Pastor Ralph Diehl » word

GETTING HOME

pastordiehl — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 12:00:12 +0000

The story is told of the missionary couple returning to the States after years of overseas service. As fortune would have it, they were sailing on the same ship on which President Teddy Roosevelt was returning. The President had just completed another of his big-game expeditions.

The missionary couple watched as people clamored to see the President and to welcome him home, but there was no such welcome for them. Despondent, the husband said to his wife, “Something is wrong. Why should we have given our lives in faithful service for God in Africa all these many years and have no one care a thing about us? Here this man comes back from a hunting trip, and everybody makes much over him, but nobody gives two hoots about us.”

That night the man grew angrier and said to his wife, “I can’t take this. God is not treating us fairly!”

She replied, “Tell God about it in prayer,” and he did. He went into the bedroom to pray, and a short time later he came out of the bedroom with his spirit obviously lifted.

“Dear, what happened?” she inquired.

He replied, “The Lord settled it with me. I told him how bitter I was that the President should receive this tremendous homecoming when no one met us as we returned home. And when I finished, the Lord simply said, ‘But you are not home yet’!”

When this missionary really gets “home”, he will hear the words, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

Just remember, you’re not home yet.

ONE LITTLE WORD

pastordiehl — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 12:00:11 +0000

‘A Mighty Fortress’, verse 3:

And though this world, with devils filled, should threaten to undo us,

We will not fear, for God hath willed His truth to triumph through us:

The Prince of Darkness grim, we tremble not for him;

His rage we can endure, for lo, his doom is sure; one little word shall fell him.

Satan is depicted as the ultimate enemy, and he has filled the earth with demonic influences. At times, it appears that Satan, the Prince of Darkness, is winning, and we are about to fall. But we are to be encouraged that judgement day is coming and Satan shall surely be the one who falls.

So, Christian, you can endure Satan’s attacks! You can withstand his temptations! One little word shall cause him to fall. What do you think that little word is?

SUSTAINING THE WEARY

pastordiehl — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 18:00:26 +0000

Today marks the four week period since my surgery and I’m doing well enough to report back to work tomorrow. My first speaking engagement is this Wednesday night when I’m preaching a Thanksgiving message. I hope you’ll make a special effort to make this one-hour time a part of your Thanksgiving holiday plans. I will be sharing some things to be thankful for that the economy cannot take from us.

This is my final entry in the Casting Out Cancer category of my blog. But, I can see that this blog has connected us in the body in a new way, and I think I may continue it. I might continue to develop a daily blog devotional idea to keep us connected.

I am claiming Isaiah 50:4: “The Sovereign LORD has given me an instructed tongue,
to know the Lord that sustains the weary.
He wakens me morning by morning,
wakens my ear to listen like one being taught.”

I will ask God to give me a word for the body of Christ every day. Would that be a waste of time? What do you think?