Weekly Spiritual Meditations - June 26

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"The stars are God's fingerprints. The sun is a mere smidgen of His radiance. The moon is to remind us that He doesn't sleep at night. The vastness of space proclaims the infinity of His wisdom, while the sand pebble indicates His thoroughness with the puniest details. The lion hints at His fearlessness, the bear at His power, the hawk at His keen insight. And yet, those possess only a tidbit of God's omnipotence and omnipresence. Every tree points toward heaven; every bird has a song to sing; even every moment of wind goes in some direction. There is nothing chaotic about our beautiful designed world. All creation has a message to tell. It says, 'Listen, there is a God. There is a God!'" - Brent D. Earles

Remember, God loves you and wants His very best for your life today. --Norma Bowlin

"The way we act behind the wheel is far more indicative of our walk with God than the way we act praying in a pew or smiling over a well-marked Bible." - Charles R. Swindoll

No matter who you are or where you are, God is near. You don't need an appointment. God is never too busy. All you need is just enough faith to reach out.

Do not measure God’s mind by your own. --George Macdonald

"Always He will watch over us and comfort us." --Ernest Holmes

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The Chair Author Unknown
A man's daughter had asked the local pastor to come and pray with her father. When the pastor arrived, he found the man lying in bed with his head propped up on two pillows and an empty chair beside his bed. The pastor assumed that the old fellow had been informed of his visit.
"I guess you were expecting me," he said.
"No, who are you?" asked the man.
"I'm the new associate at your local church," the pastor replied. "When I saw the empty chair, I figured you knew I was going to show up."
"Oh yeah, the chair," said the bedridden man. "Would you mind closing the door?"
Puzzled, the pastor shut the door.
"I've never told anyone this, not even my daughter," said the man. "But all of my life I have never known how to pray. At church I used to hear the pastor talk about prayer, but it always went right over my head.
"I abandoned any attempt at prayer," the old man continued, "until one day about four years ago my best friend said, 'Joe, prayer is just a simple matter of having a conversation with Jesus. Here's what I suggest. Sit down on a chair, place an empty chair in front of you, and in faith see Jesus on the chair. It's not spooky because He promised, "I'll be with you always." Then just speak to him and listen in the same way you're doing with me right now.'
"So, I tried it and I've liked it so much that I do it a couple of hours every day. I'm careful, though. If my daughter saw me talking to an empty chair, she'd either have a nervous breakdown or send me off to the funny farm."
The pastor was deeply moved by the story and encouraged the old guy to continue on the journey. Then he prayed with him, and returned to the church.
Two nights later the daughter called to tell the pastor that her daddy had died that afternoon.
"Did he seem to die in peace?" he asked.
"Yes, when I left the house around two o'clock, he called me over to his bedside, told me one of his corny jokes, and kissed me on the cheek.
"When I got back from the store an hour later, I found him dead. But there was something strange, in fact, beyond strange - kinda weird. Apparently, just before Daddy died, he leaned over and rested his head on a chair beside the bed."

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Signs by Sally I. Kennedy
Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, "This is the way; walk in it." Isaiah 30:21
The Lord says, "I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you." Psalm 32:8
Have you ever wanted a sign from God? And not only
a sign, but also confirmation that it is direction from Him and not just your own thoughts?
Gideon was Israel's fifth judge, and at one point he desperately wanted a sign from God. The Lord had called him to a large challenge, and he wanted to make certain he was hearing God correctly. So he put out a fleece, or sheepskin, and asked God to make it wet overnight, even though the ground around it stayed dry. The Lord granted his request, however Gideon asked for a confirmation the next night for the reversal of that to happen. Gideon, 'mighty warrior', got his answer when the fleece was dry and the ground all around it was wet.
We don't always have such dramatic answers to our seeking a sign. There are all different kinds of signs; some silly, others informational. Some make you think, and some give warning or direction.
God, though, is faithful to give us signs when we need them. Our job is to be alert and pick up on them. We have the Holy Spirit residing in us who is always on the job helping us to do that very thing. Thank you, Lord.

