HE LOVES EVEN YOU! by Ray Eddy

God has a plan for your life.

There once was a man named William Cowper. He was not a Christian. His life was in shambles, and he was filled with despair, so much so that he decided to take his life by swallowing poison. He became terribly ill, but did not die. He then bought a gun and tried to shoot himself. But the gun would not fire. So he threw it away, got a rope and tried to hang himself. The rope broke. In utter desperation, Cowper hired a carriage in London and instructed the driver to take him to the Thames River. He planned to jump in and drown himself. But because of a thick fog, the driver could not find the river and became hopelessly lost.

Cowper exited the carriage and found himself near where he lived. He went back to his room where his eyes fell upon a Bible. He opened it and began to read. The book told him of a Heavenly Father who loved even William Cowper. Remembering all his recent failed attempts to end his life, Cowper embraced Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior. In gratitude he wrote these words in his wonderful hymn, “God moves in a mysterious way, His wonders to perform.”

Has life seemingly lost purpose for you? Read John 3:16 in the Bible and discover that God loves ‘even you’ and has a plan for your life.

Find out more about this Santa Clarita church at http://www.HeartoftheCanyons.com.

AND THAT'S THE REST OF THE STORY by Ray Eddy

You may recognize these words as coming from a man named Paul Harvey. He loved to tell stories that had a twist at the end, an unexpected conclusion. Many stories in the Bible are like that. I read one this week in the book of Judges.

This story concerns a man who was known as Jubal-Baal. He ruled Israel for many years. During his lifetime he had seventy sons and one son born of a prostitute. His name was Abinadab. After the death of Jubal-Baal, Abinadab persuaded Israel that he would be a better ruler over them than any of the seventy sons of Jubal-Baal. They joined him as he slew all the sons but one, Jubal. Abinadab led Israel back into the worship of Baal.

Then God called Jubal to lead a rebellion against Abinadab and he was successful in slaying Abinadab and became ruler over Israel. He restored the worship of the true God and ruled over Israel for several years.

What’s the rest of the story you ask? Jubal’s father, Jubal-Baal, was a man who, without swords, led 300 men in a great victory over the Midionites.

You know him better by his earlier name, Gideon. And that’s the rest of the story. You can read all about it in the Book of Judges.

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MISCELLANEOUS THOUGHTS ABOUT MOTHERS by Ray Eddy

A MOTHER…
* MAKES A HOUSE A HOME.
* ALWAYS BELIEVES IN HER CHILDREN.
* WILL ALWAYS PRAY FOR HER WAYWARD CHILD.
* ALWAYS SERVES AS A GOOD EXAMPLE FOR HER CHILDREN.
* WEEPS OVER HER CHILD’S SKINNED KNEE.
* TEACHES HER CHILDREN TO HONOR THEIR FATHER.
* CAN DETECT INSTANTLY WHEN HER CHILDREN TELL A FALSEHOOD.
* TEACHES HER CHILDREN GOOD MORAL VALUES.
* IS NOT EASILY REPLACED BY A NANNY OR DAY-CARE.
* NEVER LAUGHS AT HER CHILDREN, ONLY WITH THEM.
* RULES HER HOUSEHOLD BY THE AUTHORITY OF LOVE.
* DOESN’T KEEP A RECORD OF MIS-BEHAVIOR.
* REWARDS HER CHILDREN FOR THEIR ACHIEVEMENTS.
* IS SMART ENOUGH NOT TO HELP HER CHILD WITH HOMEWORK.
* TEACHES HER CHILDREN ABOUT GOD.
* NEVER ASKS FOR MORE THAN SHE IS WILLING TO GIVE.
* MAKES HER HEART A CLASSROOM FOR HER CHILDREN.
* NEVER STOPS WORRYING ABOUT THE WELFARE OF HER CHILDREN.
* MAKES GOOD AROMAS ARISE FROM HER KITCHEN.

Why not do something nice for her this coming Sunday, on Mother’s Day?

Find out more about this Santa Clarita church at http://HeartoftheCanyons.com.

THE MAN IN THE MIRROR by Ray Eddy

When I was a teenager, I used to go once in awhile to Funland on the Beach in San Francisco. I remember especially the Fun House. They had mirrors inside that distorted your reflection. One made you skinny and tall, another made you short and fat. Still another made you look like a cardboard figure. As I said, I haven’t been in a Fun House in a long time. But I think someone put one of those mirrors in my house. The following, by John T. West Jr. explains what happens to my reflection.

THE MIRROR
The other day, I happened by chance, as I passed a mirror, to give it a glance.

And I wondered who that old man could be. Who with his mouth wide open, was looking at me.

His bald head was sprinkled with a little gray fuzz, and he wasn’t at all handsome (like I always was).

He looked like a sack of mis-mated parts, put together without aid of instructions or charts.

And while I know that my shoulders don’t slump, this person’s were misshapen in one ugly lump.

Now if that was my image, I only can say, they don’t make mirrors like they did in my day.

For an accurate description of what you really look like, look into God’s Word. James 1:22-25

Looking for churches in Santa Clarita? Check out Heart of the Canyons Church.