"Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn." Romans 12:15

God has laid on my heart a lot of people this past week that are hurting. More than one family is dealing with alcoholism, many are in various stages of battling cancer, and many are stuck in a job they hate. We need to be there for our brothers and sisters and help them in any way we can.

Christians are not immune to suffering. It isn't a matter of if we will suffer. The question is when will we suffer. Paul faced more suffering than most people, but yet he still felt the future glory outweighed the present suffering. That's the mindset we must adopt.

We need to be there for each other. Brother Paul instructed us in Romans 12:15, "Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn." When you are there for others it isn't what you say that counts, it's the fact that you are there for them. Don't leave them alone. Give them the support that only a friend can give.

In scripture from God's holy word, compassion means to show sympathy, pity, and mercy for another. It also means "to suffer with." Peter told us in 1 Peter 3:8, "Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble."

We are to run the race well, but let's remember we are not in competition with one another. Don't beat each other up, but encourage one another. We are not on earth to knock each other out, but to lift each other up.

Serving a living God,

Rick Hawbaker

There Are Better Days Ahead...

Whatever you and your love ones are up against this day, rest assured you can find help through Jesus. God loves us way too much to leave us the way we are. God molds and shapes us as we deal with the storms as we go from one season to another.

Max Lucado wrote, "A season of suffering is a small price to pay for a clear view of God." I thank God for showing me the seasons of pain I go through are to make me better and they have brought me closer to him. The short days of discomfort for me pass and the good effects of my changing are everlasting.

Lucado also wrote, "God never promised to remove us from our struggles. He does promise, however, to change the way we look at them." Instead of complaining and saying, "When is this going to end?" We need to quietly and patiently wait on the Lord. God changes our situation when his purpose in putting us through something has been accomplished.

"Weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning." (Psalm 30:5 NIV) All praise and glory to Almighty God, maker of heaven and earth. Praise to King Jesus!

There are better days ahead. Matt Redman sings in 'You Never Let Go', "I can see the light that is comin' for the heart that holds on." Hang on and wait in great anticipation for that glorious day that the light comes for you.

Let's give God thanks in everything and praise him as we anticipate the GREAT things to come. "Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; his love endures forever." (Psalm 118:1 NIV)

Rick Hawbaker
'Serving A Living God'

You Too Can Pick God Over Man...

It is hard to surrender to the Lord, but it is only by surrendering ourselves to him that we may become free. Paul Washer is credited with saying, "the freest man on earth is the one who makes himself a slave to the perfect master." We must relinquish trust in ourselves and put that trust in Jesus and become free.

God wants to do so much for us. We are his dearly loved children. It is tough to let go and tough to give up in this fallen world of Satan's. Jesus gave everything he had for you. When he was on the tree, you were on his mind. Look for God working around you today and join him in bringing his kingdom.

Whatever it is that you are facing today, God can help you through it. Pray for his strength and courage to surround you as together you overcome what you are up against.

The bible tells us in 2 Samuel 24 that David was faced with three options from the Lord...three years of famine, three months of fleeing from his enemies, or three days of plague. David told prophet Gad, "I am in great distress. Let us now fall into the hand of the LORD for His mercies are great, but do not let me fall into the hand of man."

David picked the plague as three months of fleeing from enemies would be fighting with the neighboring countries and three years of famine would make his people dependant on food from neighbors. David knew better than to put his situation in control of man. He knew that even in anger God would be more merciful and gracious than human beings. He picked the three days of plague.

Like David, we are steeped in sin, but we can repent and be cleansed white as snow. You too can pick God over man.

"The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save." (Zephaniah 3:17 NIV)

Rick Hawbaker
'King's Kid'

Way To Go God! : )

God led me this day to cross the path of a friend who had been up all night worrying about her health. She had been to the doctor's office for a lot of tests last week and had not heard any results. The unknown is what was getting to her.

She had given the doctor permission to leave the information on her home phone recording as she is hard to get a hold of with her work schedule. They called, but never left a message. Instead they sent her a letter stating she needed to contact them to "discuss some important health issues".

She was scared to death. "Important health issues"-Does she have cancer or diabetes? She was scared to the point she could not think of anything else. Why wouldn't they leave the information on the recording as instructed. Is her time about up?

I ran into her after she received the letter and before the doctor's office was open, so she hadn't had a chance to talk with anyone. She looked pretty weary having only a little bit of sleep. I could see a heavy burden had been laid upon her and it was taking a toll.

The Holy Spirit led me to ask her if we could pray together before she made the phone call to the doctors office. Moments later her, a friend that was with her, and I gathered in a friendship circle and put our arms around each other and prayed.

I lifted her concerns up to God through his son, Jesus. There is power in the name of Jesus and we witnessed it today. After praying, the look on her glowing face was one I have never seen. As she looked up from the prayer to the heavens, she instantly was strengthen and comforted by God our father. The stress and worry had left her.

It was great to have helped bring a piece of heaven to earth today. What a thrill to share Jesus with a friend. Jesus gives and takes away. He gives us our daily needs and takes away our pain and suffering. "Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens." (Psalm 68:19 NIV)

God is the great comforter and great healer. He told us way back in Exodus 15:26 (NIV), "for I am the LORD, who heals you." and later in Hebrews 13:8 (NIV), God's word says, "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever."

