man was covering his windows with precut corrugated tin, while his neighbor stood by with what appeared to be a glass of tea, watching.



In the bayous, boats of all shapes and sizes rode at anchor, while along the water's edge, others sat tied to the docks.



This time it missed, but what if it hadn't?



It reminded me of people forgetting about Christ's return.



1 Thes. 5:2 (Msg)

You know as well as I that the day of the Master's coming can't be posted on our calendars. He won't call ahead and make an appointment any more than a burglar would.



If we cannot know when Christ will return, then everyday could be the day. And what a day!



Are you ready? The forecast for those who are is JOY!



1 Peter 1:13 (Msg)

So roll up your sleeves, put your mind in gear, be totally ready to receive the gift that's coming when Jesus arrives.



Better get ready!



Grace!



David



This devotional is written by David Wilson, pastor of New Hope Baptist church in Valparaiso, FL. If you find you have received this via a forward and would like to receive it regularly, or find you no longer wish to receive it, drop me an email at dwilsonfl@earthlink.net and I'll make the change to the list. If you'd like to know more about New Hope, visit our website at www.newhopevalp.org . May God bless you.

Searching



Day-glo orange signs flag the corner of every street in the neighborhood our church sits in. At first, I really didn't pay any attention to them, thinking that they must have been left over from a weekend yard sale.



But as I pulled to a stop opposite one, the wind blew the corner, that had been sagging from the rain, back straight and I saw the words in bold black - LOST!



The poster went on to describe a tabby colored cat, a family treasure, wholly and dearly loved, and to give information of who to contact should anyone see or find her. I pulled away wondering just how hard people searched for lost things.



But I guess that depends on how much you value what is lost. From the signs, I'm betting that kitty is being looked for every chance they get.



It just so happened that my weekly trip through the gospels found me in the 15th chapter of Luke today, and the dots started to connect. For that chapter is full of lost things - a lost sheep, a lost coin, and a lost son.



So how hard would they search?



Luke 15:4 (Msg)

"Suppose one of you had a hundred sheep and lost one. Wouldn't you leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the lost one until you found it?



So one lost one was worth risking everything else to find.



So how would someone react to a lost coin?



Luke 15:8 (Msg)

"Or imagine a woman who has ten coins and loses one. Won't she light a lamp and scour the house, looking in every nook and cranny until she finds it?



And a lost coin meant turning everything upside down, searching as hard as you can as long as it takes.



And to a lost son? As the son, who has realized how lost he is returns home...



Luke 15:20 (Msg)

"When he was still a long way off, his father saw him. His heart pounding, he ran out, embraced him, and kissed him.



A lost son's return means more than risking everything, or working as hard as you can to find what was lost. It meant dropping pride, judgement and his own right to justice in favor of racing to meet someone who was lost.



And that's exactly what God did. For you.



You see folks - you matter to God so much, He'll work in countless ways to find you - wherever you are.



Oh and when you are in His arms...



His search, and yours - are over forever. For He has what gives Him joy, and you have everything He is.



It's called...



Grace!



David



This devotional is written by David Wilson, pastor of New Hope Baptist church in Valparaiso, FL. If you find you have received this via a forward and would like to receive it regularly, or find you no longer wish to receive it, drop me an email at dwilsonfl@earthlink.net and I'll make the change to the list. If you'd like to know more about New Hope, visit our website at www.newhopevalp.org . May God bless you.

The Run of the House



Growing up as a young boy, I used to enjoy going over to my Aunt Geneva's house on the other side of Macon. It was so different.



We lived in the country on 40 acres of land in a mobile home. Our nearest neighbor was a quarter of a mile away. The nearest grocery store was 5 miles, school was 6.



Aunt Geneva's house was in the city. A store was on the corner, and school was down the street. Railroad tracks ran alongside the street, and one of the busiest streets in the whole town was a block away.



But it was her house that really fascinated me.



It was old, with high ceilings, fireplaces, and wood floors. Every room seemed to lead to another. I don't believe there was a hall in the place. And I explored every inch of it from the attic to my uncle's aborted attempt to build a Cold War bomb shelter in the basement.



Except the living room.



It was off limits to kids. All kids. Even extra specially good kids like me. Oh I would look over into it and notice the gleaming wood floors, the perfect furniture and antiques. But to go into it? Never happen. I thought of that today when I read this verse.



1 John 4:16-17(Msg)

God is love. When we take up permanent residence in a life of love, we live in God and God lives in us. This way, love has the run of the house, becomes at home and mature in us, so that we're free of worry on Judgment Day—our standing in the world is identical with Christ's.



When we give Christ our lives and pledge to follow Him, what we are doing is throwing open all the doors in our life and saying to Jesus, "come on in. My house is your house."



And since God is love, His nature begins to affect what we do, until we do what he would do in an increasing attempt to be like Him. We don't hold Him away from any area of our lives.



And love has the run of the house.



Grace!



David



This devotional is written by David Wilson, pastor of New Hope Baptist church in Valparaiso, FL. If you find you have received this via a forward and would like to receive it regularly, or find you no longer wish to receive it, drop me an email at dwilsonfl@earthlink.net and I'll make the change to the list. If you'd like to know more about New Hope, visit our website at www.newhopevalp.org . May God bless you.

When Tomorrow Didn't Come



September 3, 1752 never came.



I'm not sure what everyone was looking forward to, but having the government steal 11 days from their lives must have meant something to the British people - they rioted in the streets.



