"For this is what the high and lofty One says--he who lives for ever, whose name is holy: 'I live in a high and holy place, but also with him who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite.'" (ISAIAH 57:15)
Scripture Focus: Matthew 6:9-13

We use forms of the word "heaven" to refer to different places. We call the atmosphere encircling our earth the heavens. The vast area of space made up of planets, stars, solar systems, etc., has been called "the heavenlies." But the scope of heaven - where God dwells and where loved ones of ours who've gone on before us are - is outside of our human imagination.

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     When a teacher has a large class, it is not uncommon for him her to mistake one child for another at the beginning of the school year. Eventually the teacher learns the name of each student and gives them the attention they need.

     On one occasion however, a small boy was being called Alan by his teacher. Alan was not his name. The teacher never got it. When she called his (fictitious) name, he would not respond. She then would get his attention in some other manner and relay her instructions on to him.

     Sadly, the boy began to respond to the name Alan. He gave up and began to play by her rules, at the forfeiture of his own name. As tragic as that story sounds. how many of you are just like Alan? You didn’t have your name changed, but you have given in and are playing by someone else’s rules. You have sacrificed your integrity, identity and character for what someone has convinced you to be the way to go. Unfortunately you are probably unaware of what you have given up for something so small and insignificant.

Norm Russell (June 1998)

     The editors of Reader's Digest once decided to do an unscientific survey.  The purpose was to examine how honest people were around the world.  In an issue of their magazine, they later listed their findings. The magazine editors purposely lost 1100 wallets, each containing $50 in local currency. Each had a name and a phone number so that the finder could call the owners.  All told, 44 percent of the wallets were never returned. 

     How would you have responded if you found a wallet containing $50 and a phone number you could call to return it? Two stories struck me in the article.  One woman in Switzerland, well dressed, with a young girl, saw the wallet and pocketed her find with the young girl watching.  What do you think she was teaching the youngster she had with her? The other was of a man from Canada who turned in the lost item.  It seems the wallet was located in a phone booth, down low.  He assumed it was lost by someone in a wheelchair.  He felt they needed the money more than he.  Maybe so, but before returning the wallet, he was searching for cans and bottles to recycle for cash.  His values are in place.  How about yours?  --Norm Russell

"My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever." - Psalm 73:26 NIV

     Such strong and powerful words!  Asaph penned this psalm in deepest reverence and in the most reverent knowledge of where and who he was in God. To say that even though my heart, my fleshy heart, may fail, that God is the very STRENGTH, the very ESSENCE of one's heart, is a statement that gives God high praise.  Even though the flesh wanes and deteriorates, even as we grow old and wither away, God is the inner strength in the heart, the very seat of the soul, which sustains our being.  If the soul is darkened by doubts and the flesh is drawn away from God's holiness by worldly nature, God gives more grace and strengthens us back into His awesome fellowship. Though our flesh be weak, in our weakness He is made strong.  He is everlasting.  He is from the beginning to the end and will sustain us, sufficiently, for as long as we are here and has already provided for us whenever we are not.  His portions ARE sufficient. Look for just a moment, too, at the preceding verse, verse twenty-five.

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