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Rejected or Selected? First Impressions
Everyone suffers an occasional rejection. Some high school seniors don’t get into their college of choice. Many a college graduate doesn’t get the dream job he or she had counted on. Suitors are turned down. Social slights abound.
Some people so internalize the rejections they encounter that they become paralyzed by life. They abandon their dreams. They settle for less than God intended with their lives. They give up and resign themselves to mediocrity. They allow the judgments other people pass on them to define them. What a shame!
Imagine the difference that would have been made in our world if certain people had accepted others’ rejection of them as the final word on their worth. Beethoven’s music teacher said he was hopeless at composing. The Wright brothers were ridiculed for their dream of a flying machine. Albert Einstein was feared to be mentally retarded as a child. Martin Luther King was born to a culture that had institutionalized racism to make people like him stay in their place.
You’ve no doubt seen pictures of Michelangelo’s David. Maybe you’ve stood in front of it and marveled at its flawless lines. Many judge it to be the world’s most perfect piece of sculpture. The torso of the biblical hero who went from shepherd boy to King of Israel is rendered in exquisite detail. Down to the muscle contraction etched on his forehead, it seems almost ready to come alive.
The masterpiece that is David was carved from a single block of marble that two other artists had already discarded for its imperfections! And so it might have been with the historical figure himself. When God sent his prophet to anoint the next king for Israel, neither Samuel nor the family patriarch to whom God had sent him considered David to be in the running. He wasn’t even invited in from the fields to meet the visiting holy man. He was, after all, just a boy tending sheep.
The David story contains this marvelous line: The Lord does not see as mortals see; they look on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart (1 Samuel 16:7). Just as Michelangelo would later see possibilities for a flawed block of marble others had discarded, God saw possibilities for a raw young man for whom others appear not to have forecast greatness.
A rejected marble block in Michelangelo’s hands yielded artistic brilliance. A slighted youth in God’s hands became the legendary King of Israel. So why should you let life’s slights and rejections define you? In the hands of The Master, you still have infinite possibilities before you to prove the critics wrong.

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The Jars First Impressions
The preacher placed two identical jars on the table next to the pulpit. He quoted I Samuel 16:7, "The Lord does not look at the things man looks at."
Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.
These jars came from the same factory, were made of the same materials, and can hold the same amount. But they are different, he explained.
Then he upset one and it oozed out honey. He turned over the other, and vinegar spilled out. When a jar is upset, whatever is in it comes out.
Until the jars were upset, they looked alike. The difference lay within, and could not be seen. When they were upset, their contents were revealed.
Until we are upset we put on a good front. But when we are upset, we reveal our innermost thoughts and attitudes, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks (Luke 6:45).
What if someone tipped you over today? What would flow out? Would you reveal the honey of grace and patience, or the vinegar of anger and sarcasm?

