bluidkiti
05-27-2015, 01:04 PM
For however devoted you are to God, you may be sure that He is immeasurably more devoted to you. -- Meister Eckhart
I never cease to be amazed at how perfectly God weaves His will together without our help! --Charles Swindoll
If you have never heard the mountains singing, or seen the trees of the field clapping their hands, do not think because of that they don’t. Ask God to open your ears so you may hear it, and your eyes so you may see it, because, though few people ever know it, they do, my friend, they do. --McCandlish Phillips
It is such a comfort to drop the tangles of life into God’s hands and leave them there. --Lettie Cowman
Today I wait in peace and rest in the knowledge that God is working for me while I am resting. written by ~ Ruth Fishel
Lord, help me to remember that nothing is going to happen to me today that You and I together can't handle.
With God's strength behind you, His love within you, and His arms underneath you, you are more than sufficient for the days ahead of you.
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Can These Bones Live? by Sharon Greer
Ezekiel 37:3a – He asked me, "Son of man, can these bones live?" (NIV)
My dog, Sparky, and I went down The Trail for the first time this spring. It was a mild, sunny day, so different from the frigid weather that we had been having for the previous several months. He pranced and danced along happily, as I hobbled along behind him. I am not ready to prance and dance just yet, given the problem that I have been having with my legs. Maybe someday!
My eyes took in the vast expanse of waving, brown grasses and thin, broken stalks. The verdant fields and bright flowers of autumn had been ravaged by the wolves of winter, and only these sad-looking skeletons remained in their places. It was then that a strange thought popped into my mind. It seemed like a rather peculiar question: "Can these bones live?"
As I pondered this seemingly strange thought, I recalled that God had asked this question of Ezekiel the prophet in the valley of dry bones. The answer Ezekiel gave was, "O Sovereign Lord, you alone know."
However, my answer was different, and I can know because the Lord has assured us:
Genesis 8:22 – As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease. (NIV)
Because He said so, we can be assured that these dry "bones" — fields — will certainly live again. Even as I looked down, I noticed bits of green poking through the wind-blasted earth. The new life of another spring was beginning.
As in nature, so it is in our lives. Words came to me as I felt the reassurance surging through me:
No pounding rain or driving sleet,
Not vicious cold or blistering heat,
No bitter wind or grinding feet,
Not even life's most crushing need
Can stop the growth of God's good seed.
No matter what we may face,
Through it all there will poke
A tiny leaf of hope.
Perhaps only a sliver at first,
Barely observable to the naked eye.
But with the help of the Holy Spirit,
It will grow to meet man's need,
For God is our persistent Seed.
Perhaps these words will be those seeds of hope for you reading this today. You can be assured that your new beginning is also coming as you trust in Him.
Prayer: Thank You, heavenly Father, that we can always be assured of Your provision in our lives. You plant seeds of hope in our hearts for everyday living. You water these seeds and show us how to live so that we may one day reap a harvest to share with others. Help us to keep our feet on Your good soil as we walk through this life with You, in the strength and power of Your Holy Spirit. Amen.
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The Graduation Gift by Steve Blair
A young man was getting ready to graduate from college. For many months he had admired a beautiful sports car in a dealer's showroom, and his father could well afford it. He told him that was all he wanted.
As Graduation Day approached, the young man awaited signs that his father had purchased the car. Finally, on the morning of his graduation, his father called him into his private study, His father told him how proud he was to have such a fine son, and told him how much he loved him. He handed his son a beautiful wrapped gift box.
Curious, but somewhat disappointed, the young man opened the box and found a lovely, leather-bound Bible, with the young man's name embossed in gold. Angrily, he raised his voice to his father and
said, "With all your money you give me a Bible?" and stormed out of the house, leaving the Bible.
Many years passed and the young man was very successful in business. He had a beautiful home and wonderful family, but realized his father was very old, and thought perhaps he should go to him. He had not seen him since that graduation day.
Before he could make arrangements, he received a telegram telling him that his father had passed away, and willed all of his possessions to his son. He needed to come home immediately and take care of things.
When he arrived at his father's house, sudden sadness and regret filled is heart. He began to search through his father's important papers and saw the still new Bible, just as he had left it years ago.
With tears, he opened the Bible and began to turn the pages. His father had carefully underlined a verse, Matthew 7:11, "And if you, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your Heavenly father which is in heaven, give to those who ask Him?" As he read those words, a car key dropped from the back of the Bible. It had a tag with the dealer's name, the same dealer who had the sports car he had desired. On the tag was the date of his graduation, and the words "PAID IN FULL."
How many times do we miss God's blessings because they are not packaged as we expected? God has blessings hidden for us everywhere in all kinds of packages, in all shapes and sizes. Today, unwrap all the blessings that God has given to you!
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THE SINGING BOWL
We therefore ought to . . . become fellow workers for the truth. 3 John 1:8
Artist and scientist Michael Flynn designed a singing bowl for display in ArtPrize, an international art competition held in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The bowl requires no electricity, but it does require something that is in short supply: cooperation.
As I observed people trying to make the bowl sing, I was surprised that none of them bothered to read the directions about rocking it gently. Instead, impatient to make music, they kept trying their own ideas. After a few minutes they walked away frustrated and disappointed, as if the bowl was defective.
How many times, I wonder, do we become frustrated that life isn’t working the way we think it should? We keep trying ways that seem right, but things keep turning out wrong. Instead of following God’s Word, we continue trying to find our own way.
The singing bowl reminds us that we can’t expect life to go well if we ignore the instructions of the Designer (Deut. 4:40). Failing to obey divides us from one another and separates us from God. To fulfill His plan for the world and make the way of salvation known (Ps. 67:2), we need to follow His instructions about living and working peacefully together. When life doesn’t go well, it may be that we’ve stopped following God’s plan. — Julie Ackerman Link
Sure it takes a lot of courage to put things in God’s hands, To give ourselves completely, our lives, our hopes, our plans; To follow where He leads us and make His will our own; But all it takes is foolishness to go the way alone! —Kline
Life is a beautiful song that God is teaching us to play.
