RUSSELL SANDERS

2-7-2025

THE SHADOW OF DEATH

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In Psalm 107:26, 27, 28 it says, “…they go down again to the depths. Their soul is melted because of trouble. They reel to and fro and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wit’s end. Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses.”

There are people who give no thought to God until they get in very dangerous situations and are desperately at their wits end. It is only then that they cry out for help from the God whom they have always ignored. God will answer their desperate cry for help.

I had such a pastor during my teen years. He had been a gunner on board a ship during WWII. As he manned his anti-aircraft gun, enemy plans were strafing [a military tactic] the deck of his ship with a hail of bullets. Fearing for his life, he called out to God, saying that if he would spare him, he would dedicate his life to serving God.

God did save his life. After the war, he kept his promise to God and went into the ministry. God answered his prayer of desperation, and the young sailor kept his promise. He was my pastor for ten years.

God took him from the shadows of death so that he could steer other souls from their shadow of death and come into the promise of eternal life in Christ.

“Oh that men would praise the LORD for His goodness…” [Psalm 107:31.]



HELEN SANDERS

2-7-2025

DEHYDRATED

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I am one of those rare individuals that does not sweat. I get overheated very easily when I get hot. I must drink a lot of water to stay “hydrated.”  

There are many activities that cause one to become dehydrated. A nice cool glass of water quenches your thirst and rejuvenates the body that is crying out for water. Oftentimes, we think we are hungry when we get in this position, but it is water that we need and not food.

There is more than one kind of dehydration. There is the physical one that can be resolved by drinking plenty of water and other fluids, but there is also the dehydration that comes spiritually. This dehydration can be worse than the physical ones. You feel dry spiritually and just cannot shake it off. There is only one solution, and that is spiritual water.

The word of God has been called water. The woman at the well had come to draw water from the well. Jesus asked her for water, and she said to him, you are a Jew, and you ask this of me? The Samaritans and Jews did not associate with each other.

Then Jesus told the woman in John 4:10, “…If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would give thee living water.” Again, in verse 14 Jesus said, “But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.”

Jesus was speaking in both verses about himself, the living water. When we receive Jesus, we receive the living water in our spirit. Later Jesus told his disciples in John 7:38, “He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.” He was speaking of the Holy Ghost that was received at Pentecost.

You see, the Holy Spirit comes to live IN US at salvation but flows out OF US when we are baptized with the Holy Ghost. This living water flows out of us onto those around us.

Isaiah 44:3-4 says, “For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring. 4 And they shall spring up as among the grass, as willows by the water courses.”

God does not want us to be dry physically or spiritually. His living water, which is the Lord himself, will be poured upon us when we spend time with him. If you are feeling dry spiritually, then spend time under the flow. Take time to pray in the spirit [tongues] and remove that dryness. He cannot lie. He will pour his water upon that dryness, and you will not be spiritually dehydrated anymore.

APOSTLE PAT MURRAY

PROPHETIC EXHORTATION

It is very HARD for YOU to HEAR GOD’S VOICE…When YOU have already MADE up in YOUR mind what YOU want HIM TO SAY.

And we Remember! HCC 

I feel your presence Lord, in the quiet of the day.

Your love surrounds me, there are no words

To say on how much you mean to me. So many

Things do change, but not my love for you.

Your infinite love is glued to my Soul, and I

Wait to be with you. Such a new day it will be.

As I sit here, the green leaves are gone, so are

All the color of Fall, just the cold wind blows

With white flakes of surprise falling before me.

Old man winter has come in, bringing such a,

Different seasons' change. And we bundle up,

To find some warmth as we remember Summer,

Days.

To see more of HCC's beautiful poems on YouTube click here