Friday, August 30, 2013

Attitude

Hymn of Thanksgiving

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The day I called for help, you heard me and you increased my strength. Psalm 138:3
The world is, and our own lives are, often fraught with tensions, fears and concerns of every kind. Whether these problems are real or imagined, they cause us great pain and frustration. For people of faith, who know that they are utterly dependent on grace, this is reason to go to prayer. Our most common form of prayer, it seems, is the prayer of petition, for we are always asking God for his help and aid in these circumstances. But Psalm 138 models another form of prayer to us, the prayer of Thanksgiving.

In this psalm by David, we see him filled with the recognition that God has been answering his prayers all along. He has been storming the heavens with his prayers of petition. He realizes in this psalm that all the troubles he has been surrounded by, all the importunings of his soul’s deepest needs, that he has been so desperately putting before God, have all been answered, in far greater ways than he could have imagined. He recognizes, in true humility, that God has been faithful and loving, that he has been listening, that he has always been stretching out his hands to save him and to aid him. And so it is with us.

When we, like David, come to realize this in the depths of our souls, when this truth overwhelms our egoes, and we are brought to our knees in true humility, by the recognition of God’s unconditional and infinite faithfulness and love for us, what else is there to do but to give joyous thanks. In this sense, the prayer of thanksgiving is the ultimate form of prayer. St. Paul often begins and ends his letters in this attitude of thanksgiving.

In 1 Thessalonians 5:18 he writes: “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”
And in Colossians 4:2, “Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.” Let us, then, begin the practice of opening and closing our days with an attitude of thanksgiving. Even in times of trouble, we can know and give thanks that God is always faithful. He will never abandon us. He will always provide the graces we need to endure and to thrive.
Attitude is everthing, after all.

Stormy Weather

 

Israel’s Only Savior

43 But now, this is what the Lord says—
    he who created you, Jacob,
    he who formed you, Israel:
“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
    I have summoned you by name; you are mine.
When you pass through the waters,
    I will be with you;
and when you pass through the rivers,
    they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire,
    you will not be burned;
    the flames will not set you ablaze.
For I am the Lord your God,
    the Holy One of Israel, your Savior;
I give Egypt for your ransom,
    Cush[a] and Seba in your stead.


Since you are precious and honored in my sight,
    and because I love you,
I will give people in exchange for you,
    nations in exchange for your life.
Do not be afraid, for I am with you;
    I will bring your children from the east
    and gather you from the west.
Isaiah 43:1-5




You silence the roaring of the seas, the roaring of their waves, the tumult of the peoples.
- Psalm 65:7 (NRSV)
 



When I was young, our school vacation began in June — mid-winter in South Africa. The weather was usually cold, wet, and stormy for days and sometimes weeks on end. Confined to the house, we were bored and ill-tempered. We sorely missed playing with our friends in the park. To help us cope, Mom would dress us warmly and take us to the indoor botanical garden in Cape Town. After packing lunch, she would hold our hands and walk us up from the railway station. Under umbrellas in the driving rain, we would make our way over muddy paths and puddles to the greenhouse. We would shed our raincoats, close our umbrellas, open the glass doors and enter a warm, protected environment. Once inside, the beauty of orchids and the fragrance of exotic blooms surrounded us. Here we would play happily for hours, despite the gales raging beyond the walls.

Likewise, each day during my prayer time I imagine myself taking the hand of Jesus, shedding my worldly “rain gear,” and prayerfully opening the doors to the Lord’s botanical garden. I enter Christ’s protecting presence and feel secure, despite the storm

 

The Author - Keith Honeyman (Western Cape, South Africa) - from The Upper
room

Thought for the Day

Seek God's shelter for help from the storms that may come into your life.
 

Prayer

Dear God, please remind us to make your presence our only port of refuge in any storm. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
Prayer focus - Children going to new school for the first time

Thursday, August 29, 2013

The Paper Cross

    Jesus Has Risen

16 When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus’ body. Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb and they asked each other, “Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?”
  But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away. As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed.

“Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him.
 

But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.’” Mark 16:1-7 New International Version (NIV)

The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. - 1 Corinthians 1:18 (NIV)
 
Although my young daughter had spent three months in the hospital, her health continued to decline because of an undiagnosed illness. I prayed daily as I sat beside her bed, watching her cry in pain.