The kingdom had adopted the Gregorian Calendar (developed by Pope Gregory XIII in 1582) to replace the inaccurate calendar created by Julius Caesar in 46 B.C. And in order to catch up to the new order of days, 11 whole days were lost forever.



You know we can't count on tomorrow...



1 Peter 4:7-11 (Msg)

Everything in the world is about to be wrapped up, so take nothing for granted.



Stay wide-awake in prayer. [8] Most of all, love each other as if your life depended on it. Love makes up for practically anything. [9] Be quick to give a meal to the hungry, a bed to the homeless—cheerfully. [10] Be generous with the different things God gave you, passing them around so all get in on it: [11] if words, let it be God's words; if help, let it be God's hearty help.



That way, God's bright presence will be evident in everything through Jesus, and he'll get all the credit as the One mighty in everything—encores to the end of time. Oh, yes!



No, we can't count on tomorrow, but we can count on God! And practice God's plan for living like there was no tomorrow - Stuff the most acts of caring and love for your fellow man into every single day - loving God through them. That way God will get the credit.



Don't worry about tomorrow. Just live to please the One Who gives us each day - each day.



Grace!



David



This devotional is written by David Wilson, pastor of New Hope Baptist church in Valparaiso, FL. If you find you have received this via a forward and would like to receive it regularly, or find you no longer wish to receive it, drop me an email at dwilsonfl@earthlink.net and I'll make the change to the list. If you'd like to know more about New Hope, visit our website at www.newhopevalp.org . May God bless you.

To Give Voice To Our Hearts



I've been cranky.



There, I've said it to a few hundred of my closest friends. :)



It happens.



Mostly when something is really bothering me.



When all my time honored ways of dealing with discontent aren't working.



Don't you have those? We used to call them "work-arounds", or "patches" in the computer business.



They were handy when you couldn't fix the problem right then. When you were too busy, too overwhelmed, or just too tired to look into it. So you'd work around it.



You can get to the isle of discontent from a lot of places. Worry can send you there. Hurt will buy you a ticket. And you can work around it by feeding your face (there was a time when a half gallon of Bryers..), or feeding your ego (wouldn't I look good in that...), or just retreating into a shell.



But you knew eventually you'd have to face up to what ailed you, and deal with it. And at times, it's hard to put "it" into words. It's hard to give voice to our hearts.



Today I was listening to a worship song, in the stillness of my study, and every barrier fell. Every wall I had put around my heart came down, and the love of Christ flooded in. As the music played, "Lord have mercy, Christ have mercy. Lord have mercy on me." He did.



Later, I came across this verse and it said exactly what I felt.



Romans 8:26 (Msg)

Meanwhile, the moment we get tired in the waiting, God's Spirit is right alongside helping us along. If we don't know how or what to pray, it doesn't matter. He does our praying in and for us, making prayer out of our wordless sighs, our aching groans.



Our loving God gives voice to our hearts, to our very souls. When words fail us, His love never does, for He needs no words to communicate with us. We are in Him, and He is in us. It doesn't matter if we cannot say one word. When our hearts turn toward Him...



He hears.



Grace!



David



This devotional is written by David Wilson, pastor of New Hope Baptist church in Valparaiso, FL. If you find you have received this via a forward and would like to receive it regularly, or find you no longer wish to receive it, drop me an email at dwilsonfl@earthlink.net and I'll make the change to the list. If you'd like to know more about New Hope, visit our website at www.newhopevalp.org . May God bless you.

Feeling a bit sheepish?



As I was passing through the book of John today, I came across some familiar verses of Scripture. In the tenth chapter, Jesus is trying to help the religious teachers understand God's love. This isn't the first time He's tried, and so this time he tries again using a metaphor they are familiar with - shepherds and sheep.



14 "I am the good shepherd; I know my own sheep, and they know me,

15 just as my Father knows me and I know the Father. And I lay down my life for the sheep.

16 I have other sheep, too, that are not in this sheepfold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice; and there will be one flock with one shepherd.

John 10:14-16 (NLT)



Personally, it's been a long time since I've seen a sheep in person. But one of my pastor friends grew up on a farm where they raised sheep. His comments about them have forever shattered the image of them I had held. Here's some of his comments:



- if you put a bag over a lamb's head and lead it to another part of the barn, then take the bag off its head, it's lost and will either lay down and not move or will only go where you go.



- you can often corral them with just a broad painted line on the road or floor. If they do cross it, they will jump over it like it's 3-feet high.



- if one lamb jumps out of a second story window, so will any others near it.



It doesn't sound as if being called sheep would be a very good thing. They sound fearful, anxious, easily led astray.



But this story really helps you understand what Jesus was saying.



"One time, grandpa let me out of the truck and told me to take the sheep into the barn. I started into my sheep-dog routine of pushing the sheep to the barn. I chased these things all over a four acre field and couldn't get them to go anywhere near the barn. Exasperated, grandpa got of the truck, opened the barn door, walked out to the sheep, turned around and just walked into the barn. The sheep followed him. As he closed the barn door, he said to me under his breath, "You drive hogs. You lead sheep."



27 My sheep recognize my voice; I know them, and they follow me.

28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one will snatch them away from me,

29 for my Father has given them to me, and he is more powerful than anyone else. So no one can take them from me.

