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NOTES  FROM  THE  VALLEY - June2, 2000

"Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of
death, I will fear no evil for you are with me."  Psalm 23.
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TOPIC: LEARNING  FROM  THE  FATHER

I've talked to you in the past about how God can and will use any method
available to get a message through to us.  It can be as subtle as a
whispered word in your ear or as spectacular as a rainbow painted across the
sky.   The method usually depends upon us - upon where our focus is and how
open we are to hear from Him.  But Atheist, Buddhist or Believer - He never
stops trying to communicate with us.   In fact, I'm convinced that anyone
who says God doesn't talk with them - just isn't listening.

Recently, God used a number of sources (friends, Cathy, a sermon, and some
audio tapes) to talk with me about "commitment" and "compassion."  Now, I
know some of you look at God as some distant and very strict disciplinarian,
who sits on His throne issuing a lot of orders about things we must do and
handing out punishments for those who don't.  And you're probably figuring
God talked  with me about being more "committed" to Him and more
"compassionate" towards others - or else!  I'll admit that such a talk would
not be misplaced, but if that's what you're thinking - you're wrong on both
counts.   And that's the revelation in His message this week.  The focus on
"commitment" and "compassion" wasn't the disciplinarian pointing His finger
at us, but God, the loving and caring Father, pointing His finger at
Himself - revealing Himself to us.  Consider the following:

From the very beginning, when Adam and Eve were lost as the consequence of
their sin, God committed Himself to their recovery.  I know many of you
think God "went off" on Adam and Eve for what they did that day, but you
really need to read the Bible's account more carefully.  God "went off" on
the serpent, punishing him for his deception and then issuing him a promise
of the final defeat that was yet to come.  Then God turned to His children
in compassion and told them the heavy price they were going to have to pay
for their sin.  Separation from Him and from the Garden.  The loss of their
God given birth right, dominion over the earth and all that dwelt within it.
Their lives now subject to the devil as he exercised the power of that birth
right he stole from them by his deception.  The earth now filled with sin,
sickness and death.  God prepared His children to face the harsh world they
had to enter.  He counseled and clothed them.  Then He had to let them go.

When I read Genesis, Chapter 3, I never see God raging at Adam and Eve.  I
see a heartbroken Father saying good-bye to His children.  They violated the
law.  The price of that violation had to be paid. They had to pay it.   But
ringing in their ears as they left the garden - echoing off all the corners
of the universe - was His promise of the "Seed."   You've got to remember
that Adam and Eve lived and worked in a garden.  A "seed" had definite
meaning to them.  A "seed" is a beginning, the foundation and promise of a
new, life giving harvest.  And from that moment on, through thousands of
years of recorded history, the entire Old Testament, everything bears
witness to God's steadfast commitment to that promise and His unconditional
love for His children.  Each page, each prophet pointed the way to the
coming of the "seed."  And the devil was powerless to stop it.

In the Book of Revelation, Jesus tells us that He destroyed the gates to
Hell and has the keys.  Those gates symbolized the barrier that was placed
between God and His children for thousands of years as the result of man's
sin.  And thanks to Jesus, the "seed," that barrier was finally removed one
Sunday roughly two thousand years ago.  The God I know as Father could only
have one response to that long awaited moment.  He spread His arms open wide
and embraced His Son and His long lost children - welcoming them back home.
And the universe was rocked by the celebration of their family reunion.

Commitment and compassion.  God eternally committed.  God eternally
compassionate.   We've all heard and read the words in John 3:16 hundreds,
maybe even thousands of times before.  "For God so loved the world that he
gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but
have eternal life."  Maybe we've heard it so much we've begun to take it for
granted.  Maybe things are getting so bad in this world God thought we could
use a reminder.  A reminder about who He is;  His commitment to us;  His
love for us.  He had reasons for the words He spoke to His children in the
Garden of Eden.  He has reasons for the words He's speaking to you and me,
His children, now.

According to an old legend, a man became lost in his travels and wandered
into a bed of quicksand.  Confucius saw the man's predicament and said, "It
is evident that men should stay out of places such as this."  Next, Buddha
observed the situation and said, "Let that man's plight be a lesson to the
rest of the world."  Then Muhammad came by and said to the sinking man,
"Alas, it is the will of God."

Finally, Jesus appeared. "Take my hand," he said, "and I will save you."

There is another promise yet to be fulfilled.  Jesus is coming again - for
us!  The Savior's hand.  The Father's arms.  A family reunion.  His love.
His promise.  Our future.

I remain your brother and His not so patient servant,

Steve Hall

SOMEONE  WHO  UNDERSTANDS

Bob Weber, past president of Kiwanis International, told this story.  He had
spoken to a club in a small town and was spending the night with a farmer on
the outskirts of the community. He had just relaxed on the front porch when
a newsboy delivered the evening paper.  The boy noted the sign Puppies for
Sale.  The boy got off his bike and said to the farmer, "How much do you
want for the pups, mister?"

