bluidkiti
01-24-2022, 10:35 AM
Show me the right path, O Lord; point out the road for me to follow. Lead me by your truth and teach me, for you are the God who saves me. All day long I put my hope in you. Psalm 25:4-5
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Cover and uncover your eyes, ears and heart with your hands in turn, and, as you do so, ask God to speak to you as you read, listen, think and pray today.
Today, tomorrow, or on any given day, God can use each of us to bless someone.
Remembering how blessed and loved we are, we, in turn, can show God’s love by giving “buckets” full of love to God’s people every day.
No matter how low we feel, God offers grace to lift us up.
Today, give thanks for the blessings God has given us.
Neither today’s fears nor worries about tomorrow can separate us from God’s love. Knowing this, we can find comfort that even when we are afraid, we have the promise of God’s unrelenting love.
Because God is everywhere, you can pray anywhere. --Unknown
See God in every person, place, and thing, and all will be well in your world. --Louise Hay
Call on God when you need a friend to make it through the day. Lord, may we share Your love and beauty so that our lives may not be lonely.
God will never abandon us.
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The Joy of Focusing on God by Sarah Young, from Jesus Calling Morning and Evening Devotional
Let Me become the desire of your heart
Morning
I am ever so near you, hovering over your shoulder, reading every thought. People think that thoughts are fleeting and worthless, but yours are precious to Me. I smile when you think lovingly of Me. My Spirit, who lives within you, helps you to think My thoughts. As your thinking goes, so goes your entire being.
Let Me be your positive Focus.
When you look to Me, knowing Me as God with you, you experience Joy. This is according to My ancient design, when I first crafted man. Modern man seeks his positive focus elsewhere: in sports, sensations, acquiring new possessions. Advertising capitalizes on the longing of people for a positive focus in their lives. I planted that longing in human souls, knowing that only I could fully satisfy it. Delight yourself in Me; let Me become the Desire of your heart.
Psalm 139:1–2; Matthew 1:23; Psalm 37:4
Evening
Most people are not very aware of their thoughts during their “down times,” but I am quite aware of them. I want you to train your mind to turn toward Me more and more. Think about who I am — Creator, Savior, King of kings — and ponder My amazing, unending Love for you.
When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have set in place, what is man that You are mindful of him, the son of man that You care for him? — Psalm 8:3–4
Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is — His good, pleasing and perfect will. — Romans 12:2
Also read: Psalm 119:11 NKJV
Before You Turn Out the Light
Spend some time in quietness — away from the television, the radio, and other distracting noise — to restore your focus to Me.
Your Turn: Lord, help us to train our minds to think on You when we’re in the middle of our day, bored, or sad, busy, or mired in trouble. Help us to remember to be quiet and just enjoy Your presence. We want more of You, so please teach our hearts to find our joy in focusing on you!
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God's Thermal of Encouragement by Steve Troxel
Many of us have experienced that low Spiritual valley where we thought the sun would never shine again. Some were sent quickly into the valley by a very specific event; others drifted slowly to the bottom and can't say by what path they arrived. In either case, we wandered in this gloom until something began to lift us to new heights.
"He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." (Isaiah 40:29-31)
An eagle seems to fly effortlessly through the air with only an occasional flap of the wings. These great birds are experts at finding areas of rising air called thermals which allow them to soar without using any of their own energy.
God uses Spiritual thermals to lift up those who hope and trust in Him. Those who believe the truth of His Word and diligently search for the rising currents through prayer and undeterred worship will be freed from the heavy baggage which prevents upward flight - they will be lifted up by the guidance and strength of God's Spirit.
If we find ourselves back in the valley today, we must continue to seek Him with all our heart and trust that our thermal is on the way. He has promised to strengthen us and cause us to soar once again! And if we're currently flying high in our communion with God, we must give praise and honor to our Heavenly Father; but we must also recognize there are many others in the valley who desperately need a lift - many who are searching and feeling overcome with darkness. As we soar, we must understand that we are never called to fly alone.
God has chosen to use people to accomplish much of His work on earth. He could have chosen other methods; "If they {the people} keep quiet, the stones will cry out" (Luke 19:40), but He chose us. We are to "encourage one another daily" (Hebrews 3:13). Why? Because there is a valley full of people waiting and hoping for that rising current to lift them up and set them free. We can be a rising current for others with simple words or acts of encouragement which show them God's love and gently lead them back toward His peace.
We have been adopted into the "Family" of God...and our Family needs each other very much! Let's dedicate ourselves to soaring high by worshiping God in absolutely every area of our life. Let's continue to rise to new heights and always look for others in need of God's thermal of encouragement!
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Suffering: Seek Out and Embrace a More Nourishing Story
by Becky Johnson and Rachel Randolph, from Nourished
Your tears are precious to God
One way the brain processes upset is through telling itself stories from different angles until it settles on a narrative that fits and helps you move forward. One way you can help yourself heal is to examine the stories you tell yourself. If these looping stories are bringing up more anger, resentment, worry, or sorrow — you might want to search for some better stories. If you cling to stories that flood your body with toxic emotions, they can take you on a one-way trip to despair and bitterness.
Often it is not the actual event or person that keeps on hurting us, but our “thoughts about” the event or person instead. They may have hurt us once, but by rumination, we reinjure ourselves again and again.
Jesus spent much of His ministry undoing false stories and replacing them with truer, better ones. The Sermon on the Mount is a great case in point, where He begins each thought with “You have heard that it was said... but I tell you...” He is, in essence, introducing fresh twists on old familiar ways of looking at life. When we exchange false, painful stories for God’s truer, better ones — over time we also change our emotions, our moods, our personalities, and the outcome of our very lives.
We all know people who have experienced the exact same kind of loss or hurt, but they let it shape them in two very different ways. Same injury, but the crucial difference is one told himself a “grievance story,” while the other chose a “nourishing story” about the identical event.
A fabulous example of this is my friend Shawn. She found the love of her life in midlife. But she and her Ron were married just five years before he died of complications in surgery. She was devastated and grieved his loss profoundly. Within a couple of years, however, she met another widower whose name was also Ron. Happiness returned. They married, and she moved to his country home in Alabama. He provided Shawn with her own version of Eden, a patch of pretty tree-covered land, a garden, a cozy house with a wide front porch, and dogs. Lots of dogs. Two of her adult children soon moved nearby as well, which delighted her heart. Shawn and her children found solace and fresh hope in the happy, healing surroundings that Ron #2 provided.