One day, I went to the interfaith hospital chapel. As I knelt to pray, I felt a strong need to bow down before a cross, the symbol of power and faith and the assurance of Christ’s presence with me. But there was no cross in the chapel.



  So I tore a piece of paper into the shape of a cross and set it before me as I knelt to pray for my daughter. The cross represents the foundation of my Christian faith, the resurrected Jesus Christ. It reminds me that death has no victory and darkness has no sting; the cross guides me, empowers me, and equips me to face the valleys of my life. The cross, even a paper one marked with a mother’s tears, is evidence for me of the love of God, the power of Jesus, and the presence of the Holy Spirit. Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift of love through Jesus Christ. (See 2 Cor. 9:15.)

Thought for the Day

Calvary is the starting point for all our journeys.

Prayer

Lord of light, help us to remember the power of the cross when we feel helpless. May that power live in us every day. Amen.
Prayer focus  Parents of seriously ill children

Wednesday, August 28, 2013

Pray Hard



Epaphras, who is one of you and a servant of Christ Jesus, sends greetings. He is always wrestling in prayer for you, that you may stand firm in all the will of God, mature and fully assured. Colossians 4:12

Prayer is not a passive undertaking, but an aggressive engagement with God. It is a labor of love. It is a toil of trust. It is a work of the Holy Spirit through holy intercessors. Indeed, prayer without spiritual perspiration lacks the intensity the Spirit requires.
 
Pray in the face of fatigue and you will find God. Pray proactively as a servant of Jesus for those who are servant’s of Jesus. Pray earnestly for a friend who faces disease to be healed. Pray hardest when it’s hardest to pray.

We can pray effectively for one another, because we are like one another. Since Epaphras was one of them, his prayers oozed with empathy and emotion. Prayer is much more than a mental interaction with the Truth, it is an intense intimacy with our Heavenly Father motivated by our compassion and fueled by faith. The gift of earnest prayer may be the most valuable asset we have to give to those we love. Who needs to know that you are really lifting them up to the Lord?

Pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. James 5:16

What is the substance of our supplications for those who need our prayers? We fervently petition our Father in Heaven for our friends and family to stand firm in the will of God. We ask Jesus to give them a righteous resolve not to waver from where He has them.




 
Better for our loved ones to be on a stormy sea experiencing God’s will, than on a calm shore outside His will. A firm faith flushes out fear and aligns with the Almighty. Pray hard for a friend under pressure to persevere.
 
 
 
 
Lastly, pray hard for those God brings into your life to mature in their faith and be fully assured of Christ’s faithfulness. A mature faith is not easily deceived by sin or Satan. It is on the look out for cheap imitations of intimacy that only lead to disappointment. Pray hard for leaders you know to have a humble dependence on Jesus and to rest secure in Him. You join in another’s struggle as you send forth supplications to heaven. Pray the hardest, when it is hardest to pray!

I urge you, brothers and sisters, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to join me in my struggle by praying to God for me. Romans 15:30

Prayer: Heavenly Father, use me to pray hard for those who are having a hard time.

Related Readings: Matthew 7:7; John 9:31; 2 Corinthians 1:11; James 5:17-18


© 2013 by Boyd Bailey. All rights reserved.

Believe





“Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.”” -John 6:29

Tuesday, August 27, 2013

Vision Regained


We tend to exaggerate our plight when we feel alone and distant from the Lord and His followers. The half full glass of water looks half empty, when we are empty of the grace and mercy of God. 

  Like the sun’s rays burn away morning mist, so clarity comes from prayer time with God’s son Jesus.  Those who feel lonely need community (a church) and the closeness that comes from another who understands.  We are all vulnerable to the trap of fatigue that fuels our fears.  This misguided state of mind fosters a feeling of abandonment; however the truth is many others experience what we experience.

We are not alone in our genuine commitment to Christ.  Yes, there may be a closet Christian at your work waiting for you to offer them a prayer. Look for other lovers of the Lord!

Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent.  For I am with you, and no one is going to attack and harm you, because I have many people in this city. Acts 18:9-10



Do you need to regain your big vision of God and His extraordinary work in you, through you, around you and across the planet? He has reserved for Himself millions of righteous saints who have not wavered in their love for Jesus. Some suffer from paranoid persecutors with their zealous death threats, yet these humble believers believe: “To live is Christ and to die is gain.” Like a warm blanket of comfort the world is encircled by Christians with a big vision of God.