"Twenty-five dollars, son."

The boy's face dropped. "Well, sir, could I at least see them anyway?"

The farmer whistled, and in a moment the mother dog came bounding around the
corner of the house tagged by four of the cute puppies, wagging their tails
and yipping happily. At last, another pup came straggling around the house,
dragging one hind leg.

"What's the matter with that puppy, mister?" the boy asked.

"Well, Son, that puppy is crippled. We took her to the vet and the doctor
took an X ray. The pup doesn't have a hip joint and that leg will never be
right."

To the amazement of both men, the boy dropped the bike, reached for his
collection bag and took out a fifty-cent piece. "Please, mister," the boy
pleaded, "I want to buy that pup. I'll pay you fifty cents every week until
the twenty-five dollars is paid. Honest I will, mister."

The farmer replied, "But, Son, you don't seem to understand. That pup will
never, never be able to run or jump. That pup is going to be a cripple
forever. Why in the world would you want such a useless pup as that?"

The boy paused for a moment, then reached down and pulled up his pant leg,
exposing that all too familiar iron brace and leather knee-strap holding a
poor twisted leg. The boy answered, "Mister, that pup is going to need
someone who understands him to help him in life!"

Crippled and disfigured by sin, the risen, living Christ has given us hope.
He understands us--our temptations, our discouragements, and even our
thoughts concerning death. By His resurrection we have help in this life and
hope for the life to come.

Justice - When you get what you deserve.

Mercy - When you don't get what you deserve.

Grace - When you get what you don't deserve.



GUIDEWORDS - "AMAZING  GRACE"
(Author Phillip Yancy - What's So Amazing About Grace?)

Bill Moyers' documentary film on the hymn "Amazing Grace" includes a scene
filmed in Wembley Stadium in London. Various musical groups, mostly rock
bands, had gathered together in celebration of the changes in South Africa,
and for some reason the promoters scheduled an opera singer, Jessye Norman,
as the closing act.  The film cuts back and forth between scenes of the
unruly crowd in the stadium and Jessye Norman being interviewed.  For twelve
hours groups like Guns 'n Roses have blasted the crowd through banks of
speakers, riling up fans already high on booze and dope.  The crowd yells
for more curtain calls, and the rock groups oblige.  Meanwhile, Jessye
Norman sits in her dressing room discussing "Amazing Grace" with Moyers.

Finally, the time comes for her to sing.  A single circle of light follows
Norman, a majestic African-American woman wearing a flowing African dashiki,
as she strolls on stage.  No backup band, no musical instruments, just
Jessye.  The crowd stirs, restless.  Few recognize the opera diva.  A voice
yells for more Guns 'n Roses.  Others take up the cry.  The scene is getting
ugly.  Alone, a cappella, Jessye Norman begins to sing, very slowly:

Amazing grace, how sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost but now am found --
Was blind, but now I see.

A remarkable thing happens in Wembley Stadium that night.  Seventy-thousand
raucous fans fall silent before her aria of grace.  By the time Norman
reaches the second verse, "'Twas grace that taught my heart to fear, And
grace my fears relieved...," the soprano has the crowd in her hands.  By the
time she reaches the third verse, "'Tis grace has brought me safe this far,
And grace will lead me home," several thousand fans are singing along,
digging far back in nearly lost memories for words they heard long ago.

When we've been there ten thousand years,
Bright shining as the sun
We've no less days to sing God's praise
Than when we first begun.

Jessye Norman later confessed she had no idea what power descended on
Wembley Stadium that night.  I think I know.  The world thirsts for grace.
When grace descends, the world falls silent before it.

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Guidewords is compiled and mailed (Monday thru Friday) by Sharon Paxton with
the Springtown Church of Christ in Springtown, Texas.  They are a wonderful
source of inspiration during the week. To subscribe contact Sharon at
Btlfan910@....


GOD'S  VOICE
(Received from Heather via net153 - Author Unknown)

Not long ago I heard a story about a young man and an old preacher.  The
young man had lost his job and didn't know which way to turn. So he went to
see the old preacher.  Pacing about the preacher's study, the young man
ranted about his problem. Finally he clenched his fist and shouted, "I've
begged God to say something to help me, preacher, why doesn't God answer?"

The old preacher, who sat across the room, spoke something in reply,
something so hushed it was indistinguishable.  The young man stepped across
the room. "What did you say?" he asked.

The preacher repeated himself, but again in a tone as soft as a whisper. So
the young man moved closer until he was leaning on the preacher's chair.
"Sorry," he said. "I still didn't hear you."