Then just a few years later, this new Ron was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and died within a few weeks.
Two husbands, both named Ron, both gone in the span of two five-year-long marriages. Shawn would be the perfect candidate for nursing her wounds, growing bitter at God, giving up on life and love and hope. One day, however, she wrote me the following email, and I knew my brave friend would find a way to rise above even this sorrow.
As I look back, I see a row of soil just like in my garden. All kinds of seeds are being dropped into the groove of earth, some good, some bad. Right behind them are these big, manly, powerful hands gently covering each seed with rich, warm, healthy soil and patting it down to perfection. That’s what God does. He doesn’t stop the bad stuff from happening, but He covers it up with good things and then most likely waters it with His own tears.
Losing my first husband Ron was a horrible thing. God covered it with Ron’s invitation to join him in Alabama and become his wife. My adult daughter moved nearby, and her life has been changed forever, her marriage on track, her health restored. My lastborn Evan was taken from a scattered life with no future, to live near us and find a career and start a family. Jack-Henry, Evan’s new son, was created from the entire situation. Only a good and loving God could accomplish those things.
Now I feel like I’m observing another “bad seed” being planted; and only God knows what good things He is conjuring to cover it up with.
Shawn could have so easily told herself stories about God’s unfairness and grown sad, ugly, and bitter. Instead she prayed and asked Him for a better, truer story. And indeed, God gave her a nourishing word picture of healing and hope.
Cry Productive Tears
Did you know that tears from sadness contain actual toxins that tears of joy do not? If you feel a lump in your throat, try to let the tears flow freely as soon as you can. This is because after we’ve let those tears flow, those nasty toxins leave our body and a lightness returns to the body and mind — like the cool, clean air following rain. (This is why you can feel limp but also peaceful and relieved after a good hard cry.)
Remind yourself that your tears are precious to God.
The psalmist tells us that God saves our tears in a bottle. The original word for this bottle is actually a “wine-making flask.” God sees every teardrop, saves them like the finest grapes, then transforms your heartbroken tears into something beautiful, rich, and life-giving that will quench another’s thirst and bring comfort and joy to many.
Your Turn: You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book. — Psalm 56:8
Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. — Matthew 5:4
Are you telling yourself the same negative, painful stories over and over again? Or are you allowing yourself to look at your circumstances and experiences from a more nourishing viewpoint and allowing God to show you how He covers heartbreak with good things and has compassion on you in the middle of your pain? The choice to continue ruminating or to thank God in faith that He is doing a new and good thing is yours. How have you seen God redeem painful circumstances in your life?
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Happy Horses by Diane Eaton
One morning, I bravely asked God to do something, anything, that would distinctly stir my heart. God answered my prayer later that day. It seems worth sharing:
I was driving in the countryside, and my attention was captured by two horses. They had been grazing quietly; then suddenly, they bolted into a gallop. It wasn't their quiet grazing, but their abrupt movement which caught my eye. I watched both horses race toward a house, and then I saw what got them so excited. It was a car driving up the laneway. Perhaps, a family member was arriving home from work. I didn't know, but the horses sure knew. And they were clearly excited about this as they galloped across the field. I could feel the energy that they exuded. I could imagine the ground shaking under their pounding hoofs. What energy! What power!
The horses came to an abrupt halt at the fence, but they couldn't stand still. Their heads tossed up and down in eager anticipation, all the while focusing on that car.
Indisputably, these were happy horses. I drove on, never to know the outcome for those horses. Yet, their exuberant behaviour lingered in my mind. I found myself asking, Isn't there someone in the Scriptures who bolted into a run like that? Who was it?
And then, I remembered. It was the father in the parable of the prodigal son:
Luke 15:20b – While [the son] was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him, and kissed him. (NIV)
God had answered my morning prayer through two exuberant horses. My imagination was stirred and sensitized to the sheer energy of fatherly joy. Now, I'm convinced that Jesus' story is best called "the parable of the happy Father". It's really about the overwhelming joy of the Lord, isn't it!
Thank You, God, for how You answered my prayer! "Ask and it will be given to you … for everyone who asks receives" (Matthew 7:7a,8a NIV).
Why did God use those horses to answer my prayer? Why did God draw me into such thoughts? Surely, it was because I needed it. After all, we seasoned Christians can become desensitized to the sheer power of God's joy. Over time, we come to see God as simply "there" — faithful and powerful, yes, but somewhat non-captivating — never shaking the ground beneath us. Also, we're perpetually at risk of becoming like the older brother in the parable — more captivated by the waywardness of the fallen than by the delight of our Father when His dear ones head home. Thank You, Father, for how You drew me into Your interests. It's just what I needed.
Would you like God to do something unique for you today? If so, you may wish to pray this:
Prayer: Dear heavenly Father, I ask You to do something unique in my life today, anything which distinctly stirs my heart and captivates my attention. Open my eyes to see the answer that You prepare for me. Amen.
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A Blessing for a Biker by Sir John Hargrave
"The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace." - Numbers 6:24-26
I was driving to church for an evening meditation group. Slowing down traffic was a bicyclist in Spandex and a racing jersey, biking directly in the middle of the road. Behind him was a guy on a motorcycle, who honked at the bicyclist to pull over, so he could pass. Instantly, the bicyclist shot the motorcyclist the finger, and began shouting at him about biker rights.
This is a common thing in our state: in fact, the official name for a Massachusetts driver is a "masshole." When a fellow motorist yells at you, or curses your ancestors, it is difficult not to react with anger, or an even more creative swear. But I have come to view these episodes as a kind of spiritual discipline.
Somewhere in my UCC travels, I picked up a little trick: you look at the person and mentally recite, "May you be well, and free from suffering." By saying "free from suffering," you are not wishing them death. You are taking the unpleasant momentum of the moment, and redirecting it with a simple blessing.