Yes, sin abounds, but grace abounds even more. Evil grabs the headlines, but good still seeds the majority of stories less read. For every terrorist who thumps their chest in contempt, thousands bow a humble knee in prayer to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Regain your vision by renouncing a victim mindset and reengage in church. Celebrate ten blessings before you take one concern to Christ. Embrace God’s global vision of hope. Hope in Him! Attend a church of your choice this Sunday and regain your vision of God in your life.



I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. Philippians 1:20

Prayer: Heavenly Father, keep my focus on You and on the million faithful ones, who have gone before me in the name of Jesus.  from Boyd Bailey and Wisdom Hunters

                                                                                         

Monday, August 26, 2013

God’s Grace

 


Made Alive in Christ

As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh[a] and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions
 
it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.  - Ephesians 2:1-10 (NRSV)
 
Recently, I chose to travel on my birthday instead of having a party. A few months later, some friends arranged a day of surprises for me. We went to a musical, and the day ended with a fantastic party.

I was delighted, surprised, and grateful; but I also felt that I didn’t deserve all this. My friends had invested a great deal of planning and consideration in the celebration. My thought was, How will I ever be able to pay them back?



My day of celebration reminds me of God’s grace. My relationship with God is not about how well I am performing. Many times,
 I have felt that I am not good enough or that I don’t deserve what God gives me. After all, God let his son Jesus Christ die on a cross for my sake. I have learned to accept God’s unconditional love and to let God guide my life. When I can step back and let go, then I can feel that my life is meaningful and fully become a joy for others.

Thought for the Day

How can I convey God’s unconditional love?

Prayer

Dear God, you love us unconditionally. Help us to relax in your arms of grace and forgiveness. Amen.
Prayer focus  To accept God’s grace in our lives

Sunday, August 25, 2013

Adversity or Opportunity?

 

Praise to the God of All Comfort

3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ. If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort.  2 Corinthians 1:3-7

The Lord said, “See, I have refined you, but not like silver; I have tested you in the furnace of adversity.” - Isaiah 48:10 (NRSV)
 
In the last month, I have received too much sad news. My grandfather died, leaving behind my grandmother, to whom he had been married for over 70 years. My brother and his wife, parents of four children, are divorcing. My college-age daughters may not be coming home this summer. I have felt each successive loss press me farther down emotionally.

Then, in my Bible study group, someone called attention to a verse I had read but not considered: “See, I have refined you, but not like silver; I have tested you in the furnace of adversity.” My adversity may not seem extreme to some. I have not lost a spouse to death or divorce. My daughters are taking a necessary step toward living as independent adults.
 But not one of the events in my life is easy for me; my grief is real, if not extreme. Thinking about what God can help me learn during this time has encouraged me. I have something to focus on besides the hurt. What might other people help me see? Perhaps I can learn something about God’s character and faithfulness as God walks with me through these days.

Thought for the Day

I can look for opportunity in today’s adversity.

Prayer

Thank you, God, for your word, which reminds us that you have our benefit in mind even in painful circumstances. Please help us to cooperate with you in the refining process and to be ready to comfort others as you have comforted us. Amen.
Prayer focus  Those grieving a loss needing God's presence

Saturday, August 24, 2013

Preparing a Room

 

Jesus Comforts His Disciples

14 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God[a]; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.”
- John 14:2 (KJV)
 
My wife rushed me to the hospital when I suffered a heart attack. I do not remember anything from the time I left home until I regained consciousness. When I found myself in the hospital, with doctors, nurses, and relatives around my bed,

I realized that God had given me a new life. I was quite comfortable in the hospital, but not as comfortable as I would be in my bed at home. When the doctors discharged me, my wife told me to stay while she went to prepare the bedroom for me. Then she would come back and take me home. She went ahead to prepare the room so that I would be comfortable.





My wife’s preparing a room for me reminded me of Jesus’ telling his disciples, “I go to prepare a place for you.” When Jesus called his disciples, they left everything and followed him. How comforting it must have been for them when Jesus reassured them that they would one day have a room where they could rest with him! I believe that in every situation, Jesus prepares a room for us. Sometimes, he moves ahead to prepare a room for us in a new situation to comfort us and to assure us of his presence.

