Dr. Rev. W. A. Amerson

Senior Pastor - Dueber U. M. Church
February 1966 - July 1983

Sunday, October 5, 2008 —

MUCH LOVE!

W. A. Amerson, wavamerson @ aol.com

Monday, October 6, 2008 —

"GOD BLESS AMERICA!"  We sing it heartily and with great fervor!  Politicians conclude their addresses with that blessing on their lips!  BUT I OFTEN WONDER — JUST WHAT AMERICA ARE WE TALKING ABOUT?  ARE WE BESEECHING GOD TO BLESS OUR LAWLESS AMERICA?   OR THE SEX-CRAZED AMERICA?  OR THE DRUNKEN AMERICA?  OR THE GAMBLING AMERICA?  OR THE SUNDAY-DESECRATING AMERICA?  I TRUST THAT OUR PRAYER IS THAT GOD WILL BLESS A REPENTANT AMERICA!  A NATION THAT IS PLEASED TO BE "UNDER GOD!"  A NATION THAT PRAYS AND SEEKS GOD'S FACE AND TURNS FROM ITS WICKED WAYS!"  II CHRON, 7:14

In God's Holy Word, Solomon contends  that "RIGHTEOUSNESS EXALTETH A NATION — BUT SIN IS A REPROACH TO ANY PEOPLE!"  SO IT IS!  AND SO WE PRAY — "GOD BLESS AMERICA!"  A PRAYING — PENITENT — LAW-ABIDING — GOD-HONORING NATION!  WE NEED SUCH A BLESSING — AND WE PRAY SUCH A PRAYER THIS MORNING!!

REJOICING IN THE LOVE OF JESUS!

W. A. Amerson, wavamerson @ aol.com

Tuesday, October 7, 2008 —

ALBERT SCHWEITZER, RENOWNED MISSIONARY TO AFRICA, won the Nobel Prize in 1952.  In Chicago, a group of prominent citizens came to the railway station to welcome him.   He was given the key to the city, and photographers and reporters collected their stories.  Suddenly the great man excused himself as he rushed over to a little woman who was struggling with a suit case and several cumbersome packages.  Quickly he helped her as she boarded the train, and then he wished her a pleasant journey.   Returning to the committee, he remarked very simply, "I AM SORRY TO KEEP YOU GENTLEMEN WAITING — I WAS JUST HAVING MY DAILY FUN!"

JESUS WAS LIKE THAT!   At the Last Supper, our Lord dropped to his knees and washed His disciples feet.  In menial service, even as a slave, He sought to burn into their hearts that they were to serve — not rule!

Legend has it that St. Francis of Assissi, in his early years was very wealthy. Nothing but the best was good enough for him.  He was an aristocrat, but there was no satisfaction or peace in his soul.   One day he was riding alone outside the city.  Alongside the road he saw a leper — a mass of sores — really a repulsive sight!  Ordinarily the fastidious Francis would, have recoiled in horror from this hideous wreck of humanity.  But something moved within him — he dismounted from his horse, and on sudden impulse, flung his arms around the leper.  BEHOLD!  THE LEPER WAS TRANSFORMED INTO THE CHRIST!  ONE HAS RECOUNTED AN INTERESTING NOTE ABOUT THE MUSEUM OF HEAVEN.   A NEW ARRIVAL TO HEAVEN WAS ON AN ORIENTATION TOUR!   THERE WAS THE ROD OF MOSES — THE BRAZEN SERPENT - THE SMOOTH STONES OF DAVID - THE CROWN OF THORNS, ETC.  A NEWCOMER INQUIRED ABOUT THE TOWEL AND THE BASIN — "WHERE ARE THEY?"   AN ANGEL REPLIED, "OH! THEY ARE ALWAYS IN USE!"

REJOICING IN THE LOVE OF JESUS!

W. A. Amerson, wavamerson @ aol.com

Wednesday, October 8, 2008 —

OLD AGE AND DYING!  Margaret Sangster said it so well:   "THE LOVELIEST TIME OF THE DAY IS THE SUNSET HOUR!  BEHIND IT IS THE WORK OF THE DAY, ITS BURDEN AND ITS HEAT, AND WE HAVE REACHED THE HOUR WHEN THERE COMES TO US A CALL FROM THE HERMIT THRUSH SINGING IN THE TREES — AN INVITATION TO REST, TO MEDITATE, TO BE SILENT AND QUIET, AND FORGET THE HASTE AND WASTE IN GOD'S WORLD!  AFTER A LONG HOT DAY GOD GIVES US A GOLDEN SUNSET, STILLNESS REPLACES NOISE — AND BY AND BY, TWILIGHT HAVING MELTED INTO NIGHT, THE WATCHING ANGELS SPREAD THEIR WINGS OVER THE LITTLE CHILDREN'S COTS AND CRADLES, PEACE COMES TO WEARY HEARTS AND IN PALACE AND HOVEL OUR HEAVENLY FATHER GIVETH HIS BELOVED SLEEP!"