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It Does Not Seem Like a Big Deal by Tom
It did not seem like a big deal. We were invited to an event, so we went. We enjoyed the gathered and well received. The people who invited us could not stop thanking us. As we left the event they thanked us. Later that night we received a text thanking us again. The next morning we received another text thanking us again. It did not seem like a big deal, but to these people it was a really big deal.
It is what I do. I am a counselor. I listen to people, I try to show compassion and offer godly wisdom when possible. It does not seem like a big deal. To person who is hurting it apparently is a big deal. I have received letters, notes, emails, texts, phone calls, handshakes, hugs and face to face conversations thanking me for doing what I do.
He probably has no idea what an impact he had on me. He was a basketball coach I was a very average junior high kid who wanted to play. I later came to know him better as a godly man with a family, successful in his business, active in the community and his church. His example has stayed with me all these years. He probably has no idea what a big deal it was for him to be kind and encourage that average junior high kid.
He probably did not think it was a big deal. He was my seventh grade math teacher. That was the year my mother died. I was having a difficult time. He knew it. He showed a sad scared and confused seventh grader considerable kindness and grace as he helped me finish the school year with decent grades. I still remember is fifty-one years later. To him it probably did not seem like a big deal.
They may have never realized what a big deal it was for them to be so kind to me. I was just the high school boy dating their daughter. They showed that high school boy an incredible amount of graciousness by feeding me more times than I could recall, taking me to places I would have never gone, introducing me to pizza, and being there when I had questions about faith and church and life. They were just being who they were…wonderful Christian people. Little did they know that the high school boy who dated their daughter was watching them, listening to them, learning lessons from them that he tries to practice all these years later. To them it probably did not seem like a big deal.
I do not know if he realized what a big deal it was for him to take notice of me. He was the preacher and I was just a high school senior who decided to make a commitment to Jesus. He encouraged me. He always noticed me and acknowledged my presence. When there were major things going on in my world he managed to be there with a kind word, a gentle spirit, and usually some amount of money to help me get through college. To him it probably did not seem to be a big deal. To me it was a big deal and his shepherding ministry lives on.
She may not have considered it to be a big deal when she welcomed me into their home as a young man who would eventually marry her daughter. She saw more potential in me that was actually there. She gave me credit for being a better man than I could possibly be. She praised me a husband and as a father and as a minister and as an important member of the family. To her it was probably not a big deal. To me it has been appreciated for nearly forty years and will be appreciated for the rest of my life.
One time Jesus said these words, “And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is my disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward.” (Matthew 10:42, NIV)
As we go through life we will have many opportunities to give “a cup of cold water to one of these little ones.” Let’s do everything in our power not to miss those opportunities. Let’s notice and acknowledge when someone gives us a cup of cold water. It may not seem like a big deal at the time, but with God’s involvement for some little one it may be a huge deal.
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Being His Hands and Feet by Marji "Mike" Kruger
When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field." Matthew 9:36-38
Jesus saw that the people were helpless. . . His heart went out to them. . . and as a result, He took action! Hundreds of thousands of people needed to know the Savior, so He sent His followers to go out to the people and share about the Kingdom of God. Jesus' disciples were "His feet" going out to share the Good News, "His hands" ministering and healing the people, and "His mouth" telling others about Him. They may have been few in number, but they had a radical impact on the world!
Today, we are called to be "Jesus' feet" going out into the world to share the Good News that God loves men, women, and children. . . and He wants to have a relationship with them. We are called to be "Jesus hands" ministering, serving and spiritually healing those who are hurting. And we are called to be "Jesus' mouth", having a ready answer on the tip of our tongue as to why we have hope for the future.
Who around you needs a relationship with God? Are you being God's feet and going to them? Are you being His hands and reaching out, listening, empathizing with them, and developing a relationship? And are you being Jesus' mouth, sharing the most important message of all time. . . that Jesus Christ died to pay the price for the sins of all men and women?
We may be few in number, but we can have a radical impact now and in eternity!
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"He knows, and He rescues me. He can do the same for you." - Jefferson Bethke
Will You Surrender? by Jefferson Bethke
Relax; you don’t have to have it all figured out.
All you need to do is come to Him. If you’re thinking, I have nothing to give or nothing to offer Jesus right now, that’s exactly where He wants you. He just wants dependency; He just wants you.
You don’t have to clean yourself up to come to Jesus. You come to Jesus, and He cleans you up.
I can’t imagine what you are going through right now — trials, suffering, heartache, pain. But I can tell you that whatever it is, it’s not too big for God. His grace can cover it, and your heart can be made new. In those times when I felt like I was drowning, I thought God was off in a distant land. Later I realized that’s when He is most near.
Come as you are
He’s near you too.
I heard a story awhile back about some friends who went swimming in a river. It was spring, and the glacier runoff had made the river pretty dangerous. Nonetheless one of the guys jumped in, got caught in the current, and was taken to the dangerous part of the rapids. One of his friends on the shore was a lifeguard, and all the other friends looked at him to do something. He just stood there, though, not moving, just staring at his friend. The others began to panic and yell at him and tell him to go save his friend! Still nothing. They looked out into the river and saw their friend struggling desperately.
In an instant, though, the struggle stopped. He could no longer fight and began to drown. When that happened, the lifeguard jumped in and with a few swift strokes rescued the friend and brought him to shore. With the adrenaline wearing off, the group yelled at the lifeguard, “Why didn’t you jump in earlier? He could’ve died!”
