Contact Us
Links
Our Lifeline
The Back Page . . .
A View From Peavine Ridge . . .
Art Thompson
The end of another year is here with the beginning of another, so, it's time to tear one more page from the calendar. Perhaps at the end of a year at your house, you put up a new calendar instead of tearing a page off the old one. That probably works better than my system.
Anyway, the end of the year is almost always a happy time for us here on Peavine Ridge. But, intermingled with the really nice, enjoyable things, there seems always to be a twinge of nostalgia.
Nostalgia. Perhaps that's an older person's disease. I don't know that they've discovered any real cure for it yet. But, it seems to me there may be a pill for it.
But, at the end of a year, I can't help but look back through the years, at all of the holiday times I can remember. Some were fun. Some were sad. Sometimes I think of all our friends who've gone to be with our Lord. Our fathers and mothers. Grandfathers and grandmothers. Uncles, aunts, cousins.
Someone said, "You know you're getting older when you've got more family and friends on the other side than on this side!"
I think I'm beginning to understand that better.
But, I find little comfort in looking back. When I do look that direction, I see many lessons I've learned. Some accomplishments. Some disappointments. Some heartache. A lot of happiness.
But, I find much more comfort and joy in looking ahead!
Another year. Fresh. Clean. Completely unused.
Another year closer to seeing Jesus, person to person, face to face.
What opportunities does the year hold? What tests? What joys? Which new friends? Which new brothers and sisters in the Lord. Which new children? Which new grandchildren? What opportunities to serve our Lord by serving others? What challenges?
I'm very optimistic and happy as I see 1997 go by ever so quickly and see 1998 begin to unfold. Never has it been so easy to reach so many and tell them about the love, mercy, and salvation Jesus offers. The Internet, satellite TV, and radio, and other forms of communication are bursting through the old boundaries and the old rules of how we communicate.
People around the world can read these words, print them on paper, and share them with others. I find that absolutely mind-boggling.
But, as I look ahead, I wonder who will join us in this ministry in the future. Who will contribute articles? Who will spread the word to their friends? Who will join us in praying for those who do not have Jesus at the center of their lives? Who will join us in praying for the success of these and other efforts to minister?
Communication is getting easier, faster, and less expensive. Computers, which are driving the communications explosion, are getting much faster and more capable. There's no visible end to the exponential growth in capability and speed.
But, there is still something very "old-fashioned" that should affect each of us. That is the way we accept Jesus the Messiah into our lives. The way we surrender ourselves totally to him.
That will never change!
Something else never changes. That's Jesus himself and what he does for us when we accept him.
When I think of all the sadness, the emptiness, the loneliness, the anger, the hurt, the disappointments, the hate, the malice, and the needs which go unmet in many every day - I also think there's no need for that.
Because I also think of the joy, the filling, the companionship, the love, the healing, the anticipation, the deep concern, and everything we need - it's in Jesus.
I've been told: "Repent. Change your life. Give up sin. Turn to God. He will save you."
But now, what I tell others is, "Turn yourself over to Jesus. Trust him. Put yourself completely into his hands. He is totally trustworthy. He will change you in ways you never imagined!"
That's what I look forward to as we tear the last page off the 1997 calendar. More lives changed in 1998.
Join us in praying for that, please.
A Prayer List . . .
I'd like to suggest that we each make a list of everyone we know who is unsaved. Then, each day, let's pray by name for each of those people to come to the Lord. As we meet others, let's add their names to our lists. Perhaps you've been doing that already. If so, encourage others to join us.
Then, let's praise him every time one of them comes to him!
And, let's compare notes when we're changing calendars the next time. OK?
Potpourri . . . (but not the kind you smell!) . . .
We haven't been publishing Focus On Jesus for a full year yet, but we plan for the next edition to begin Volume 2.
That probably doesn't mean much to you, but it does to us, because it's a milestone of sorts.
Along the way, so far, we've met many new people. I call them cyber-friends, and cyber-brothers and cyber-sisters. Some are in lands on the other side of the world from us here on Peavine Ridge.
At the same time, I find that very humbling and quite exciting.
I'd like to encourage you to write your experiences, "your testimony" - whatever the Lord moves you to write that fits with our mission and purpose in this cyber-publication. It can be prose, poetry, music, or art. You can be sure that you will bless people you'll never meet, and at the same time you also will be blessed far more than you can imagine.
In addition, please email us your thoughts, suggestions, or ideas for improvement or change in what you've seen us doing so far. We need that. So please do it now, while you're thinking about it. Just click our mailbox:
One other thing - and by far the most important: Pray for the success of this ministry. I mean, pray for these efforts to reach the people our Lord has in mind. Ask that this work not be hindered nor set back in any way by the evil one.
Tell your friends about this publication. You may even want to print out an article or two to pass along to your non-computerized friends. We never know which words are going to touch exactly the right spot in which hearts.
New Index . . .
We plan to put an index by subject matter of archived articles on our page in the near future. Watch for it!
It should assist in searching for specific topics.
A Word About Finances . . .
This is not a money-oriented ministry, though it takes some of it to continue to operate. However, we are supported only by voluntary, tax-deductible contributions. We can continue and can expand only as your contributions enable us to do so. Pray about whether or not you should become a financial partner with us, and if so, how much.
In any case, pray for these efforts to be led by the Lord, not by any of us!
Send contributions to:
Disciples Fellowship
PO Box 845
LaFayette, GA (USA) 30728-0845
Make checks or money orders payable to: Disciples Fellowship. We are accountable to the Lord and to our financial partners for the stewardship of funds. All money received goes directly toward paying for either Internet services, telephone, or other expenses. No person involved is paid anything for what they do (that includes writers, but don't let that discourage you from writing! Send articles, anyway!)
LifeLine - A New Partner . . .
You may have already run across our offer of a Christian alternative long distance telephone service here on our site.
Whether or not you decide to switch, at least read over everything they offer, and tell your friends about us and LifeLine. This is a perfectly painless way to support this ministry - and to save yourself some money at the same time (not to mention, a way to make a strong statement to "you-know-who", if you wish).
We welcome LifeLine as a new partner of this ministry. Presently, they are available for service originating in the United States only. But, who knows what the Lord has in store for them who serve him?
Pray about what you should do. Also, pray for the LifeLine organization - that they will continue to serve our Lord.
Happy Holidays . . .
In the United States, as well
as many other countries, near the end of the year, we celebrate some very
special holidays. All of them are "family-oriented", and we like that.
Whether you're celebrating Christmas, Hanukkah (or both), or the New Year, we
pray for you to be blessed. Also that you may be with your family, and/or others
whom you love. And may God bless you all.
So, here are our wishes for you
to have very Happy Holidays from Art and Alice Ann, Marshall, and from all of us
here at Disciples Fellowship, publishers of Focus On Jesus!
Our prayer is that, at this time next year the world will be a better place to live (in all ways!), that we will have become much closer to each other and to our Lord.