We live — and then death is inevitable!  On a lighter note — an anonymous poet has suggested:

      "WHEN I WAS YOUNG AND MY SLIPPERS WERE RED —
              I COULD KICK MY FEET OVER MY HEAD,
      THEN I GREW OLDER AND MY SLIPPERS WERE BLUE —
              BUT STILL I COULD DANCE THE WHOLE NIGHT THROUGH.
     NOW — I AM OLD — AND MY SLIPPERS ARE BLACK —
              I WALK TO THE CORNER — AND PUFF MY WAY BACK.
     THE REASON I KNOW MY YOUTH HAS BEEN SPENT —
             "MY GET UP AND GO HAS GOT UP AND WENT!"
     BUT I REALLY DON'T MIND, WHEN I THINK WITH A GRIN,
             OF ALL THE GRAND PLACES MY GET—UP HAS BEEN!
     SINCE I HAVE RETIRED FROM LIFE'S COMPETITION —
             I FIND EVERY DAY AN EXACT REPETITION —
     I GET UP EACH MORNING AND DUST OFF MY WITS —
             GRAB FOR THE PAPER AND READ THE OBITS —
     IF MY NAME IS MISSING — THEN I KNOW I AM NOT DEAD —
             SO I EAT A BIG BREAKFAST AND GO BACK TO BED!"


REJOICING IN THE LOVE OF JESUS!

W. A. Amerson, wavamerson @ aol.com

Thursday, Ocotber 9, 2008 —

JEAN-BAPTISTE MASSILLON, a noted and celebrated French clergyman, was preaching before King Louis XIV of France.  In his dynamic message, he was describing with dramatic power that moral conflict within the human soul which is portrayed by St. Paul in the 7th chapter of the Book of Romans.  We are all familiar with it:   "THE GOOD THAT I WOULD DO, I DO NOT, BUT THE EVIL WHICH I WOULD NOT, THAT I DO!"   ALSO — "I DELIGHT IN THE LAW OF GOD AFTER THE INWARD MAN, BUT I SEE ANOTHER LAW IN MY MEMBERS — WARRING AGAINST THE LAW OF MY MIND, AND BRINGING ME INTO CAPTIVITY TO THE LAW OF SIN WHICH IS IN MY MEMBERS! — O WRETCHED MAN THAT I AM, WHO SHALL DELIVER ME FROM THE BODY OF THIS DEATH?"

History tells us that, as the preacher pictured in vivid colors this anguish of the soul, the King leaped from his seat and cried:  "I KNOW THOSE TWO MEN!"  WE ALL KNOW THEM!  DOWN THROUGH THE YEARS THEY HAVE LURKED NEAR TO MY HEART — AND TUGGED AT THE CORDS OF MY SOUL!  ALL OF MANKIND STRUGGLES WITH THAT VILE, CARNAL SPIRIT WHICH SEEKS TO DEFILE US AND ROB US OF PEACE AND VICTORY AS WE SEEK TO LIVE FOR OUR LORD!  THE ROMAN EPISTLE DEPICTS THE STRUGGLE OF THE SOUL — "WHO CAN DELIVER ME FROM THIS BODY OF DEATH?"  ALMIGHTY GOD HAS THE ANSWER FOR THE FALTERING SOUL!  HE COMMISSIONS THE HOLY SPIRIT TO COME TO OUR ASSISTANCE!  OUR GOD WANTS TO FILL US WITH HIS SPIRIT SO THAT WE WILL BE EMPOWERED TO LIVE IN VICTORY AS WE REJOICE IN HIS CONTINUING LOVE AND CARE!

REJOICING IN THE LOVE OF JESUS!

W. A. Amerson, wavamerson @ aol.com

Friday, October 10, 2008 —

There is a very unusual and arresting statue of Jesus, carved by Jacob Epstein, in London, England.  It is large and rough and crude — but it has compelling force.  It represents Jesus on the night of His trial before Pontius Pilate.    His hands are tied behind His back.  A poor woman, looking at the statue, was heard to say, "IF WE COULD ONLY GET HIS HANDS UNTIED!"

SUCH IS OUR PROBLEM YET IN TODAY'S WORLD!  HIS WORK IS HINDERED AND LIMITED AS WE KEEP HIS HANDS TIED BEHIND HIS BACK:  BY OUR STUBBORN AND SELF-WILLED DESIRES AND PURPOSES — BY OUR CALLOUSED UNCONCERN AND INDIFFERENCE FOR LOST MANKIND — BY OUR PET PEEVES AND CRITICAL ATTITUDES!

SURELY WE LIMIT THE WORK OF OUR LORD BY REFUSING TO UNTIE THE CORDS OF DOUBT AND FEAR AND SELFISH CONCERNS!

BLESSINGS AND GOD'S FORGIVING LOVE  BE YOURS TODAY!

REJOICING IN THE LOVE OF JESUS!

W. A. Amerson, wavamerson @ aol.com

Saturday, October 11, 2008 —

MAY GOD HAVE MERCY ON US AND HELP US TO BE FAITHFUL IN OUR PROMISES TO HIM!

MUCH LOVE!

W. A. Amerson, wavamerson @ aol.com