30 The Father and I are one." John 10:27-30 (NLT)



Friends, Jesus will never lead you astray. Listen for the voice of the Shepherd of souls. There are a lot of voices calling out for your attention, some even for your allegiance.



Just remember - the Good Shepherd laid down His life for the sheep. There is no greater love.



Grace!



David

Who Are You Listening To?



Ouch! It was one of those moments that you wished you had missed.



As I entered the post office this morning, a young woman, holding a baby on one hip and dragging a little boy by his arm was trying to exit. The little boy was trying his best to push the door open, but he just wasn't able to.



So I sped up and pulled it open for them, smiling at the boy's efforts on behalf of his mom. He grinned back at me.



She didn't. She wasn't smiling at all. In fact she walked by me all the while telling her son that she had told him to move out of the way, that he knew he couldn't open that door, and probably more as she rounded the corner headed to her car, and away from me.



I said a prayer for the little ones, and for the one God had blessed with them.



What will a person think about themselves if they grow up with a diet of "you can't", "you won't", or "you never will"?



That's why I love our God. In Him we have One who will never treat us as less than a prized possession. We just have to accept that love. I'll give you an example from Scripture of one person who did: Mary, the Mother of Jesus.



When she was presented with God's plan, the Son of God made flesh by the Holy Spirit within her, she could have resisted for a lot of reasons. She didn't. Why?



She was listening to God.



Luke 1:38 (Msg)

And Mary said,

"Yes, I see it all now:

I'm the Lord's maid, ready to serve.

Let it be with me

just as you say."



She didn't have all the answers, but with that last sentence, she lets God's messenger know that she has heard what God said. I hope that little boy rises to overcome his mother's words. But I know that all we have to do to know our significance is to hear God and agree that what He says, goes.



Friend, don't let anyone tell you that you are less than God's best. Listen to your Father God. He knows best.



May it be with you today, just as God says.



Grace!



David



This devotional is written by David Wilson, pastor of New Hope Baptist church in Valparaiso, FL. If you find you have received this via a forward and would like to receive it regularly, or find you no longer wish to receive it, drop me an email at dwilsonfl@earthlink.net and I'll make the change to the list. If you'd like to know more about New Hope, visit our website at www.newhopevalp.org . May God bless you.

Hello friends,



Today marks the three year anniversary of "A Glimpse of New Hope!"





I do hope that you have enjoyed reading them as much as I have appreciated you letting me share from my heart about what I glimpse of God and His world.



I've picked a few of the devotionals that I've received the most feedback on, and put within that a couple that really helped me out of all those I wrote this past year. Maybe one day I'll have them all in a book for you, but for now, here's last years favorites.



Thank you again for allowing me to share,



Grace!



David





Just the right place to be wrong (6/15/04)



On a morning that dawned, or rather clouded and rained, I spent some time waiting for a friend to undergo a procedure. As I watched the people come and go, it dawned on me that there were way too many people with problems in that place. It seemed like every person that came to the sign in desk had something wrong with them and needed help.



And as I watched the staff try to help them, I wondered just how much all this was costing someone - the person, or their insurance, or the taxpayers. The place was real nice. Did they have to spend all that on TV's for the waiting room? That coffee maker over there - it must have cost a bunch. All those machines in the back, those tests, the professionals - my head was swimming just thinking about it.



About that time a young woman came by in a wheelchair, surrounded by family. She was carrying in her arms a newborn baby. On a dark and rainy day, her smile and of all those around her, brightened us all.



Then followed an older woman, also being wheeled outside, whose husband walked beside her in pride and happiness, as if he were escorting a queen. From the looks they shared, he was.



It made me stop and consider just what that place was all about. Even though everyone entering had something that needed care, or something that was wrong with them, it was okay, because they were in just the right place to be wrong.



Reminded me of church.



Romans 3:12 (Msg)

They've all taken the wrong turn;

they've all wandered down blind alleys.

No one's living right;

I can't find a single one.



Everyone that comes through the doors of a church has one thing in common with everyone else. There's something wrong with them. Oh, the maladies may be wildly different, but in the end they are the same. The one who just got there to the one whose been there 50 years. The one who stands up front and preaches, to the one who sits on the back row and sleeps. Lots of time, energy and money are used to create and maintain a place for the sole use of people who cannot seem to ever be cured - they still do things wrong.



That's okay, because all of them are in just the right place to be wrong, if they want to get better. God has whispered a diagnosis, prescribed a treatment, and in order to really get cured, they need to get close enough, regularly enough to be exposed to His love, until it becomes theirs.



Hypocrites? Sure. But trying to get better. Will they take other wrong turns? Absolutely. But they've stopped by to get directions.



Church is just the right place to be wrong.



Grace!



David Wilson



Letters that touch the heart (5/19/04)



Just a routine visit to the post office this morning really made me think.



As I parked my car, I pulled into the space beside a pickup. In it, there was a man whose white hair and wrinkled face told of many years of toil. Getting out and passing by him, I noticed that he held some notebook papers in his hands, and the folds that creased the pages were full of blue inked script. On the dashboard lay the envelope, with the familiar APO postmark telling of a trip from a person in military service somewhere.



He looked up, and though we never exchanged a word, I could tell that if I'd have offered him the riches of Midas for that letter, it wouldn't have been enough. I made my way to the PO Box and back, and when I got back in my car, that letter was still in his hands.



What did it say?



I don't know. But one thing it did say was obvious. I'm still alive, I still remember you, and you matter enough for me to take the time to write. It reminded me of a letter, written by an aged man to people he loved as his children, telling them about the One who first loved.