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God's Words of Life on Rest from God's Words of Life for Women
Are you exhausted today? Are you taking pills for energy to get through the day? Or are you on a nervous high and need something to slow you down? Perhaps what your body is really crying for is rest. Is there rest for anyone in this tension-filled world?
As the disciples returned from a missionary journey, they were elated with their success. They gave glowing reports of how God had worked. Jesus was glad to hear their accounts, but He knew that they needed physical rest after their arduous journey. He invited them to come rest with Him in a quiet place.
We, too, need to refresh ourselves to maintain physical and spiritual strength. Our schedules are demanding. They drain our physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual life. God’s Holy Spirit gives us strength for His schedule for us. I believe God plans for us to include times of rest and relaxation in our schedule. If the disciples needed rest, so do we.
Our rest times may consist of a vacation where we can rest and relax, a change of environment, or simply a respite right where we are. Time spent with the Lord brings renewal and refreshment. ~ Millie Stamm
Scriptures for Today:
Jesus said, “Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” — Matthew 11:28–30
Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. — Galatians 6:9
The Lord replied, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” — Exodus 33:14
You are awesome, O God, in Your sanctuary; the God of Israel gives power and strength to His people. Praise be to God! — Psalm 68:35
[God] 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
Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with My righteous right hand. — Isaiah 41:10
“I will refresh the weary and satisfy the faint,” says the Lord. — Jeremiah 31:25
Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain. In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat — for He grants sleep to those He loves. — Psalm 127:1–2
“Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your animals, nor the alien within your gates. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy,” says the Lord. — Exodus 20:8–11
[The Lord] makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside quiet waters, He restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. — Psalm 23:2–3
Let the beloved of the Lord rest secure in Him, for He shields him all day long, and the one the Lord loves rests between His shoulders. — Deuteronomy 33:12
There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from His. Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest. — Hebrews 4:9–11
He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. — Psalm 91:1
Because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, [Jesus] said to them, “Come with Me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” — Mark 6:31
Your Turn: Do you rest? Do you ever put down unfinished work, the long list of calls or emails to return, and the demands of work and home life? Take a moment today to soak in the truth that God Himself desires for us to rest and restore so much that He modeled it for us in Scripture.

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Protected from the Big and Small by Tom Rietveld
In May 1995, a 34 year old construction worker by the name of Randy Reid, was doing some final welding on top of a nearly completed water tower in one of Chicago's suburbs. At one point, Randy unhooked his safety belt so he could reach for some pipes. But at that same moment, a metal beam slipped off a nearby crane, and bumped the scaffolding Randy was standing on. The scaffolding tipped, and Randy lost his balance. He fell 110 feet to the ground below.
In landing, he just missed a pile of rocks and construction debris on the ground. Instead he landed face down on a pile of dirt. A fellow worker saw the whole accident and immediately called 911. When paramedics arrived, they couldn't believe their eyes. They found Randy completely conscious, moving, and complaining that he had a sore back.
Even though he went through such a horrendous fall, Randy still maintained his sense of humor. Because as paramedics carried him on a backboard to the ambulance, Randy asked one thing. He said, "Hey guys, be careful, will you? Don't drop me." When he arrived at the hospital and was examined by the doctors, and they discovered that the only injury he suffered was a bruised lung.
Friends, I think sometimes our faith resembles Randy. God protects us from harm in a 110-foot fall, but we're still nervous about three-foot heights. By that I mean, we have faith that God will save us from hell and death, but sometimes we're afraid that He won't be able to protect us from the smaller difficulties that we are going to face this coming week.
“In him we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28 )
“In him all things hold together” (Colossians 1:17)
“He upholds the universe by the word of his power” (Hebrews 1:3)
"But as for me, I trust in You, O Lord; I say, “You are my God.” 
My times are in Your hand." (Psalm 31:14-15)
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, 
and do not lean on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make straight your paths." (Proverbs 3:5-6)
"Now to You, O Lord, who is able to do exceedingly and abundantly above all that we can ask or think according to the power that works in us." (Ephesians 3:20)
Trust Him with all things. Big AND small!

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Small Straws In A Soft Wind by Marsha Burns
Many of you, My people, have been through a time of severe testing. Your experiences and trials have left you feeling shaky and unstable. Now is the time to lean on Me. I am your place of stability and strength. Come. Trust Me to make you strong as you build your life on the firm foundation of faith and truth, says the Lord. Psalm 107:25-29 For He commands and raises the stormy wind, which lifts up the waves of the sea. They mount up to the heavens, they go down again to the depths; their soul melts because of trouble. They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wits’ end. Then they cry out to the LORD in their trouble, and He brings them out of their distresses. He calms the storm, so that its waves are still.

Pay attention to your thought life and to what you do, and make a determination to separate the things that are vital from things that are a waste of time. This will help you define and refine what you believe and who you are so that you are more closely aligned with My purposes for you, says the Lord. Stay out of the shadows and walk in the light. Jeremiah 15:19 Therefore thus says the LORD: "If you return, then I will bring you back; you shall stand before Me; if you take out the precious from the vile, you shall be as My mouth. Let them return to you, but you must not return to them."

