 Diane Musil is a
special friend of this
ministry. Here is a
picture of Diane with "Pup". I
asked Diane how long she has been
a Christian, and she responded,
"I
was saved
7/7/1977. Diane explains,
"That is when I
first became saved and accepted
Jesus Christ as my Savior and
Lord!!!!" She is a women
of faith and a powerful prayer
warrior. Diane loves the
Lord with all of her heart and
has a deep abiding relationship
with Him, born out of life's
struggles.
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- Since the
beginning of this ministry, Diane
has been an encouragement to
Rhonda and me. Several months
ago, we asked Diane if she would
be willing to write devotionals,
which we could add to this
website, so that other people
would be encouraged too. Diane
graciously responded,
"Yes,".
-
- Diane is Deaf and
legally blind, caused by being
born almost three months
premature. Many years ago, Diane
was visiting at the Retreat
Center here and preparing to
share in chapel. Diane was in the
kitchen and I happened to walk in
on her as she was reading her
Bible and praying. Diane had her
Bible within three inches of her
eyes as she diligently, slowly,
was reading the Word of God. I
backed out of the kitchen. That
image of Diane reading her Bible
has spurred me on to be faithful
in reading the precious Word of
God. Rhonda and I pray that God
will encourage you as you read
Diane's devotional below. Diane
has lived in the Chicago area her
entire life.
-
- May
God encourage and bless
you,
- Gary
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- PS:
Would you like to experience
peace, joy, and eternal life? You
can! Click here.
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This Month's Devotional -
"THE
HEART OF A PILGRIM"
BIBLE
VERSE
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1 PETER 2: 11
(New Life Version)
"Dear Friends, your
real home is not here on earth. You
are a stranger here. I ask you to
keep away from all the sinful
desires of the flesh. These things
fight to get a hold of your
soul."
The New King James
Version uses the word
"pilgrims"instead of the word
"stranger".
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 What is a
pilgrim? Most people think of Thanksgiving
when they see the word pilgrim. Below are two
other meanings:
1. A
foreigner who journeys to a foreign
land.
2. A
traveler who travels to a holy
place.
Christians are
like pilgrims. We are strangers on earth.
Earth is not our home; we are just passing
through as we journey and travel to our real
home--HEAVEN, THE HOLY
PLACE.
TRUE STORY
- Have you ever gone on a
trip, far away from home? Did you miss
home? Did you feel homesick? February 5,
1987 I flew on a very big airplane from
America to Norway. The flight took so long
I did not arrive until the next day.
Norway felt different. I was a stranger in
a strange land. The first night there, I
was already "home sick" for America.
America is where I was born and have lived
all my life. After ten days in Oslo,
Norway I was ready to get back to my home,
my room and my own bed.
Being a
pilgrim for God is a life-long process of
letting go of earth and everything in it, and
walking closer with God. It is amazing how
many of us Christians hold so tightly to our
homes, apartments and things. We talk of our
new house, our new car, our new computer. It
is easy for our mind to be so focused on
earthly things that we find it hard to focus
on heaven. The things of this world pull us
down and lead us away from having the HEART
OF A PILGRIM. It is time to let go of earth,
live holy lives as we walk with Jesus, and go
forward on our journey to the HOLY
PLACE.
- Our attitude
should be the same as the Apostle Paul's
in Philippians 3:20 (New Century
Version),
- " But our
homeland is in heaven, and we are waiting
for our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, to
come from heaven."
TO LONG FOR CHRIST IS
TO LONG FOR HEAVEN
TO LONG FOR HEAVEN IS
TO LONG FOR CHRIST
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SONG
- "Jesus,
Lead Thou me
On"
by Christian Gregor
(1723-1897) *
translated by Jane Borthwick
(1813-1897)
- Jesus,
lead Thou me on,
- Till
our rest is won;
- Heavenly Leader (Jesus)
still direct us,
- Still
support, control, protect us,
- Till
we safely stand in our fatherland
(HEAVEN).
To
read all verses click here
* About
the author: Christian Gregor was a
composer and organist and compiled one of the
principal hymnbooks of the Renewed Moravian
Church in 1778. It contained 1750 hymns, over
300 of which were composed or arranged by
Gregor, and was used for a century by
congregations in Germany and elsewhere. Many
of Gregor's hymns are found in Moravian
hymnals today. He also composed the
well-known anthem Hosianna (1765) and a book
of four-voice chorale settings.
Christian Gregor was born in
Dirsdorf, Silesia (now Przerzeczyn
Zdrój, Poland), Gregor was orphaned at
the age of nine when his mother died, and
subsequently raised by the Pietist Count
Christian Karl Ludwig von Pfeil. He learned
to play organ in his youth, and in 1742
joined the Moravian Church in Herrnhut,
Germany, serving as an organist, teacher,
spiritual leader, and administrator. His
travels on behalf of the church included a
two-year visit to Moravian settlements in the
United States between 1771-1772. Gregor was
ordained minister in 1756 and consecrated
bishop in 1789.
PRAYER
Dear
Jesus:
You are
calling each of us to be a pilgrim for God.
We are just traveling through this old earth.
Holy Spirit, put within us a new spark, an
increased hunger for HEAVEN, our HOLY HOME.
Help us to let go of this world and
everything in it for, surely, we were born
with nothing; and when we die we take nothing
with us. We leave this earth with empty
hands. In Jesus Name I pray. AMEN.
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