Crystal Cathedral

Comfort for pain?? I have pain now, for 5 weeks I"ve had shingle pain and drugs and doctor visits, all I can take.........Looking to God for anything He wants to give me at this point. Life can be cruel but I don't think I'm being punished, unless I'm wrong. I don't think God puts pain on us but I don't know anymore.

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Praise the Lord for this message - it could not have come at a more timely. Today is the birthday of my son Brian who died unexpectedly at the age of 16. While it has been many years since his death at times it seems like yesterday and my heart aches with missing him. God, through prayer is my comfort at times like this (and always) and He knows exactly who I need to hear from - just like this daily devotional. By coincidence (not), I re-subscribed two days ago to receive this electronic message.

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"Big potatoes" rise to the top on the rough roads of life. Tough times never last, but tough people do!" Actually, "tough people" don't last either. The strong only die a little later. The Bible says it is God who kills us all as punishment for Adam & eves sins. Is this not correct?

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I recently losed a good friendship without knowing what provoked her silence towards me. This reading helps me to focus my thoughts in a way that will not create a lasting pain to myself. I can look after myself and feel loved. Jindex

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The face of 'God in the Ft Hood massacre was reflected in the faces of the first responders. His mercy was the kindess, strength, and victory of the people who overcame the shooter. As a country, our people found solace in the personal stories of people putting their lives on the line to save others. His healing was in the service, attended by the President and families. A sense of national community was lived for a times. The respect we showed one another was a vivid response. In totality the response showed the love of God for us when one human being shot and killed others without respect to their person. At the end we were able to focus on the good in the people who came together at Ft Hood, not the tragic feelings. Jindex

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Tragedies, I believe, are a test of our faith. The greatest test of all are the tragedies we cannot understand. These require a great amount of strength to believe and trust in the judgements of God, which is not always easy. I remember watching a tragical incident on the news and I wept bitterly, asking God: "Why, Father?! Why?! When You have the power to take control...". His answer: "It's not me who does this to my children. It's my children who do this to each other. I'm just asked to be the cleaner."

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I want to thank GOD for giving us a weekly faith program like Hour of Power,and for great speakers like Dr. Robert Schuller,John Maxwell,Bill Butterworth.I find ,their messages have a greater impact on TODAY'S PEOPLE,especially the young crowd,since the WORD and the meanings are being translated into present-day language and with a sense of humor. I am asking you,my GOD,to help me keep FOCUS on the one thing in life that matters,-YOU.

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I use to take my parents lunch each morning before I went to work. Mom wasn't able to cook. The thought came to me that there must be other older shut ins who could use a visit also. I decided when I retired to start carrying soup once a week to these folks. I mentioned it to my church family and now we have started a soup ministry in our community. We started with only 5 shut ins and now it has grown to 30-34. What a blessing we have received!! We have a Bible verse on each bag and hold hands & pray with each person we deliver to. We touch their lives but we get a double blessing!! Instead of a cup of water we give a cup of soup in Jesus' name.

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Not able to read more than the verse this am, but the verse itself was what I needed to read this morning. Tough morning health wise.

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I really believe this happens, so we must pay attention and seriously access what is going on in our lives to see what GOD's plan for us is -- sometimes we want to do something, but we often let fear of the unknown get in the way. I can look back and see this in my life when I wanted to move but my DH didn't (he was fearful); the place we were living in wasn't good, so GOD allowed something to happen so that we HAD TO MOVE (the landlord closed the building down and sold it). This was actually answer to my prayers -- it was scary not having a place to live for awhile, and my faith was surely tested, but in the end, GOD brought us to a better place ... :)

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Thank you for the reminder to keep our FOCUS on the LORD, when we are fearful, anxious, ill, or stressed -- because we KNOW beyond a shadow of a doubt that our LORD can do anything; He can heal any disease; He can calm any storm; and He can solve any problem! Dear LORD, please help us in our weakness; and please increase our faith, so that we can keep our FOCUS on YOU and your power, and not on our changing circumstances whatever they may be, and we THANK YOU ... Amen.

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I am also interested in FEAR NOT program . Is there any way I can participate in email, or reading of the 365 fear nots in the scriptures? Thank you. JMc.

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I am interested "FEAR NOT" program; however, I cannot make it do to work hours. I will love to read all the passages and notes if it possible to sent to my email address (falerona@yahoo.com) for encourging and share to others. May god bless the ministry.....