I speak to many when I say that you have constructed walls or barriers around yourself for protection, but they have also become a restriction. As long as you stay in your comfortable confines, you will not be able to see how to grow or move forward. Every season of progression involves risk, but the rewards will be worth taking the risk. Trust that I will protect you, says the Lord. Isaiah 54:2 "Enlarge the place of your tent, and let them stretch out the curtains of your dwellings; do not spare; lengthen your cords, and strengthen your stakes."

In a vision I saw a soft, gentle rain falling on those who are at rest, completely surrendered to the LORD. The rain was filling cisterns that had become empty and dry. There was a sense of refreshment on every level--a healing of body and soul, memories and emotions; rejuvenation of the spirit. It was beautiful, sweet, pure life. I sensed a time of restoration and renewal by this rain of the Spirit coming to God's people.

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The Trumpet by Bill Burns
"Set the trumpet to your mouth!" Hosea 8:1
Have you forgotten that I know every condition of your life? Have you forgotten that I know about you; that I’m not far from you? Do you know that I am for you? I know the circumstances that are adverse that you are dealing with in your life. I know the trouble that you have. I know the infirmity that you have. All of these things I know, but this one thing you must do--you must submit them to Me. Bring them to Me in a complete and absolute faith so that I can intervene in your situation and My power will be manifest in your life. So today, lift your eyes. Call upon My name. It is My desire for you to live in absolute victory in all things, says the Lord.

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Talk to the Shepherd Author Unknown
Talk to the Shepherd,
Don't lie counting sheep;
Talk to the Shepherd
If you can't sleep
Tell him your burdens
And pour out your soul
He'll always hear you
When you're in his fold

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The Old Rugged Cross by George Bennard -1913
On a hill far away
Stood am old rugged cross
The emblem of suffering and shame.
And I love that old cross
Where the dearest and best
For a world of lost sinners was slain.
So I'll cherish the old rugged cross
Till my trophies at last I lay down
I will cling to the old rugged cross
And exchange it someday for a crown.

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Storms Of Life Author Unknown
When storms of life are raging and doubt reaches my way,
Remind me of Your love, Lord, to keep my fears at bay.
When all I see is failure and mountains, hard to climb,
Just whisper in my ear, O Lord, that You are still sublime.
This life may disappoint me and so may people too.
Lord, show me Your faithfulness and keep me true to You.
When tears do fill my eyes, Lord, and I'm seemingly blind,
Walk with me, Precious Jesus, and ease my tired mind.
Take me by the hand, Lord, when roads are washing out.
Provide me with protection and keep me from all doubt.
When I am getting real tired from struggling day and night,
Hold me tight, dear Jesus, Please, be my guiding light.

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"In your anger do not sin": Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry." Ephesians 4:26

The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit. Proverbs 18:21

Be still, and know that I am God. Psalm 46:10

"Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us. Psalm 62:8

"The grass withers, the flower fades, but the Word of God stands forever." Isaiah 40:8

Let your character be free from the love of money,being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, "I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you." Hebrews 13:5

"Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ's sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong." 2 Corinthians 12:10

