CHURCH OF GOD FAITH FELLOWSHIP
  • Home
    • Spring Feast 2022
    • FOT 2018 >
      • Feast Schedule
      • Feast messages
  • Essays
    • Psalms of Ascent >
      • Psalm 120
      • Psalm 121
      • Psalm 122
      • Psalm 123
      • Psalm 124
      • Psalm 125
      • Psalm 126
      • Psalm 127
      • Psalm 128
      • Psalm 129
      • Psalm 130
    • Yes, There Is Good News!
    • Timely Comments - Blog
    • Christian Walk
    • Holy Days >
      • Passover >
        • children's lessons
      • Days of Unleavened Bread >
        • children's lessons
      • Pentecost >
        • children's lessons
      • Trumpets >
        • children's lessons
      • Atonement >
        • children's lessons
      • Feast of Tabernacles >
        • children's lessons
      • Eighth Day >
        • children's lessons
    • Holidays
  • Current Sabbath School
    • Sabbath School 2023
    • Sabbath School 2022
    • Sabbath School 2021
    • Sabbath school 2020
    • Sabbath School 2019
    • Sabbath school 2018
    • Sabbath School 2017
    • Sabbath School 2016
    • Sabbath School - 2015
    • Sabbath School 2014
    • Sabbath School: July-December 2013
  • 2023 Calendar
    • 2022 Calendar
    • 2021 Calendar
    • 2020 Calendar
    • 2019 Calendar
    • 2018 Calendar
    • 2017 Calendar
    • 2016
    • 2015
    • 2014
    • 2013
  • Newsletter
    • 2023 Newsletter
    • 2022 Newsletters
    • 2021 Newsletters
    • 2020 Newsletters
    • 2019 newsletters
    • 2018 Newsletter archives
    • 2017 Newsletter archives
    • 2016 Newsletter archives
    • 2015 Newsletter archives
    • 2014 Newsletter Archives
    • 2013 Newsletter archives
  • Hebron
    • Hebron - 2014 >
      • April 2014 - Michael Deering's visit >
        • Photos from Michael
      • May 2014 - Tom Benzen's visit >
        • Gardening photos
      • July 2014 - Apples >
        • More Apple Photos
      • August 2014 - New orphans
      • September 2014 - Education >
        • September photos
      • October 2014 - Cyclone
      • December 2014
    • Hebron - 2015 >
      • January 2015
      • March 2015
      • April 2015 - Passover
      • October 2015 >
        • Ice Cream photos
    • Hebron - 2016 >
      • January 2016 photos
      • Passover 2016 >
        • Passover photos
      • Pentecost photos 2016
      • July 2016 - Evening Prayers
      • Apples - July 2016
      • Aug 2016
    • Hebron Building Project >
      • photos of building project
    • Hebron 2017 >
      • Pentecost 2017 photos
      • July 2017 lunch photos
      • Nursing/regular students
      • Lunchtime - Oct 2017
      • Feast of Tabernacles photos
      • October Thank You
      • Nursing Students
      • December photos
    • Hebron 2018 >
      • Passover 2018
      • Baby boy!!
      • Feast of Tabernacles 2018 >
        • Feast photos
    • Hebron 2021 >
      • Photos January 2021
      • February photos
      • December photos
    • Hebron 2022
  • Career Direct

Yes! There Is Good News!

Bill Rollins has been publishing each week a column in the local Elk Horn, Iowa paper for the past several years.
Note the original publication date on each blog post