He calmly looked at them and said, “I had to wait until he fully gave up. Unless he stopped fighting, he would have dragged me under and drowned me with him. But the minute he gave up, I could save him.”
That’s what it’s like with Jesus. He just wants us to surrender, and when we do, He comes and gets us. The waves might be crashing overhead, but in that moment, when it looks like we might die, His grace scoops us up and brings us life. And because we finally give up, we know it was Him who did all the saving.
Will you surrender?
I don’t know where you are or where you’re coming from, but I know Jesus has a better plan for your life than you do. He is a better king of your life than you are. No one has caused me more hurt, shame, guilt, and pain than me. He knows, and He rescues me. He can do the same for you.
Just come as you are.
Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to Me. Get away with Me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with Me and work with Me — watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with Me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly. — Matthew 11:28-30
Your Turn: Maybe you’re a seeker and you’re not really sure what you think about this Man, Jesus. Today is a great day to surrender to Him and receive His forgiveness, to begin a relationship with God, and look forward to life everlasting with all your spiritual debts paid. Maybe you’re already a believer but you realize that you’ve been struggling, fighting, and straining to do life your way, and on your own terms. Are you ready to give up fighting God’s leadership and surrender to His will?
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Small Straws In A Soft Wind by Marsha Burns
Chaos in your surroundings will make it hard to find peace within your soul. The only way you can do that is to rise up in the realm of the Spirit and allow Me to establish a sense of quiet calm. Refuse to allow external disturbances to bring fear, dread, or frantic emotional responses. The disruptions that have been disquieting will soon pass, says the Lord. Psalms 131:2 Surely I have calmed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with his mother; like a weaned child is my soul within me.
Take time to regain perspective. You may have to look back to see how far you have come before you can see clearly where you are and where you are going. Remember that as you yield to Me, says the Lord, I direct your steps along the path to your ultimate destination. There is no need to worry or to have regrets. Your experiences and challenges have strengthened your faith as you are being transformed into My image. 2 Corinthians 3:18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.
The transition that you are in at this time is not a simple transition between seasons of your life, but is a transition from one era to another. It is more significant than you have realized. What is coming in the next span of time will, in many ways, bring to fruition that which you have worked for in the past decade. Changes that you make in the near future will produce significant and lasting results, says the Lord. Move forward with confidence that I am leading you. Follow Me. Mark 8:34 When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, "Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me."
Whether it seems like it or not, the truth is that everything that you experience and endure will work out for your ultimate and eternal good. Do not look at your disappointments with finality, but look at your challenges as opportunities to come closer to Me, says the Lord, and to lean on Me more completely. You can come through every situation with greater endurance and faith. Trust Me. James 1:2-4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.
I am looking for a people who have purified their hearts and separated themselves from all corruption to seek My face, says the Lord. I call you to be part of that company. Make a decision. Allow My Spirit to live in you. Refuse to allow worldly concerns to take you away from complete unity with Me. Come. 2 Corinthians 6:17 Therefore "Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you."
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The Trumpet by Bill Burns
"Set the trumpet to your mouth!" Hosea 8:1
I know you. I know the struggles that you have been through. I know the hardships that you have had to walk through. I know the work of the enemy against you. I know what’s happened. I know that you have been a sign spoken against. I know that there are people that have risen up in conflict with you. I say to you right now, I know your heart and that your heart is for Me. Understand that I will not forsake you. Never will I leave you. For, I am leading you to a fresh pasture. I’m leading you to new ground. I’m leading you into the place of My Glory, even in these days. And, it begins this very moment and this time that as you realize that I am one with you that you will know that everything is going to be okay. Just walk. Walk with Me. Believe in Me. Trust in Me to bring you into the freshness of a new day this very season, says the Lord.
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I knelt to pray but not for long,
I had too much to do.
I had to hurry and get to work
For bills would soon be due.
So I knelt and said a hurried prayer,
And jumped up off my knees.
My Christian duty was now done
My soul could rest at ease.
All day long I had no time
To spread a word of cheer.
No time to speak of Christ to friends,
They'd laugh at me I'd fear.
No time, no time, too much to do,
That was my constant cry,
No time to give to souls in need
But at last the time, the time to die.
I went before the Lord,
I came, I stood with downcast eyes.
For in his hands God held a book;
It was the book of life.
God looked into his book and said
"Your name I cannot find.
I once was going to write it down...
But never found the time"
Author Unknown
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Power in the Storm by Ray McAllister
When satan sends me storms
May I hold my connection
To Heaven's perfect supply of power.
Let my spirit stand firm
Bound to the strength
That brings light in the darkness
And comfort to the troubled mind.
And in the moment
When I must boil my water to keep it pure
Let the fire of God's Presence
Purge away the evil
That I may In safety
Drink fully
Of His love.
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'Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.' Jeremiah 33:3
Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete. John 16:24
This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us--whatever we ask--we know that we have what we asked of him. 1 John 5:14-15
Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against one of your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD.
Leviticus 19:18
He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. Micah 6:8
And so we know and rely on the love has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. 1 John 4:16
Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us. Romans 5:1-5
"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give it to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid." John 14: 27
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CARRIED WHEN YOU CAN'T MAKE IT
At one time our offices were on the third floor of an old factory building. There were a lot of stairs, and they had a pretty steep pitch. One of our team members dropped by one day with her beautiful four-month-old daughter, Katie. Mom was tired. And needless to say, the child wasn't able to climb up the stairs to the third floor on her own. Sometimes adults could barely make it. Mom needed to carry Katie in her arms the whole way. The sight of her carrying her daughter? I hate to say it was almost amusing. Mom was out of breath as she tried to recover. But not Katie! No, she was all cute and wide-eyed. She's not sweating; she's not panting. No, she's totally relaxed, totally cool. Of course she didn't have to do any of the work.