I was not the only one to witness God this morning. My friend said she definately felt the presence of God. She claims to have immediately felt the power of the Lord. He strengthened her and helped her to make the phone call. He comforted her as she waited and waited on hold to receive results of the tests.

"The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe." (Proverbs 18:10 (NIV). God is our strength and comfort and he is available 24/7. How can he help you today? We can't make it by ourselves. Turn to our loving father for help!

Rick Hawbaker
'Son of God'

The Most You Can Do For Someone...Pray

The most you can do for another person is to pray for them. It is NOT the least you can do, although that is what is often said. It is the best gift you can give anyone. The most you can do! We are to pray for family, friends, our church, co-workers, our bosses,for our country's leaders and for our enemies.

No matter what translation of God's holy word you are reading, the message from heaven from 1 Thessalonians 5:17 is...pray without ceasing, pray continually, never stop praying, and keep on with your prayers.

You want to communicate with God? You got to pray. We need to be communicating with God throughout the day. We don't need to bow our heads, close our eyes, and fold our hands to have fellowship with him. You can pray anywhere. If you are a Christ-follower, you won't be in a place that you can't pray.

Talking is not an essential part of prayer and your posture, whether you are on your knees, your face or driving down the road, doesn't matter. You don't need to be in a church, on the floor of your bedroom, or all alone in a quiet place.

The time, place and how you go about praying, doesn't matter. What matters is that you communicate with God and always give thanks in everything. Paul told us in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NIV) Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

Jesus told his disciples in the Parable of the Persistent Widow "that they should always pray and not give up." In Ephesians 6:18 God's word says, "And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests."

Just because the people sitting next to you on Sunday morning are smiling, don't assume they are not in need of prayer. Same goes for the young couple across the street, the old guy at work, and the smiling teller at the bank. Please pray for them, your family, your friends, your church, your workplace, our country and your enemies.

The shortest distance between a problem and a solution is the distance between your knees and the floor...Anybody who kneels to the Lord can stand up to anything!

When you need prayer most is when you should be praying for others. Pray continually. The Holy Spirit will teach you to pray. If Jesus needed to pray, we need to pray.

Rick Hawbaker

'Serving a Living God'

Salvation Is Found In No One Else...

I have ran into a lot of people that are Christians that still feel an emptiness within.

They have asked God to come into their lives and they have repented for their sins, but still have a craving to be filled. They are still questioning if they have been saved.

"Salvation is found in no one else," God's holy word tells us in Acts 4:12 (NIV), "for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved."

If you are questioning your salvation, ask yourself if you have entrusted your life to Jesus or not? We have the freedom and power to reject the God that made us. But, if you BELIEVE IN JESUS you will be saved. "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever BELIEVES IN HIM shall not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16 NIV)

Apostle John wrote in 1 John 5:11-13 (NIV), "God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life."

Paul and Silas told the jailer after the earthquake in Acts 16:31, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household." Paul wrote to the church in Rome, "if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." (Romans 10:9 NIV)

It is by grace that we are saved through faith in Jesus. The laws we received in the old testament were given to us so we would see that we do need a Savior. We can't live without Jesus. "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast." (Ephesians 2:9 NIV)

God's holy spirit is in you and when you take that step to accept Jesus as your Savior, he we take over your life and mold you to become the person God wants you to be. "For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." Ephesians 2:10

Confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead and admit you are a sinner and repent of your sins. This free gift of forgiveness and eternal life is offered to everyone, but it is yours only if you make the decision to receive it.

It is the most important decision you will ever make. Turn or burn. Turn to Jesus for forgiveness and have eternal life, or go to hell and burn with those who reject him.

Rick Hawbaker

'Serving a Living God'

Let's Quit Kidding Ourselves...

How much longer are we going to be posers here in America? Posing to others that life is great and not surrender to our Lord.

Let's quit kidding ourselves. Are you really happy that you know more about the local pro football team than you do about the 12 ordinary men that Jesus chose as disciples?

Our lives our nothing. If you are living for yourself, you are missing it. Our speck of time on earth is not our time, but God's time. We are to do the will of God. We are to "Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength." (Deuteronomy 6:5 NIV).

We need to surrender ourselves and become free. Free from the things we serve other than Christ. Paul wrote in Romans 6:2 "We have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?" We are not to continue in sin. It is not our job to sin and God's job to forgive!

We are to toss our old ways out and live a new life. A regenerated life! Need help not falling to the temptations of your old life? We must walk in a line with the Spirit. God's holy word says "Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit." (Galatians 5:25 NIV).

"So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature." (Galatians 5:16 NIV).

We must live by the promptings and power of the Spirit to conquer sinful desires. It's hard to change and the changes may not come all at once. Different areas of your life may change at different times. But you got to change.

Once a caterpillar changes into a butterfly, the butterfly has no desire to crawl around in the grass or on leaves. He doesn't do things a caterpillar does, because he now has a new life. And so do you!

Rick Hawbaker

'Serving A Living God'