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What started out as a cute story about protecting one's shoes from the rain turned into a deeper look at our connection with G-d, how we use that relationship, and the potential therein that relationship. I just watched the tape I made of this program from weeks ago and I thought I was hearing some background "noise" during the sermon. I wasn't sure if it was coming from inside the CC. In fact, it was the sound from a congregant who was expressing his connection with SSC's words and affirming on an emotional level the holiness of her words. When she got to the section of the story involving the girl who was prayed for being present with her friends, he screamed out loud feeling the power in the prayer was met by G-d, and that this girl's presence was an affirmation of that "mechanism." I felt that the man knew that he was hearing straight talk from the Lord's messenger. As SSC continued in her sermon on the sacredness of prayer, I could sense that hearts were being touched & moved.

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That's exactly why I created the Ungame. Playing a board game invites people to spend time together, sit close together, and face each other, The questions in the Ungame invite the sharing of personal thoughts, ideas, beliefs, and experiences. There is no competition or strategy. It's a great way to stay connected with those you love (from age 5-105). Players learn to listen to and respect one another. There are lots of smiles, pats, and maybe even tears, with hugs at the end.

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My husband, Richard, died on August 31, 2009 from the swine flu. For one week , while he was on a respirator, I prayed for God to heal him. (It was 5 days before they were able to diagnose swine flu. By then it was too late to save him.) I have heard the expression, "Through God, all things are possible." Not only was that proven untrue in my husband's case, I am proof that God will turn a deaf ear to your prayers. To say that I am angry with God is an understatement. My faith is hanging on by a thread and will most likely never be returned to the full strong "cloth" is was before. No one can convince me that "God had a reason" for my wonderful, kind husband, who never hurt a soul, to die at the age of 51. Christmas will be hard for me this year. Why celebrate the birth of my Saviour when he turned his back on me? If you read this and believe you can help me through this anger, please e-mail me at thinrox@aol.com.

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Good message for me today. I have set back with lyme disease. As others have gone before me said "healing from this condition is like taking one step forward and two steps back" Going through a two steps back time. So today's message is a good reminder.

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Thank you HOUR OF POWER ,Thank you BILL BUTTERWORTH for this message ,DEAR JESUS help me to keep my FOCUS ON YOU when times are difficult, THANK YOU ,YOU are the one who loves me ,the one who died for me. GREAT IS YOUR FAITHFULNESS.

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Thank you, this warmed my heart. A wonderful gift in my inbox!

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This devotion is exactly what I've needed to help me have a new perspective. Years ago I dedicated myself to serving the Lord through the ministry of music as a teacher and performer and I have tried to do just that. But life has thrown me many challenges and now, I'm trying to fiure out where to focus my life's purpose in this time of change for me. I am keenly aware of the talents and gifts God has given me and I realize as I write this, that they are central to who I have come to be. So, thank you. I hope I will be remembered for helping, inspiring, and teaching others find fulfillment and inner peace with the Lord through the power of music. Amen!

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Let's not forget about prayers that are answered in ways we never even considered. The ones that gave us the phrase, be carefull what you pray for. I had one such answer that I will never forget. I had a Nascar collectibles store that was no longer making enough money. I prayed to God that something would happen that would get my store noticed. I didn't have money to advertise. After praying for a few months, another Nascar store was opened just a 1/2 mile down the street. I thought my store was done. Turns out, the new store did a huge amount of advertising. All their advertising brought all the fans out, right to my door. Most thought I was the store who's ad they saw or heard. And the ones that went to the other store, always ended up at my store. Seems the other store didn't know how to treat the customers. God truly answers my every business & life need. He knows and will provide the answer to your every prayer. He never fails me. Thank-you for letting me share. Praise be to God

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Thank you for this. I want to be known as an encourager too. Some year ago, I felt that God was speaking directly to me through these words in Isaiah 50 - "The sovereign LORD has given me an instructed tongue, to know the word that sustains the weary"

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As a sick potato, I need a soft ride, and slow and short. But, like the analogy. "It is God who arms me with strength and keeps my way secure." – Psalm 18:32 I do ask God to make me a down nest to lie in that is safe and put his angels around it to watch over me and protect me. It helped me get through a rough night last night and still need that soft nest and angels for today.

