December 2007 Page

Welcome to Faith United Church of God in this month of December 2007 it has been another eventful year and although there have been so many terrible events and tragedies that have occurred, yet there has been much that we can be thankful for in that God has been faithful to sustain and keep us throughout the year in many ways, too numerous to mention but praise the Lord he will return one day to keep his promise to his children may the seasons blessings be on all who read this and may we never forget the reason for season God bless

Colin Cunningham

THE HEART IN THE MIDST OF SUFFERING AND PAIN

While I was in hospital having a operation I was reminded of a few spiritual truths that the Christian and indeed the unbeliever may like to consider, While there I got into a conversation with another Christian who reminded me that although the surgeon who operated on me was skilful with the knife, there is a even greater physician who is even more skilful with a two edged sword (the word of God) which is even sharper that that of the surgeons knife as it cuts through right to the persons soul that great physician is none other than the Lord Jesus Christ.

Some other things that came to mind as I observed the nursing staff and the amount of care and compassion they showed to their patients and how committed they are to their work, I thought of the Lord Jesus and how he shows us care and compassion and how he committed himself to the work that he had been given to do.

I also considered peoples conditions as they came with all their physical problems I considered that all this is due to what happened in the garden of Eden where the disease of sin and suffering crept in to this world.

Although I was apprehensive of the operation that I was about to go through I knew that the Lord was going to be with me throughout this I was reminded "not to let my heart be troubled "

Concerning the heart during the recovery my heart was racing and my blood pressure was up and down causing me to faint twice, but the lord sent ministering angels in the form of the nursing staff, I was reminded of the scripture in Isaiah where it says "But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint."

Also concerning the heart as I was reading the scriptures I read in the psalms that we should "be of good courage and he shall strengthen the heart all they that hope in the Lord" they are comforting words to us who know him but the scripture also tells us that "the heart is deceitful and desperately wicked" due to the sinful nature of mankind.

But there is hope as we found in the scriptures, the Bible tells us that if we confess with our mouth the lord Jesus and believe in our heart that God raised him from the dead we shall be saved

When I left hospital I was asked if I would like to keep the name tag that I had to wear during my stay as a souvenir I told the nurse that I was not sure if I wanted to keep something that reminded me of the pain and suffering I went through although in the end I did keep it

But then later on that day the thought came to mind that the name of Jesus was written upon the cross of Calvary and that the cross is a reminder to us all of the pain and suffering that he went through for us, may we continue to remember what he as done for us, and may many more people give their hearts to the lord Jesus who will set them free from the pain and the suffering that sin brings into peoples lives indeed Jesus has a heart for those who in the midst of pain and suffering.

My prayer is that the person that reads this gives their heart to the Lord Jesus Christ let him free you from the suffering you are going through and let him give you his peace like he has done for me

Colin Cunningham

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