Verse of the Day – July 14

Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.

1 Peter 4:19

Verse of the Day – July 13

If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.

John 15:10 NKJV

Daily Promises – July 13

Philippians 4:19 KJV
19 But my God shall supply all your need
according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

Promise: I will meet your every need through My eternal riches in Jesus Christ.

Our God and Father has promised to meet our every need according to the vast riches in the glorious storehouse of heaven that is in Jesus Christ. In an orphan world system that makes people feel all alone and responsible to claw and scratch for everything they get, this is really good news!

Our God knows what we need before we need it and He delights to provide for us what we need…when we need it. Whether a felt need or a spiritual one, our heavenly Dad is a Father who provides for His kids. In this particular passage, Paul is writing to the Philippians and is thanking them for the gift that they sent to help further the work of the kingdom.

Paul is encouraging them that as they have been obedient to share what they have, God will continue to pour in heaven’s resources when they need it. While we may not have an ample bank account stored up on earth, we can rest in the fact that we have access to the true eternal riches that are stored up in heaven for us through the glorious riches in our elder brother, Jesus Christ.
Photo by Steve Taylor

How can I overcome feelings of rejection?

We are all prone to disappointment and feelings of rejection, and that is especially true in the aftermath of a broken relationship. However, as born-again believers we have a resource in God’s Word that can bring comfort and clarity to the situation. One person’s rejection does not mean we are unlovable. But we can allow that one rejection to determine how we feel and allow that feeling to color our idea of who we are, or we can choose to put that behind us and move forward on the basis of something that is far more lasting.

What is that? For believers, it is our position in Christ. When we are born again, we are accepted. “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves” (Ephesians 1:3-6).

Even though we do not deserve it nor can we earn it (Ephesians 2:8-9), the Lord Jesus Christ has blessed us with every spiritual blessing and has made us accepted in Him. This acceptance is His gift of grace, and it transcends any and all other “feelings” we may have because it is not based on “hope so” but on “know so.” We know that this is true because God’s Word tells us, and as we appropriate this truth by faith, it becomes reality in our hearts and lives.

Walking by our feelings is like walking through the world with our heart on our sleeve. We are bound to be hurt, and we are bound to be disappointed, for we live in a fallen world. What we choose to do with that hurt and disappointment will either allow us to grow stronger in our walk with the Lord or it will mean that we are walking wounded. Both outcomes are our choice. God makes it possible for us to walk through the disappointments in life with a knowledge that His provision for us works. His grace and His comfort are ours as we rest in Him. Every born-again child of God has all of these provisions and blessings in Christ, but we have to choose to utilize them. It is sort of like having a million dollars in the bank and choosing to starve to death because we don’t use that money to buy food. It is also true that we cannot use what we do not know. Therefore, it behooves every believer to “know” the God who knows us and loves us, and that means more than a devotional reading of God Word but study that changes our perspective (2 Timothy 3:16-17) and allows us to face life armed with real understanding about the reality of walking by faith.

As believers we are not defined by our past failures or by disappointment or by the rejection of others. We are defined as children of God, born again to newness of life and endowed with every spiritual blessing and accepted in Christ Jesus. That is the defining factor when it comes to victorious living. God has prepared for each of us unique opportunities to walk through the “all things” of this life. We can either walk in our own strength and what the Apostle Paul calls our “flesh,” or we can walk in the power of the provision God has made for us through the Holy Spirit. It is our choice. God has provided us with armor (Ephesians 6:11-18), but it is up to us to put it on by faith.

Therefore, if you are a child of God, you may suffer disappointment in this life, but you need to remember that as a child of the King, this rejection is a momentary bump in the road. You have a choice to either allow that bump to derail you and walk wounded, or you can choose to claim the heritage of a child of God and move forward in grace. Forgiveness of others and of self is a gift that you can give because it is the gift given to you by the Lord Jesus Christ (Ephesians 4:32).

Article from http://www.gotquestions.org/overcome-rejection.html

Never Underestimate the Power of Your Actions

One day, when I was a freshman in high school, I saw a kid from my class as I was walking home from school.

His name was Kyle.

It looked like he was carrying all of his books.

I thought to myself, ‘Why would anyone bring home all his books on a Friday?

He must really be a nerd.

I had quite a weekend planned (parties and a football game with my friends), so I shrugged my shoulders and went on.

As I was walking, I saw a bunch of kids running toward him.
They ran at him, knocking all his books out of his arms and tripping him so he landed in the dirt.

His glasses went flying, and I saw them land in the grass about ten feet from him.

He looked up and I saw this terrible sadness in his eyes .

My heart went out to him. So, I jogged over to him as he crawled around looking for his glasses, and I saw a tear in his eye.

    As I handed him his glasses, I said, “Those guys are jerks”.
    He looked at me and said, “Hey thanks!” There was a big smile on his face.
    It was one of those smiles that showed real gratitude. I helped him pick up his books, and asked him where he lived.   As it turned out, he lived near me, so I asked him why I had never seen him before. He said he had gone to private school before now.

I would have never hung out with a private school kid before.

We talked all the way home, and I carried some of his books. He turned out to be a pretty cool kid.

I asked him if he wanted to play a little football with me an my friends.
He said yes.

We hung out all weekend and the more I got to know Kyle, the more I liked him, and my friends thought the same of him.

Monday morning came, and there was Kyle with the huge stack of books again.

I stopped him and said, ‘Boy, you are gonna really build some serious muscles with this pile of books everyday!

He just laughed and handed me half the books.

Over the next four years, Kyle and I became best friends.

When we were seniors we began to think about college.

Kyle decided on Georgetown, and I was going to Duke. I knew that we would always be friends, that the miles would never be a problem. He was going to be a doctor, and I was going for a business degree on a football scholarship. I teased him all the time about being a nerd.

Kyle was valedictorian of our class. He had to prepare a speech for graduation. I was so glad it wasn’t me having to get up there and speak .

On graduation day, I saw Kyle. He looked great.

He was one of those guys that really found himself during high school.

He filled out and actually looked good in glasses. He had more dates than I had and all the girls loved him. Boy, sometimes I was jealous!

Today was one of those days. I could see that he was nervous about his speech. So, I smacked him on the back and said, “Hey, big guy, you’ll be great!’

He looked at me with one of those looks (the really grateful one) and smiled. ” Thanks,” he said.

As he started his speech, he cleared his throat, and began. “Graduation is a time to thank those who helped you make it through those tough years. Your parents, your teachers, your siblings, maybe a coach, but mostly your friends.
I am here to tell all of you that being a friend to someone is the best gift you can give them. I am going to tell you a story”.

I just looked at my friend with disbelief as he told the first day we met. He had planned to kill himself over the weekend. He talked of how he had cleaned out his locker so his Mom wouldn’t have to do it later and was carrying his stuff home.

He looked hard at me and gave me a little smile. “Thankfully, I was saved. My friend saved me from doing the unspeakable.”

I heard the gasp go through the crowd as this handsome, popular boy told us all about his weakest moment. I saw his Mom and dad looking at me and smiling that same grateful smile. Not until that moment did I realize it’s depth.

Never underestimate the power of your actions.

The Green Thing

In the line at the store, the cashier told an older woman that she should bring her own grocery bags because plastic bags weren’t good for the environment.

The woman apologized to him and explained, “We didn’t have the green thing back in my day.”
The clerk responded, “That’s our problem today. Your generation did not care enough to save our environment.”

He was right — our generation didn’t have the green thing in its day.

Back then, we returned milk bottles, soda bottles and beer bottles to the store. The store sent them back to the plant to be washed and sterilized and refilled, so it could use the same bottles over and over. So they really were recycled.

But we didn’t have the green thing back in our day.

We walked up stairs, because we didn’t have an escalator in every store and office building. We walked to the grocery store and didn’t climb into a 300-horsepower machine every time we had to go two blocks.

But she was right. We didn’t have the green thing in our day.

Back then, we washed the baby’s diapers because we didn’t have the throw-away kind. We dried clothes on a line, not in an energy gobbling machine burning up 220 volts — wind and solar power really did dry the clothes. Kids got hand-me-down clothes from their brothers or sisters, not always brand-new clothing. But that old lady is right; we didn’t have the green thing back in our day.

Back then, we had one TV, or radio, in the house — not a TV in every room. And the TV had a small screen the size of a handkerchief (remember them?), not a screen the size of the state of Montana.

In the kitchen, we blended and stirred by hand because we didn’t have electric machines to do everything for us.

When we packaged a fragile item to send in the mail, we used a wadded up old newspaper to cushion it, not Styrofoam or plastic bubble wrap.