1 John 5:13-15 (Msg)

My purpose in writing is simply this: that you who believe in God's Son will know beyond the shadow of a doubt that you have eternal life, the reality and not the illusion. [14] And how bold and free we then become in his presence, freely asking according to his will, sure that he's listening. [15] And if we're confident that he's listening, we know that what we've asked for is as good as ours.



Please know this - if you are a believer, then the Spirit of the Living God is alive within you.



1 John 4:16-17 (Msg)

God is love. When we take up permanent residence in a life of love, we live in God and God lives in us. [17] This way, love has the run of the house, becomes at home and mature in us, so that we're free of worry on Judgment Day—our standing in the world is identical with Christ's.



God wants to lead you away from a life of fear and into a life of love's full freedom. You may not be there yet - don't give up! Keep learning about God - keep asking Him for more of His presence in your life. It will happen.



1 John 4:18 (Msg)

There is no room in love for fear. Well-formed love banishes fear. Since fear is crippling, a fearful life fear of death, fear of judgment is one not yet fully formed in love.



Do this - commit yourself to writing a letter each day to God. Call it a journal, call it a diary, whatever you want, but in it, write God your heart's desires, fears, and tell Him where you are and what you want your relationship with Him to be.



When you are that real, that open and honest with God - you'll touch His heart. Picture Him in heaven, reading your letter. Can you see the look on His face?



Grace!



David Wilson



Carrisa's World (5/5/04)



Psalm 89:15-16 (Msg)

Blessed are the people who know the passwords of praise,

who shout on parade in the bright presence of God.

[16] Delighted, they dance all day long; they know

who you are, what you do they can't keep it quiet!



Carissa comes with friends to New Hope. A lot of times we'll see children come quite a bit before their parents will. Our job then is to love the kids and share Jesus with them. There are times when our folks working with them come out shell-shocked. Imagine getting a bunch of boys to calm down long enough to tell them a Bible story. Or just try getting a group of little girls to focus for an hour.. for 30 minutes... just try.



High energy? You betcha!



Harnessing all that energy and redirecting it into an understanding of God's love and an expression of it in worship is what the goal is. And there are times when it happens, and we catch a glimpse of God at work.



A couple of weeks ago, the girl's praise team combined with our choir to present a special song for worship. You should have seen it! The whole front row of the choir was filled with little girls, the whole back row with adults. Carissa took up her position on the far left-hand side.



It was a great song, that really moved people toward God - His character, His nature - His love. Most of the adults were concentrating on getting the notes just right, and had their heads in their songbooks, with occasional glances toward the director. The girls had memorized their parts, and were free to worship.



No one was more free that day than Carissa.



When they reached the chorus, her face broke into a dazzling smile, and she began to boogie! She just got carried away. I know by Who. For a few moments, Carissa stepped across into communion with the Spirit of God, and left this world behind.



You can go there too.



The password is "Thank You!". It's your entrance into the world of worship.



Psalm 100:4-5 (Msg)

Enter with the password: "Thank you!"

Make yourselves at home, talking praise.

Thank him. Worship him.



[5] For God is sheer beauty,

all-generous in love,

loyal always and ever.



Forget about yourself, and focus on the God Who wants to meet with you. See His beauty, His grace, His love for you. You'll quickly forget about everything except pleasing Him, and rejoicing in His arms.



Just be careful... in Carissa's world, you can't help but dance.



It's good practice for heaven.



Grace!



David Wilson



William's World (5/04/04)



My friend William Hobbs walked into my office Sunday. At just past two, he is incredibly huggable, but he didn't come for one of those, he came to tell me something. So sermon preparation came to a halt, my chair swiveled around, and I gave over my attention to William's world.



And what a world it is!



For William, every event is a cause for celebration, even what he wanted to share with me Sunday. His little brow furrowed, and when he saw that I was paying attention, his pudgy little hand grabbed the fabric on his chest and he said "shirt", and grinned.



I had to grin back.



Was it a new shirt? Don't know. Was it his favorite shirt? Don't know. Does he just like shirts in general and wanted to see if he could make a convert to his revolutionary way of looking at life? Don't know.



But whatever reason he had behind his statement - it was followed by a grin - so it must be good.



Somehow I think it's always good in William's world.



What happened to the rest of us?



Romans 8:28 (GW)

We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God—those whom He has called according to His plan.



Now folks, is that true or not?



Romans 8:31 (GW)

What can we say about all of this? If God is for us, who can be against us?



And that one - are you saying that there's a someone, something, somehow type of problem in your life that's just too big for God to handle?



Romans 8:37 (GW)

The one who loves us gives us an overwhelming victory in all these difficulties.



You see friends, it is true that a child's view of the world is limited. William doesn't know about war, and HIV, and poverty, or death. But he knows he's loved, and he knows he's cared for - and that's enough for him.



How about you?



I know your world is much bigger than William's, you've got a lot on your mind. But when you strip away everything except that which matters, you'll know this.



You are loved.



By God.



Now go tell.





Grace!



David Wilson



Absence and the Heart (4/25/04)



Psalm 34:18 (Msg)

If your heart is broken, you'll find God right there;

if you're kicked in the gut, He'll help you catch your breath.



It's been two years today.



