From: Beverly French [frenchb@vcss.k12.ca.us]
Sent: Sunday, January 25, 2004 7:08 AM
To: Heritage
Subject: Blessings to All

"For our citizenship is in heaven..."  Philippians 3:30

This week a very dear member of our Fellowship went home to be with the Lord.  This young woman was confined for her 18 years in a body that natural man may question God about.  However, God made it perfect for the work that He ordained for her on this earth.  In her limited capacity to move, speak or even see in the last year or so, she touched more lives for the Lord than most of us ever will.  And how she loved Jesus! Her joy was to be in worship every Sunday and what joy it was for all of us just to hear her sing out in her special way.  How we will miss that, but now that voice is sweet and clear as she joins in songs of praise to the Lord with those who have gone before.  Hallelujah!

As mentioned in the past, but worth repeating here, Psalm 139 tells us how intimate God is with each of us.  He is always with us; He knows every detail.  Read the again the whole Psalm and be blessed. Verse 16 says, "Thine eyes have seen my unformed substance;  And in Thy book they were all written,  The days that were ordained for me,  When as yet there was not one of them."

Verses 17-18 go on to say,
"How precious also are Thy thoughts unto me, O God!
 How vast is the sum of them!
 If I should count them, they would outnumber the sand..."

How steadfast and loving is out God!  With the Psalmist let us, "Shout joyfully to the Lord, all the earth.  Serve the Lord with gladness;  Come before Him with joyful singing,  Know that the Lord Himself is God'  It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves;  We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.  Enter His gates with thanksgiving,  And His courts with praise.  Give thanks to Him; bless His name,  For the Lord is good; His lovingkindness is everlasting,  And His faithfulness to all generations."  Psalm 100

I will close with a verse and chorus of a song we sing in our Fellowship that seems so appropriate here: "The Lord is in His Holy Temple,  And we are in His presence now.  The ones who've gone before have gathered,  As one before the throne we bow.

 Singing Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia.
 Singing Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia."

All praise to our Lord and Savior forever!  Amen!