Jesus said, "Love your enemies," but if you're leading a relatively stable lifestyle, you probably don't have many outright enemies. Who are we supposed to pray for? ISIS? Imagine instead that Jesus said, "Love the most difficult people in your life." We all have plenty of those: overly needy friends, annoying co-workers, dysfunctional family members. Can we look at them, when they're really getting under our skin, and say wholeheartedly, "May you be well, and free from suffering"?
The bicyclist did eventually pull over, still hollering at the motorcyclist. As I passed him, instead of shooting him a dirty look, I shot him a little blessing: May you be well, and free from potholes.
Prayer: May the difficult people in my life be well, and free from suffering.
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AN IDEA TO SHARE....
For those that spend time driving in your vehicle from one place to another, how do you spend that time behind the wheel? Yes, I feel quite sure that I would get responses such as, "Yelling at other drivers to watch where they are going, perhaps backed with "angry or colorful language"; or perhaps talking on one's cell phone; or those that spend moments texting while driving (I have a special prayer covering for those that do text while driving), or perhaps listening to music on the CD player, or trying to control the kids in the back seat?
If I may share an idea of something that I've been doing for some time, - that of praying (with eyes open!!) for other drivers that are on the roadway with me. I normally am in a reflective mood when driving to work, and it doesn't matter whether there are a lot of cars or just one or two. I see lots of truckers driving semi's - lots of different vehicles.
How do I pray for those that are on the road with me? First I pray that they are children of The King, Our Lord Jesus Christ. As there is no way to know that, I lift up the people in that vehicle to the Lord, and ask for His Intervention in their lives, that if they aren't of His Kingdom, that people or events would come into their lives, that they would be drawn to surrender their hearts, minds, souls, to Our Lord, and live their lives for the Kingdom. I pray that those that do surrender their lives to Our Lord, that they would be a Strong Witness to their family and friends, and that they would be a Strong Faithful Intercessor for others that they know that don't know Christ.
I can only hope that others will follow in doing this, in that I believe that Our Lord can do miracles with our prayers, and that our prayers for others will make a difference in their lives. Author Unknown
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Small Straws In A Soft Wind by Marsha Burns
Feeling disconnected is part of the widening gap between My people and the people of the world. You cannot walk in both places; you are either part of My kingdom or not. Those who are righteous by the blood of Christ will become more aware of this disparity. And, it is up to each one to stay on the path of light and life, says the Lord. 2 Timothy 3:12-14 Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them.
Most of you, My people, are still transitioning into the spiritual and natural position that I have prepared for you. Stay flexible and alert to the leading of My Spirit, for it will be as though I am taking you by the hand so that you will not miss a step, says the Lord. I am with you. Hebrews 13:5b For He Himself has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you."
You are coming into a time that promises to be one of the most significant of your life. It is imperative that you move through this time with precise discernment. Make yourself available to Me, and be ready to go with the flow of My Spirit, says the Lord. I will take you to spiritual heights that you could have only dreamed of until now. Isaiah 41:18 I will open rivers in desolate heights, and fountains in the midst of the valleys; I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water.
Let all defilement of flesh and spirit be removed from you, for you are being prepared to move into a time of spiritual purity. If you will allow it, I will send a cleansing flow of My Spirit. You will be purged and washed and made ready for an elevation in righteousness so that you can receive greater revelation of My kingdom, says the Lord. Trust Me and yield. Psalms 51:7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
This is a new day, and if you will yield completely to Me, says the Lord, I will put everything right. There are things that still require your attention and will be brought to the forefront so that you can see clearly how to proceed. Trust Me with everything that concerns you. I am for you and with you. Isaiah 40:4 Every valley shall be exalted and every mountain and hill brought low; the crooked places shall be made straight and the rough places smooth.
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The Trumpet by Bill Burns
"Set the trumpet to your mouth!" Hosea 8:1
Gird up the loins of your mind because as you think, as you think in your heart, so you are. You will become that which you are meditating on. You will move into what I am doing as you begin to believe and process the word that I reveal to you. I will direct you and be with you in unity. And, you will be empowered to gain the victory over all the powers of the enemy. From this moment on begin to believe My word and you will excel in this season, says the Lord.
Tell the people to get themselves untangled in their position of life, says the Lord. Untangle yourselves one tangle at a time with understanding that as you finish the process everything will be in order. Do not leave tangled messes in your life. For, if you do so you will be caught in them and taken captive by them.
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Make It A Habit by Virginia Santoro
Make it a habit to let things go.
Make it your practice that less is more.
Make it a habit to think the best.
Make it your practice to daily de-stress.
Make it a habit to forgive and forget.
Make it your practice to not digress.
Make it a habit to choose what is fine.
Make it your practice to unburden your mind.
Make it a habit to fully live life.
Make it your practice not to create struggle or strife.
Make it a habit to put God first.
Make it your practice to not swear or curse.
Make it a habit to always be ready.
Make it your practice to stay focused and steady.
Make it a habit to not beat yourself up.
Make it your practice to see the overflowing cup.
Make it a habit to always give more.
Make it your practice to expect to soar.
Make it a habit to ask for Guidance.
Make it your practice ~ healthy self-reliance.
Make it a habit to depend only on God.
Make it your practice to speak from the heart.
Make it habit if it rings good and true.
Make it your practice if it uplifts you.
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Long did I toil and knew no earthly rest,
Far did I rove and found no certain home;
At last I sought them in His sheltering breast,
Who opens His arms and bids the weary come:
With Him I found a home, a rest divine,
And I, since then, am His, and He is mine.
The good I have is from His stores supplied,
The ill is only what He deems the best;
He for my friend, I'm rich with naught beside,
And poor without Him, though of all possessed;
Changes may come, I take or I resign
Content, while I am His, and He is mine.
Whate'er may change, in Him no change is seen,
A glorious Sun that wanes not nor declines;
Above the storms and clouds He walks serene,
And on His people's inward darkness shines;
All may depart: I fret not, nor repine,
While I my Saviour's am, while He is mine.
While here, alas! I know but half His love,
But half discern Him, and but half adore;
But when I meet Him in the realms above
I hope to love him better, praise Him more,
And feel, and tell, amid the choir divine,
How fully I am His, and He is mine.
--J. Quarles and H. F. Lyte
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Breathe on me, breath of God,
Fill me with life anew,
That I may love what Thou dost love,
And do what Thou wouldst do.