Yes! There is Good News!                 September 17, 2016

9/30/2020

0 Comments

 
Usually on the first Sunday of each month, I have the blessing of conducting worship services at the Salem Lutheran Home Chapel. As I sit to write this article, I can’t help but think of the message I gave this morning. It was an important message, and one filled with hope, joy, and good news. Let me try to express it here in writing.
After singing the hymn, “Near to the Heart of God,” with the residents, I mentioned that the author, Cleland McAfee, penned this beautiful song after hearing that his two nieces had just died from diphtheria in 1901. Mr. McAfee, with a deeply grieving heart, retreated to the comforting words of the scripture and to God. He said that he felt the words and music flow from his grieving heart and that on the day of the double funeral, he stood outside the quarantined home of his brother and sang the words as he choked back tears.
“There is a place of quiet rest, near to the heart of God ...” Have you ever desired to truly draw near to the heart of God? Have you ever needed a place of quiet rest in your life when things seem to be in turmoil all around you? Does the world ever bring heartaches, trials and troubles to your door? In John 16:33, Jesus says “... take heart, I have overcome the world.” Jesus promises us peace. In the third stanza of the song it says, “There is a place of joy and peace, near to the heart of God.”
And what about that quiet rest? In Matthew 11:28 we read, “Come unto me all you who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me for I am gentle and humble of heart and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” The chorus of that song says this, “ O Jesus, blessed Redeemer, sent from the heart of God, hold us who wait before thee, near to the heart of God.”
We have talked about the word “heart” in previous articles and so we can apply the definition of the word to the “heart of God.” His heart is who He is! Scripture tells us that God is love - this is His heart. It tells us He is compassionate - this is His heart. It tells us He is Kind - this is His heart.
But we also know that God will not force us to draw near to Him. In Isaiah 40:11, we read, “Behold .. God tends His flock like a shepherd. He gathers His lambs in His arms. He carries them close to His heart and He gently leads those with young.” He leads and we must follow! Again, in the gospel of John 10:14, Jesus says, “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me ... My sheep listen to my voice, I know them and they follow me. I give them eternal life and they shall never perish.” What a beautiful statement from our Savior!
The heart of God is a beautiful place to be it; is a comforting place. And as the hymn says, “... a place where all is joy and peace, near to the heart of God.” May we learn to follow,
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Author

    Bill Rollins resides in Elk Horn, IA, with his wife, Sally, and has pastored the Church of God of Omaha, NE for more than 35 years.

    Archives

    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
  • Home
    • Spring Feast 2022
    • FOT 2018 >
      • Feast Schedule
      • Feast messages
  • Essays
    • Psalms of Ascent >
      • Psalm 120
      • Psalm 121
      • Psalm 122
      • Psalm 123
      • Psalm 124
      • Psalm 125
      • Psalm 126
      • Psalm 127
      • Psalm 128
      • Psalm 129
      • Psalm 130
    • Yes, There Is Good News!
    • Timely Comments - Blog
    • Christian Walk
    • Holy Days >
      • Passover >
        • children's lessons
      • Days of Unleavened Bread >
        • children's lessons
      • Pentecost >
        • children's lessons
      • Trumpets >
        • children's lessons
      • Atonement >
        • children's lessons
      • Feast of Tabernacles >
        • children's lessons
      • Eighth Day >
        • children's lessons
    • Holidays
  • Current Sabbath School
    • Sabbath School 2023
    • Sabbath School 2022
    • Sabbath School 2021
    • Sabbath school 2020
    • Sabbath School 2019
    • Sabbath school 2018
    • Sabbath School 2017
    • Sabbath School 2016
    • Sabbath School - 2015
    • Sabbath School 2014
    • Sabbath School: July-December 2013
  • 2023 Calendar
    • 2022 Calendar
    • 2021 Calendar
    • 2020 Calendar
    • 2019 Calendar
    • 2018 Calendar
    • 2017 Calendar
    • 2016
    • 2015
    • 2014
    • 2013
  • Newsletter
    • 2023 Newsletter
    • 2022 Newsletters
    • 2021 Newsletters
    • 2020 Newsletters
    • 2019 newsletters
    • 2018 Newsletter archives
    • 2017 Newsletter archives
    • 2016 Newsletter archives
    • 2015 Newsletter archives
    • 2014 Newsletter Archives
    • 2013 Newsletter archives
  • Hebron
    • Hebron - 2014 >
      • April 2014 - Michael Deering's visit >
        • Photos from Michael
      • May 2014 - Tom Benzen's visit >
        • Gardening photos
      • July 2014 - Apples >
        • More Apple Photos
      • August 2014 - New orphans
      • September 2014 - Education >
        • September photos
      • October 2014 - Cyclone
      • December 2014
    • Hebron - 2015 >
      • January 2015
      • March 2015
      • April 2015 - Passover
      • October 2015 >
        • Ice Cream photos
    • Hebron - 2016 >
      • January 2016 photos
      • Passover 2016 >
        • Passover photos
      • Pentecost photos 2016
      • July 2016 - Evening Prayers
      • Apples - July 2016
      • Aug 2016
    • Hebron Building Project >
      • photos of building project
    • Hebron 2017 >
      • Pentecost 2017 photos
      • July 2017 lunch photos
      • Nursing/regular students
      • Lunchtime - Oct 2017
      • Feast of Tabernacles photos
      • October Thank You
      • Nursing Students
      • December photos
    • Hebron 2018 >
      • Passover 2018
      • Baby boy!!
      • Feast of Tabernacles 2018 >
        • Feast photos
    • Hebron 2021 >
      • Photos January 2021
      • February photos
      • December photos
    • Hebron 2022
  • Career Direct