And right now my mind is flooded with might have beens. So many things are obvious blessings in my life - my wife, my boys, what God has called me to do, that I can get busy, and some of the hurt goes away. But today it's two years, and all I can think of is what we've missed - of what is absent that we had hoped would be here.



She would have had her father's eyes.



There were times when he was a little boy that we'd go off alone - to the store, to the Krystal, to Grandmother's, that I could look over in the seat next to me and see him looking at me. He'd ask questions, I'd try to answer, and the openness - the trust - the love in those eyes just melted me.



Yep. She would have had her father's eyes.



Her smile would have lit up a room, just like her mother's does. There are a lot of ways to measure people. My own personal preference is to look at their impact on others. Some people enter a room and suck all the joy out of it. When they smile it just doesn't look right, like cow horns on a Mercedes. They put it on to try to give the right response, but it isn't who

they are.



Her mother is tiny. But when she smiles - she's huge.



I can see tiny feet beating the earth, little white tennis shoes slapping it as they come, bearing a smile so brilliant it warms this cold earth. She grins from ear to ear, and all you feel is joy.



She'd have her mother's smile.



By now, we'd have covered all the important things. Who loves you best, why Granddaddy's hair is gray, the funniest cartoons, how to eat Krystals and Nuways, and how come Grandmother hugs so hard. We'd have begun noticing new words, and she'd almost be reading. She'd have impacted my wallet and stolen my heart. Again.



Heart. She'd have had her grandmother's.



I have known literally thousands of people over 50 years. Some were self-contained, others - self-absorbed. A few seemed to enjoy this life, and others endured it. Many were bright, even brilliant. Others caught the eye, or in some other way made it through the clutter of a life's experiences to

my heart.



But none have loved me like Bunny has. For no one I've ever known loves that deeply.



Two years ago, as we rolled up calendars toward April 29th, the expected day of joy, our home was filled with baby clothing, baby toys, baby... stuff. People around us shared in that and we added our own items. I remember visiting Target with Bunny and hearing her say a dozen times, "won't that look so pretty on Ana?" The only girl in a string of boys, the only girl in her own home full of men - young and older - the possibility to hold, to love, to care, to dress!!! a baby girl was excitement personified.



And when the days stopped for Ana, her Grandmother didn't stop loving. She found a way to love beyond the pain in helping her daughter-in-love deliver her baby. As I watched Bunny hold that small and delicate baby in her arms, weeping and talking to her as if she could hear... it was the greatest expression of love I've ever seen - through the deepest heartache.



She'd have had her Grandmother's heart.



For me, I don't know what I could have given her. It certainly wouldn't be material things, and her mom and dad would certainly taught her the A, B, C's and enlightened her on them 'Dawgs and Georgia politics.



So I guess she'd have had my prayers each day from infancy to adulthood, my lap to sit in, my knees to ride, and later my shoulder to cry on and my ears to hear.



It's been two years today. Two long years. Her absence hurts our hearts. But one day...



We will see her.



And that thrills my heart.



Grace, mercy, and peace,



David Wilson



The Journey (4/13/04)



We can make our plans, but the LORD determines our steps. Prov 16:9 (NLT)



A young boy headed out to tryouts for his school play. It was the first time he'd ever stretched his fragile self-confidence so far, and his Mother was a little worried about how he'd handle it if he didn't get the part he wanted. When he came home all smiles, she was surprised to hear that the tryout didn't reward him with his dream part, yet he wasn't upset at all, just the opposite.



"What happened, son? I thought you'd be upset that you didn't get the part you wanted."



"I was for a minute Mom. But then they told me I was chosen to clap and cheer."



Grabbing a coke off the counter, he ran outside to play.



Mom just smiled.



Imagine growing up with a dream - a passionate desire that occupies almost every moment of free time. It could be a sport, like baseball, basketball, or soccer. Or it could be an activity like flying or acting. Then think about what you'd do (or what you did) when that dream died.



Growing up, I had two great passions - baseball, and airplanes. When I wasn't outside playing baseball, I was inside reading about airplanes, putting together models, and dreaming about flying.



As I grew, and the years went by, reality interfered with my dreams. By the spring of my 10th grade of high school, my name on a list left tacked to a cork bulletin board after practice meant I'd never be a major leaguer. And by the end of the 11th grade, my eyesight, and a letter from the Air Force Academy, told me I'd never become a fighter pilot.



But life is lived forward, isn't it. My plans didn't work out quite the way I thought they would. So many other joys, so many other dreams that have been fulfilled make it hard to even feel sad about the earlier ones that were ended. And God has His ways of making it up.



Now I'm a pastor of a church.



Every day, I see not just airplanes but fighters. Just two weeks ago, I got to see the Thunderbirds perform four times in one week, since our church is right under the flight path. And I get to know pilots. One of my friends flew F-16's, another I know flew F-4's. I see an average of 30-40 planes a day, and rarely does a day go by when I don't give one a thumbs up.



From where I sit, I'm across from a Little League field. So I see a lot of baseball. Even wander over to give the 9-10 year old kids support every now and then.



So I guess I was chosen to clap and cheer.



Friend maybe where you are, you're feeling a little depressed about what you haven't been able to accomplish that you thought you would. But take a minute and think about all those blessings that have been yours, some of which would have never happened if you'd had your way.



I don't know about you, but I'm going to thank God today for where He's led me, and look forward to where we are headed tomorrow. Another day on the Journey.



Grace!