Breathe on me, breath of God,
Until my heart is pure,
Until with Thee I will one will,
To do and to endure.
Breathe on me, breath of God,
Blend all my soul with Thine,
Until this earthly part of me
Glows with Thy fire divine.
Breathe on me, breath of God,
So shall I never die,
But live with Thee the perfect life
Of Thine eternity.
Edwin Hatch
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"Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." James 1:2-4
People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart. 1 Samuel 16:7
The LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless. O LORD Almighty, blessed is the man who trusts in You. -- Psalm 84:11,12
O give thanks to the God of heaven, for his steadfast love endures forever. - Psalm 136:26
38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38-39
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." Philippians 4:6
May my cry come before you, O LORD; give me understanding according to your word.May my supplication come before you; deliver me according to your promise. May my lips overflow with praise, for you teach me your decrees. May my tongue sing of your word, for all your commands are righteous. May your hand be ready to help me, for I have chosen your precepts. I long for your salvation, O LORD, and your law is my delight. Let me live that I may praise you, and may your laws sustain me. I have strayed like a lost sheep. Seek your servant, for I have not forgotten your commands. Psalm 119:169-176
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STANDING IN MY STADIUM Author Unknown
If You've Ever Been In Love...
Think back (for some of you this will take longer than others) to when you met that man/woman that you just knew would be the one. Remember when you realized/admitted to yourself that you loved him/her. Now remember how much you wanted to act like you were in a movie, and yell to everyone in the football stadium "I love (fill in the name)!!!!" You told family and friends how perfect he was. You told your boys how she was just what you were looking for.
Well, I told THE LORD I loved Him today. And He said to me, "How much do you love me? You haven't told anyone how good I've been to you. You haven't shared how perfect my love is. You haven't spread the good news that I am always there to listen to your problems. You haven't told your family how I helped you pay your bills when you didn't have a high paying job, or how I got you a better one. You didn't tell your boys how I took away that addiction that would have cost you not only your job, but that woman that was just what you were looking for. So how much do you really love me?
So, I said I would share with my friends and family (for starters) just how wonderful, perfect, understanding, patient, loving, unselfish, considerate and forgiving GOD really is. He has blessed me with a family that loves me and friends that I can confide in. But even more than that He has saved me from a destruction I couldn't even see coming. He gave to me the peace of knowing Him and He has never broken a promise. Truly He is the best thing that has ever happened to me. And I stand in my stadium today to yell to you all "I love THE LORD!!!"
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To all who suffer:
May the Spirit of God
Be close to you, Renew and uplift you,
Strengthen and comfort you,
Pour gifts on you to heal you,
Enfold you in love to protect you,
Lighten your burden of illness,
Bestow peace in mind and body,
Guide you in the way of Christ
And so lead you into glory.
Amen
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Read Through The Bible
Jeremiah 8
1 At that time, saith the Lord, they shall bring out the bones of the kings of Judah, and the bones of his princes, and the bones of the priests, and the bones of the prophets, and the bones of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, out of their graves: 2 And they shall spread them before the sun, and the moon, and all the host of heaven, whom they have loved, and whom they have served, and after whom they have walked, and whom they have sought, and whom they have worshipped: they shall not be gathered, nor be buried; they shall be for dung upon the face of the earth. 3 And death shall be chosen rather than life by all the residue of them that remain of this evil family, which remain in all the places whither I have driven them, saith the Lord of hosts. 4 Moreover thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the Lord; Shall they fall, and not arise? shall he turn away, and not return? 5 Why then is this people of Jerusalem slidden back by a perpetual backsliding? they hold fast deceit, they refuse to return. 6 I hearkened and heard, but they spake not aright: no man repented him of his wickedness, saying, What have I done? every one turned to his course, as the horse rusheth into the battle. 7 Yea, the stork in the heaven knoweth her appointed times; and the turtle and the crane and the swallow observe the time of their coming; but my people know not the judgment of the Lord. 8 How do ye say, We are wise, and the law of the Lord is with us? Lo, certainly in vain made he it; the pen of the scribes is in vain. 9 The wise men are ashamed, they are dismayed and taken: lo, they have rejected the word of the Lord; and what wisdom is in them? 10 Therefore will I give their wives unto others, and their fields to them that shall inherit them: for every one from the least even unto the greatest is given to covetousness, from the prophet even unto the priest every one dealeth falsely. 11 For they have healed the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace. 12 Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore shall they fall among them that fall: in the time of their visitation they shall be cast down, saith the Lord. 13 I will surely consume them, saith the Lord: there shall be no grapes on the vine, nor figs on the fig tree, and the leaf shall fade; and the things that I have given them shall pass away from them. 14 Why do we sit still? assemble yourselves, and let us enter into the defenced cities, and let us be silent there: for the Lord our God hath put us to silence, and given us water of gall to drink, because we have sinned against the Lord. 15 We looked for peace, but no good came; and for a time of health, and behold trouble! 16 The snorting of his horses was heard from Dan: the whole land trembled at the sound of the neighing of his strong ones; for they are come, and have devoured the land, and all that is in it; the city, and those that dwell therein. 17 For, behold, I will send serpents, cockatrices, among you, which will not be charmed, and they shall bite you, saith the Lord. 18 When I would comfort myself against sorrow, my heart is faint in me. 19 Behold the voice of the cry of the daughter of my people because of them that dwell in a far country: Is not the Lord in Zion? is not her king in her? Why have they provoked me to anger with their graven images, and with strange vanities? 20 The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved. 21 For the hurt of the daughter of my people am I hurt; I am black; astonishment hath taken hold on me. 22 Is there no balm in Gilead; is there no physician there? why then is not the health of the daughter of my people recovered?
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Lord, I Know You Will Never Abandon Me
Lord, in times of pride I parade my success, or fame or fortune for all the world to see. Then in times of illness I see how weak I really am, and how vain, Let me rather walk humbly with you. Let me trust in you, rather than in my own strength, let me step out with confidence in you, for your weakness is greater than all my strength. Lord, I thank you, for I know you will never abandon me. Amen
Wherever you are in life, whatever you've done, you can begin again. If you do not have Jesus in your life and wish to ask Jesus into your life please go to this link now to do so: https://bluidkiti.com/forums/showthread.php?t=130 .