I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Carried When You Can't Make It."
Which leads us to our word for today from the Word of God from Deuteronomy 1:29; a wonderful passage on the relationship God the Father has with us, His kids. He says, "Do not be terrified; do not be afraid of them." With Jesus you don't have to be afraid of anything. "The Lord your God, who is going before you, will fight for you." And then He says, "The Lord your God carried you, as a father carries his son, all the way you went until you reached this place."
That's a beautiful picture! Notice I said a loving parent had come to our office carrying a child where that child could have never gone on her own. All the work was done by the parent. The child? Totally relaxed.
Let's talk about where you are right now. You may be at the end of your strength, the end of your answers, the end of your resources, the end of your money, or the end of your hope. You know what? It's time for "carry power." "As a father carries his son" God says. God has His big arms wide open right now saying, "My child, quit trying to do this on your own. You'll never make it. It's carry time. Come on!"
For some of us self-reliant, stubborn types it's hard to surrender our self-effort. We're not going to make it. God leads us through the desert where we can't survive so we'll finally surrender to being carried. So we'll finally exchange our weakness for His strength and our stress for His peace. That's the exchange that He invites us to in Philippians 4:6-7, "Do not be anxious about anything."
But there we are huffing and puffing, trying to crawl up the stairs on our own. He said, "But in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." Give the whole load to your Father. Let Him carry you. And He says, "The peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus."
That's the lightness of Spirit, the calm in your heart. That's what I saw in little Katie when she came to the office. The one who was carrying her was doing all the work; taking all the strain. Maybe you've got something right now that Jesus needs to carry. And remember, He paid a high price so He would be available; there would be no wall between you and Him so He could carry you and carry your burden.
The hymn says, "What a friend we have in Jesus; all our sins and griefs to bear. What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer. Oh, what peace we often forfeit. Oh what needless pain we bear all because we do not carry everything to God in prayer."
Now, would you let Him carry what you've carried for way too long? The problem stressing you, whose problem is it to solve? Is it yours or Almighty God's? The mountain that needs to be moved? The person who needs to change? Whose job is it? How you answer those questions will be the difference between great peace or great stress.
With God, you can go to heights you cannot go to alone. Like Katie and her mother
carrying her, your Heavenly Father is ready to do that for you if you'll trust His "carry power."
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Third Step Prayer
God, I offer myself to Thee to build with me and to do with me as Thou wilt. Relieve me of the bondage of self, that I may better do Thy will. Take away my difficulties, that victory over them may bear witness to those I would help of Thy Power, Thy love & Thy way of life. May I do Thy will always!
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Read Through The Bible
Job 6
Job: My Complaint Is Just
1 Then Job answered and said: 2 “Oh, that my grief were fully weighed, And my calamity laid with it on the scales! 3 For then it would be heavier than the sand of the sea—Therefore my words have been rash. 4 For the arrows of the Almighty are within me; My spirit drinks in their poison; The terrors of God are arrayed against me. 5 Does the wild donkey bray when it has grass, Or does the ox low over its fodder? 6 Can flavorless food be eaten without salt? Or is there any taste in the white of an egg? 7 My soul refuses to touch them; They are as loathsome food to me. 8 “Oh, that I might have my request, That God would grant me the thing that I long for! 9 That it would please God to crush me, That He would loose His hand and cut me off! 10 Then I would still have comfort; Though in anguish I would exult, He will not spare; For I have not concealed the words of the Holy One. 11 “What strength do I have, that I should hope? And what is my end, that I should prolong my life? 12 Is my strength the strength of stones? Or is my flesh bronze? 13 Is my help not within me?
And is success driven from me? 14 “To him who is afflicted, kindness should be shown by his friend, Even though he forsakes the fear of the Almighty. 15 My brothers have dealt deceitfully like a brook, Like the streams of the brooks that pass away, 16 Which are dark because of the ice, And into which the snow vanishes. 17 When it is warm, they cease to flow; When it is hot, they vanish from their place. 18 The paths of their way turn aside, They go nowhere and perish. 19 The caravans of Tema look, The travelers of Sheba hope for them. 20 They are disappointed because they were confident; They come there and are confused. 21
For now you are nothing, You see terror and are afraid. 22 Did I ever say, ‘Bring something to me’? Or, ‘Offer a bribe for me from your wealth’? 23 Or, ‘Deliver me from the enemy’s hand’? Or, ‘Redeem me from the hand of oppressors’? 24 “Teach me, and I will hold my tongue; Cause me to understand wherein I have erred. 25 How forceful are right words! But what does your arguing prove? 26 Do you intend to rebuke my words, And the speeches of a desperate one, which are as wind? 27 Yes, you overwhelm the fatherless, And you undermine your friend. 28 Now therefore, be pleased to look at me; For I would never lie to your face. 29 Yield now, let there be no injustice! Yes, concede, my righteousness still stands! 30 Is there injustice on my tongue? Cannot my taste discern the unsavory?
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Dear God,
Even though I clutch my blanket and growl when the alarm rings, thank you, God, that I can hear. There are many who are deaf. Even though I keep my eyes closed against the morning light as long as possible, thank you, God that I can see. Many are blind. Even though I huddle in my bed and put off rising, thank you, God that I have the strength to rise. There are many who are bedridden. Even though the first hour of my day is hectic, when socks are lost, toast is burned and tempers are short, thank you, God, for my family. There are many who are lonely. Even though our breakfast table never looks like the pictures in magazines, and the menu is at times unbalanced, thank you, God, for the food we have. There are many who are hungry. Even though the routine of my job often is hard, thank you, God, for the opportunity to work. There are many who have no job. Even though I grumble and bemoan my fate from day to day and wish my circumstances were not so modest, thank you, God, for all I have. There are many who have nothing. Thank You God! --Betty - Falls of Rough, KY
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: http://www.bluidkiti.com/forums/showthread.php?t=
I never cease to be amazed at how perfectly God weaves His will together without our help! --Charles Swindoll
If you have never heard the mountains singing, or seen the trees of the field clapping their hands, do not think because of that they don’t. Ask God to open your ears so you may hear it, and your eyes so you may see it, because, though few people ever know it, they do, my friend, they do. --McCandlish Phillips
It is such a comfort to drop the tangles of life into God’s hands and leave them there. --Lettie Cowman
Today I wait in peace and rest in the knowledge that God is working for me while I am resting. written by ~ Ruth Fishel
Lord, help me to remember that nothing is going to happen to me today that You and I together can't handle.