Back then, we didn’t fire up an engine and burn gasoline just to cut the lawn. We used a push mower that ran on human power. We exercised by working so we didn’t need to go to a health club to run on treadmills that operate on electricity.

But she’s right; we didn’t have the green thing back then.

We drank from a fountain when we were thirsty instead of using a cup or a plastic bottle every time we had a drink of water.
We refilled writing pens with ink instead of buying a new pen, and we replaced the razor blades in a razor instead of throwing away the whole razor just because the blade got dull.

But we didn’t have the green thing back then.

Back then, people took the streetcar or a bus and kids rode their bikes to school or walked instead of turning their moms into a 24-hour taxi service.
We had one electrical outlet in a room, not an entire bank of sockets to power a dozen appliances. And we didn’t need a computerized gadget to receive a signal beamed from satellites 2,000 miles out in space in order to find the nearest pizza joint.

But isn’t it sad the current generation laments how wasteful we old folks were just because we didn’t have the green thing back then?

Please forward this on to another selfish old person who needs a lesson in conservation from a smart young person.

The Rule of the Kingdom

We must not become tired of doing good.

Galatians 6:9

When we are mistreated, our animalistic response is to go on the hunt. Instinctively, we double up our fists. Getting even is only natural. Which incidentally, is precisely the problem. Revenge is natural, not spiritual. Getting even is the rule of the jungle. Giving grace is the rule of the kingdom . . .

To forgive someone is to admit our limitations. We’ve been given only one piece of life’s jigsaw puzzle. Only God has the cover of the box.

Max Lucado

The Mythology of Forgiveness

The Mythology of Forgiveness

Posted: 02 Jan 2009 01:00 AM CST

By Jon Walker

And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins. Mark 11:25 (NIV)

Jesus doesn’t categorize sins by which ones to forgive instantly and which ones we can hold over the offender’s head until we decide it’s time to forgive.

We live in mythology when we think forgiveness is based on our feelings, or on our authority. Some of the myths we live by are explained by Rick Warren in his book The Purpose Driven Life:

“I’ll forgive when he proves he should be forgiven.” Biblical forgiveness doesn’t carry any conditions. It can’t be earned; it isn’t deserved; it can’t be part of a bargain as in, “Do this and I’ll forgive you.” God gives you forgiveness freely because Jesus paid the bloody price of your sin debt on the cross.
“If I forgive, she’ll get away with what she did.” Forgiveness doesn’t mean you condone or agree with what has happened. When you forgive, you’re not letting her get away with what she did; she’ll still face the consequences of her behavior. You may choose to remove some, or all, of the consequences, but that is a choice independent of forgiveness.
“If I forgive him, he’ll keep hurting me.” Forgiveness doesn’t mean your relationship remains the same. You may need time to trust again, to see if his repentance is genuine, and if he’s faithful toward rebuilding your trust in him. And if his offense is abusive or places you in danger, you can forgive him, but maintain your distance.
“If I forgive her, she’ll be free to do it again.” Frankly, she’s free to do it again anyway, whether or not you forgive her. On the other hand, you’re free to forgive her, even if she doesn’t seek forgiveness or show any sign of remorse.

If you’d like to receive these devotionals regularly, you can sign-up at www.gracecreates.com/subscribe/. Jon Walker writes from www.gracecreates.com. He is a Zondervan author, and the former writer/editor of the Purpose Driven Life On-Line Devotionals. This devotional is copyrighted 2008 by Jon Walker. Used by permission.

Forgive—Again?

Forgive—Again?

By Jon Walker

Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?” Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.” Matthew 18:21–22 (NIV)

Just because someone sins again, doesn’t mean you can revoke, in a sense, the forgiveness you’ve already given. Forgiveness is a choice, so you don’t take it back so much as you choose to be offended again.

Peter struggled with this dilemma and thought he was being generous, under Jewish law, when he suggested to Jesus that he should forgive someone up to seven times.

But Jesus emphasized the unlimited generosity of forgiveness by expanding beyond the limits of Peter’s capacity to forgive; not seven times, said Jesus, but seventy-seven times.

God’s forgiveness is ever-expanding; we can’t run beyond its borders; we can’t bankrupt the account. In God’s refrigerator of grace, the container filled with forgiveness never goes stale and always has a current freshness date.

I’d hate to think my conversion to Christianity is dependent upon being perfect after my conversion instead of being dependent upon God’s infinite, indestructible, and immovable grace. If it is dependent upon my perfection, then I fell from the race long ago.

And perhaps you did, too?

There’s always a flip side to our conflicts with other people. When we’re hesitant to give grace, we forget that we, too, need grace.

Jesus says we will be judged by the standard by which we judge. Is it seven? Seventy-seven? Or, unlimited?

Didn’t Jesus say it only had to be seventy-seven? Yes, but he didn’t say you couldn’t go higher, and he wasn’t speaking about his own unlimited capacity to forgive. If each of us only had seventy-seven forgiveness tickets per person per lifetime, then I ran out many, many, many years ago. Thank God that he is faithful to forgive and actively seeking to restore each of us into the family of God.

Forgiveness

I was particularly drawn to this subject because of the problem I’ve had in my life when it comes to forgiveness and anger.

I had a seething anger that dominated my thinking and affected everything for 52 years of my 63 years of life. When I chose to finally address it (by the way it was a problem with my grandmother who had preached hell, fire, and damnation and was totally anal when it came to anything that didn’t fit within her scope of thinking from her spiritual point of view. She had been extremely judgmental and required us to follow her ideas or never hear the end of it. When I was a child, she would come into our home, requiring my mother to leave the room when she wanted to speak to my father. She would rant and rave to us if we had on shorts, or lipstick, and tell us we were going to go to hell, etc., ad nauseum. Being the adamant, outspoken upstart that I was, I would cringe with anger and inwardly want to beat the crap out of her.)

These feelings, as I mentioned pervaded my subconscious thoughts, and I think I acted them out toward other people, rather than my grandmother, for most of my life.

Why? ‘Cause I was taught NOT to be disrespectful to my elders when I was a child, so certainly I couldn’t say a word in my growing-up home life. I moved away from my hometown and lived far away for years until I was 52. Then I moved back to my hometown area at that time. Consequently I was in closer proximity to her (I called her the battle-axe).

Long story, hopefully a little shorter now:

One day I purposely decided to go see my grandmother. My husband and daughter and I went and picked her up from a group home and took her for a picnic. I had determined I was going to address that old lady right then and there and give her a piece of my mind. (Obviously, she had already possessed a piece of my mind for all those years, ’cause I had allowed her to.) LOL

Lo and behold, as I talked to her, it hit me like a ton of bricks as I listened to her side of the story (after having told her how I had hated her all those years).

I allowed myself to try to see her point of view from her. As I listened, I realized she actually had had a horrible life herself.

Something inside of me snapped into place during that time with her. God worked a miracle inside of me, and I was able to actually love her and forgive her.

You see, anger had eaten me alive.

Unforgiveness had done the same. In those moments, I realized that “unforgiveness” and turning from anger is actually more detrimental to the one who holds onto those feelings, not the one those feelings are related to.

I realized we have choices. We can either give those thoughts and feelings over to God and let Him be in charge, or we can go our own way full of anger and unforgiveness and let it gnaw away at us like a cancer.

I hope if you relate to this story, you’ll feel free to share it with me.

Sharon

You Have Value… Just As You Are

You Have Value… Just As You Are

With you very own hands you formed me; now breathe your wisdom over me. Psalm 119:73 MSG

Listen closely, Jesus’ love does not depend on what we do for him. Not at all. In the eye of the King, you have value simply because you are. You don’t have to look nice or perform well, Your value is inborn.

You are valuable…not because of what you do or what you have done, but simply because you are. Remember that.

God takes you however he finds you. No need to clean up or climb up. Just look up.

Excerpted from Safe in the Shepherd’s Arms by Max Lucado.

Enjoying Peace in His Presence

Enjoying Peace in His Presence

I love you regardless of how well you are performing. Sometimes you feel uneasy, wondering if you are doing enough to be worthy of My Love. No matter how exemplary your behavior, the answer to that question will always be no. Your performance and My Love are totally different issues, which you need to sort out. I love you with an everlasting Love that flows out from eternity without limits or conditions. I have clothed you in My robe of righteousness, and this is an eternal transaction: Nothing and no one can reverse it. Therefore, your accomplishment as a Christian has no bearing on My Love for you. Even your ability to assess how well you are doing on a given day is flawed. Your limited human perspective and the condition of your body, with its mercurial variations, distort your evaluation.