Jesus is calling you to live a life that matters.
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Cover and uncover your eyes, ears and heart with your hands in turn, and, as you do so, ask God to speak to you as you read, listen, think and pray today.
Today, tomorrow, or on any given day, God can use each of us to bless someone.
Remembering how blessed and loved we are, we, in turn, can show God’s love by giving “buckets” full of love to God’s people every day.
No matter how low we feel, God offers grace to lift us up.
Today, give thanks for the blessings God has given us.
Neither today’s fears nor worries about tomorrow can separate us from God’s love. Knowing this, we can find comfort that even when we are afraid, we have the promise of God’s unrelenting love.
Because God is everywhere, you can pray anywhere. --Unknown
See God in every person, place, and thing, and all will be well in your world. --Louise Hay
Call on God when you need a friend to make it through the day. Lord, may we share Your love and beauty so that our lives may not be lonely.
God will never abandon us.
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The Joy of Focusing on God by Sarah Young, from Jesus Calling Morning and Evening Devotional
Let Me become the desire of your heart
Morning
I am ever so near you, hovering over your shoulder, reading every thought. People think that thoughts are fleeting and worthless, but yours are precious to Me. I smile when you think lovingly of Me. My Spirit, who lives within you, helps you to think My thoughts. As your thinking goes, so goes your entire being.
Let Me be your positive Focus.
When you look to Me, knowing Me as God with you, you experience Joy. This is according to My ancient design, when I first crafted man. Modern man seeks his positive focus elsewhere: in sports, sensations, acquiring new possessions. Advertising capitalizes on the longing of people for a positive focus in their lives. I planted that longing in human souls, knowing that only I could fully satisfy it. Delight yourself in Me; let Me become the Desire of your heart.
Psalm 139:1–2; Matthew 1:23; Psalm 37:4
Evening
Most people are not very aware of their thoughts during their “down times,” but I am quite aware of them. I want you to train your mind to turn toward Me more and more. Think about who I am — Creator, Savior, King of kings — and ponder My amazing, unending Love for you.
When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have set in place, what is man that You are mindful of him, the son of man that You care for him? — Psalm 8:3–4
Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is — His good, pleasing and perfect will. — Romans 12:2
Also read: Psalm 119:11 NKJV
Before You Turn Out the Light
Spend some time in quietness — away from the television, the radio, and other distracting noise — to restore your focus to Me.
Your Turn: Lord, help us to train our minds to think on You when we’re in the middle of our day, bored, or sad, busy, or mired in trouble. Help us to remember to be quiet and just enjoy Your presence. We want more of You, so please teach our hearts to find our joy in focusing on you!
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God's Thermal of Encouragement by Steve Troxel
Many of us have experienced that low Spiritual valley where we thought the sun would never shine again. Some were sent quickly into the valley by a very specific event; others drifted slowly to the bottom and can't say by what path they arrived. In either case, we wandered in this gloom until something began to lift us to new heights.
"He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." (Isaiah 40:29-31)
An eagle seems to fly effortlessly through the air with only an occasional flap of the wings. These great birds are experts at finding areas of rising air called thermals which allow them to soar without using any of their own energy.
God uses Spiritual thermals to lift up those who hope and trust in Him. Those who believe the truth of His Word and diligently search for the rising currents through prayer and undeterred worship will be freed from the heavy baggage which prevents upward flight - they will be lifted up by the guidance and strength of God's Spirit.
If we find ourselves back in the valley today, we must continue to seek Him with all our heart and trust that our thermal is on the way. He has promised to strengthen us and cause us to soar once again! And if we're currently flying high in our communion with God, we must give praise and honor to our Heavenly Father; but we must also recognize there are many others in the valley who desperately need a lift - many who are searching and feeling overcome with darkness. As we soar, we must understand that we are never called to fly alone.
God has chosen to use people to accomplish much of His work on earth. He could have chosen other methods; "If they {the people} keep quiet, the stones will cry out" (Luke 19:40), but He chose us. We are to "encourage one another daily" (Hebrews 3:13). Why? Because there is a valley full of people waiting and hoping for that rising current to lift them up and set them free. We can be a rising current for others with simple words or acts of encouragement which show them God's love and gently lead them back toward His peace.
We have been adopted into the "Family" of God...and our Family needs each other very much! Let's dedicate ourselves to soaring high by worshiping God in absolutely every area of our life. Let's continue to rise to new heights and always look for others in need of God's thermal of encouragement!
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Suffering: Seek Out and Embrace a More Nourishing Story
by Becky Johnson and Rachel Randolph, from Nourished
Your tears are precious to God
One way the brain processes upset is through telling itself stories from different angles until it settles on a narrative that fits and helps you move forward. One way you can help yourself heal is to examine the stories you tell yourself. If these looping stories are bringing up more anger, resentment, worry, or sorrow — you might want to search for some better stories. If you cling to stories that flood your body with toxic emotions, they can take you on a one-way trip to despair and bitterness.
Often it is not the actual event or person that keeps on hurting us, but our “thoughts about” the event or person instead. They may have hurt us once, but by rumination, we reinjure ourselves again and again.
Jesus spent much of His ministry undoing false stories and replacing them with truer, better ones. The Sermon on the Mount is a great case in point, where He begins each thought with “You have heard that it was said... but I tell you...” He is, in essence, introducing fresh twists on old familiar ways of looking at life. When we exchange false, painful stories for God’s truer, better ones — over time we also change our emotions, our moods, our personalities, and the outcome of our very lives.
We all know people who have experienced the exact same kind of loss or hurt, but they let it shape them in two very different ways. Same injury, but the crucial difference is one told himself a “grievance story,” while the other chose a “nourishing story” about the identical event.
A fabulous example of this is my friend Shawn. She found the love of her life in midlife. But she and her Ron were married just five years before he died of complications in surgery. She was devastated and grieved his loss profoundly. Within a couple of years, however, she met another widower whose name was also Ron. Happiness returned. They married, and she moved to his country home in Alabama. He provided Shawn with her own version of Eden, a patch of pretty tree-covered land, a garden, a cozy house with a wide front porch, and dogs. Lots of dogs. Two of her adult children soon moved nearby as well, which delighted her heart. Shawn and her children found solace and fresh hope in the happy, healing surroundings that Ron #2 provided.