With God's strength behind you, His love within you, and His arms underneath you, you are more than sufficient for the days ahead of you.
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Can These Bones Live? by Sharon Greer
Ezekiel 37:3a – He asked me, "Son of man, can these bones live?" (NIV)
My dog, Sparky, and I went down The Trail for the first time this spring. It was a mild, sunny day, so different from the frigid weather that we had been having for the previous several months. He pranced and danced along happily, as I hobbled along behind him. I am not ready to prance and dance just yet, given the problem that I have been having with my legs. Maybe someday!
My eyes took in the vast expanse of waving, brown grasses and thin, broken stalks. The verdant fields and bright flowers of autumn had been ravaged by the wolves of winter, and only these sad-looking skeletons remained in their places. It was then that a strange thought popped into my mind. It seemed like a rather peculiar question: "Can these bones live?"
As I pondered this seemingly strange thought, I recalled that God had asked this question of Ezekiel the prophet in the valley of dry bones. The answer Ezekiel gave was, "O Sovereign Lord, you alone know."
However, my answer was different, and I can know because the Lord has assured us:
Genesis 8:22 – As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease. (NIV)
Because He said so, we can be assured that these dry "bones" — fields — will certainly live again. Even as I looked down, I noticed bits of green poking through the wind-blasted earth. The new life of another spring was beginning.
As in nature, so it is in our lives. Words came to me as I felt the reassurance surging through me:
No pounding rain or driving sleet,
Not vicious cold or blistering heat,
No bitter wind or grinding feet,
Not even life's most crushing need
Can stop the growth of God's good seed.
No matter what we may face,
Through it all there will poke
A tiny leaf of hope.
Perhaps only a sliver at first,
Barely observable to the naked eye.
But with the help of the Holy Spirit,
It will grow to meet man's need,
For God is our persistent Seed.
Perhaps these words will be those seeds of hope for you reading this today. You can be assured that your new beginning is also coming as you trust in Him.
Prayer: Thank You, heavenly Father, that we can always be assured of Your provision in our lives. You plant seeds of hope in our hearts for everyday living. You water these seeds and show us how to live so that we may one day reap a harvest to share with others. Help us to keep our feet on Your good soil as we walk through this life with You, in the strength and power of Your Holy Spirit. Amen.
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The Graduation Gift by Steve Blair
A young man was getting ready to graduate from college. For many months he had admired a beautiful sports car in a dealer's showroom, and his father could well afford it. He told him that was all he wanted.
As Graduation Day approached, the young man awaited signs that his father had purchased the car. Finally, on the morning of his graduation, his father called him into his private study, His father told him how proud he was to have such a fine son, and told him how much he loved him. He handed his son a beautiful wrapped gift box.
Curious, but somewhat disappointed, the young man opened the box and found a lovely, leather-bound Bible, with the young man's name embossed in gold. Angrily, he raised his voice to his father and
said, "With all your money you give me a Bible?" and stormed out of the house, leaving the Bible.
Many years passed and the young man was very successful in business. He had a beautiful home and wonderful family, but realized his father was very old, and thought perhaps he should go to him. He had not seen him since that graduation day.
Before he could make arrangements, he received a telegram telling him that his father had passed away, and willed all of his possessions to his son. He needed to come home immediately and take care of things.
When he arrived at his father's house, sudden sadness and regret filled is heart. He began to search through his father's important papers and saw the still new Bible, just as he had left it years ago.
With tears, he opened the Bible and began to turn the pages. His father had carefully underlined a verse, Matthew 7:11, "And if you, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your Heavenly father which is in heaven, give to those who ask Him?" As he read those words, a car key dropped from the back of the Bible. It had a tag with the dealer's name, the same dealer who had the sports car he had desired. On the tag was the date of his graduation, and the words "PAID IN FULL."
How many times do we miss God's blessings because they are not packaged as we expected? God has blessings hidden for us everywhere in all kinds of packages, in all shapes and sizes. Today, unwrap all the blessings that God has given to you!
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THE SINGING BOWL
We therefore ought to . . . become fellow workers for the truth. 3 John 1:8
Artist and scientist Michael Flynn designed a singing bowl for display in ArtPrize, an international art competition held in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The bowl requires no electricity, but it does require something that is in short supply: cooperation.
As I observed people trying to make the bowl sing, I was surprised that none of them bothered to read the directions about rocking it gently. Instead, impatient to make music, they kept trying their own ideas. After a few minutes they walked away frustrated and disappointed, as if the bowl was defective.
How many times, I wonder, do we become frustrated that life isn’t working the way we think it should? We keep trying ways that seem right, but things keep turning out wrong. Instead of following God’s Word, we continue trying to find our own way.
The singing bowl reminds us that we can’t expect life to go well if we ignore the instructions of the Designer (Deut. 4:40). Failing to obey divides us from one another and separates us from God. To fulfill His plan for the world and make the way of salvation known (Ps. 67:2), we need to follow His instructions about living and working peacefully together. When life doesn’t go well, it may be that we’ve stopped following God’s plan. — Julie Ackerman Link
Sure it takes a lot of courage to put things in God’s hands, To give ourselves completely, our lives, our hopes, our plans; To follow where He leads us and make His will our own; But all it takes is foolishness to go the way alone! —Kline
Life is a beautiful song that God is teaching us to play.