Bring your performance anxiety to Me, and receive in its place, My Unfailing Love. Try to stay conscious of My loving Presence with you in all that you do , and I will direct your steps.

Jeremiah 31:3; Isaiah 61:10; Psalm 31:16; Psalm 107:8

Excerpted from the devotional book, Jesus Calling by Sarah Young.

God Thinks You’re Wonderful!

God Thinks You’re Wonderful!

…It may be difficult for you to believe that God knows your name…but He does.Written on His hand. Spoken by His mouth. Whispered by His lips. Your name.

You have captured the heart of God. He cannot bear to live without you.

God’s dream is to make you right with Him. And the path to the cross tells us exactly how far God will go to call us back.

It is not our love for God: it is God’s love for us in sending His Son to be the way. If you want to touch God’s heart, use the name He loves to hear. Call Him “Father”.

He thinks you’re wonderful!

I have written your name on My hand. Isaiah 49:16

Excerpted from the Book, God Thinks You’re Wonderful! by Max Lucado »

Forgiven

Forgiven

Grace is the kindness
and favor of God
extended to you. It is nothing
you can earn or deserve.
Grace is God saying to you,
You can do nothing to
to save yourself;
there is no need to even try
because I have done it all.
I have given My Son
to die for you and He has
made the perfect sacrifice
for your sin.
Come and receive
My free gift.

The scripture reference that I would like to share with you follows:

Psalm 103 (NKJV)

A Psalm of David.

¹ Bless the LORD, O my soul;
         And all that is within me, bless His holy name!
² Bless the LORD, O my soul,
         And forget not all His benefits:
³ Who forgives all your iniquities,
         Who heals all your diseases,
⁴ Who redeems your life from destruction,
         Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies,
⁵ Who satisfies your mouth with good things,
         So that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

⁶ The LORD executes righteousness
         And justice for all who are oppressed.
⁷ He made known His ways to Moses,
         His acts to the children of Israel.
⁸ The LORD is merciful and gracious,
         Slow to anger, and abounding in mercy.
⁹ He will not always strive with us,
         Nor will He keep His anger forever.
¹⁰ He has not dealt with us according to our sins,
         Nor punished us according to our iniquities.

¹¹ For as the heavens are high above the earth,
         So great is His mercy toward those who fear Him;
¹² As far as the east is from the west,
         So far has He removed our transgressions from us.
¹³ As a father pities his children,
         So the LORD pities those who fear Him.
¹⁴ For He knows our frame;
         He remembers that we are dust.

¹⁵ As for man, his days are like grass;
         As a flower of the field, so he flourishes.
¹⁶ For the wind passes over it, and it is gone,
         And its place remembers it no more.^[a]
¹⁷ But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting
         On those who fear Him,
         And His righteousness to children’s children,
¹⁸ To such as keep His covenant,
         And to those who remember His commandments to do them.

¹⁹ The LORD has established His throne in heaven,
And His kingdom rules over all.

²⁰ Bless the LORD, you His angels,
         Who excel in strength, who do His word,
         Heeding the voice of His word.
²¹ Bless the LORD, all you His hosts,
         You ministers of His, who do His pleasure.
²² Bless the LORD, all His works,
         In all places of His dominion.

Bless the LORD, O my soul!

ABC’s of Inspiration

Avoid negative people, places, things and habits.
Believe in yourself.
Consider things from every angle.
Don’t give up and don’t give in.
Enjoy life today. Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow may never come!
Family and friends are hidden treasures. Seek them and enjoy their riches.
Give more than you planned.
Hang on to your dreams.
Ignore those who try to discourage you!
Just do it!
Keep trying no matter how hard it seems. It will get easier!
Love yourself first and foremost.
Make dreams happen.
Never lie, cheat or steal. Always strike a fair deal.
Open your eyes and see things as they really are.
Practice makes perfect.
Quitters never win and winners never quit!
Read and learn about everything important to you.
Stop procrastinating!
Take control of your own destiny.
Understand yourself in order to better understand others.
Visualize your dreams.
Want your dream more than anything.
X-ccelerate your efforts.
You are a unique individual. Nothing can replace YOU!
Zero in on your goals and GO FOR THEM!

-Author Unknown-

He gave His blood

“It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.”

Hebrews 10:4 NIV

Sacrifices could offer temporary solutions, but only God could offer the eternal one.

So he did.

Beneath the rubble of a fallen world, he pierced his hands. In the wreckage of a collapsed humanity, he ripped open his side . . . He gave his blood.

It was all he had.

Max Lucado

No shoulds

I’ve taken on many disciplines at different times in my life: 300 sit-ups once a month; relying exclusively on a bicycle for transportation; writing my dreams every morning after waking…Presently, I meditate sitting for 45 minutes in the morning and fast one day a week. But the hardest discipline I ever took on was the “no shoulds” hour. Once a week, I tried to disregard my rule book and do whatever I wanted.

I found I couldn’t do it. I was waiting for the hour to be over. I developed the habit, after awhile, of practicing piano to fill the time.

I would like to learn to live without a rulebook. I wonder what discipline I might pursue that will lead me to freedom. I’m highly motivated to work at it.

— Josh Mitteldorf

Some of the Greatest, Ugliest, Deadliest things in the world

The most destructive habit………………………………..Worry

The greatest Joy………………………………………………Giving

The greatest loss…………………………Loss of self-respect

The most satisfying work…………………….Helping others

The ugliest personality trait………………………Selfishness

The most endangered species……….Dedicated leaders

Our greatest natural resource……………………..Our youth

The greatest “shot in the arm”…………..Encouragement

The greatest problem to overcome……………………..Fear

The most effective sleeping pill……………Peace of mind

The most crippling failure disease…………………Excuses

The most powerful force in life……………………………Love

The most dangerous pariah……………………….A gossiper

The world’s most incredible computer…………The brain

The worst thing to be without……………………………. Hope

The deadliest weapon……………………………….The tongue

The two most power-filled words…………………….”I Can”

The greatest asset………………………………………………Faith

The most worthless emotion…………………………Self-pity

The most beautiful attire……………………………..A SMILE!

The most prized possession………………………….Integrity

The most powerful channel of communication…Prayer

The most contagious spirit………………………Enthusiasm

Putting On the Whole Armor of God

Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. NKJV

Ephesians 6:13

To Read and Understand the Bible, as well as to walk with the Lord, you need, everyday to put on the “Whole Armor of God”.

Each part of the armor is very, very important!

The helmet covers your mind,
the breastplate covers your heart,
the shoes teach you how to walk,
the shield protects you
and the sword helps you to win the war.

Each part of the armor also shows us what God has done for us.

The whole armor is very important for Living the Christian Life and Studying the Word of God.

A new heart

“You were taught to be made new in your hearts, to become a new person.” Ephesians 4:23

What if, for one day and one night, Jesus lives your life with his heart? Your heart gets the day off, and your life is led by the heart of the Christ. His priorities govern your actions. His passions drive your decisions. His love directs your behavior . . .

Would people notice a change? Would you still do what you had planned to do for the next twenty-four hours?

Max Lucado

What is a blessing?

God is faithful to those who love him

Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand around with sinners, or join in with scoffers.

Psalm 1:1 NLT

A lot of public figures end their public appearances by saying, “God bless America.” This week, we’re going to look at what God’s blessing means — to us as individuals and as a nation.

Blessings have to do with both giving and receiving. It was a vital part of life in Bible times. To bless someone meant many things…to praise them, pray for them, and commit them to God’s care. It also meant to dedicate and challenge them to live forever committed to God, to keep hold of spiritual things. It was a call for abundance and prosperity for another. And it was also a way of officially passing on the family inheritance to the oldest son.

Wishes for a rich and abundant life were inherent in a blessing, although not always in a material sense. God was recognized as the ultimate source of the blessing. The person blessed would walk with the Lord and receive his benefits.

To receive God’s blessing meant not only to enjoy innumerable tangible gifts but in a much deeper way to be welcomed into a special relationship with him, a relationship to be affirmed and practiced. Part of this, in turn, means being a blessing to others, a way of saying we have been a godly help for others.

adapted from the TouchPoint Bible Tyndale House Publishers, p 1158

Content is derived from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation and other publications of Tyndale Publishing House

Daily Promises – July 10

What is the difference between a need and a want?

A need facilitates something.

The object of need is like the road to your destination.
There are also different levels of needs.

For example, we need air more than we need clothes,
and we need a heart more than we need a hand.