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:6-7

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God's Words of Life on Rest from God's Words of Life for Women
Are you exhausted today? Are you taking pills for energy to get through the day? Or are you on a nervous high and need something to slow you down? Perhaps what your body is really crying for is rest. Is there rest for anyone in this tension-filled world?
As the disciples returned from a missionary journey, they were elated with their success. They gave glowing reports of how God had worked. Jesus was glad to hear their accounts, but He knew that they needed physical rest after their arduous journey. He invited them to come rest with Him in a quiet place.
We, too, need to refresh ourselves to maintain physical and spiritual strength. Our schedules are demanding. They drain our physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual life. God’s Holy Spirit gives us strength for His schedule for us. I believe God plans for us to include times of rest and relaxation in our schedule. If the disciples needed rest, so do we.
Our rest times may consist of a vacation where we can rest and relax, a change of environment, or simply a respite right where we are. Time spent with the Lord brings renewal and refreshment. ~ Millie Stamm
Scriptures for Today:
Jesus said, “Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” — Matthew 11:28–30
Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. — Galatians 6:9
The Lord replied, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” — Exodus 33:14
You are awesome, O God, in Your sanctuary; the God of Israel gives power and strength to His people. Praise be to God! — Psalm 68:35
[God] 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
Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with My righteous right hand. — Isaiah 41:10
“I will refresh the weary and satisfy the faint,” says the Lord. — Jeremiah 31:25
Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain. In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat — for He grants sleep to those He loves. — Psalm 127:1–2
“Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your animals, nor the alien within your gates. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy,” says the Lord. — Exodus 20:8–11
[The Lord] makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside quiet waters, He restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. — Psalm 23:2–3
Let the beloved of the Lord rest secure in Him, for He shields him all day long, and the one the Lord loves rests between His shoulders. — Deuteronomy 33:12
There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from His. Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest. — Hebrews 4:9–11
He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. — Psalm 91:1
Because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, [Jesus] said to them, “Come with Me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” — Mark 6:31
Your Turn: Do you rest? Do you ever put down unfinished work, the long list of calls or emails to return, and the demands of work and home life? Take a moment today to soak in the truth that God Himself desires for us to rest and restore so much that He modeled it for us in Scripture.

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God, Guide me in making my commitments. Give me the courage to make those that are right for me, the wisdom to not commit to that which does not feel right, and the patience to wait until I know. --Melody Beattie

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Read Through The Bible
Job 10
1 My soul is weary of my life; I will leave my complaint upon myself; I will speak in the bitterness of my soul. 2 I will say unto God, Do not condemn me; shew me wherefore thou contendest with me. 3 Is it good unto thee that thou shouldest oppress, that thou shouldest despise the work of thine hands, and shine upon the counsel of the wicked? 4 Hast thou eyes of flesh? or seest thou as man seeth? 5 Are thy days as the days of man? are thy years as man's days, 6 That thou enquirest after mine iniquity, and searchest after my sin? 7 Thou knowest that I am not wicked; and there is none that can deliver out of thine hand. 8 Thine hands have made me and fashioned me together round about; yet thou dost destroy me. 9 Remember, I beseech thee, that thou hast made me as the clay; and wilt thou bring me into dust again? 10 Hast thou not poured me out as milk, and curdled me like cheese? 11 Thou hast clothed me with skin and flesh, and hast fenced me with bones and sinews. 12 Thou hast granted me life and favour, and thy visitation hath preserved my spirit. 13 And these things hast thou hid in thine heart: I know that this is with thee. 14 If I sin, then thou markest me, and thou wilt not acquit me from mine iniquity. 15 If I be wicked, woe unto me; and if I be righteous, yet will I not lift up my head. I am full of confusion; therefore see thou mine affliction; 16 For it increaseth. Thou huntest me as a fierce lion: and again thou shewest thyself marvellous upon me. 17 Thou renewest thy witnesses against me, and increasest thine indignation upon me; changes and war are against me. 18 Wherefore then hast thou brought me forth out of the womb? Oh that I had given up the ghost, and no eye had seen me! 19 I should have been as though I had not been; I should have been carried from the womb to the grave. 20 Are not my days few? cease then, and let me alone, that I may take comfort a little, 21 Before I go whence I shall not return, even to the land of darkness and the shadow of death;22 A land of darkness, as darkness itself; and of the shadow of death, without any order, and where the light is as darkness.

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Dear God, Forgive us for putting other things before you. Help us to do what needs doing without letting it interfere with our walk with you. 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: http://www.bluidkiti.com/forums/showthread.php?t=130 .
Jesus is calling you to live a life that matters.