With their heads bent together, the old preacher spoke once more. "God
sometimes whispers," he said, "So we will move closer to hear him." This
time the young man heard and he understood.

We all want God's voice to thunder through the air with the answer to our
problem. But God's is the still, small voice. . . the gentle whisper.
Perhaps there's a reason.  Nothing draws human focus quite like a whisper.
God's whisper means I must stop my ranting and move close to Him, until my
head is bent together with His. And then, as I listen, I will find my
answer.  Better still, I find myself closer to God.  And there is no better
place to be .......Amen?



DOES  GOD  STILL  SPEAK  TO  US?
(Contributed by Casey of HeartStrings - Author Unknown )

A young man had been to Wednesday night Bible Study. The Pastor had shared
about listening to God and obeying the Lord's voice.  The young man couldn't
help but wonder, "Does God still speak to people?"  After service he went
out with some friends for coffee and pie and they discussed the message.
Several different ones talked about how God had led them in different ways.
It was about ten o'clock when the young man started driving home.  He began
to pray, "God . . . If you still speak to people speak to me.  I will
listen.  I will do my best to obey."

As he drove down the main street of his town, he had the strangest thought,
stop and buy a gallon of milk.  He shook his head and said out loud, "God is
that you?" He didn't get a reply and started on toward home. But again, the
thought, buy a gallon of milk. The young man thought about Samuel and how he
didn't recognize the voice of God, and how little Samuel ran to Eli.  "Okay,
God, in case that is you, I will buy the milk."  It didn't seem like too
hard a test of obedience.  He could always use the milk.

He stopped and purchased the gallon of milk and started off toward home.  As
he passed Seventh Street, he again felt the urge, "Turn down that street."
This is crazy he thought and drove on past the intersection.  Again, he felt
that he should turn down Seventh Street.  At the next intersection, he
turned back and headed down Seventh. Half jokingly, he said out loud,
"Okay, God, I will."

He drove several blocks, when suddenly, he felt like he  should stop.  He
pulled over to the curb and looked around.  He was in semi-commercial area
of town. It wasn't the best but it wasn't the worst of neighborhoods either.
The businesses were closed and most of the houses looked dark like the
people were already in bed. Again, he sensed something, "Go and give the
milk to the people in the house across the street."

The young man looked at the house. It was dark and it looked like the people
were either gone or they were already asleep.  He started to open the door
and then sat back in the car seat.  "Lord, this is insane. Those people are
asleep and if I wake them up, they are going to be mad and I will look
stupid."  Again, he felt like he should go and give the  milk.  Finally, he
opened the door, "Okay God, if this is you, I will go to the door and I will
give them the milk.  If you want me to look like a crazy person, okay. I
want to be obedient. I guess that will count for something but if they don't
answer right away, I am out of here."

He walked across the street and rang the bell.  He could hear some noise
inside. A man's voice yelled out, "Who is it? What do you want?"  Then the
door opened before the young man could get away. The man was standing there
in his jeans and t-shirt. He looked like he  just got out of bed.  He had a
strange look on his face and he didn't seem to happy to have some stranger
standing on his doorstep.  "What is it?"

The young man thrust out the gallon of milk,"Here, I brought this to you."
The man took the milk and rushed down a hall way speaking loudly in Spanish.
Then from down the hall came a woman carrying the milk toward the kitchen.
The man was following her holding a baby. The baby was crying. The man had
tears streaming down his face. The man began speaking and half crying, "We
were just praying. We had some big bills this month and we ran out of money.
We didn't have any milk for our baby. I was just praying and asking God to
show me how to get some milk."  His wife in the kitchen yelled out,  "I ask
him to send an Angel with some.. Are you an Angel?"

The young man reached into his wallet and pulled out all the money he had on
him and put it in the man's hand. He turned and walked back toward his car
and the tears were streaming down his face.  He knew that God still answers
prayers (and talks with His children).

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Copyright © 1998-2000 by Stephen J. Hall  -   Weekly letters of
encouragement to Christians written by Stephen J. Hall unless otherwise
indicated.  Notes from the Valley and Humor from the Valley are never
intended to offend anyone.  They're meant only to brighten your day and
encourage you along the way.  Most of "notes" and "humor" are a collection
of items provided to me by subscribers and friends.  Credit is given to both
the contributor and to the true author, where known.  If you are blessed by
them, please feel free to make copies and pass them along to others.  If you
have something you'd like to contribute to a future edition or would like to
ask us a question or make a comment, please contact us at:

sossteve@...
________________________________________________

Your love, God, is my song, and I'll sing it!  I'm forever telling everyone
how faithful you are.  I'll never quit telling the story of your love - how
you built the cosmos and guaranteed everything in it.  Your love has always
been our lives foundation, your fidelity has been the roof over our world.
(Psalm 89:1-3 The Message)