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My latest bump on the road was a hysterectomy after lab findings of precancerous cells. The bumpy road was the operatin. The truck was the loving arms of the Lord. The clear air between thoughts (potatoes) was my sustaining faith in the love of Christ that held me in the belief that I was not alone, not abandoned, and not suffering without purpose. The truck was also a leveler, shaking down my faith, letting the best ideas (potatoes) come to the top and the fearful small irrational fears (small potatoes) drop down. Thankfully, the road we take, the driver, the cargo, the harvesting are done together. The decisions we make are guided by our love of God and campanionship with Jesus Christ. The outcome is also arrived with God's Grace. I do not know the results of the lab work from the surgery but I do not spend energy worrying. I have a good truck and know the load (myself) will deliver with the best of results (resurrection). Jindex

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As we ride the rough roads of life, it is wise to look to God for strength and stability so that we don't fall off the wagon.

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First of all I thank God for your ministry. I have really grow strong in my single parenthood life through this ministry. The "Big potatoes" is really true and quite applicable in mile beacuse in my 16 years as a single mother of 2 the tougher and rougher it gets the stronger it leaves me. Recently i was denied a chance to apply for a Visa to go to Australia to study just beacuse my would be sponsor decided to pull out on the last minute making me loose my application fee. This incident as rough and tough it may seem has just left me strong and reminded me of the center of the word God Psalms 118:8 It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man. So my dear brothers and sisters in christ when you face tough times be strong on the Lord it is the "Big potatoes that rise to the top on rough roads. God bless you all and lets us keep praying for each other.

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Yup. If we are to survive the disappointments and gut wrenching problems of life and the prayers that may be answered but are answered with silence or a deepening of dire circumstance we can only preserve our faith and therrfore our lives by believing such is God's will and therefore an answer to our prayers. But, it hurts. And it hurts. And it hurts. And sometimes you don't get the big fish or any fish at all. There is no white knight showing up at the final moment. For most of us there is no silver spoon or multimillion dollar inheritance. Yet, in the end there is THE choice To be or not to be.......... to have faith or not........ that is the final question to all answers.

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CPUB I have watched The Hour of power for many years and it is my mentor. I have been so discouraged this past year. I lost my job and I go on interview after interview and my experience is 30years and they all look at my age ( or try to ) and I donot get the job. I know God closes doors for a reason. I do have faith but I watch The Hour of Power and it lifts my spirits up again. I knpw I will be ok because God never lets anyone down he just stalls for a little while so things can work out for the better. Keep giving me the courage you always give me.

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Hi Sheila, I wanted to say thank you for the wonderful messages you have brought the past couple of weeks. I appreciate that you have been talking about the importance of prayer from the pulpit. I appreciated your story about the shoes and not getting them wet. Silly little story but it got the point across. I TIVO you guys while I go to church and have been watching Hour of Power since I was a teenager (over 30 years ago). I have always enjoyed the positive preaching with your Dad and guests but have been impressed that the church has been allowed to move with the Holy Spirit. It seems like the audience has been very responsive with the Amens I have been hearing. I took my teenage son to the Christmas play last year and both of us enjoyed it tremendously. That is the 3rd time I have flown out to be there. Twice for Christmas and once for Easter. It seems like things are changing and for the good. It seems like there is a new found passion from you guys. Thank you for all you do.

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Beautiful message, I always read the hour of prayer, every day I look at the daily inspirations,they keep me going...one day at a time. This is the most powerful message that gives me courage in my days of need. I know I am here for God's purpose so I am just holding on and praying. Thankyou for this message that put tears in my eyes and tremendous faith in my heart.

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Wonderful message about prayer; we must keep praying and never give up ... thanks for sharing this with us all, and helping to build up our faith even more! I love your definition of prayer (paraphrased): GOD showing His will and power and purpose through our prayers!

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Ashame to say my daughter lives witha disabled person and he is very mean angry person. I pray daily he either goes away or is healed, nothing ever changes. Where is God in this??????

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I haven't felt my shingles go away yet after weeks of prayer. I so wonder why but feel some things have to heal themselves.

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What a great daily devotional to read first thing this morning. I was thankful for the good night's rest but the affects of this disease were on my mind and my mom's disease and my daughter's. Disease causes dis ease for me most of the time. Over to the prayer page now to ask God to heal me and others inside and out.

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So many times in my life I have felt broken into pieces, but as I look back, yes, God has taken them and made them more beutiful than before. Some paths that I've chosen to follow have not always been what God has planned for me. But the He has always been there, leading and helping me get through it, "turning my scars into stars." I thank you for this powerful reminder of how wonderful God is. Amen!

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