Then just a few years later, this new Ron was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and died within a few weeks.
Two husbands, both named Ron, both gone in the span of two five-year-long marriages. Shawn would be the perfect candidate for nursing her wounds, growing bitter at God, giving up on life and love and hope. One day, however, she wrote me the following email, and I knew my brave friend would find a way to rise above even this sorrow.
As I look back, I see a row of soil just like in my garden. All kinds of seeds are being dropped into the groove of earth, some good, some bad. Right behind them are these big, manly, powerful hands gently covering each seed with rich, warm, healthy soil and patting it down to perfection. That’s what God does. He doesn’t stop the bad stuff from happening, but He covers it up with good things and then most likely waters it with His own tears.
Losing my first husband Ron was a horrible thing. God covered it with Ron’s invitation to join him in Alabama and become his wife. My adult daughter moved nearby, and her life has been changed forever, her marriage on track, her health restored. My lastborn Evan was taken from a scattered life with no future, to live near us and find a career and start a family. Jack-Henry, Evan’s new son, was created from the entire situation. Only a good and loving God could accomplish those things.
Now I feel like I’m observing another “bad seed” being planted; and only God knows what good things He is conjuring to cover it up with.
Shawn could have so easily told herself stories about God’s unfairness and grown sad, ugly, and bitter. Instead she prayed and asked Him for a better, truer story. And indeed, God gave her a nourishing word picture of healing and hope.
Cry Productive Tears
Did you know that tears from sadness contain actual toxins that tears of joy do not? If you feel a lump in your throat, try to let the tears flow freely as soon as you can. This is because after we’ve let those tears flow, those nasty toxins leave our body and a lightness returns to the body and mind — like the cool, clean air following rain. (This is why you can feel limp but also peaceful and relieved after a good hard cry.)
Remind yourself that your tears are precious to God.
The psalmist tells us that God saves our tears in a bottle. The original word for this bottle is actually a “wine-making flask.” God sees every teardrop, saves them like the finest grapes, then transforms your heartbroken tears into something beautiful, rich, and life-giving that will quench another’s thirst and bring comfort and joy to many.
Your Turn: You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book. — Psalm 56:8
Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. — Matthew 5:4
Are you telling yourself the same negative, painful stories over and over again? Or are you allowing yourself to look at your circumstances and experiences from a more nourishing viewpoint and allowing God to show you how He covers heartbreak with good things and has compassion on you in the middle of your pain? The choice to continue ruminating or to thank God in faith that He is doing a new and good thing is yours. How have you seen God redeem painful circumstances in your life?
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Happy Horses by Diane Eaton
One morning, I bravely asked God to do something, anything, that would distinctly stir my heart. God answered my prayer later that day. It seems worth sharing:
I was driving in the countryside, and my attention was captured by two horses. They had been grazing quietly; then suddenly, they bolted into a gallop. It wasn't their quiet grazing, but their abrupt movement which caught my eye. I watched both horses race toward a house, and then I saw what got them so excited. It was a car driving up the laneway. Perhaps, a family member was arriving home from work. I didn't know, but the horses sure knew. And they were clearly excited about this as they galloped across the field. I could feel the energy that they exuded. I could imagine the ground shaking under their pounding hoofs. What energy! What power!
The horses came to an abrupt halt at the fence, but they couldn't stand still. Their heads tossed up and down in eager anticipation, all the while focusing on that car.
Indisputably, these were happy horses. I drove on, never to know the outcome for those horses. Yet, their exuberant behaviour lingered in my mind. I found myself asking, Isn't there someone in the Scriptures who bolted into a run like that? Who was it?
And then, I remembered. It was the father in the parable of the prodigal son:
Luke 15:20b – While [the son] was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him, and kissed him. (NIV)
God had answered my morning prayer through two exuberant horses. My imagination was stirred and sensitized to the sheer energy of fatherly joy. Now, I'm convinced that Jesus' story is best called "the parable of the happy Father". It's really about the overwhelming joy of the Lord, isn't it!
Thank You, God, for how You answered my prayer! "Ask and it will be given to you … for everyone who asks receives" (Matthew 7:7a,8a NIV).
Why did God use those horses to answer my prayer? Why did God draw me into such thoughts? Surely, it was because I needed it. After all, we seasoned Christians can become desensitized to the sheer power of God's joy. Over time, we come to see God as simply "there" — faithful and powerful, yes, but somewhat non-captivating — never shaking the ground beneath us. Also, we're perpetually at risk of becoming like the older brother in the parable — more captivated by the waywardness of the fallen than by the delight of our Father when His dear ones head home. Thank You, Father, for how You drew me into Your interests. It's just what I needed.
Would you like God to do something unique for you today? If so, you may wish to pray this:
Prayer: Dear heavenly Father, I ask You to do something unique in my life today, anything which distinctly stirs my heart and captivates my attention. Open my eyes to see the answer that You prepare for me. Amen.
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A Blessing for a Biker by Sir John Hargrave
"The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace." - Numbers 6:24-26
I was driving to church for an evening meditation group. Slowing down traffic was a bicyclist in Spandex and a racing jersey, biking directly in the middle of the road. Behind him was a guy on a motorcycle, who honked at the bicyclist to pull over, so he could pass. Instantly, the bicyclist shot the motorcyclist the finger, and began shouting at him about biker rights.
This is a common thing in our state: in fact, the official name for a Massachusetts driver is a "masshole." When a fellow motorist yells at you, or curses your ancestors, it is difficult not to react with anger, or an even more creative swear. But I have come to view these episodes as a kind of spiritual discipline.
Somewhere in my UCC travels, I picked up a little trick: you look at the person and mentally recite, "May you be well, and free from suffering." By saying "free from suffering," you are not wishing them death. You are taking the unpleasant momentum of the moment, and redirecting it with a simple blessing.
Jesus said, "Love your enemies," but if you're leading a relatively stable lifestyle, you probably don't have many outright enemies. Who are we supposed to pray for? ISIS? Imagine instead that Jesus said, "Love the most difficult people in your life." We all have plenty of those: overly needy friends, annoying co-workers, dysfunctional family members. Can we look at them, when they're really getting under our skin, and say wholeheartedly, "May you be well, and free from suffering"?