Our greatest need is God because he is the source
(facilitator) of all good things.

A want, in essence, does not affect the course.
It simply makes the journey more enjoyable.

~A MountainWings Original, Coyette Clunie, Jamaica W.I.~

Tear in your eye

God puts a tear in your eye

so that you can see a rainbow.

~ Author Unknown ~

How can I defend myself against Satan’s attacks?

Be strong with the Lord’s mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be to stand firm against all the strategies and tricks of the Devil. For we are not fighting against people made of flesh and blood, but against the evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against those mighty powers of darkness who rule this world, and against wicked spirits in the heavenly realms.

Ephesians 6:10-12 NLT

Tricking Houdini

During his life, Harry Houdini had a standing challenge that he could escape from any jail cell within an hour. A small town in the British Isles had just constructed a new jail cell they thought was escape-proof, and they wanted to put it to the test. Houdini entered the cell and immediately went to work. After two grueling hours — an hour past his deadline — Houdini finally withdrew his file from the lock and leaned against the door in exhaustion. To his amazement, the cell door swung open.

The jailors had tricked the great magician by closing the jail door but never bolting the lock. He was free all along, he just didn’t know it.

Satan has the same strategy, doesn’t he? His greatest weapon is to make us think that we are trapped, when in reality the cell door is always open. Satan can’t bind us, so he tricks us into making us believe the cell door is locked.

Adapted from a devotional by Frank Martin in Embracing Eternity (Tyndale House) p 292

Content is derived from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation and other publications of Tyndale Publishing House

Lavender flower

Yellow rosebud

Bouquet of Roses

Waterlily

Waterfall

Pink Rosebud

Old Oak Tree

Daily Promises – July 8

You have won!

“This is the victory that conquers the world—our faith.”

1 John 5:4

What is unique about the kingdom of God is that you are assured of victory. You have won!

If you have no faith in the future, then you have no power in the present.

If you have no faith in the life beyond this life, then your present life is going to be powerless.

But if you believe in the future and are assured of victory, then there should be a dance in your step and a smile on your face.

Max Lucado

Learning to Live Loved

God’s love does not hinge on yours.

The abundance of your love does not increase his.

The lack of your love does not diminish his.

Your goodness does not enhance his love,

nor does your weakness dilute it.

What Moses said to Israel is what God says to us:

“The LORD did not choose you and lavish his love on you

because you were larger or greater than other nations,

for you were the smallest of all nations!

It was simply because

the LORD loves you.” (Deut. 7:7-8 NLT)

God loves you simply because he has chosen to do so.

He loves you when you don’t feel lovely.

He loves you when no one else loves you.

Others may abandon you, divorce you, and ignore you,

but God will love you. Always. No matter what.

This is his sentiment: “I’ll call nobodies and make them somebodies;

I’ll call the unloved and make them beloved.”

(Rom. 9:25 MSG).

This is his promise. “I have loved you, my people,

with an everlasting love.

With unfailing love I have drawn you to myself. (Jer. 31:3 NLT).

Our love depends on the receiver of the love.

Let a thousand people pass before us,

and we will not feel the same about each.

Our love will be regulated by their appearance,

by their personalities.

Even when we find a few people we like,

our feelings will fluctuate.

How they treat us will affect how we love them.

the receiver regulates our love.

Not so with the love of God.

We have no thermostatic impact on his love for us.

The love of God is born from within him,

not from what he finds in us.

His love is uncaused and spontaneous.

As Charles Wesley said, “He hath loved us.

He hath loved us.

Because he would love.”

Does he love us because of our goodness?

Because of our kindness?

Because of our great faith?

No, he loves us because of his goodness,

kindness, and great faith.

John says it like this: “This is love: not that we loved God,

but that he loved us” (I John 4:10 NIV).

Do you know what else that means?

You have a deep aquifer of love from which to draw.

When you find it hard to love,

then you need a drink!

Drink deeply! Drink daily!

Don’t forget, love is a fruit.

Step into the orchard of God’s work,

and what is the first fruit you see?

“Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

gentleness, and self-control” (Gal.5:22 NIV, emphasis mine).

Love is a fruit.

A fruit of whom?

Of your hard work?

Of your deep faith?

Of your rigorous resolve?

No.

Love is a fruit of the Spirit of God.

“The Spirit produces the fruit” (Gal.5:22).

And, this is so important,

you are a branch on the vine of God.

“I am the vine, and you are the branches” (John 15:5).

Need a refresher course on how vines function?

What is the role of the branch in the bearing of fruit?

Branches don’t exert a lot of energy.

You never hear of gardeners treating branches for exhaustion.

Branches don’t attend clinics on stress management.

Nor do they groan and grunt.

I’ve got to get this grape out.

I’m going to bear this grape if it kills me!”

No, the branch does none of that.

The branch has one job–to receive nourishment

from the vine.

And you have one job–to receive nourishment from Jesus.

“I am the Vine, you are the branches.

When you’re joined with me and I with you,

the relation is intimate and organic,

the harvest is sure to be abundant.

Separated, you can’t produce a thing” (John 15:5 MSG).

Our Lord gets no argument from us on that last line, does he?

We have learned the hard way apart from him we can’t produce a thing.

Don’t you think it’s time we learn what happens

if we stay attached?

His job is to bear fruit.

Our job is to stay put.

The more tightly we are attached to

Jesus, the more purely his love can pass through us.

And oh, what a love it is!

Patient.

Kind.

Does not envy.

Does not boast.

Is not proud.

Let’s rewrite 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 one more time.

Not with your name or Jesus’ name but with both.

Read it aloud with your name in the blank, and see what you think.

Christ in _____ is patient, Christ in _____ is kind. Christ in _____ does not envy,

Christ in _____ does not boast, Christ in _____ is not proud.

Christ in _____ is not rude, Christ in _____ is not self-seeking,

Christ in _____ is not easily angered,

Christ in _____ keeps no record of wrongs.

Christ in _____ does not delight in evil but rejoices
with the truth.

Christ in _____ always protects, always perseveres.

Christ in _____ never fails.

Will we ever love like that?

will we ever love perfectly?

No.

This side of heaven only God will.

but we will love better than we have.

By being loved, we will love.

My Wish For You

Where there is pain; I wish you peace and mercy.
Where there is self-doubting, I wish you a renewed
confidence in your ability to work through it.
Where there is tiredness, or exhaustion, I wish you
understanding, patience, and renewed strength.
Where there is fear; I wish you love, and courage.

www.maxlucado.com

INSTALLING LOVE

INSTALLING LOVE

Tech Support: Yes, … how can I help you?

Customer: Well, after much consideration, I’ve decided to install Love. Can you guide me though the process?

Tech Support: Yes. I can help you. Are you ready to proceed?

Customer: Well, I’m not very technical, but I think I’m ready. What do I do first?

Tech Support: The first step is to open your Heart. Have you located your Heart?

Customer: Yes, but there are several other programs running now. Is it okay to install Love while they are running?

Tech Support: What programs are running?

Customer: Let’s see, I have Past Hurt, Low Self-Esteem, Grudge and Resentment running right now

Tech Support: No problem, Love will gradually erase Past Hurt from your current operating system. It may remain in your permanent memory but it will no longer disrupt other programs. Love will eventually override Low Self-Esteem with a module of its own called High Self-Esteem. However, you have to completely turn off Grudge and Resentment. Those programs prevent Love from being properly installed. Can you turn those off?

Customer: I don’t know how to turn them off. Can you tell me how?

Tech Support: With pleasure. Go to your start menu and invoke Forgiveness. Do this as many times as necessary until Grudge and Resentment have been completely erased.

Customer: Okay, done! Love has started installing itself. Is that normal?

Tech Support: Yes, but remember that you have only the base program. You need to begin connecting to the Hearts in order to get the upgrades.

Customer: Oops! I have an error message already. It says, “Error – Program not run on external components .” What should I do?

Tech Support: Don’t worry. It means that the Love program is set up to run on Internal Hearts, but has not yet been run on your Heart. In non-technical terms, it simply means you have to Love yourself before you can Love others.

Customer: So, what should I do?

Tech Support: Pull down Self-Acceptance; then click on the following files: Forgive-Self; Realize Your Worth; and Acknowledge your Limitations.

Customer: Okay, done.

Tech Support: Now, copy them to the “My Heart” directory. The system will overwrite any conflicting files and begin patching faulty programming. Also,you need to delete Verbose Self-Criticism from all directories and empty your Recycle Bin to make sure it is completely gone and never comes back.