Thought for the Day

Only Believe!

Prayer

Redeeming God, thank you for healing us, for giving us new life, and for making us comfortable in your home, through Jesus Christ. Amen.
 
Prayer focus - Hospital patients

Good Listener



“While he was still speaking, a bright cloud enveloped them, and a voice from the cloud said, ‘This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!’” (Matthew 17:5).

What does it mean to listen well? Think of those you admire as good listeners. What are some of the traits they exhibit which mark them as excellent listeners? Perhaps it is their engaging eye contact, their warm conversation, or an empathetic ear. You feel understood and valued. Good listeners affirm what you say by repeating what you say with an illustration or an example from their life. They listen to learn, affirm, and instruct.

Those who learn good listening skills develop robust relationships.
 They embrace an “others first” way of thinking that places their own need to be heard down the priority list. Like a rare and exotic flower, they open themselves up in a beautiful way that invites you to smell the brilliant colors of their character. Indeed, good listeners are magnetic in the way they attract the good and the bad into their sphere of influence. If you are a good listener, be wise by investing in those who really want to change and follow after the Lord.


“Let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance” (Proverbs 1:5).

You can be assured that the Lord listens to you and the desires of your heart. He is not preoccupied with problems or people;  you have His full attention. He is always available to hear your cry for wisdom, healing, and direction. The Almighty’s attention is focused on His children who come to Him by faith. His listening ear is near and dear.

“But God has surely listened and heard my voice in prayer” (Psalm 66:19).

Furthermore, make it a daily habit to listen well to your heavenly Father’s heart. He sent His Son Jesus to teach us the truth about life and death, heaven and hell. We listen to the Lord Jesus because He was God speaking in the flesh. Why was the Almighty so pleased with His Son that He admonished us to listen to Him? Jesus modeled listening to His heavenly Father, so God gave Him the words to speak on His behalf. The Lord is pleased with good listeners. He gives discernment and insight into His solutions to human needs.

So listen well by first listening well to the Lord. He will instruct and teach you in the way you should go. Once you have heard from Him, humbly listen to others, discern their needs, then connect them to Christ and His ways. Indeed, good listeners lead others to love God and listen to His heart. Listen well, and watch God work!

“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you” (Psalm 32:8).

Prayer: How can I be a good listener for Christ’s sake? What is God telling me to do today?

Related Readings: Job 15:8; Proverbs 4:10; Proverbs 19:20; Ecclesiastes 7:5; James 1:19

Post/Tweet: Good listeners lead others to love God and listen to His heart.

© 2013 by Boyd Bailey. All rights reserved.

Wednesday, August 21, 2013

Why

The Birth of Moses

Now a man of the tribe of Levi married a Levite woman, and she became pregnant and gave birth to a son. When she saw that he was a fine child, she hid him for three months. But when she could hide him no longer, she got a papyrus basket[a] for him and coated it with tar and pitch. Then she placed the child in it and put it among the reeds along the bank of the Nile. His sister stood at a distance to see what would happen to him.

Then Pharaoh’s daughter went down to the Nile to bathe, and her attendants were walking along the riverbank. She saw the basket among the reeds and sent her female slave to get it. She opened it and saw the baby. He was crying, and she felt sorry for him. “This is one of the Hebrew babies,” she said.
Then his sister asked Pharaoh’s daughter, “Shall I go and get one of the Hebrew women to nurse the baby for you?”
“Yes, go,” she answered. So the girl went and got the baby’s mother. Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Take this baby and nurse him for me, and I will pay you.” So the woman took the baby and nursed him.
10 When the child grew older, she took him to Pharaoh’s daughter and he became her son. She named him Moses,[b] saying, “I drew him out of the water.” Exodus 2:1-10


The Lord said to Moses, “I have raised you up for this very purpose, that I might show you my power and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.”
- Exodus 9:16 (NIV)
 
I’m an adopted Korean who grew up in the United States. My husband came to the U.S. as an international student from Korea and remained in the states to work. Because of our backgrounds, we have been able to reach out to other international families. A year ago, we moved from California to South Korea for my husband’s job. I was devastated to leave my former life.