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It Does Not Seem Like a Big Deal by Tom
It did not seem like a big deal. We were invited to an event, so we went. We enjoyed the gathered and well received. The people who invited us could not stop thanking us. As we left the event they thanked us. Later that night we received a text thanking us again. The next morning we received another text thanking us again. It did not seem like a big deal, but to these people it was a really big deal.
It is what I do. I am a counselor. I listen to people, I try to show compassion and offer godly wisdom when possible. It does not seem like a big deal. To person who is hurting it apparently is a big deal. I have received letters, notes, emails, texts, phone calls, handshakes, hugs and face to face conversations thanking me for doing what I do.
He probably has no idea what an impact he had on me. He was a basketball coach I was a very average junior high kid who wanted to play. I later came to know him better as a godly man with a family, successful in his business, active in the community and his church. His example has stayed with me all these years. He probably has no idea what a big deal it was for him to be kind and encourage that average junior high kid.
He probably did not think it was a big deal. He was my seventh grade math teacher. That was the year my mother died. I was having a difficult time. He knew it. He showed a sad scared and confused seventh grader considerable kindness and grace as he helped me finish the school year with decent grades. I still remember is fifty-one years later. To him it probably did not seem like a big deal.
They may have never realized what a big deal it was for them to be so kind to me. I was just the high school boy dating their daughter. They showed that high school boy an incredible amount of graciousness by feeding me more times than I could recall, taking me to places I would have never gone, introducing me to pizza, and being there when I had questions about faith and church and life. They were just being who they were…wonderful Christian people. Little did they know that the high school boy who dated their daughter was watching them, listening to them, learning lessons from them that he tries to practice all these years later. To them it probably did not seem like a big deal.
I do not know if he realized what a big deal it was for him to take notice of me. He was the preacher and I was just a high school senior who decided to make a commitment to Jesus. He encouraged me. He always noticed me and acknowledged my presence. When there were major things going on in my world he managed to be there with a kind word, a gentle spirit, and usually some amount of money to help me get through college. To him it probably did not seem to be a big deal. To me it was a big deal and his shepherding ministry lives on.
She may not have considered it to be a big deal when she welcomed me into their home as a young man who would eventually marry her daughter. She saw more potential in me that was actually there. She gave me credit for being a better man than I could possibly be. She praised me a husband and as a father and as a minister and as an important member of the family. To her it was probably not a big deal. To me it has been appreciated for nearly forty years and will be appreciated for the rest of my life.
One time Jesus said these words, “And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is my disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward.” (Matthew 10:42, NIV)
As we go through life we will have many opportunities to give “a cup of cold water to one of these little ones.” Let’s do everything in our power not to miss those opportunities. Let’s notice and acknowledge when someone gives us a cup of cold water. It may not seem like a big deal at the time, but with God’s involvement for some little one it may be a huge deal.
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Being His Hands and Feet by Marji "Mike" Kruger
When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field." Matthew 9:36-38
Jesus saw that the people were helpless. . . His heart went out to them. . . and as a result, He took action! Hundreds of thousands of people needed to know the Savior, so He sent His followers to go out to the people and share about the Kingdom of God. Jesus' disciples were "His feet" going out to share the Good News, "His hands" ministering and healing the people, and "His mouth" telling others about Him. They may have been few in number, but they had a radical impact on the world!
Today, we are called to be "Jesus' feet" going out into the world to share the Good News that God loves men, women, and children. . . and He wants to have a relationship with them. We are called to be "Jesus hands" ministering, serving and spiritually healing those who are hurting. And we are called to be "Jesus' mouth", having a ready answer on the tip of our tongue as to why we have hope for the future.
Who around you needs a relationship with God? Are you being God's feet and going to them? Are you being His hands and reaching out, listening, empathizing with them, and developing a relationship? And are you being Jesus' mouth, sharing the most important message of all time. . . that Jesus Christ died to pay the price for the sins of all men and women?
We may be few in number, but we can have a radical impact now and in eternity!
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"He knows, and He rescues me. He can do the same for you." - Jefferson Bethke
Will You Surrender? by Jefferson Bethke
Relax; you don’t have to have it all figured out.
All you need to do is come to Him. If you’re thinking, I have nothing to give or nothing to offer Jesus right now, that’s exactly where He wants you. He just wants dependency; He just wants you.
You don’t have to clean yourself up to come to Jesus. You come to Jesus, and He cleans you up.
I can’t imagine what you are going through right now — trials, suffering, heartache, pain. But I can tell you that whatever it is, it’s not too big for God. His grace can cover it, and your heart can be made new. In those times when I felt like I was drowning, I thought God was off in a distant land. Later I realized that’s when He is most near.
Come as you are
He’s near you too.
I heard a story awhile back about some friends who went swimming in a river. It was spring, and the glacier runoff had made the river pretty dangerous. Nonetheless one of the guys jumped in, got caught in the current, and was taken to the dangerous part of the rapids. One of his friends on the shore was a lifeguard, and all the other friends looked at him to do something. He just stood there, though, not moving, just staring at his friend. The others began to panic and yell at him and tell him to go save his friend! Still nothing. They looked out into the river and saw their friend struggling desperately.
In an instant, though, the struggle stopped. He could no longer fight and began to drown. When that happened, the lifeguard jumped in and with a few swift strokes rescued the friend and brought him to shore. With the adrenaline wearing off, the group yelled at the lifeguard, “Why didn’t you jump in earlier? He could’ve died!”
He calmly looked at them and said, “I had to wait until he fully gave up. Unless he stopped fighting, he would have dragged me under and drowned me with him. But the minute he gave up, I could save him.”