Customer: Got it. Hey! My heart is filling up with new files. Smile is playing on my monitor and Peace and Contentment are copying themselves all over My Heart. Is this normal?

Tech Support: Sometimes. For others it takes awhile, but eventually everything gets it at the proper time. So Love is installed and running. One more thing before we hang up. Love is Freeware. Be sure to give it and its various modules to everyone you meet. They will in turn share it with others and return some cool modules back to you.

Customer: Thank you.

WHOLENESS AND MEANING IN LIFE

by Neil Anderson
July 7

Galatians 3:26
You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus

Several years ago a 17-year-old girl drove a great distance to talk with me. I have never met a girl who had so much going for her. She was cover-girl pretty with a wonderful figure. She was immaculately dressed. She had completed 12 years of school in 11 years, graduating with a very high grade point average. As a talented musician, she had received a music scholarship to a Christian university. And she drove a brand-new sports car her parents gave her for graduation. I was amazed that one person could have so much.

She talked with me for half an hour and I realized that what I saw on the outside wasn’t matching what I was beginning to see on the inside. “Mary,” I said finally, “have you ever cried yourself to sleep at night because you felt inadequate and wished you were somebody else?”

She began to cry. “How did you know?”

“Truthfully, Mary,” I answered, “I’ve learned that people who appear to have it all together are often far from being together inside.”

Often what we show on the outside is a false front designed to disguise who we really are and cover up the secret hurts we feel about our identity. Somehow we believe that if we appear attractive or perform well or enjoy a certain amount of status, then we will have it all together inside as well. But that’s not necessarily true. External appearance, accomplishment and recognition don’t necessarily reflect–or produce–internal peace and maturity. All the stuff and status you can acquire don’t add up to personal wholeness. Millions of people climb those ladders to success, only to discover when they reach the top that they are leaning against the wrong wall!

Wholeness and meaning in life are not the products of what you have or don’t have, what you’ve done or haven’t done. You are already a whole person and possess a life of infinite meaning and purpose because of who you are–a child of God. The only identity equation that works in God’s kingdom is you plus Christ equals wholeness and meaning.

Prayer: Father God, I wouldn’t trade the wholeness and meaning You have brought to my life for anything the world can produce.

Grains of Sand – Closeup photography

Amazing photography of grains of Sand

As I viewed these amazing pictures, I was humbled at how God puts so much thought into every single aspect of His Creation.

Love The LORD Your God

Love The LORD Your God

“The LORD your God is one LORD; and you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might. And these words which I command you this day shall be upon your heart; and you shall teach them diligently to your children, and you shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.” Deuteronomy 6:4-7

Do we love the LORD our God with ALL our heart, ALL our soul and ALL our might? If so, we will be doing what He has commanded us to do here, to share with our children our love for the LORD and all that He has done for us.

Think about the legacy that we have been given to pass on to our children and to our children’s children. What joy to be able to share with them the love of the Lord and all that He is to us and has been throughout our walk with Him! We can pass on to them the wonder of His grace and forgiveness. We can share our joy in being the sons and daughters of the King!

There is no greater gift that we can give to our children than to pass on to them the excitement and joy of knowing the LORD. It is so easy to get caught up in the things of this world and to let weariness overtake us, but when we sit down to dinner with our families let us resolve today that we will talk of the way the LORD has led us and that we will share with our children the things He has done for us.

When we kiss them good night, let the love of the LORD be on our lips, so the last thing that they are thinking about before they slip into sleep is Him.

Keep the legacy going: tell your children, or your grandchildren, or a niece or a nephew what the LORD has done in your life and watch that seed take root in their hearts.

Father, Your love has reached me and it is changing me. Help me to leave my children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews the legacy of that love. Help me to express to them just what a wonderful Father You are.

Help me to live in such a way that they will see it is good to walk with You. May Your presence be evident in every part of my life. Use me to draw your little ones to You. Amen

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

WHAT HAPPENS IN HEAVEN WHEN WE PRAY?

This is one of the nicest e-mails I have seen and is so true:

I dreamt that I went to Heaven and an angel was showing me around. We walked side-by-side inside a large workroom filled with angels. My angel guide stopped in front of the first section and said, “This is the Receiving Section. Here, all petitions to God said in prayer are received.”

I looked around in this area, and it was terribly busy with so many angels sorting out petitions written on voluminous paper sheets and scraps from people all over the world.

Then we moved on down a long corridor until we reached the second section.

The angel then said to me, “This is the Packaging and Delivery Section. Here, the graces and blessings the people asked for are processed and delivered to the living persons who asked for them.”

I noticed again how busy it was there. There were many angels working hard at that station, since so many blessings had been requested and were being packaged for delivery to Earth.

Finally at the farthest end of the long corridor we stopped at the door of a very small station. To my great surprise, only one angel was seated there, idly doing nothing. “This is the Acknowledgment Section,” my angel friend quietly admitted to me. He seemed embarrassed.

“How is it that there is no work going on here?” I asked.

“So sad,” the angel sighed. “After people receive the blessings that they asked for, very few send back acknowledgments.”

“How does one acknowledge God’s blessings?” I asked.

“Simple,” the angel answered. Just say, “Thank you, Lord.”

“What blessings should they acknowledge?” I asked.

“If you have food in the refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof overhead and a place to sleep, you are richer than 75% of this world. If you have money in the bank, in your wallet, and spare change in a dish, you are among the top 8% of the world’s wealthy.”

“And if you get this on your own computer, you are part of the 1% in the world who has that opportunity.”

“If you woke up this morning with more health than illness, you are more blessed than the many who will not even survive this day.”

“If you have never experienced the fear in battle, the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture, or the pangs of starvation… You are ahead of 700 million people in the world.”

“If you can attend a church without the fear of harassment, arrest, torture or death, you are envied by, and more blessed than, three billion people in the world.”

“If your parents are still alive and still married…you are very rare.”

“If you can hold your head up and smile, you are not the norm, you’re unique to all those in doubt and despair…….”

Ok, what now? How can I start?

If you can read this message, you just received a double blessing in that someone was thinking of you as very special and you are more blessed than over two billion people in the world who cannot read at all.

                Have a good day, count your blessings, and if you care to, pass this along to remind everyone else how blessed we all are.
                ATTN: Acknowledge Dept.
                “Thank you, Lord, for giving me the ability to share this message and for giving me so many wonderful people with whom to share it.”

If you have read this far, and are thankful for all that you have been blessed with, how can you not send it on??? I thank God for everything, especially my family and friends.

Long to be more loving?

“Let us love one another, for love is of God.”

I John 4:7, NKJV

Long to be more loving? Begin by accepting your place as a dearly loved child.

“Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children”

(Ephesians 5:1, NIV).

Want to learn to forgive? Then consider how you’ve been forgiven.

“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you”

(Ephesians 4:32, NIV)

Max Lucado

Never Give Up

The Best of Success

by Bob Kelly

The year was 1983. In Australia, the long-distance foot race from Sydney to Melbourne was about to begin, covering 875 kilometers – more than 500 miles! About 150 world-class athletes had entered, for what was planned as a six-day event. So race officials were startled when a 61-year-old man approached and handed them his entry form.

His name was Cliff Young, and his “racing attire” included overalls and galoshes over his work boots.

At first, they refused to let him enter. So he explained that he’d grown up on a 2,000-acre farm, with thousands of sheep. His family could afford neither horses nor tractors so, when the storms came, his job was to round up the sheep. Sometimes, he said, it would take two or three days of running.

Finally, they let Cliff enter, and the race began. The others quickly left him way behind, shuffling along in his galoshes. But he didn’t know the plan included stopping each night to rest, so he kept going.

By the fifth day, he had caught them all, won the race, and became a national hero. He continued to compete in long-distance races until well up in his seventies. He was an inspiration to millions and a great encourager of younger runners.

In his honor and memory, in 2004, the year after his death at age 81, the organizers of the race where he first gained fame permanently changed its name to the Cliff Young Australian Six Day Race.

What was the key to Cliff Young’s success? It goes by various names: determination, perseverance, persistence, tenacity. It means keeping one’s eye fixed steadfastly on a goal, and not stopping, no matter the difficulties or the obstacles, until that goal is achieved.

The State of your Heart

“The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart.”

Luke 6:45, NIV

When you are offered a morsel of gossip marinated in slander, do you turn it down or pass it on? That depends on the state of your heart . . . The state of your heart dictates whether you harbor a grudge or give grace, seek self-pity or seek Christ, drink human misery or taste God’s mercy.

Max Lucado

Can evil overcome me?

Can evil overcome me?