The bicyclist did eventually pull over, still hollering at the motorcyclist. As I passed him, instead of shooting him a dirty look, I shot him a little blessing: May you be well, and free from potholes.
Prayer: May the difficult people in my life be well, and free from suffering.
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AN IDEA TO SHARE....
For those that spend time driving in your vehicle from one place to another, how do you spend that time behind the wheel? Yes, I feel quite sure that I would get responses such as, "Yelling at other drivers to watch where they are going, perhaps backed with "angry or colorful language"; or perhaps talking on one's cell phone; or those that spend moments texting while driving (I have a special prayer covering for those that do text while driving), or perhaps listening to music on the CD player, or trying to control the kids in the back seat?
If I may share an idea of something that I've been doing for some time, - that of praying (with eyes open!!) for other drivers that are on the roadway with me. I normally am in a reflective mood when driving to work, and it doesn't matter whether there are a lot of cars or just one or two. I see lots of truckers driving semi's - lots of different vehicles.
How do I pray for those that are on the road with me? First I pray that they are children of The King, Our Lord Jesus Christ. As there is no way to know that, I lift up the people in that vehicle to the Lord, and ask for His Intervention in their lives, that if they aren't of His Kingdom, that people or events would come into their lives, that they would be drawn to surrender their hearts, minds, souls, to Our Lord, and live their lives for the Kingdom. I pray that those that do surrender their lives to Our Lord, that they would be a Strong Witness to their family and friends, and that they would be a Strong Faithful Intercessor for others that they know that don't know Christ.
I can only hope that others will follow in doing this, in that I believe that Our Lord can do miracles with our prayers, and that our prayers for others will make a difference in their lives. Author Unknown
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Small Straws In A Soft Wind by Marsha Burns
Feeling disconnected is part of the widening gap between My people and the people of the world. You cannot walk in both places; you are either part of My kingdom or not. Those who are righteous by the blood of Christ will become more aware of this disparity. And, it is up to each one to stay on the path of light and life, says the Lord. 2 Timothy 3:12-14 Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them.
Most of you, My people, are still transitioning into the spiritual and natural position that I have prepared for you. Stay flexible and alert to the leading of My Spirit, for it will be as though I am taking you by the hand so that you will not miss a step, says the Lord. I am with you. Hebrews 13:5b For He Himself has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you."
You are coming into a time that promises to be one of the most significant of your life. It is imperative that you move through this time with precise discernment. Make yourself available to Me, and be ready to go with the flow of My Spirit, says the Lord. I will take you to spiritual heights that you could have only dreamed of until now. Isaiah 41:18 I will open rivers in desolate heights, and fountains in the midst of the valleys; I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water.
Let all defilement of flesh and spirit be removed from you, for you are being prepared to move into a time of spiritual purity. If you will allow it, I will send a cleansing flow of My Spirit. You will be purged and washed and made ready for an elevation in righteousness so that you can receive greater revelation of My kingdom, says the Lord. Trust Me and yield. Psalms 51:7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
This is a new day, and if you will yield completely to Me, says the Lord, I will put everything right. There are things that still require your attention and will be brought to the forefront so that you can see clearly how to proceed. Trust Me with everything that concerns you. I am for you and with you. Isaiah 40:4 Every valley shall be exalted and every mountain and hill brought low; the crooked places shall be made straight and the rough places smooth.
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The Trumpet by Bill Burns
"Set the trumpet to your mouth!" Hosea 8:1
Gird up the loins of your mind because as you think, as you think in your heart, so you are. You will become that which you are meditating on. You will move into what I am doing as you begin to believe and process the word that I reveal to you. I will direct you and be with you in unity. And, you will be empowered to gain the victory over all the powers of the enemy. From this moment on begin to believe My word and you will excel in this season, says the Lord.
Tell the people to get themselves untangled in their position of life, says the Lord. Untangle yourselves one tangle at a time with understanding that as you finish the process everything will be in order. Do not leave tangled messes in your life. For, if you do so you will be caught in them and taken captive by them.
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Make It A Habit by Virginia Santoro
Make it a habit to let things go.
Make it your practice that less is more.
Make it a habit to think the best.
Make it your practice to daily de-stress.
Make it a habit to forgive and forget.
Make it your practice to not digress.
Make it a habit to choose what is fine.
Make it your practice to unburden your mind.
Make it a habit to fully live life.
Make it your practice not to create struggle or strife.
Make it a habit to put God first.
Make it your practice to not swear or curse.
Make it a habit to always be ready.
Make it your practice to stay focused and steady.
Make it a habit to not beat yourself up.
Make it your practice to see the overflowing cup.
Make it a habit to always give more.
Make it your practice to expect to soar.
Make it a habit to ask for Guidance.
Make it your practice ~ healthy self-reliance.
Make it a habit to depend only on God.
Make it your practice to speak from the heart.
Make it habit if it rings good and true.
Make it your practice if it uplifts you.
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Long did I toil and knew no earthly rest,
Far did I rove and found no certain home;
At last I sought them in His sheltering breast,
Who opens His arms and bids the weary come:
With Him I found a home, a rest divine,
And I, since then, am His, and He is mine.
The good I have is from His stores supplied,
The ill is only what He deems the best;
He for my friend, I'm rich with naught beside,
And poor without Him, though of all possessed;
Changes may come, I take or I resign
Content, while I am His, and He is mine.
Whate'er may change, in Him no change is seen,
A glorious Sun that wanes not nor declines;
Above the storms and clouds He walks serene,
And on His people's inward darkness shines;
All may depart: I fret not, nor repine,
While I my Saviour's am, while He is mine.
While here, alas! I know but half His love,
But half discern Him, and but half adore;
But when I meet Him in the realms above
I hope to love him better, praise Him more,
And feel, and tell, amid the choir divine,
How fully I am His, and He is mine.
--J. Quarles and H. F. Lyte
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Breathe on me, breath of God,
Fill me with life anew,
That I may love what Thou dost love,
And do what Thou wouldst do.
Breathe on me, breath of God,
Until my heart is pure,
Until with Thee I will one will,
To do and to endure.
