latest GOOD NEWS DAILY – June 5

The dog Gracie has been with me for years now, and the human loved one and I today by God’s grace alone have an amazing love for one another despite the fact my loved one continues in his extreme struggles. But the Lord has done such a mighty work in me that the exasperation and wanting to give up on my loved one has turned instead into a godly love, mercy, and grace. God has taught me to persevere with my loved one and to pray for and encourage him.

Thinking of giving up on someone whose struggles and behavior are exasperating to you? Whose lifestyle is taking a terrible toll on you?

Seek the Lord, seek His will, seek His strength, seek His love, grace, and mercy, and obey God however He may lead you.

Love in Jesus’ name,

lara

^““Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’” Mt. 25:37-40

The senior lady wasn’t in the trash can, well, not really anyway. But let’s just say she was leaned pretty far into it. Far enough to do some serious picking. She was on a mission, you see. To find a good square meal. Or any meal at all. Crumbs probably would have been good enough. Some of us complain when the waiter at a restaurant brings us a meal we don’t feel is tasty enough. The lady I saw scrounging through the trash on a New York City sidewalk could have cared less about how things tasted.

I hadn’t planned to do anything. Statistics say there are about 70,000 homeless people in New York City, and my calling above all else is to share the Gospel and help people find and follow Jesus. But I also do my best to submit to God however He leads me. And this time around, the Lord turned me around on the sidewalk, sent me to the woman, and led me to give her a couple of snack bars, a Gospel tract, a hug, and an “I love you.”

With no exaggeration, I saw more excitement and joy in that woman’s countenance than you could possibly imagine. She acted like those two snack bars were equivalent to winning the world’s biggest lottery. She spoke a different language, but knew enough English to tell me, “THANK YOU! THANK YOU!”

My answer was simple. I pointed upward. And I told her to THANK JESUS!

I walked away with two messages for you bundled into one. First, let us always be thankful to the Lord for His endless blessings and to work hard not to take for granted the things that so many around this world have such great need of – like food that doesn’t come out of the trash. Second, let’s share with others the blessings God gives us – most importantly the Gospel message that repentance and faith in Christ as Lord with our lives truly turned over to Him is the only way to a forever relationship with God!

Blessing #52

“if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” 2 Chron. 7:14

How often is this Bible verse quoted? Again and again – and again. It is a well- known verse, isn’t it? And oh, what an incredible, incredible blessing that the Lord will forgive us! That He will heal our land! But my friend, is it possible especially when it comes to well-quoted scriptures that we jump quickly to the blessing and skip over the part that comes before?

Please read this verse carefully, friend. We must do what? HUMBLE OURSELVES? And? PRAY. And? SEEK GOD’S FACE. And? TURN FROM OUR WICKED WAYS. Then what? THEN God will hear us and answer! Humility, prayer, seeking God, and TURNING FROM OUR SINS. Blessing? Oh, what a blessing it is to be forgiven by the Lord! As individuals, and as whole nations which has happened before! But let us not run so fast for the blessing that we miss our instructions. Obedience is fundamental. And it all begins with humbling ourselves before the Lord God almighty! THANK YOU FATHER for your amazing undeserved forgiveness! Help us, help this world, help me, help the person reading this, help us all to humble ourselves before you, to pray, to seek you, your very presence, and to turn from our sins! Help us to receive your forgiveness, oh Lord, and THANK YOU JESUS! AMEN!

I was walking paralyzed doggy Mr. Simeon on a pathway by a New Jersey river near where I am staying in a hotel as I seek housing in New York City to return there for my streets ministry work when I noticed an elderly woman from India dressed in her native clothes wanting for me to come sit beside her. She motioned with her hand by patting it on the bench to show me she wanted me to spend some time with her. She was desperate for company.

I pulled up Mr. Simeon’s wheelchair and sat down beside her. I knew she couldn’t understand a word I spoke. But I knew Jesus knows her language. And I sensed like so many around this world that her god is not the one true God the Lord Jesus Christ.

What would I do? How would I speak to her? The Lord showed me what to do. I used hand motions to ask if I could pray for her. She assented. I placed my hand on her and prayed God would bring her into His Kingdom through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Then we sat and kept each other company for a little while.

I drew her a picture of a heart, gave it to her, used hand signals to ask if I could hug her, then hugged her and told her I LOVE YOU. When I walked away, I saw a deep, deep sadness come over her. When I passed by her a little later, she was still there. Again, I sat. Again, I loved her. This time, though I knew she couldn’t understand my human words, I spoke to her aloud about Jesus. And I know He heard me. And I trust Him to answer my prayer.

All that lonely woman wanted was a friend to sit beside her. Little did she know she needed a forever friend, forever Savior, forever Lord, Jesus Christ. So she got a friend, a paralyzed dog, a bit of company, a picture of a heart, heard the name JESUS, and was prayed for in order to spend eternity with God.

While we sat together the first time, two women and a small child came up to us. Turns out one of the women practiced a false religion. I lovingly warned her to be careful. We chatted a bit as the woman from India watched us speak without understanding. The woman from India patted the bench to invite the others to sit with her. They would not. They wanted to walk.

Eventually, we all went our separate ways. Do you realize, my friend, throughout our lives, we are continually crossing paths with people we may or may not see again. God created each and every one of them. And the only way any of us will spend forever with God instead of forever in hell and the lake of fire is by receiving Jesus as Lord. By turning from our sins and believing He died on the cross to pay our sin penalty and was raised from the dead. By truly surrendering our lives to God and His ways. By living for Jesus.

Friend, please as you go through your life day in and day out don’t miss your opportunities.

That woman wanted company and fellowship because she clearly felt alone. My company was only for minutes. What we all need is the forever intimate fellowship of THE LORD JESUS CHRIST.

May we surrender our lives to Him, and may we help others to do the same. Loving God. Loving them. Telling the world about Jesus. The only way to everlasting life. Jesus! Jesus! Jesus! AMEN!

By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”” John 13:35

The Lord used a beautiful sister in Christ to love, encourage, and pray for me one night. She sacrificed her time after a long work day. When a woman who knows of my ministry called shortly afterward for help, I really wanted to get the dogs ready for bed and go to sleep instead. But the Spirit of God brought conviction I needed to deny self, make the sacrifice, and love, encourage, and pray for the woman. When she thanked me, my answer was simple and direct.

I could take no glory. ALL THE GLORY belonged to Jesus. My friend who helped me was merely being God’s vessel. I was merely doing the same with the woman who called me. When we make a sacrifice for others, no matter how big or little the sacrifice, the glory does not belong to us. THE GLORY BELONGS TO THE LORD!

Three sisters in Christ. Three hearts. Three telephones. Two calls. One night. A little bit of sacrifice. ONE GLORIOUS GOD.

Please be a vessel for the love of Christ for the glory of Christ, oh yes!

Please pray for strength, stamina, perseverance, wisdom, discernment, clarity, absolutely anything the Lord places on your heart to pray for me for one ultimate goal – that I live and breathe day by day TO HELP BUILD THE KINGDOM OF GOD AND TO BRING GLORY TO THE LORD!

The spiritual battle is so fiery right now, the exhaustion so great, the weariness so much, BUT I PRESS ON IN THE STRENGTH OF CHRIST FOR THE GLORY OF CHRIST. And I THANK YOU for your love & prayers!

In His love,

lara