I look up to the mountains—does my help come from there? My help comes from the Lord, who made the heavens and the earth!

He will not let you stumble and fall; the one who watches over you and will not sleep. Indeed, he who watches over Israel never tires and never sleeps. The Lord himself watches over you! The Lord stands beside you as your protective shade. The sun will not hurt you by day, nor the moon at night. The Lord keeps you from all evil and preserves your life. The Lord keeps watch over you as you come and go, both now and forever.

Psalm 121 NLT

Protection for the soul

Psalm 121 is one of a collection of “songs of ascent” sung by Jewish pilgrims on their way to Jerusalem for one of Israel’s great feasts. Basically it is hymn of trust that God will watch over his people as they journey along potentially dangerous roads, up through the hills of Judea to the Holy City.

Does God say that his people will never encounter trouble? No. The awful truth is that even Christians get robbed and mugged, raped and murdered. Statistics indicate that more followers of Jesus were martyred for their faith in the twentieth century than in the previous nineteen centuries combined. You will not find any biblical evidence to suggest that believers are exempt from the ugly violence of a fallen world.

As Jesus said in Matthew 10:28: At worst, evil people “can only kill your body; they cannot touch your soul.”

Based on Praying God’s Promises in Tough Times by Len Woods (Tyndale) p 94

Content is derived from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation and other publications of Tyndale Publishing House

Clearly at hand

Our main business is not to see what lies dimly in the distance, but to do what lies clearly at hand.

~ Thomas Carlyle

Worthy Purpose

Many persons have the wrong idea
about what constitutes true happiness.
It is not attained through self-gratification
but through fidelity to a worthy purpose.

~ Helen Keller

Courage

Courage doesn’t always roar.
Sometimes courage is the little voice
at the end of the day that says . . .
I’ll try again tomorrow.

~ Anne Henninghake

Angel Wings

Angel Wings

Today I stumbled,
And once again,
Was lifted by
An unseen hand.

What comfort and joy,
That knowledge brings,
For I hear the whisper
Of heavenly angel wings.

The guardian angels
God sends to all
To bear us up,
When we fall.

Unseen hands, gently guide,
Through every storm and strife,
Gentle nudges, sent from God,
To guide us through this life.

Trust in Him, My Friend,
And you will hear
The whisper of angel wings
As they hover near.

Author Unknown

God sees your future with perfect clarity

From the world’s point of view the future seems unclear, uncertain, and unstable.

When it comes to your future, God has a different point of view. God sees your future with perfect clarity, He knows your future with absolute certainty, and He is directing your future toward a glorious destiny.

How can you be assured of the future God has for you? You can be assured because God is already there, because He is preparing the way ahead of you, and because He will take you by the hand lead you into His plans for your future.

You can trust Him with your future because He is wise and will not make a mistake; He is all-knowing and will not lose His way; He is good and will not bring you harm.

God does not ask you to plan your future, but He does ask you to trust Him and follow His plan. Trusting His plan will keep you from being worried, fearful, or anxious about the future. Your future is as bright as the promises of God.

As you think about your future, let your faith embrace these bright promises of God:

“God’s way is perfect. All the LORD’s promises prove true.” II Samuel 22:31 NLT

Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek His will in all you do, and He will show you which path to take. Proverbs 3:5-6 NLT

The Lord says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you.”” Psalm 32:8 NLT

“For I know the plans I have for you,” says the LORD. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:12 NLT

Roy Lessin
Co-founder DaySpring Cards

Pouring Out

“Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.”

Matthew 4:4, NASB

Trust God’s Word. Don’t trust your emotions. Don’t trust your opinions. Don’t even trust your friends . . .

Jesus told Satan, “Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.” The verb proceeds is literally “pouring out.” Its tense suggests that God is constantly and aggressively communicating with the world through his Word. God is speaking still!

Max Lucado

Not the Same

“I will pour out my Spirit on all kinds of people.”

Acts 2:17

On the surface they appear no different. Peter is still brazen. Nathanael is still reflective. Philip is still calculating.

They look the same. But they aren’t . . .

In them dwells a fire not found on earth. Christ has taught them. The Father has forgiven them. The Spirit indwells them. They are not the same. And because they are different, so is the world.

Max Lucado

What hope do I have to face evil?

God will guard you from the evil one

In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord. He was seated on a lofty throne, and the train of his robe filled the Temple. Hovering around him were mighty seraphim, each with six wings.…In a great chorus they sang, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty! The whole earth is filled with his glory!”

Isaiah 6:1-4 NLT

Lead on, O King eternal,
Till sin’s fierce war shall cease,
And holiness shall whisper
The sweet amen of peace.
For not with swords’ loud clashing,
Nor roll of stirring drums,
With deeds of love and mercy
The heavenly kingdom comes.

Ernest Warburton Shurtleff

The day of march has come

In 1887, Ernest Shurtleff was about to graduate from Andover Seminary. Ernest wrote a hymn for the entire graduating class to sing. He told his fellow seminarians, “We’ve been spending days of preparation here at seminary. Now the day of march has come, and we must go out to follow the leadership of the King of kings, to conquer the world under His banner.”

Thus, “Lead On, O King Eternal” was written for a seminary graduating class. Our commencements are not always so dramatic, but there is no reason our eternal King cannot open a new door for us today. We can step out and march under His banner, “not with fears, for gladness breaks like morning where’er thy face appears.”

From The One Year Book of Hymns (Tyndale House) entry for January 15

Content is derived from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation and other publications of Tyndale Publishing House

Lead on, O King eternal,
The day of march has come
Henceforth in fields of conquest
They tents shall be our home.

Through days of preparation
Thy grace has made us strong,
And now, O King eternal,
We lift our battle song.

Lead on, O King eternal,
Till sin’s fierce war shall cease.
And holiness shall whisper
The sweet amen of peace.

For not with swords loud clashing,
Nor roll of stirring drums,
With deeds of love and mercy,
The heavenly kingdom comes.

Lead on, O King eternal,
We follow, not with fears.
For gladness breaks like morning
Where’er Thy face appears.

Thy cross is lifted o’er us;
We journey in it’s light.
The crown awaits the conquest,
Lead on, O God of might.

The whole earth will hear

To those who have not heard

My ambition has always been to preach the Good News where the name of Christ has never been heard, rather than where a church has already been started by someone else. I have been following the plan spoken of in Scriptures, where it says, “Those who have never been told about him will see, and those who have never heard of him will understand.”

Romans 15:20-21 NLT

Under a haystack

Williams College in Williamstown, Massachusetts, was just twelve years old in 1805 when the Second Great Awakening reached the school. In the spring of 1806 Samuel Mills joined the freshman class with a passion to spread the gospel around the world. He began leading a group of four other students, who met three afternoons a week in a nearby maple grove.

One sultry day in August 1806 a violent thunderstorm interrupted their prayer time, and they took refuge on the sheltered side of a large haystack. God spoke to them as they prayed, and four of the five committed themselves to serving God overseas if he so led. The Haystack Prayer Meeting was not only the beginning of the first American student mission society but also the beginning of the American foreign missionary movement itself.

Two years later many of the group enrolled at Andover Seminary where they were joined by Adoniram Judson and others interested in foreign missions, but there was no foreign missions board in America to send them. Acting on the advice of a teacher, the students wrote a letter to the General Association of the Congregational Church. Two days later, on June 29, 1810, the association responded by forming the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions.

From that humble beginning the foreign missions force of the United States has grown to over sixty thousand missionaries sent out by hundreds of mission boards.

Adapted from The One Year® Book of Christian History by E. Michael and Sharon Rusten (Tyndale, 2003), entry for June 29.

Content is derived from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation and other publications of Tyndale Publishing House

Achieving Success

An excerpt from
Goals
by Gary Ryan Blair

The odds that you’ll succeed without taking action are about the same as winning the lottery without buying a ticket!

For those times when you feel trapped, stressed, or in a prison of your own making, take purposeful action. It’s your Get-Out-Of-Jail-Free card.

In real estate, it’s location, location, location. In goal-setting, it’s action, action, action.

You can’t just stick out your thumb and hitchhike your way to success, you’ve got to roll up your sleeves and do the work that needs to be done.

Be seduced by the attractiveness of your goal. Inaction leads to impotence. Taking purposeful action immunizes you from “Goal Parkinson’s,” a long, slow goodbye to your dreams, talents and destiny.

A quality life is accomplished when thoughtful attention, goal setting, and purposeful action click into position. Whether your dream is to be or not to be is largely dependent upon your actions.