Breathe on me, breath of God,
Blend all my soul with Thine,
Until this earthly part of me
Glows with Thy fire divine.
Breathe on me, breath of God,
So shall I never die,
But live with Thee the perfect life
Of Thine eternity.
Edwin Hatch
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"Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." James 1:2-4
People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart. 1 Samuel 16:7
The LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless. O LORD Almighty, blessed is the man who trusts in You. -- Psalm 84:11,12
O give thanks to the God of heaven, for his steadfast love endures forever. - Psalm 136:26
38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38-39
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." Philippians 4:6
May my cry come before you, O LORD; give me understanding according to your word.May my supplication come before you; deliver me according to your promise. May my lips overflow with praise, for you teach me your decrees. May my tongue sing of your word, for all your commands are righteous. May your hand be ready to help me, for I have chosen your precepts. I long for your salvation, O LORD, and your law is my delight. Let me live that I may praise you, and may your laws sustain me. I have strayed like a lost sheep. Seek your servant, for I have not forgotten your commands. Psalm 119:169-176
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STANDING IN MY STADIUM Author Unknown
If You've Ever Been In Love...
Think back (for some of you this will take longer than others) to when you met that man/woman that you just knew would be the one. Remember when you realized/admitted to yourself that you loved him/her. Now remember how much you wanted to act like you were in a movie, and yell to everyone in the football stadium "I love (fill in the name)!!!!" You told family and friends how perfect he was. You told your boys how she was just what you were looking for.
Well, I told THE LORD I loved Him today. And He said to me, "How much do you love me? You haven't told anyone how good I've been to you. You haven't shared how perfect my love is. You haven't spread the good news that I am always there to listen to your problems. You haven't told your family how I helped you pay your bills when you didn't have a high paying job, or how I got you a better one. You didn't tell your boys how I took away that addiction that would have cost you not only your job, but that woman that was just what you were looking for. So how much do you really love me?
So, I said I would share with my friends and family (for starters) just how wonderful, perfect, understanding, patient, loving, unselfish, considerate and forgiving GOD really is. He has blessed me with a family that loves me and friends that I can confide in. But even more than that He has saved me from a destruction I couldn't even see coming. He gave to me the peace of knowing Him and He has never broken a promise. Truly He is the best thing that has ever happened to me. And I stand in my stadium today to yell to you all "I love THE LORD!!!"
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To all who suffer:
May the Spirit of God
Be close to you, Renew and uplift you,
Strengthen and comfort you,
Pour gifts on you to heal you,
Enfold you in love to protect you,
Lighten your burden of illness,
Bestow peace in mind and body,
Guide you in the way of Christ
And so lead you into glory.
Amen
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Read Through The Bible
Jeremiah 8
1 At that time, saith the Lord, they shall bring out the bones of the kings of Judah, and the bones of his princes, and the bones of the priests, and the bones of the prophets, and the bones of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, out of their graves: 2 And they shall spread them before the sun, and the moon, and all the host of heaven, whom they have loved, and whom they have served, and after whom they have walked, and whom they have sought, and whom they have worshipped: they shall not be gathered, nor be buried; they shall be for dung upon the face of the earth. 3 And death shall be chosen rather than life by all the residue of them that remain of this evil family, which remain in all the places whither I have driven them, saith the Lord of hosts. 4 Moreover thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the Lord; Shall they fall, and not arise? shall he turn away, and not return? 5 Why then is this people of Jerusalem slidden back by a perpetual backsliding? they hold fast deceit, they refuse to return. 6 I hearkened and heard, but they spake not aright: no man repented him of his wickedness, saying, What have I done? every one turned to his course, as the horse rusheth into the battle. 7 Yea, the stork in the heaven knoweth her appointed times; and the turtle and the crane and the swallow observe the time of their coming; but my people know not the judgment of the Lord. 8 How do ye say, We are wise, and the law of the Lord is with us? Lo, certainly in vain made he it; the pen of the scribes is in vain. 9 The wise men are ashamed, they are dismayed and taken: lo, they have rejected the word of the Lord; and what wisdom is in them? 10 Therefore will I give their wives unto others, and their fields to them that shall inherit them: for every one from the least even unto the greatest is given to covetousness, from the prophet even unto the priest every one dealeth falsely. 11 For they have healed the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace. 12 Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore shall they fall among them that fall: in the time of their visitation they shall be cast down, saith the Lord. 13 I will surely consume them, saith the Lord: there shall be no grapes on the vine, nor figs on the fig tree, and the leaf shall fade; and the things that I have given them shall pass away from them. 14 Why do we sit still? assemble yourselves, and let us enter into the defenced cities, and let us be silent there: for the Lord our God hath put us to silence, and given us water of gall to drink, because we have sinned against the Lord. 15 We looked for peace, but no good came; and for a time of health, and behold trouble! 16 The snorting of his horses was heard from Dan: the whole land trembled at the sound of the neighing of his strong ones; for they are come, and have devoured the land, and all that is in it; the city, and those that dwell therein. 17 For, behold, I will send serpents, cockatrices, among you, which will not be charmed, and they shall bite you, saith the Lord. 18 When I would comfort myself against sorrow, my heart is faint in me. 19 Behold the voice of the cry of the daughter of my people because of them that dwell in a far country: Is not the Lord in Zion? is not her king in her? Why have they provoked me to anger with their graven images, and with strange vanities? 20 The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved. 21 For the hurt of the daughter of my people am I hurt; I am black; astonishment hath taken hold on me. 22 Is there no balm in Gilead; is there no physician there? why then is not the health of the daughter of my people recovered?
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Lord, I Know You Will Never Abandon Me
Lord, in times of pride I parade my success, or fame or fortune for all the world to see. Then in times of illness I see how weak I really am, and how vain, Let me rather walk humbly with you. Let me trust in you, rather than in my own strength, let me step out with confidence in you, for your weakness is greater than all my strength. Lord, I thank you, for I know you will never abandon me. Amen
Wherever you are in life, whatever you've done, you can begin again. If you do not have Jesus in your life and wish to ask Jesus into your life please go to this link now to do so: https://bluidkiti.com/forums/showthread.php?t=130 .
Jesus is calling you to live a life that matters.