Help, Hope & Healing

The PVUMC men’s choir and the chancel choir ushered us to the Throne of Jesus on our last night of revival.  We sang, “When I think of what my God can do He delivered Daniel I know He will deliver you.  Trust and never doubt Jesus will surely bring you out.  He never failed me yet.”  “He Never Failed Me Yet” by Robert Ray.  Revival has made me go down memory lane and see God’s Goodness and He has never failed me yet!

Our speaker, Dr. Laura Early, brought us a message of help, hope and healing.  We like to think we are fine but we all need healing.  Jeremiah 17: 14, “Heal me, LORD, and I will be healed; save me and I will be saved, for you are the one I praise.”  The last two years have been tough and uncertain but she reminded us that God is CERTAIN in uncertain times!  He never changes!  Hebrews 13:8, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”  We have had lots of things canceled but HOPE has not been canceled!  Psalm 146: 3,5, “Do not put your trust in princes, in human beings, who cannot save….Blessed are those whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord their God.”  As God told Pastor Laura, “I can do more in a minute than you can do in a lifetime.”  We are so blessed to have our hope in God!

Jeremiah 17: 7-8, “But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him.  They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream.  It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green.  It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.”  Whether we are a shrub in the desert or a tree planted by streams of water and bearing fruit, we are to trust God.  Pastor Laura said, “It’s Who you know!”

Scripture tells us to cry out to God.  Psalm 40: 17, “But as for me, I am poor and needy; may the Lord think of me. You are my help and my deliverer; you are my God, do not delay.” My experience of tough times while trusting God brings C H Spurgeon’s quote to life.  “They who dive in the sea of affliction bring up rare pearls.”

“Changed” sung by our chancel choir says it all.  “I’ve been changed by Your glory.  I've been changed by Your mercy. I've been changed by Your marvelous grace.  I've been changed 'cause you love me.  I've been changed 'cause you want me.  I've been changed by the pow'r of Your Name.  I will never be the same.  I've been changed!”  Amen!