The cure for the ills of procrastination is a heavy prescription of action, until the day arrives when your dreams and their achievement are one in the same. When that day arrives, dream bigger dreams and take more action.

A good plan will almost always get you in the door, but it is action that seals the deal. So you want a guarantee? Well here it is: Without purposeful action, the only guarantee is failure and mediocrity!

Don’t tiptoe toward your goal, walk confidently before it waltzes off into the arms of neglect. Dreams become reality through one simple mode of transportation: purposeful action.

The continuation of bad habits, such as procrastination and poor follow through, is like having an addiction to weapons of mass destruction.

It is tragically un-hip to procrastinate. Unfortunately, the vast majority of people never display their true potential; it never has an opening night…never makes a debut.

The bulk of potential resides deep within each individual just waiting to come out, and it stays there because people are afraid. The mechanics of achieving a goal makes it easy for people to relate t the necessity of action. But when action is not purposeful, it can be an Achilles heel.

When we operate without planning, we remain forever scattered and confused. You’re always busy, but not much gets accomplished. Without a deeper appreciation and application of planning the most you can expect is marginal improvement.

Intimidate your fears through purposeful goal-directed activity. Since when is being the underdog any reason for not pursuing your dreams? Remember, it’s not the size of the dog in the fight…it’s the fight in the dog!

Don’t just pursue your goal…inhabit it. Wear it, act it, live it, taste it! Get committed – take action. Life is not a scratch-and-sniff test!

When you set a goal, there’s a distance between your current reality and desired reality. Procrastination increases the distance and minimizes the chances of achievement. Procrastination is the mother of regret. It postpones the future, aborts liftoff at the last minutes.

Unless you take action to achieve your goals, life becomes a constant series of postponements, cancellations, and missed opportunities.

You will never attain your goals simply by thinking and talking about them. You must take action as all success comes down to execution.

Make the right choice

“Everyone must die once and be judged.” Hebrews 9:27

Eternity is to be taken seriously. A judgement is coming.

Our task on earth is singular—to choose our eternal home. You can afford many wrong choices in life. You can choose the wrong career and survive, the wrong city and survive, the wrong house and survive. You can even choose the wrong mate and survive. But there is one choice that must be made correctly and that is your eternal destiny.

Max Lucado

A New Creation

“If anyone belongs to Christ, there is a new creation.”

2 Corinthians 5:17

At our new birth God remakes our souls and gives us what we need, again. New eyes so we can see by faith. A new mind so we can have the mind of Christ. New strength so we won’t grow tired. A new vision so we won’t lose heart. A new voice for praise and new hands for service. And most of all, a new heart. A heart that has been cleansed by Christ.

Max Lucado

We Wear Jesus

“All of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.” Galatians 3:27, NIV

We wear Jesus. And those who don’t believe in Jesus note that we do. They make decisions about Christ by watching us. When we are kind, they assume Christ is kind. When we are gracious, they assume Christ is gracious. But if we are brash, what will people think about our King? When we are dishonest, what assumptions will an observer make about our Master? . . Courteous conduct honors Christ.

Max Lucado

A New Creation

“If anyone belongs to Christ, there is a new creation.”

2 Corinthians 5:17

Max Lucado

What Love Says

“Love covers a multitude of sins.” 1 Peter 4:8, NASB

Have you ever heard anyone gossip about someone you know? . . . What do you have to say?

Here is what love says: Love says nothing. Love stays silent. “Love covers a multitude of sins.” Love doesn’t expose. It doesn’t gossip. If love says anything, love speaks words of defense. Words of kindness. Words of protection.

Max Lucado

Eternal Happiness

“God has planted eternity in the hearts of men.”

Ecclesiastes 3:10, TLB

You will never be completely happy on earth, simply because you were not made for earth. Oh, you will have your moments of joy. You will catch glimpses of light. You will know moments or even days of peace. But they simply do not compare with the happiness that lies ahead.

Max Lucado

We are His

“Thank you for your love, thank you for your faithfulness.”

Psalm 138:2, The Message

We give more applause to a brawny ball-carrier than we do to the God who made us. We sing more songs to the moon than to the Christ who saved us . . .

Though we may not act like our Father, there is no greater truth than this: We are his. Unalterably. He loves us. Undyingly.

Max Lucado

He wants you to fly

“If you believe, you will get anything you ask for in prayer.”

Matthew 21:22

Don’t reduce this grand statement to the category of new cars and paychecks . . .

God wants you to fly. He wants you to fly free of yesterday’s guilt. He wants you to fly free of today’s fears. He wants you to fly free of tomorrow’s grave. Sin, fear, and death. These are the mountains he has moved. These are the prayers he will answer.

Max Lucado

TrueFaced

I have posted some excerpts from the book TrueFaced to give you a desire to read the book. It is by Bill Thrall, Bruce McNicol, and John Lynch. I think it will change your life and your relationship to God if you take it to heart and apply it’s wonderful messages.

God’s Grace Gamble

God’s Grace Gamble

What if I tell you there are no lists?

What if I tell you I don’t keep a log of past offenses, of how little you pray, how often you have let me down, made promises that you didn’t keep?

What if I tell you – you are righteous with my righteousness, right now?

What if I tell you, I am CRAZY about you!

Live in my grace with your True Face.

God’s dreams for you are ultimately not really about you

Oh, don’t misunderstand. They’ll bring you some of the best days of your life; you will be fulfilled beyond any imaginable expectations. but God’s dreams take form only when they are about others.

Loving them.
Guiding them.
Serving them.
Influencing them.
Filling their heads with dreams and hope.

There are no other types of God dreams. Nothing less or else will compel, attract, or seem worthy of this God heart within you. Everything else will always, ultimately, taste chalky and dry. God’s destiny for you will never be so trivial as building a kingdom for you to enhance your acclaim. Such is a kingdom of dust and lint.

The dream he has prepared custom for you is explosively beautiful and alive. It’s about his glorious kingdom–a plan involving you from before there was time!

This stunning dream always involves others.

Others being

freed,
healed,
convinced of who they really are,
convinced that they can fly,
convinced his dreams in them can come true.

This unbending intention of God has been at once the source of your best dreaming and your continuous foot shooting.

Think about it–God’s dreams for us reflect His heart. If we are maturing in sync with his heart, how would we distinguish others-centered dreams from self-centered dreams? Many of us remain so wounded and preoccupied with our own stuff that we concoct our own tepid, cheap dreams and call them God’s. After a while we wouldn’t recognize God’s dream for us if it came up and shouted, “Howdy, I’m your dream!:

Note: TrueFaced by Bill Thrall, Bruce McNicol, and John Lynch

God’s Dreams for Us!

God dearly longs for the day when he gets to hand you that ticket, smile, and whisper into your ear, “You have no idea how long I’ve waited to hand this to you. Have a blast! I’ve already seen what you get to do. It’s better than you could have dreamed. Now hurry up and get on that train. A whole lot of folk are waiting for you to walk into your destiny and into their lives.”

Note: * TrueFaced by Bill Thrall, Bruce McNicol, and John Lynch

God has a ticket of destiny with your name on it

God has a ticket of destiny with your name on it–no matter how old, how broken, how tired, or how frightened you are. *

Note: * TrueFaced by Bill Thrall, Bruce McNicol, and John Lynch

Stress is a Choice

An excerpt from
Stress is a Choice
by David Zerfoss

Several years ago while listening to my pastor give a Sunday sermon, he spoke about how life is made up of a series of choices. It made me realize that my hectic professional and personal life was of my choosing. Therefore, a life of stress had become my choice.

Many of us hurry through life going from one place to the next, focused on conquering the next mountain, making the next deal, running the next errand, and believing we will never have enough time to do all the things we need to get done. Yet, there is all the time in the world if we just realize that we are the creators of this life we choose to live. That’s right. Life is a series of choices and being free from stress is one of those choices.

Whether your business life is overly complicated or your personal life (or both), you have chosen this current system of chaos. The world is a tantalizing swirl of getting the next “fix,” tempting us to fit more and more things, people and processes into our lives, personally and professionally. And because we are so busy being busy, it’s easy to be lured into the fray, with our lengthy to-do lists. Yet, the greatest achievements have often come from the simplest of ideas and in the simplest forms.

To experience a simplified life, we first have to learn to slow down long enough to see through all the clutter. We need to realize that we are powerful magnets that attracted this life to ourselves – no matter what – good or bad.

My wish for you is that you commit to simplify and enroll others for support. Take out a blank sheet of paper and create the life you truly want to live – with less stress and complexity – one that is anchored by a clear sense of your unique and simple purpose.