That’s what it’s like with Jesus. He just wants us to surrender, and when we do, He comes and gets us. The waves might be crashing overhead, but in that moment, when it looks like we might die, His grace scoops us up and brings us life. And because we finally give up, we know it was Him who did all the saving.
Will you surrender?
I don’t know where you are or where you’re coming from, but I know Jesus has a better plan for your life than you do. He is a better king of your life than you are. No one has caused me more hurt, shame, guilt, and pain than me. He knows, and He rescues me. He can do the same for you.
Just come as you are.
Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to Me. Get away with Me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with Me and work with Me — watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with Me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly. — Matthew 11:28-30
Your Turn: Maybe you’re a seeker and you’re not really sure what you think about this Man, Jesus. Today is a great day to surrender to Him and receive His forgiveness, to begin a relationship with God, and look forward to life everlasting with all your spiritual debts paid. Maybe you’re already a believer but you realize that you’ve been struggling, fighting, and straining to do life your way, and on your own terms. Are you ready to give up fighting God’s leadership and surrender to His will?
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Small Straws In A Soft Wind by Marsha Burns
Chaos in your surroundings will make it hard to find peace within your soul. The only way you can do that is to rise up in the realm of the Spirit and allow Me to establish a sense of quiet calm. Refuse to allow external disturbances to bring fear, dread, or frantic emotional responses. The disruptions that have been disquieting will soon pass, says the Lord. Psalms 131:2 Surely I have calmed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with his mother; like a weaned child is my soul within me.
Take time to regain perspective. You may have to look back to see how far you have come before you can see clearly where you are and where you are going. Remember that as you yield to Me, says the Lord, I direct your steps along the path to your ultimate destination. There is no need to worry or to have regrets. Your experiences and challenges have strengthened your faith as you are being transformed into My image. 2 Corinthians 3:18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.
The transition that you are in at this time is not a simple transition between seasons of your life, but is a transition from one era to another. It is more significant than you have realized. What is coming in the next span of time will, in many ways, bring to fruition that which you have worked for in the past decade. Changes that you make in the near future will produce significant and lasting results, says the Lord. Move forward with confidence that I am leading you. Follow Me. Mark 8:34 When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, "Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me."
Whether it seems like it or not, the truth is that everything that you experience and endure will work out for your ultimate and eternal good. Do not look at your disappointments with finality, but look at your challenges as opportunities to come closer to Me, says the Lord, and to lean on Me more completely. You can come through every situation with greater endurance and faith. Trust Me. James 1:2-4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.
I am looking for a people who have purified their hearts and separated themselves from all corruption to seek My face, says the Lord. I call you to be part of that company. Make a decision. Allow My Spirit to live in you. Refuse to allow worldly concerns to take you away from complete unity with Me. Come. 2 Corinthians 6:17 Therefore "Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you."
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The Trumpet by Bill Burns
"Set the trumpet to your mouth!" Hosea 8:1
I know you. I know the struggles that you have been through. I know the hardships that you have had to walk through. I know the work of the enemy against you. I know what’s happened. I know that you have been a sign spoken against. I know that there are people that have risen up in conflict with you. I say to you right now, I know your heart and that your heart is for Me. Understand that I will not forsake you. Never will I leave you. For, I am leading you to a fresh pasture. I’m leading you to new ground. I’m leading you into the place of My Glory, even in these days. And, it begins this very moment and this time that as you realize that I am one with you that you will know that everything is going to be okay. Just walk. Walk with Me. Believe in Me. Trust in Me to bring you into the freshness of a new day this very season, says the Lord.
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I knelt to pray but not for long,
I had too much to do.
I had to hurry and get to work
For bills would soon be due.
So I knelt and said a hurried prayer,
And jumped up off my knees.
My Christian duty was now done
My soul could rest at ease.
All day long I had no time
To spread a word of cheer.
No time to speak of Christ to friends,
They'd laugh at me I'd fear.
No time, no time, too much to do,
That was my constant cry,
No time to give to souls in need
But at last the time, the time to die.
I went before the Lord,
I came, I stood with downcast eyes.
For in his hands God held a book;
It was the book of life.
God looked into his book and said
"Your name I cannot find.
I once was going to write it down...
But never found the time"
Author Unknown
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Power in the Storm by Ray McAllister
When satan sends me storms
May I hold my connection
To Heaven's perfect supply of power.
Let my spirit stand firm
Bound to the strength
That brings light in the darkness
And comfort to the troubled mind.
And in the moment
When I must boil my water to keep it pure
Let the fire of God's Presence
Purge away the evil
That I may In safety
Drink fully
Of His love.
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'Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.' Jeremiah 33:3
Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete. John 16:24
This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us--whatever we ask--we know that we have what we asked of him. 1 John 5:14-15
Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against one of your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD.
Leviticus 19:18
He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. Micah 6:8
And so we know and rely on the love has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. 1 John 4:16
Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us. Romans 5:1-5
"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give it to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid." John 14: 27
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CARRIED WHEN YOU CAN'T MAKE IT
At one time our offices were on the third floor of an old factory building. There were a lot of stairs, and they had a pretty steep pitch. One of our team members dropped by one day with her beautiful four-month-old daughter, Katie. Mom was tired. And needless to say, the child wasn't able to climb up the stairs to the third floor on her own. Sometimes adults could barely make it. Mom needed to carry Katie in her arms the whole way. The sight of her carrying her daughter? I hate to say it was almost amusing. Mom was out of breath as she tried to recover. But not Katie! No, she was all cute and wide-eyed. She's not sweating; she's not panting. No, she's totally relaxed, totally cool. Of course she didn't have to do any of the work.
I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Carried When You Can't Make It."
