Ron Walters' Monthly Pastors Letter

Having trouble viewing this email? Click here to see it in your browser. October, 2020 Good morning, In 1980, in a small pub in Wales, two men placed a bet on whether a human can outrun a horse over a prolonged distance. The eavesdropping and enterprising barkeeper seized the opportunity—setting a race date, inviting contestants to compete, and ordering a larger than normal supply of ales for the occasion. On race day, the townspeople lined the streets to witness the event. The racecourse covered 22 miles of various topography and physical challenges. Anticipation was high as the starter's pistol fired. Spoiler alert: the horse won. From that unpretentious beginning, a tradition was born—the annual Man verses Horse Marathon, held in the tiny Welsh town of Llanwrtyd Wells, population 850. It's quite a showdown, pitting worthy bipeds against equally credible quadrupeds. And, year after year, the horse continued to win. That is, until 2004. With a field of 500 runners and 40 mounted horses, racing over the usual 22-mile course, Northern Ireland's Huw Lobb finished in first place, with a time of 2 hours, 5 minutes and 19 seconds. Three years later, multiple humans beat the fastest horse, the winner by a margin of 11 minutes. The moral of the story is, man can compete with horses … and win. Now, flashback approximately 2,600 years to the days of Jeremiah the prophet. This faithful servant had preached and illustrated his heart out, warning Judah of coming judgment. Unfortunately, he seemed to be preaching to deaf ears. In the process, Jeremiah lost heart in his assignment. The people had grown weary of his preaching, ambivalent to his warnings, tiresome of his techniques and critical of his character. To say the least, Jeremiah was discouraged. After all, delivering bad news can be exhausting. He was emotionally drained, and as spiritually dry as the drought he predicted. Let's face it—as God's chosen voice for that day, the prophet expected better results from his messages. But when those results didn't happen, he wondered if his expiration date had come and gone. He faced every pastor's worst nightmare—he felt ineffective. Israel's' contract with Moses, "All the words which the Lord has spoken we will do!" had been long forgotten and left in the desert. New life styles took precedence—child sacrifice, idol worship, religious insincerity and neglect of the needy. Therefore, the dejected Jeremiah handed-in his resignation. Can you blame him? However, God refused it. Again, the prophet tried to resign. Again, God kicked it back. Instead, God asked Jeremiah a simple question: "If you're worn out in this footrace with men, what makes you think you can race against horses?" I'm always intrigued when God asks questions. After all, an omniscient God isn't lacking knowledge, nor is He curious about what we'll say. Rather, He's asking questions because He wants us to hear our own answers. More times than not, you and I are like Jeremiah—we have no answers for His straightforward and incriminating questions. Ministry is hard work and filled with challenges—each is like a college course. If we drop out of Today's Trials 101, we'll never graduate or enjoy seeing sovereignty at work through those trials. Alumni from God's graduate courses include… Abraham, who willingly enrolled in God's unthinkable course of Sacrificing Isaac. As a result, God honored his obedience with unparalleled blessings. Moses, who accepted God's assignment to go one-on-one with the hard-hearted Pharaoh. As a result, God infused the retired 80 year old with new energy and extraordinary leadership. Gideon, whose homework—take 300 semi-volunteers and defeat the Midianite war machine—seemed an impossibility. Yet, God honored his wobbly faith with an astounding victory. Running against footmen is easy—it only requires effort. Competing with horses is a bigger deal, and that's what God has called us to do. More than effort, it takes faith and courage. But the time is right, and it can be done. Horses don't always win. Blessings,   Ron Walters Salem Media Group © Copyright 2020 by Ron Walters You may freely share anything in this letter with your church or ministry. I ask only that you include this byline: "Provided by Ron Walters" and that you link back to this website (if you reprint online). Plus many more great deals available! Visit www.DiscountShoppingClub.com for a complete listing! *Promo code not valid on HVAC or Tuitions Copyright © 2020 Salem Interactive Media WFFH-FM, 402 BNA Drive Suite 400 Nashville, TN 37217 is sending you an advertising or promotional message. We respect and value your time and privacy.  Want to change how you receive these emails? You can *update your preferences or *unsubscribe from this list.  Subscription Information This email was sent to Webmaster220 Bible Study Blog   *the blog owner has deleted the hyperlink intentionally

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Hi webmaster220.blogspot.com, God calls some people to serve as teachers in Ethiopia, some to serve as pilots in Papua New Guinea and others to serve as business administrators in the United States. No matter what your gifts are, God can and will use you for his kingdom work! Get the devotional, "A Place at the Table," and learn how you can be part of bringing the kingdom of heaven to earth.

