The salvation that we have freely received by the willing sacrifice of the
Lord Jesus Christ is a gift that we should think on often. Only timeless
and unconditional love can cause the God who created the universe to become
The sacrificial Lamb to redeem His creation from their sins. I cannot 
comprehend such great love but am thankful that it exists without prejudice
to all who humbly accept God's willing sacrifice of His only begotten Son
for their sins and eternal redemption. I encourage you to show your 
thankfulness to the Lord for your salvation and always remember at what
great a cost it was to the Lord Jesus Christ. (Romans 10:12) (Psalm 119:165-167)

I hope you are blessed and encouraged by today's message.


IN THE EYE OF THE STORM

An old man walks down a Florida beach. The sun sets like an orange ball on
the horizon. The waves slap the sand. The smell of saltwater stings the 
air. The beach is vacant. No sun to entice the sunbathers. Not enough 
light for the fishermen. So, aside from a few joggers and strollers, the 
gentleman is alone.

He carries a bucket in his bony hand. A bucket of shrimp. It's not for 
him. It's not for the fish. It's for the sea gulls.

He walks to an isolated pier cast in gold by the setting sun. He steps out
to the end of the pier. The time has come for the weekly ritual.

He stands and waits.

Soon the sky becomes a mass of dancing dots. The evening silence gives way
to the screeching of birds. They fill the sky and then cover the moorings.
They are on a pilgrimage to meet the old man.

For a half hour or so, the bushy-browed, shoulder-bent gentleman will stand
on the pier, surrounded by the birds of the sea, until his bucket is empty.

But even after the food is gone, his feathered friends still linger. They
linger as if they're attracted to more than just food. They perch on his 
hat. They walk on the pier. And they all share a moment together.

The old man on the pier couldn't go a week without saying "thank you."

His name was Eddie Rickenbacker. If you were alive in October 1942, you 
probably remember the day that he was reported missing at sea.

He had been sent on a mission to deliver a message to Gen. Douglas
MacArthur. With a handpicked crew in a B-17 known as the "Flying Fortress,"
he set off across the South Pacific. Somewhere the crew became lost, the 
fuel ran out, and the plane went down. All eight crew members escaped into
the life rafts. They battled the weather, the water, the sharks, and the 
sun. But most of all, they battled the hunger. After eight days, their 
rations were gone. They ran out of options. It would take a miracle for 
them to survive.

And a miracle occurred.

After an afternoon devotional service, the men said a prayer and tried to
rest. As Rickenbacker was dozing with his hat over his eyes, something 
landed on his head. He would later say that he knew it was a sea gull. He
didn't know how he knew; he just knew. That gull meant food...if he could
catch it. And he did.

The flesh was eaten. The intestines were used as fish bait. And the crew 
survived.

What was a sea gull doing hundreds of miles away from land?

Only God knows.

But whatever the reason, Rickenbacker was thankful. As a result, every 
Friday evening this old captain walked to the pier, his bucket full of 
shrimp and his heart full of thanks.

We'd be wise to do the same. We've much in common with Rickenbacker. We, 
too, were saved by a Sacrificial Visitor.

We, too, were rescued by One who journeyed far from only God knows where.

And we, like the captain, have every reason to look into the sky...and worship.

By Max Lucado


Read and meditate on these scriptures:

Romans 5:8-10 "But God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we 
were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified
by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. For if, when we 
were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son, much 
more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by His life."

Galatians 3:13-14 "Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being
made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth 
on a tree: That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through
Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith."

Ephesians 2:8-9 "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of
yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast."

Romans 10:9-11 "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus,
and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, 
thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness;
and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture 
saith, Whosoever believeth on Him shall not be ashamed."

All of these scriptures can be found in the King James Version Bible.


Today's Selected Poem: I MET MY MASTER
Click here to read --- http://www.Godswork.org/inpoem136.htm

Today's Selected Testimony: WHEN OUR BOAT SANK
Click here to read --- http://www.Godswork.org/testimony66.htm


In Christ's Service, 

Dwayne Savaya 
Gods Work Ministry