Rnporter’s Weblog

Just want to let everyone know how much
we appreciate the prayers you continue to
lift up on Rosa’s behalf. We go back to Chapel
Hill in July and have another bone marrow
biopsy done to see how things are going. We
are optimistic that everything will be okay.
Please continue to pray for us and may God
richly bless your lives as well.

Yesterday Rosa was finally able to get word on the last test they ran. She is not in remission. They said there are still abnormalities in the blood but that things are looking better and moving in the right direction. I guess that the Lord wants us to have a little more patience wait upon Him trusting that all will be well soon. We are most thankful for your prayers and ask that you just continue to pray and ask specifically that these abnormalities will be clear next time. We appreciate each and every one of you.
God bless you!
Roy and Rosa Porter

My last post was back on December 8,  2008 and yesterday we entered the season of Lent. Many have reminded me that they read my blog primarily to keep up with how Rosa is doing and there hasn’t been any news lately.  I apologize for that and I’m glad to report that Rosa is doing very well.  The latest would be that as far as we know, she is not in remission yet, but we are hopeful that we will get there soon.  She is back to work full time now and with the exception of being physically tired at the end of the day handling it very well.  She is even taking another class at the Seminary in Wake Forest on Thursday nights. Need I say how amazing Rosa is and how Awesome our God is.  Give Him praise and glory!

I Pray that each of you are doing well and ask that you please continue to pray for Rosa as to how we can give God the glory and witness to others in trails of life.  We also would love to pray specifically for you. Just let us know how by sending your request to royrosaporter@yahoo.com . 

We love all of our brothers and sisters in Christ and thank you for your support.

In Christ Alone.

 Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:  Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. (Isaiah 55:6-7)

It is a gracious offer given to man that while calling upon the Lord He may be found and He will give pardon, peace  and true happiness to poor, needy sinners based upon the gospel and nothing else.  Verse seven says, “Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. “

What great encouragement this is for us to repent and receive the mercy of the Lord and be abundantly pardoned. For we have abundantly sinned and offended the Lord our God. Therefore I ask you, have you received this offer to repent of sins in your own life today. By Gods offer of grace and mercy you can be forgiven and have eternal life.  Call upon Him today if you feel His presence near and He will have compassion on you.

To God be Glory.

As I sit here thinking about the Advent season I can’t help but think that this could be the very day that the Lord would return. Although we have no speicfic directive as to time of His return, we are assured that eventually Jesus will come.  We, on the other hand, can see the scripture which tells us plainly what manner of people we are to be until then. 

“Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness.  looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God,” (2 Peter 3:11-12a)nkjv.

I believe this to be so very important because until Jesus returns, we are to be His witnesses giving testimony for all to see exactly who He is to us. In verses 1-4, Peter explains that while Jesus is absent there would be this interim period between His ascension and His return.  And in verse three, it becomes clear as to the significance and importance of our “holy conduct and godliness.” “That scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts.”  For two thousand years now these kind of people have opposed the gospel, mocked believers, and chided, saying, “where is the promise of His coming?” (vs.4) 

But we must not let this keep us from doing the very things that will edify the kingdom of God. Thus, keep in mind that Peter in verse 8 declares that one day or a thousand, it doesn’t matter. With God they are the same. The Lord will come one day and it will be as He promised. And we should “look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. Looking forward to these things, being diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless.” (vss. 13-14)

Father, I’m looking forward to the coming of Jesus. With eager anticipation I await HIs return and seek until then to live with great fervor as a witness of Him in my life. Let me and all others who desire to be faithful unto you “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To HIm be the glory both now and forever. Amen,” (vs 18).

When you were a child, did you ever play follow the leader?  I can remember the game but nothing really significant about the game itself.  However, when Jesus called out His disciples, He instructed each of them to follow Him.  That statement had certain implications to it.  For instance, when Jesus preached early in His ministry, He declared a message that prompted the listener to react. The message was, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near” (Matthew 4:17).  The Kingdom of which Jesus spoke was His rule in the hearts and lives of those He chose to follow Him.  He is the King, and the followers who by repentance, confess Jesus as Lord and Savior, are His subjects.  He is the master, and we are His servants.  Servants who have the task of completing and representing His work.

One thing we must note about this relationship with Jesus is that He is the Master and we are the servants, subject to His commands.  We are never to assume that we are to tell the Master what to do. He decides what is important and the servant joins Him in the work that He is doing.

Just as Jesus knew and did the work of the Father, (John 5:17, 19-20), we should seek to know what God is doing and pray for His kingdom to come and His will to be done.

Greetings in the name of Jesus Christ,

When Paul said in Colossians 1:13, “He (God) has delivered us from the
domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved son”, he
was claiming that by our response through repentance and faith, we were set
free from from the darkness of our sinful lives and brought into the
presence of His son Jesus Christ.

And as a result of what God has done for us through His son, we have been
blessed with five great benefits.

                                        1. He qualified us to share in his
inheritance.

2. He rescued us from Satan’s dominion of darkness and made us his children.

3. He brought us into his eternal kingdom.

4. He redeemed us — bought our freedom from sin and judgment.

5. He forgave us for all our sins.

We “must” be thankful for what God has done and thus show our utmost love
and devotion by the very lives that we live daily.

“Father God, I pray that each of us who understand the greatness of your
sacrifice for our sins and the extraordinary love you have shown us, is
deeply appreciated.  May we honor you by our service and glorify you with
our praises. And most importantly, share Christ effectively.”

Rosa went back to the Doctor last Friday.  The results of her blood work up revealed that she is not yet in remission.  But, things have definitely improved and are much better than when we first began this journey.  The doctor said that he would give it three more months and then test her again.  We are just so thankful that she is doing this well.  She actually is back working this week 30 hours.  We’ll see how that goes for her. 

So, again, thanks to everyone whose been praying for us and may the Lord’s mercy shine upon you.

Col 3:1-4
 If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. 3 For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory. NKJV

Here Paul begins to explain true Christian behavior. We are to put on the new self by accepting Christ and regard our earthly nature as dead. As soon as we receive Christ  within us, our moral and ethical nature changes so that He can shape us into what we should be. Verse one tells us that, if we are raised with Christ, then we are to become seekers of those things which are above, where Christ is. That our minds are to be set on things above and not earthly things. We know that we have died to the world and that our life is safely hidden with Christ in God when these principles become our passion. When nothing else gathers our thoughts and occupies our day as does the things of God.  Therefore, as Christ lives in us now, we will appear with Him in glory. 

Dear Lord,  Help each of us who are struggling, to give you priority in our lives, and, to stay focused on things eternal.  Show us how to set our minds on things above and not things of this world. May the principles of your word be in our hearts and our lives glorify you. Amen