David Wilson



Hand-me Downs (3/16/04)



1 I will praise you, my God and King, and bless your name forever and ever.

2 I will bless you every day, and I will praise you forever.

3 Great is the LORD! He is most worthy of praise! His greatness is beyond

discovery!

4 Let each generation tell its children of your mighty acts.

Psalms 145:1-4 (NLT)



When I was growing up, we lived out on 40 acres of land in a 10ft x 55ft trailer, as my father and mother possessed their promise. Mortgages and car notes, doctor bills and braces meant we frequently would give and receive our cousin's clothes, toys and the like. I can remember the first time someone pointed out to me that those were hand-me downs. Up to that point I was just enjoying a bigger bike. Hand-me downs can be just what you need sometimes.



In our front yard here in Valparaiso, there's a purple Iris blooming right now. It hasn't always been there. It was given to my wife by her mother who lives in Lizella, GA. She was doing some work in their yard and decided she had plenty of certain kinds of plants, and not enough of others. So Bunny brought it down here.



But when her Mother gave it to her, she pointed out that the Iris had been given to her years before by my Mother, who went to be with the Lord in 1991. It's pretty neat to see it blooming now, because I have a history with that plant.



As a 12 year old boy, my Mother convinced me (as only Mothers can) to be part of her consuming passion - planting as many azaleas and flowering bulbs as possible on 40 acres of land outside Macon, GA. She introduced me to many things, did my Mother, but none I have enjoyed less than the tool called post-hole diggers. But in the spring of 1963 I helped her plant by digging literally hundreds of holes for her plants.



When I look at that Iris, I know we've met before.



And when I look at azaleas, daffodils, Iris, and the like in bloom, I remember my Mother's smile as she planted, all the while telling her little boy about how God made all these flowers just so people would notice how much He loves us.



You could say that was a hand-me down. But it sure lifted me up.



May God bring you an awareness of just how far He'll go to get you to notice His love.



Again.



Grace!



David Wilson



Taking It Personally (2/11/04)



1 Thes. 5:11 (Msg)

So speak encouraging words to one another. Build up hope so you'll all be together in this, no one left out, no one left behind. I know you're already doing this; just keep on doing it.



One day a young boy came home from school with a note. It suggested that his parents take him out of school. Partially deaf, the boy was having problems keeping up with the other students. But rather than help him, they sent him away. The note said that the boy was "too stupid to learn."



When the boy's mother read the note, she said, "My son Tom isn't 'too stupid to learn.' I'll teach him myself." When Tom, then known as Thomas, oh and Edison was his last name - died many years later, the people of our nation paid tribute to him by turning off the nation's lights. which he had invented, for one full minute. Thomas Edison invented not only the light bulb we read by, but also motion pictures and the rec­ord player. He has over one thousand patents to his credit. You might very well have known all that.



But you wouldn't have if Thomas Edison's mother, Nancy, hadn't taken that offense personally and set out to prove the school system wrong. Edison himself later said of her, "My mother was the making of me. She was so true, so sure of me, and I felt I had some one to live for, some one I must not disappoint."



Everyone needs someone like that. And many of you are that "someone" to others around you. You are making a difference, most of the time going unnoticed and unappreciated. That's why I'm writing this.



I'm writing today to thank all of you who have heard society tell you that teenagers won't amount to anything - then set out personally to prove the critics wrong by investing your lives into those of countless boys and girls.



I'm writing today to thank all of you who hear all the time about how churches don't make a difference any more - and have dedicated your lives to proving them wrong by serving your communities in countless ways, sometimes at great cost.



I'm writing today to thank all of you who have been told that your church was dying - and took it personally - telling the devil and all his henchmen - "Not on my watch" - and are doing the hard work of loving people and inviting them to come and meet God in worship. Heart by heart, you are building God's church.



And I'm writing today to all of you who see the wrongs and try to right them, who see the hurts and try to heal them, and who never hear one word of praise. That aggravates me. You could say I take it personally.



Thank you for what you do. It matters. May God bless your efforts. Keep on doing it.



Grace!



David Wilson



The Risk Is Worth It (2/10/04)



Luke 19:26 (Msg)

"He (Jesus) said, 'That's what I mean: Risk your life and get more than

you ever dreamed of. Play it safe and end up holding the bag."



There seem to be two dominant schools of thought on why anyone would become a pastor. One group clearly defines a pastor as someone who has been called by God to shepherd His people.



The other group thinks a person has to be crazy.



Maybe the truth is big enough to contain both. :)



To love people is to risk - bigtime.



To love people while bringing God's truth to them, while praying daily for them to grow deeper, while encouraging, prodding, reminding, and scariest of all - trying to model yourself as a growing believer in front of them - that risk is off the scale.



But it's worth the risk.



Oh, there will be stumbles. There will be heartaches. There will be times your heart is broken. But there will be glimpses of joy that are oh so breathtakingly beautiful that your heart can scarce contain them.



I stumbled Sunday morning.



Having preached now for over a decade, and having been confirmed in that calling, and in the way God has shaped me to deliver His Word, I still have a deep desire to constantly grow better in it. So I study other's methods, explore different paths, examine other ways. And Sunday, I tried one out. Here irony doesn't begin to describe what occurred. During a sermon on being authentic as a key to deeper relationships, I wasn't being really me.



I did however discover another method of communication - talking to people in their sleep.



It's Tuesday now, so I can laugh. But it sure hurts when I think about it, so I'll try not to think about it.