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Are you ready to find your place at the table of God? The Wycliffe Team

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Sisters in Faith- September 07, 2020

Don't Get So Busy Sisters in Faith Martha was the responsible one. She was the one who made sure things were in order. She made sure Jesus was honored when He came to her home. She believed honoring Him meant the house must be clean, the food must be cooked, and the people must be served. There was so much she carried on her shoulders. Martha represents the busyness of this world, which can distract us from spending time with God. She had Jesus right in front of her; she was in His presence! But all she could see was serving and cleaning. When she complained that Mary was not doing her part, Jesus spoke to her and let her know that spending time with Him was honoring Him. Once she realized she couldn't impress Him with superficial things, she learned to come to Jesus just as she was. She realized He only wanted her heart. Even when we are about the Master's work, we have to take personal time to meet with Him and not let the external trappings keep us from saturating ourselves in the presence of God. (1, p.189, 190) Excerpt from She Speaks: Wisdom from the Women of the Bible to the Modern Black Woman © 2013 by Michele Clark Jenkins

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Copyright Information Excerpt from the Sisters in Faith Holy Bible, King James Version, Copyright © 2012 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Notes and articles copyright © 2012 by Michele Clark Jenkins and Stephanie Perry Moore.  Subscription Information This email was sent to Webmaster220 Bible Study Blog by Bible Gateway, 3900 Sparks Drive SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546 USA. This email is part of a devotional or newsletter that you signed up for on BibleGateway.com. For information regarding our privacy policy,click here. If you have questions or comments about this newsletter, please contact us. *Manage all Bible Gateway subscriptions — *Opt Out of all Bible Gateway communication *the blog owner has deleted the hyperlink intentionally

Sisters in Faith- September 14, 2020

The Stories Families Tell By Tia McCollors Sisters in Faith "You shall teach them to your children, speaking of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up." Deuteronomy 11:19 Family reunions are a place to devour Grandma's famous sweet potato pie and convince her to pass along the recipe. Old memories are shared under the willow trees at the same time that new ones are created. We pass down stories of old to share the trials that have made us stronger, and the faith that pulled us through. We tell the stories to our children so they learn about the importance of family and love so they can continue the tradition. They remember what we say, and what we do. Perhaps this tradition reaches further back than our family name. God told the children of Israel to keep His commandments close to their hearts and to pass them along to their children. They were to speak of them at home, when they rose in the morning and before bedtime at night. Consequently, God would multiply their days. A Godly heritage is a treasure worth sharing. Practical Application: When's the last time you shared the gospel with the next generation? We are encouraged in Psalm 78:4 to openly (and often) share of the Lord's glorious deeds. Others will find strengths from your testimonies and be heartened to share theirs as well. Prayer: Thank you Lord for Your hand at work in my life. You have cared for, protected, and provided for my family for countless generations and for that I'm grateful. I will share of Your goodness and Your mighty acts. Tia McCollors is a wife and mother who loves to encourage women to wear their faith like a designer label. Information about her inspirational novels and devotions can be found at www.tiamccollors.com.

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Buy Now KJV, Sisters in Faith Holy Bible Did you find this devotional helpful and inspiring? Read the book for more!

Copyright Information Excerpt from the Sisters in Faith Holy Bible, King James Version, Copyright © 2012 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Notes and articles copyright © 2012 by Michele Clark Jenkins and Stephanie Perry Moore.  Subscription Information This email was sent to Webmaster220 Bible Study Blog by Bible Gateway, 3900 Sparks Drive SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546 USA. This email is part of a devotional or newsletter that you signed up for on BibleGateway.com. For information regarding our privacy policy,click here. If you have questions or comments about this newsletter, please contact us. *Manage all Bible Gateway subscriptions — *Opt Out of all Bible Gateway communication *the blog owner has deleted the hyperlink intentionally

Sisters in Faith- September 21, 2020

We Are All Destined For Greatness Sisters in Faith Throughout history, particularly in the days of the Bible, it has usually been men who have ruled nations. However, Ethiopia was far ahead of its time. When the book of Acts was written, a line of queens ruled the African nation; these queens were known collectively as Candace. The Candace referred to in Acts 8:26–40 was a rich and powerful ruler. In her benevolence, she had allowed her treasurer to travel to Jerusalem to worship. The Ethiopian treasurer took the gospel back to Ethiopia and may have provided the seed for Christianity to grow in that nation, which, even now, has one of the largest Christian populations of any African nation. The Candace of Acts was appointed to be queen at that time for a divine purpose. Because of her, Ethiopia had the opportunity to hear and embrace the gospel of Jesus Christ. We are all destined for greatness, however that greatness may appear. It is important to be in the positions God has for us. We never know how God may use our positions in life to have an impact on our world. (1, p.205, 206) Excerpt from She Speaks: Wisdom from the Women of the Bible to the Modern Black Woman © 2013 by Michele Clark Jenkins

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Buy Now KJV, Sisters in Faith Holy Bible Did you find this devotional helpful and inspiring? Read the book for more!

Copyright Information Excerpt from the Sisters in Faith Holy Bible, King James Version, Copyright © 2012 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Notes and articles copyright © 2012 by Michele Clark Jenkins and Stephanie Perry Moore.  Subscription Information This email was sent to Webmaster220 Bible Study Blog by Bible Gateway, 3900 Sparks Drive SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546 USA. This email is part of a devotional or newsletter that you signed up for on BibleGateway.com. For information regarding our privacy policy,click here. If you have questions or comments about this newsletter, please contact us. *Manage all Bible Gateway subscriptions — *Opt Out of all Bible Gateway communication *the blog owner has deleted the hyperlink intentionally