Discouragement in your life?

[Rick C. Hodgin]

This sermon from 1954 came through one of my news feeds today. It is
a powerful reminder of how Christ should be in our lives. He keeps
us focused on things of Him, of our future, of the age to come, and
not on the sin and sin's effects upon this world leading us to despair
in our lives down here in this world.

This world is only for a time. There is real hope for all mankind:

https://billygraham.org/audio/the-cure-for-discouragement/

Thank you,
Rick C. Hodgin

[Rick C. Hodgin]

On Wednesday, October 25, 2017 at 8:53:54 AM UTC-4, Rick C. Hodgin wrote:
> This world is only for a time. There is real hope for all mankind:
> https://billygraham.org/audio/the-cure-for-discouragement/

If you are ever discouraged, ever beat down, ever in need of comfort
and joy and peace and love in your life, there is One who can provide
you with all that and more.

It may seem cliché, or even silly to many people, but God is there.
And not only is He there, He is longing with great longing to be a
part of your life.

God has created a powerful system. That system is at work in this
universe, and He calls you to be a part of it. His voice can be
heard aloud in every direction. But, there is an enemy who has
another voice, and his voice is raised also, but in different ways.

If you will press in and seek the truth in your life, you will find
it is God you are seeking for because He is truth (literal truth).
He cannot lie, He cannot deceive, He cannot do any wrong or false
thing, and He can only and always do what's right, and He only has
he absolute best plans for you ... but He lets you make choices.
He's given you your own volition, the ability to choose for yourself
at each crossroads which way to go.

The enemy tries to get you to go his way, which is really any way
other than the way God would have you go. But if you press in, and
ask God to help you, and seek the truth in all things, then God will
work in your life guiding you in seen and unseen ways. You won't
even know how you arrive at certain places at certain times, or how
you came to certain events in your life, but you'll find out later
it was always God at work in your life.

He causes the rain to fall on the just and the unjust, and the sun
to shine likewise. But He has a plan for all of us, and we are
telling Him by our choices in this world what it is we want for our
lives: truth-seeking, or a contentment writhing in falseness.

-----
You are valuable. You have a future. God calls out to you and has
prepared for you a future that would boggle your mind. He has it
ready to go right now even, and all you have to do is call upon His
name and ask Him to help you overcome this world.

He'll teach you about sin, about repentance, about asking forgiveness
from Jesus so that your sin can be taken away, and the new life He
has for you can come into existence, for His House is entirely orderly,
with nothing left to chance or happenstance.

God is God Almighty, and He has big plans for you in eternity. You
are very much loved by God, which is why He's made salvation so easy:
just ask.

He could not have made salvation any easier, and still given you a
choice. Make the right choice. Choose truth. Choose eternal life.
Choose love, joy, peace, and hope. Choose Jesus Christ, for He is
all those things and more.

[rickchod...@gmail.com]

Psalm 100

http://biblehub.com/kjv/psalms/100.htm

Shout for Joy to the Lord, All You Lands!

1 {A Psalm of praise.} Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands.

2 Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing.

3 Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not
we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

4 Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with
praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.

5 For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth
endureth to all generations.

-----
There is love, peace, and joy in the house of the Lord, but only when
you keep your eyes focused on Him. If you begin looking around at the
things of the world, they will quickly pull you under. But when you
look up to Him, and keep looking up, there you find your peace, because
only there is your salvation.

Remember also ... Peter walked on water too, but only when he was
looking at the Lord!

http://biblehub.com/kjv/matthew/14.htm

28 And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me
come unto thee on the water.
29 And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship,
he walked on the water, to go to Jesus.
30 But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning
to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me.
31 And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him,
and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou
doubt?
32 And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased.
33 Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying,
Of a truth thou art the Son of God.

Jesus will save your eternal soul, and give you eternal life. All you
have to do is trust and believe.

Best regards,
Rick C. Hodgin

[rickchod...@gmail.com]