And I'll try to remember the rest of Sunday.



Which included ----



Having a teenage girl coming down the aisle in tears after the sermon mercifully ended.



Baptizing her father and sister minutes later.



Having a celebration instead of a sermon that evening where people brought desserts, and having our friend Allan ride home on his bike, and bring back half a box of cookies. Allan's intellectual development might not be that of people his age, but his heart is full grown. It reminded me of another offering in which Jesus commented "she gave all that she had."



Allan wouldn't fit everywhere.



He's insistent on communicating. He's persistent in what he wants to convey. And he has no sense of what's truly important. He'll interrupt a discussion on theology to get people together to sing "Oh How He Loves You and Me", complete with his interpretation in American Sign Language.



And when it happens, it warms me to the depths of my soul.



It's risky to want to get better at what God has called you to be. Whether that is a pastor, a father, a mother, whatever your calling is. It's risky to love people who aren't like you. To put aside your prejudices and love as Jesus did.



It's risky to try to create a place for people who want to love and be loved. To try to develop into a church where the missing can be found.



A place where everyone is welcome just as they are.

A place where we drop our masks and admit we all stumble.

A place where we celebrate every step we take along the Way.



A place worthy of the name - New Hope



But you know what?



The risk is worth it. Faith-life is the only way to get more than you've ever dreamed for.



What have you risked for Jesus lately?



Grace!



David Wilson



Bzzzzzzttt! Someone's praying for you right now (2/4/04)



Little Joe William Sheffield, a 9 yr-old church member of Tifton GA's First Baptist Church is battling lymphoma. That's a big disease for such a little boy, but He's got a big God and God's people helping him every second of every day. Joe William knows that, but his friends at First Baptist wanted to find a way to remind him and his family that they are praying for him.



They came up with a plan. One church member owns a paging company that provides beepers for professionals in the South Georgia area. A beeper was provided to Joe William, set to vibrate. He thought just having that was neat. He's a big boy now, that people need to contact. It made him feel a little better.



But the pastor and the rest of his friends didn't stop there. They organized prayer teams both within the church and throughout the community, and distributed the number of the beeper and instructed the people to call the number when they prayed for Joe William.

Last Tuesday morning, he was on his way to Atlanta for chemotherapy, and feeling a little down. The medicine helps, but it makes those who take it pretty sick for a time, and Joe William wasn't excited about that - neither was his Mom.



And then there was the beeper. It was vibrating continuously - just wouldn't stop. So they stopped to buy more batteries, thinking something was wrong with it. There wasn't. They just had about 35 people praying for them during that half-hour. What a testimony to the love of those people for that little boy, and their belief in a God who loves him too.



That's Who I pray to every day before I send out this devotional. For you.



Friend, I can't send you a beeper, but right now there are people praying for you. I can guarantee you one, but knowing my God, there are far more than we can imagine. Reminds me of one of my most favorite verses.



James 5:16 (Msg)

Make this your common practice: Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you can live together whole and healed. The prayer of a person living right with God is something powerful to be reckoned with.



Prayer IS something powerful to be reckoned with. So make it your practice to pray for those around you - your family, your neighbors, your friends, your church, and your pastors. Untold numbers of Christians are already doing this - so get on board!



Joe William isn't the only one being prayed for right now - YOU ARE - Bzzzzzzzzztttttttttt!



God loves you.



Grace!



David Wilson



Run Forrest - Run! (1/28/04)



Perhaps it was one of those random neuron moments, but as I was preparing to write the daily devotional today, after finishing my own devotions, I got a picture straight out of a movie. Forrest Gump to be exact. In the movie, Forrest has braces on his legs that make it hard for him to get around, and an object of ridicule and abuse from some other kids. But one day as they chase him, he gets to going so fast that his braces fall off, and in an amazing burst of speed, Forrest is gone!



Something like that happened to me today.



One thing I've found over the years is that if I don't get my heart right, nothing else will be right. So I have certain disciplines that I have to do in order to be ready to receive God's Word. Just as a baseball player will step into the batter's box and swing the bat three times and be ready - not two, nor four - but three, there are rituals I have to perform to be ready to hear.



Unfortunately sometimes I get sidetracked - shackled - by stuff. Today, it was a copier salesman, an AARP tax preparer, a T Shirt vendor, three other phone calls - and my own tendency to wander.



All of that plays against a backdrop of making sure you have the Wednesday night Bible Study prepared, and your Sunday sermon preparation well underway. It's easy to look past God to God's work.



The only problem?



You can't do God's work... without God.



So once the flurry of activity was over, I locked the door, put the phone on hold, turned my cell phone off, closed every window on my PC, put my watch in the drawer, and turned on some praise music.



I asked God to meet with me.



When I felt Him drawing our time to a close, an hour had passed. But within that hour, He gave me more than I could have found in a day. It was as if I had been drinking from a teaspoon, and suddenly a fire hose opened up. So much inspiration and encouragement I filled several sheets on my pad.



Why was it that I had beat my head against the wall all morning and suddenly I was able to race past it?



Jeremiah 29:13-14 (Msg)

"When you come looking for me, you'll find me.

"Yes, when you get serious about finding me and want it more than anything else,

I'll make sure you won't be disappointed."



Friends, I had dropped all my efforts to "get a sermon", or find a "teachable moment". I had stopped trying to change the world. All I wanted was for God to be with me. All I wanted, more than anything else, was to be with God - to be in His presence.