Shirley Goodnest and Marcy

Shirley & Marcy

A mother was concerned about her kindergarten son walking to school.
He didn’t want his mother to walk with him.
She wanted to give him the feeling that he had some independence but yet know that he was safe.
So she had an idea of how to handle it. She asked a neighbor if she would please follow him to school in the mornings, staying at a distance, so he probably wouldn’t notice her.
The neighbor said that since she was up early with her toddler anyway, it would be a good way for them to get some exercise as well, so she agreed. The next school day, the neighbor and her little girl set out following behind Timmy as he walked to school with another neighbor girl he knew. She did this for the whole week.

As the two walked and chatted, kicking stones and twigs, Timmy’s little friend noticed the same lady was following them as she seemed to do every day all week. Finally she said to Timmy, ‘Have you noticed that lady following us to school all week? Do you know her?’
Timmy nonchalantly replied, ‘Yeah, I know who she is.’

The little girl said, ‘Well, who is she?’

‘That’s just Shirley Goodnest,’ Timmy replied, ‘and her daughter Marcy.’

‘Shirley Goodnest? Who is she and why is she following us?’

‘Well,’ Timmy explained, ‘every night my Mum makes me say the 23rd Psalm with my prayers, ‘cuz she worries about me so much. And in the Psalm, it says, ‘Shirley Goodnest (surely goodness) and Marcy (mercy) shall follow me all the days of my life’, so I guess I’ll just have to get used to it!’

The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face shine upon you, and be gracious unto you; the Lord lift His countenance upon you, and give you peace.

May Shirley Goodnest and Marcy be with you today and always.

I know you smiled!
I sure did. Pass this on
and brighten someone’s day!

The Final Inspection

THE FINAL
INSPECTION

The Soldier stood and faced God,

Which must always come to pass.

He hoped his shoes were shining,

Just as brightly as his brass..

‘Step forward now, Soldier ,

How shall I deal with you?

Have you always turned the other cheek?

To My Church have you been true?’

The soldier squared his shoulders and said,

‘No, Lord, I guess I ain’t.

Because those of us who carry guns,

Can’t always be a saint.

I’ve had to work most Sundays,

And at times my talk was tough.

And sometimes I’ve been violent,

Because the world is awfully rough.

But, I never took a penny,

That wasn’t mine to keep…

Though I worked a lot of overtime,

When the bills got just too steep.

And I never passed a cry for help,

Though at times I shook with fear..

And sometimes, God, forgive me,

I’ve wept unmanly tears.

I know I don’t deserve a place,

Among the people here.

They never wanted me around,

Except to calm their fears

If you’ve a place for me here, Lord,

It needn’t be so grand.

I never expected or had too much,

But if you don’t, I’ll understand.

There was a silence all around the throne,

Where the saints had often trod.

As the Soldier waited quietly,

For the judgment of his God.

‘Step forward now, you Soldier,

You’ve borne your burdens well.

Walk peacefully on Heaven’s streets,

You’ve done your time in Hell.’

Author Unknown~

It’s the Soldier, not the reporter
Who has given us the freedom of the press.

It’s the Soldier, not the poet,
Who has given us the freedom of speech.

It’s the Soldier, not the politicians
That ensures our right to Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness..

It’s the Soldier who salutes the flag,
Who serves beneath the flag,
And whose coffin is draped by the flag.

If you care to offer the smallest token of recognition and appreciation for the Military,
Please pass this on and pray for our men and women
Who have served and are currently serving our country
And pray for those who have given the ultimate sacrifice for freedom….

THESE COLORS DON’T RUN

AMEN!

We the people are the rightful masters of both
the Congress and the Courts – not to overthrow the Constitution but to overthrow men who pervert the Constitution.

Abraham Lincoln

WE LIVE IN THE LAND OF THE FREE, ONLY BECAUSE OF THE BRAVE!
God Bless Our Military

Pearls of Wisdom

A young lady confidently walked around the room while leading and explaining stress management to an audience; with a raised glass of water, and everyone knew she was going to ask the ultimate question, ‘half empty or half full?’….. she fooled them all… “How heavy is this glass of water?”, she inquired with a smile.

Answers called out ranged from 8 oz. to 20 oz.

She replied, “The absolute weight doesn’t matter. It depends on how long I hold it. If I hold it for a minute, that’s not a problem. If I hold it for an hour, I’ll have an ache in my right arm. If I hold it for a day, you’ll have to call an ambulance. In each case it’s the same weight, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes.” She continued, “and that’s the way it is with stress. If we carry our burdens all the time, sooner or later, as the burden becomes increasingly heavy, we won’t be able to carry on.”

“As with the glass of water, you have to put it down for a while and rest before holding it again. When we’re refreshed, we can carry on with the burden – holding stress longer and better each time practiced. So, as early in the evening as you can, put all your burdens down. Don’t carry them through the evening and into the night… pick them up tomorrow.

Whatever burdens you’re carrying now, let them down for a moment. Relax, pick them up later after you’ve rested. Life is short. Enjoy it and the now ‘supposed’ stress that you’ve conquered!”

1 * Accept the fact that some days you’re the pigeon, and some days you’re the statue!

2 * Always keep your words soft and sweet, just in case you have to eat them.

3 * Always read stuff that will make you look good if you die in the middle of it.

4 * Drive carefully… It’s not only cars that can be recalled by their Maker.

5 * If you can’t be kind, at least have the decency to be vague

6 * If you lend someone $20 and never see that person again, it was probably worth it.

7 * It may be that your sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others.

8 * Never buy a car you can’t push.

9 * Never put both feet in your mouth at the same time, because then you won’t have a leg to stand on.

10 * Nobody cares if you can’t dance well. Just get up and dance.

11 * Since it’s the early worm that gets eaten by the bird, sleep late.

12 * The second mouse gets the cheese.

13 * When everything’s coming your way, you’re in the wrong lane.

14 * Birthdays are good for you. The more you have, the longer you live.

15 * You may be only one person in the world, but you may also be the world to one person.

16 * Some mistakes are too much fun to make only once.

17 * We could learn a lot from crayons. Some are sharp, some are pretty and some are dull. Some have weird names and all are different colors, but they all have to live in the same box.

18 * A truly happy person is one who can enjoy the scenery on a detour.

19 * Have an awesome day and know that someone has thought about you today.

20 * It was I, your friend!

21 * Save the earth….. It’s the only planet with chocolate!

Blessings

Eat that FROG!

Eat that Frog Movie – I think you’ll find this little movie to be very inspirational!

Six terrific truths about time

1. Nobody can manage time. But you can manage those things that take up your time.

2. Time is expensive. As a matter of fact, 80 percent of our day is spent on those things or those people that only bring us two percent of our results.

3. Time is perishable. It cannot be saved for later use.

4. Time is measurable. Everybody has the same amount of time…pauper or king. It is not how much time you have; it is how much you use.

5. Time is irreplaceable. We never make back time once it is gone.

6. Time is a priority. You have enough time for anything in the world, so long as it ranks high enough among your priorities.

by
Lewis Timberlake
~~~~~~

A vision of heaven

A vision of heaven

Now I saw heaven opened, and a white horse was standing there. And the one sitting on the horse was named Faithful and True. For he judges fairly and then goes to war. His eyes were bright like flames of fire, and on his head were many crowns. A name was written on him, and only he knew what it meant. He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and his title was the Word of God.

Revelation 19:11-13 NLT

Crown Him with many crowns, the Lamb upon His throne; Hark! how the heavenly anthem drowns all music but His own. Awake, my soul, and sing of Him who died for thee, and hail Him as thy matchless King through all eternity.

Crown Him with Many Crowns,
Matthew Bridges (1800-1894)

Crown Him with Many Crowns

Matthew Bridges became a convert to Roman Catholicism at the age of 48 and published this hymn three years later under the title “The Song of the Seraphs.” Godfrey Thring, an Anglican clergyman, added several stanzas to the hymn about thirty years later, with Bridges’s approval. So a Roman Catholic layman and an Anglican cleric, who probably never met, were coauthors of a hymn about heaven, where Christians of every tribe and tongue, as well as of every denomination, will crown Him Lord of all.

One of the aspects that Godfrey Thring felt was missing in the original was a stanza on the Resurrection, and so it was added. “His glories now we sing who died and rose on high, who died, eternal life to bring, and lives, that death may die.”

Adapted from The One Year® Book of Hymns by Mark Norton and Robert Brown, Tyndale House Publishers (1995), entry for May 16.

Content is derived from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation and other publications of Tyndale Publishing House