Which leads us to our word for today from the Word of God from Deuteronomy 1:29; a wonderful passage on the relationship God the Father has with us, His kids. He says, "Do not be terrified; do not be afraid of them." With Jesus you don't have to be afraid of anything. "The Lord your God, who is going before you, will fight for you." And then He says, "The Lord your God carried you, as a father carries his son, all the way you went until you reached this place."
That's a beautiful picture! Notice I said a loving parent had come to our office carrying a child where that child could have never gone on her own. All the work was done by the parent. The child? Totally relaxed.
Let's talk about where you are right now. You may be at the end of your strength, the end of your answers, the end of your resources, the end of your money, or the end of your hope. You know what? It's time for "carry power." "As a father carries his son" God says. God has His big arms wide open right now saying, "My child, quit trying to do this on your own. You'll never make it. It's carry time. Come on!"
For some of us self-reliant, stubborn types it's hard to surrender our self-effort. We're not going to make it. God leads us through the desert where we can't survive so we'll finally surrender to being carried. So we'll finally exchange our weakness for His strength and our stress for His peace. That's the exchange that He invites us to in Philippians 4:6-7, "Do not be anxious about anything."
But there we are huffing and puffing, trying to crawl up the stairs on our own. He said, "But in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." Give the whole load to your Father. Let Him carry you. And He says, "The peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus."
That's the lightness of Spirit, the calm in your heart. That's what I saw in little Katie when she came to the office. The one who was carrying her was doing all the work; taking all the strain. Maybe you've got something right now that Jesus needs to carry. And remember, He paid a high price so He would be available; there would be no wall between you and Him so He could carry you and carry your burden.
The hymn says, "What a friend we have in Jesus; all our sins and griefs to bear. What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer. Oh, what peace we often forfeit. Oh what needless pain we bear all because we do not carry everything to God in prayer."
Now, would you let Him carry what you've carried for way too long? The problem stressing you, whose problem is it to solve? Is it yours or Almighty God's? The mountain that needs to be moved? The person who needs to change? Whose job is it? How you answer those questions will be the difference between great peace or great stress.
With God, you can go to heights you cannot go to alone. Like Katie and her mother
carrying her, your Heavenly Father is ready to do that for you if you'll trust His "carry power."
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Third Step Prayer
God, I offer myself to Thee to build with me and to do with me as Thou wilt. Relieve me of the bondage of self, that I may better do Thy will. Take away my difficulties, that victory over them may bear witness to those I would help of Thy Power, Thy love & Thy way of life. May I do Thy will always!
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Read Through The Bible
Job 6
Job: My Complaint Is Just
1 Then Job answered and said: 2 “Oh, that my grief were fully weighed, And my calamity laid with it on the scales! 3 For then it would be heavier than the sand of the sea—Therefore my words have been rash. 4 For the arrows of the Almighty are within me; My spirit drinks in their poison; The terrors of God are arrayed against me. 5 Does the wild donkey bray when it has grass, Or does the ox low over its fodder? 6 Can flavorless food be eaten without salt? Or is there any taste in the white of an egg? 7 My soul refuses to touch them; They are as loathsome food to me. 8 “Oh, that I might have my request, That God would grant me the thing that I long for! 9 That it would please God to crush me, That He would loose His hand and cut me off! 10 Then I would still have comfort; Though in anguish I would exult, He will not spare; For I have not concealed the words of the Holy One. 11 “What strength do I have, that I should hope? And what is my end, that I should prolong my life? 12 Is my strength the strength of stones? Or is my flesh bronze? 13 Is my help not within me?
And is success driven from me? 14 “To him who is afflicted, kindness should be shown by his friend, Even though he forsakes the fear of the Almighty. 15 My brothers have dealt deceitfully like a brook, Like the streams of the brooks that pass away, 16 Which are dark because of the ice, And into which the snow vanishes. 17 When it is warm, they cease to flow; When it is hot, they vanish from their place. 18 The paths of their way turn aside, They go nowhere and perish. 19 The caravans of Tema look, The travelers of Sheba hope for them. 20 They are disappointed because they were confident; They come there and are confused. 21
For now you are nothing, You see terror and are afraid. 22 Did I ever say, ‘Bring something to me’? Or, ‘Offer a bribe for me from your wealth’? 23 Or, ‘Deliver me from the enemy’s hand’? Or, ‘Redeem me from the hand of oppressors’? 24 “Teach me, and I will hold my tongue; Cause me to understand wherein I have erred. 25 How forceful are right words! But what does your arguing prove? 26 Do you intend to rebuke my words, And the speeches of a desperate one, which are as wind? 27 Yes, you overwhelm the fatherless, And you undermine your friend. 28 Now therefore, be pleased to look at me; For I would never lie to your face. 29 Yield now, let there be no injustice! Yes, concede, my righteousness still stands! 30 Is there injustice on my tongue? Cannot my taste discern the unsavory?
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Dear God,
Even though I clutch my blanket and growl when the alarm rings, thank you, God, that I can hear. There are many who are deaf. Even though I keep my eyes closed against the morning light as long as possible, thank you, God that I can see. Many are blind. Even though I huddle in my bed and put off rising, thank you, God that I have the strength to rise. There are many who are bedridden. Even though the first hour of my day is hectic, when socks are lost, toast is burned and tempers are short, thank you, God, for my family. There are many who are lonely. Even though our breakfast table never looks like the pictures in magazines, and the menu is at times unbalanced, thank you, God, for the food we have. There are many who are hungry. Even though the routine of my job often is hard, thank you, God, for the opportunity to work. There are many who have no job. Even though I grumble and bemoan my fate from day to day and wish my circumstances were not so modest, thank you, God, for all I have. There are many who have nothing. Thank You God! --Betty - Falls of Rough, KY
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: http://www.bluidkiti.com/forums/showthread.php?t=