#2reassurance:god's Gift! Series

#2 REASSURANCE... God’s gift!

When fear tries to hinder, God will give us reassurance!

By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com

This is part#2 of a 2 part lesson.

I. INTRODUCTION:

A. When my sons were growing up and we would travel, we would often

sing. I had a Pinto station wagon and my two sons were singing up a storm.

I listened to them --- they were singing a familiar song ---

I just quietly listened as they sang: BLESSED INSURANCE --- JESUS IS MINE...

Now they are grown and are both POLICEMEN ---

I have often recalled those words: BLESSED INSURANCE --- JESUS IS MINE...

JESUS IS BETTER THAN INSURANCE AS HE BRINGS HIS PRECIOUS PEOPLE

BLESSED ASSURANCE.

B. DEFINE:

1. ASSURE:

Guarantee.

To inform POSITIVELY.

To make feel safe. To make sure or certain.

To give confidence.

2. REASSURE:

To assure ANEW.

To restore to CONFIDENCE.

C. ARE WE THINKING KIND THOUGHTS? WHAT IF WE LOOSE THE GAME? HAVE WE

LEARNED THAT THERE ARE THINGS HAPPENING RIGHT NOW THAT ARE PREPARING

US TO FULFILL VISIONS, DREAMS AND PURPOSE THAT OUR GOD HAS PLANNED FOR

OUR LIFE? SOMEONE NEEDS YOU TO REACH OUT OF YOUR BOX AND HELP!

Did you hear about SARA TUCHOLSKY? Sara Tucholsky played softball for Western

Oregon University. Western Oregon University was playing their rival team Central Oregon University.

Central Oregon University had a star first base player named MALLORY HOLTMAN. Mallory Holtman had many accomplishments while playing for Central. Mallory is the CAREER HOME RUN LEADER IN THE GREAT NORTHWEST ATHLETIC CONFERENCE.

In the game Central Oregon University had the lead over Western Oregon in the last inning. Western rallied and had two players on base when SARA TUCHOLSKY STEPPED TO HOME PLATE TO BAT. The first pitch was STRIKE ONE. The second pitch SARA SWUNG WITH ALL HER MIGHT AND HIT HER VERY FIRST CAREER HOME RUN.

Sara started running the bases and was celebrating her HOME RUN. Sara

rounded FIRST BASE and headed toward second when she noticed that she had not tagged first base. Sara turned around and returned to first base. Sara twisted her leg as she turned and seriously INJURED HER KNEE. The pain was so terrible, Sara CRAWLED back to first base. She realized she could not make it to HOME.

THE UMPIRES TOLD THE COACHING STAFF IF THEY TOUCHED SARA TUCHOLSKY

SHE WOULD BE DISQUALIFIED AND CALLED OUT. IF THE COACH CALLED TIME AND

USED A PINCH RUNNER SARA’S HOME RUN WOULD BE REDUCED TO A SINGLE AND

HER RUN WOULD NOT COUNT.

MALLORY HOLTMAN, the opposing teams first base player and the home run queen, stepped to the UMPIRE and ASKED PERMISSION THAT SOME OF HER

TEAM MATES WOULD CARRY SARA AROUND THE BASES? The Umpire said there

was nothing in the rule books was against that.

So MALLORY and ONE of her team members, the short stop --- LIZ WALLACE got under SARA’S ARMS and picked Sara up and carried her. They stopped at first base and allowed Sara to touch the base with her GOOD LEG. The three girls headed around the bases stopping at each one to allow Sara to touch the base with the good leg. Then MALLORY and LIZ would carry her to the next base.

WHEN MALLORY GOT SARA THE OPPOSING PLAYER TO HOME,

MALLORY SAID: "YOU DESERVE IT, YOU HIT THE BALL OVER THE FENCE!"

CENTRAL OREGON LOST THE GAME TO WESTERN OREGON. Central would

be eliminated from the SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT.

Three young women learned a great lesson about life. The crowd was

wildly cheering. The HOME RUN QUEEN CARRIED HER OPPONANT AROUND THE

BASES TO HER FIRST CAREER HOME RUN.

I DON’T KNOW MALLORY HOLTMAN OR LIZ WALLACE, BUT THEIR REFLECTION OF COMPASSION AND LOVE THAT MADE THEM REACH BEYOND THE PROBLEM AND

CAUSED THEM TO LOAN A SHOULDER TO CARRY THEIR RIVAL TEAM MEMBER.

Softball games are much like real life --- WE CAN DEMONSTRATE KINDNESS, COMPASSION AND SYMPATHY EVEN IF WE LOOSE THE GAME.

Are you kind? Do you have good attitudes?

Do you see the CHALLENGE before us? Are you BUILDING BETTER PEOPLE?

Adapted: Thanks Jerry Parritt for this lesson.

II. THE LORD IS WITH YOU!

AFTER GIDEON WAS REASSURED BY A HOLY GOD, HE COULD NOT CRY

OVER THE BROKEN PITCHER ... GIDEON’S 300 MEN WERE DIVIDED IN THREE

GROUPS OF ONE HUNDRED IN EACH GROUP. THEY HAD TO REJOICE IN THE GREAT LIGHT AROUND THE ENEMY’S CAMP.

A. O, THAT WE COULD SEE THE LORD!

O, THAT WE COULD REFLECT THE LIGHT OF JESUS IN THE DARKNESS

AROUND ABOUT US.

Judges 6:11 And there came an angel of the Lord, and sat under an oak which was in Ophrah, that pertained unto Joash the Abi-ezrite: and his son Gideon threshed wheat by the winepress, to hide it from the Midianites. 12 And the angel of the Lord appeared unto him, and said unto him, The Lord is with thee, thou mighty man of valour.