Now, we are living in South Korea, and I don’t speak the language. I keep asking, “Why am I here, God? What am I supposed to do?” God reminded me of Moses, who was adopted by Pharaoh’s daughter. Though a Hebrew, he was raised as an Egyptian. God used Moses and his blended culture in reaching out to and leading God’s people. “I have raised you up for this very purpose,” says Exodus 9:16. God has a purpose for me in Korea.

 I know part of it is to witness Christ’s love to the people around me. As I pray and seek the Lord, God reveals little by little what I am to do. Whatever our circumstances and background, God has a plan and purpose for us.

Thought for the Day

 God has a plan and purpose for us. 

Prayer

Dear God, thank you for showing us that you can use us and our various cultural backgrounds. Help us to fulfill your purposes wherever we are. Amen.




“By day the LORD directs his love, at night his song is with me— a prayer to the God of my life.” -Psalm 42:8

Tuesday, August 20, 2013

Possessions

 

Do Not Worry

22 Then Jesus said to his disciples: Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. 23 For life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. 24 Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! 25 Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life[a]? 26 Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?

27 “Consider how the wild flowers grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 28 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you—you of little faith! 29 And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. 30 For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. 31 But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.

32 “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. 33 Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will never fail, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. 34 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.  Luke 12:22-34  (NRSV)



The finance committee meeting had not gone well. The church did not have enough money, and we had to vote on which programs to cut. So we had some bitter discussions.


I got home late at night, worn out, and was surprised to see my five-year-old son, David, still up. “Dad, where have you been?” I explained that we all earn money, save a little, spend a lot, and give some to the Lord. And it seemed that people were not giving enough to the Lord, and the church was in some difficulty. David did not seem to understand. But he was, after all, only five, so I went over it again: We earn money, save money, spend money, and give some to the Lord. David still did not understand. Gently, I went over it again; but he still looked puzzled. Finally he said,

“Dad, I thought it was all the Lord’s money!” David’s response completely changed the way I look at money and possessions. I started giving more and worrying less. Today none of my possessions means anything to me. All that matters are my family and friends, the church, and God — nothing else! This change in me has made my life easier and simpler.

Thought for the Day

Only God can bring true peace to your body, mind, sole, and heart! 

Prayer

Dear God of all creation, help us always to remember that all we have and all we are belong to you. Amen.
 

Daily Burden Bearer.

 


Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens. Psalm 68:19

Believers in Jesus have the Lord who daily bears their burdens. He is a Savior who is not crushed by back breaking circumstances. He reinforces the tentative trust of those under the weighty issues of wealth, sickness, leadership responsibilities, and becoming single again. Yes, a burden becomes too much to bear when it is managed alone. This silent suffering is soul abuse. But in Christ we have the righteous and resilient resources of heaven to persevere through pain.

Therefore, make sure to engage the eternal grace of God to get you through temporary trials. You do not have to fake it to make it because faith in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Master will give you the godly gumption to get through.
Partner with the Holy Spirit to lift from your fleshly shoulders any feelings of doubt, false guilt or the fantasy of living a problem free life. He who lifted your sin burden at salvation remains a strong burden bearer today. God supports you daily.

Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken. Psalm 55:22

Just as a nurse cuddles and carries a newborn, so your Heavenly Father cradles you in His sustaining care. Any back and forth movement you may feel against your faith is the soothing rock of your comforting Savior, Christ Jesus. When He holds you close to His breast, you can rest in Him. Resist fear’s desire to pull away and flee from the palpable peace of God. A soul snuggled against the chest of deity will not be shaken. What He holds close, He keeps secure!


Hallelujah, praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior who daily bears our burdens. We praise Him in the morning, we praise Him in the noontime and we praise Him in the evening for removing our anxieties with His loving lift of compassion. Because He is our burden bearer we are freed to help carry the burdens of those stuck in sin or beat down from life’s challenges. What a joy divine to be Jesus to someone who needs to see Jesus. Thank your Burden Bearer, Jesus Christ!

Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. Galatians 6:2

Prayer: Heavenly Father, what a joy to know You bear my burdens daily, so I am free to help others bear theirs.

Related Readings: Psalm 81:16; Isaiah 9:4, 10:27, 46:4; Matthew 11:28-30; 1 John 2:6
Post/Tweet today: He [Jesus] who lifted your sin burden at salvation remains a strong burden bearer today.


© 2013 by Boyd Bailey. All rights reserved.