I'm going back there tomorrow. :)



See you there.



Grace!



David Wilson



Words (11/6/03)



I am at a loss for words today.



We've recently had prayers answered by the installation of a beautiful new church sign. It is awesome. Our new logo conveys the idea of "New Hope", and the colors reinforce the theme. Along with it though, are three lines for text messages to our community. Usually, churches display times of service, the pastor's name, and occasionally sermon titles or pithy bits of verse or verses. I'm just not sure about what to put there.



On a trip over to our sister city Niceville recently and back, I got to read several church signs. Almost all seemed to be telling people that God would be judging them, or rejecting them, or some similar statement.



"God will not be mocked."

"The wages of sin are death."

"Not all who call me Lord, Lord will enter the kingdom of heaven."



All true, although in the second they did leave out the part that says "but the gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord."



Why would they leave that out?



Maybe it is just me, but I get the feeling that some folks lie awake at night with the haunting fear that someone, somewhere, may be happy. That may pass for religion, but it is most certainly not the faith of the Apostles.



I must have missed something. When we sang that gospel song years back about rescuing people drifting away, were we throwing out a lifeline - or a noose?



Paul, when dealing with people who were unfaithful, squabbling, antagonistic and immature kept calling them "saints." Why?



Because he was so full of the Holy Spirit, and so aware of how black his own sin had been, that he had gained the ability to look at people not as they were, but as they potentially could be. So in the middle of a chapter on how to live the Christian life, he made sure he instructed these immature "saints" on how to choose their words.



Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them. Eph 4:29 (NLT)



Focus on "everything."



How would your speech change if "everything" that came out of your mouth was "good and helpful"?



We already know what the result would be - Paul tells us - encouragement. Friends, we need a whole lot more of that.



So I'm going to keep looking for the words to put on our church sign that will encourage people in their struggles each day, and point them to the One who can make their lives complete.



Go out and prove your faith with your face, and your words. Make our faith so attractive to the unbelievers, that they have to know how to have it too. Then tell them.



And choose encouraging words.



Grace!



David Wilson

Arms Wide Open



How could anyone resist it?



We had walked the mall together, my son and I, toward the store in which my wife worked. He'd had a hard day at his Grandmother and Granddaddy's, exploring, playing and he was just worn out. But he put on a burst of speed and swung in front of me.



He stood there in my way, a curly-haired little boy, with his arms stretched outward and upward toward me, looking at me expectantly and saying "carry me Daddy, carry me."



Could you resist that? Could any Father?



I know I couldn't, and that's why one of my sons didn't walk at the mall very often. He knew that if he got tired all he had to do was turn to his Father and say, "carry me."



That's been a long time ago now, but his trusting and expectant smile still warms my heart today. Sometimes now it's his Daddy that gets tired. Coupled with the joy of ministry is the responsibility. And there are days when it's as if my heart gets as heavy as that little boy's legs.



And I know that I can do just as my son did.



Jude 1:20-21 (Msg)

But you, dear friends, carefully build yourselves up in this most holy faith by praying in the Holy Spirit, [21] staying right at the center of God's love, keeping your arms open and outstretched, ready for the mercy of our Master, Jesus Christ. This is the unending life, the real life!



The act of praying to God out of the center of His will, expecting Him to refresh you with His grace is how relief, how rest... really comes.



Jesus Christ comes, in His love, in His mercy, and meets me right at the point of my need. Every single time I call. That's the real Christian life - living with your arms wide open, ready to receive God's love and mercy.



He'll meet you too - right now. Reach out to him with the faith of a child.



Grace!



David



This devotional is written by David Wilson, pastor of New Hope Baptist church in Valparaiso, FL. If you find you have received this via a forward and would like to receive it regularly, or find you no longer wish to receive it, drop me an email at dwilsonfl@earthlink.net and I'll make the change to the list. If you'd like to know more about New Hope, visit our website at www.newhopevalp.org . May God bless you.

Seeing Jesus



John 1:15-18 (Msg)

John pointed him out and called, "This is the One! The One I told you was coming after me but in fact was ahead of me. He has always been ahead of me, has always had the first word."



[16] We all live off his generous bounty,

gift after gift after gift.

[17] We got the basics from Moses,

and then this exuberant giving and receiving,

This endless knowing and understanding—

all this came through Jesus, the Messiah.

[18] No one has ever seen God,

not so much as a glimpse.

This one-of-a-kind God-Expression,

who exists at the very heart of the Father,

has made him plain as day.



It was Jesus Who showed us what God is like. Even now, His Holy Spirit guides the believer through the maze of life's choices. The Bible says above that Jesus made God "as plain as day."



So let me ask you a question.



What about your life? If people watch you live it (and they do) can they see what a Christian marriage is like, what Christian parents are like, what Christian employees are like?



For the Christian, we have our example in Jesus.



For those still seeking, there is only you and me.



Let's pray and ask God for more of His loving guidance, and encourage each other onto greater love for Him through our everyday lives. If we do that, people observing should see Jesus at the center of everything we do, as plain as day.



Grace!



David



This devotional is written by David Wilson, pastor of New Hope Baptist church in Valparaiso, FL. If you find you have received this via a forward and would like to receive it regularly, or find you no longer wish to receive it, drop me an email at dwilsonfl@earthlink.net and I'll make the change to the list. If you'd like to know more about New Hope, visit our website at www.newhopevalp.org . May God bless you.