Weekly Spiritual Meditations - 1/10

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Who we are is God's gift to us. Who we become is our gift to God.

God understands our prayers even when we can't find the words to say them.

H E L P = His Ever-Loving Presence.

When we begin to know God, we find a love that already knows everything about us. Everything. The deepest, most hidden, most awful thing that we've ever done, thought or said, God already knows. And when we touch that love, we transcend our littleness and we begin to step into that greatness that's always in us. It doesn't happen overnight. It's a practice and a process. --Mary Manin Morrissey

Some flowers grow best in the sun; others do well in the shade. God plants us where we grow best. --Unknown

The same life-force that grows an oak from an acorn, a mountain from the earth's molten core, a stream from the spring thaw, a child from an egg and a sperm, an idea from the mind of a human being, is present in all things, all thoughts and all experiences. There is no place where God is not. --Joan Borysenko

"I am healthy, prosperous, happy and in love with life my world is wonderful, awesome, fantastic and joyful. I want for nothing for I have everything I need and desire. I walk in the light of God's love and I share the blessings of this love with everyone and everything my life touches. It is so and I give thanks." --Author Unknown

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The Gift
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 knowing 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 beautifully wrapped gift box. Curious and somewhat disappointed, the young man opened the box and found a lovely, leather-bound Bible, with his name embossed in gold. Angry, he raised his voice at his father and said, "With all your money, all you give me is a Bible?" With that he stormed out of the house. Many years passed.
The young man was very successful in business. He had a beautiful home and wonderful family. He realized that his father was already very old and thought perhaps he should patch things up with him. He had not seen him since that graduation day. Before he could make arrangements, he received a telegram telling him his father had passed away and willed all of his possessions to his son. He needed to come home immediately and take charge.
When he arrived, a wave of sadness and regret enveloped his heart. He began to search through his father's important papers and saw the still gift-wrapped Bible, just as he had left it years ago. With tears, he opened the Bible and began to leaf through the pages. His father had carefully underlined a verse, Matt.7:11. "If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts 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.
Sometimes we under estimate our heavenly father's plan and power and we do things on our own will. But our God knows what to give and when to give. --Author Unknown

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The Cat
A man recently told a true story about the pastor of his church. He had a kitten that climbed up a tree in his backyard and then was afraid to come down. The pastor coaxed, offered warm milk, etc. The kitty would not come down. The tree was not sturdy enough to climb, so the pastor decided that if he tied a rope to his car and drove away so that the tree bent
down, he could then reach up and get the kitten. He did all this, checking his progress in the car frequently, then figured if he went just a little bit further, the tree would be bent sufficiently for him to reach the kitten. But as he moved a little further forward, the rope broke. The tree went "boing!" and the kitten instantly sailed through the air - out of sight.
The pastor felt terrible. He walked all over the neighborhood asking people if they'd seen a little kitten. No. Nobody had seen a stray kitten. So he prayed, "Lord, I just commit this kitten to your keeping," and went on about his business.
A few days later he was at the grocery store and met one of his church members. He happened to look into her shopping cart and was amazed to see cat food. Now this woman was a cat hater and everyone knew it, so he asked her, "Why are you buying cat food when you hate cats so much?" She replied, "You won't believe this," and told him how her little girl had been begging her for a cat, but she kept refusing. Then a few days before, the child had begged again, so the Mom finally told her little girl, "Well if God gives you a cat, I'll let you keep it?" She told the pastor, "I watched my child go out in the yard, get on her knees, and ask God for a cat. And really, Pastor, you won't believe this, but I saw it with my own eyes. A kitten suddenly came flying out of the blue sky, with its paws outspread, and landed right in front of her."
Never underestimate the Power of God and what may appear to be breaking on one end, is answering prayer on another. --Author Unknown

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Does Perfect Love Exist?
Most of us long for relationships in which we are loved and accepted just the way we are. Our hearts' desire is to give and receive love in relationships that make us feel that even if others disagree with what we do or say, they still love us. They accept us. They appreciate our contributions to the world. While it would be wonderful to have these types of relationships with all people, we know that that's hard to do. We can, however, have them with some others, but only when we first have them with ourselves - and, ironically, this is often the hardest relationship of all.
One of the reasons many of us find it hard to love ourselves is because we do not realize that we are already loved in the most divine way. God loves us, totally and unconditionally. It's hard for many of us to believe this fact because we know how imperfect we are, and we believe we have to be perfect before God will love us. The truth is that God's love makes us perfect, even with our imperfections. By knowing this truth intellectually and believing it spiritually, we not only love ourselves more; we love others more as well.
Do you love yourself? You may think you do, but do you really? There's only one way to find out - by taking a closer look at what you think, say, and do. You may not like some of what you find, but if you're serious about really loving yourself, you can use this insight to do some positive inner work.
Here are three ways I've found for gaining greater personal insight for deeper love.
1. Listen to your words and listen even more closely to your thoughts. Why? Because your words and your thoughts will determine your actions. One of the things that has helped me to listen to my thoughts has been to keep a journal. It is not necessary for you to write in it everyday, but it helps to record various insights you gain as you go about living your life. Instead of using a big notebook, you might use a small note pad that you can keep in your purse or pocket for easy access to record your thoughts as they occur to you. (I've found that if I don't immediately write down ideas and insights as they come, it's hard to remember them later, at least with the same degree of clarity.) Whichever method you choose, what's most important is that you write your thoughts down. It will help you know what's in your heart.
2. Be honest with yourself by paying attention to your actions. Actions speak louder than words, and they always tell the truth. What do your actions say about you? If you say you love your job, but your actions say otherwise, which do you think is more true - your words or your actions? On the other hand, if you say you're not good at a certain job, but your actions say otherwise, that's also important. What do you do with this insight? You can use it to make more beneficial choices in your life. By being honest with yourself based on your previous actions, your actions moving forward will be based on truth instead of just what you tell yourself.
3. Take time out during the day for quiet time to listen to your inner voice. I call this inner voice the voice of God. This is similar to point number one, but it takes it a step further - beyond the natural mind to the supernatural heart. You may want to use your quiet time to meditate or pray. However you use this time, the key is to shut out all of the noise around you by focusing deep within yourself. Breathing deeply during quiet time will also help you focus. I know it's hard to find quiet time during a particularly busy day, but it's so important - even if it's just 10 minutes a day and you have to sneak away to get it. Quiet time can really make a
difference in your life. It enables you to hear God speaking to your heart reminding you of His perfect love for you.
Despite what your subconscious may be telling you, you can have love with no limits. The key is to unconditionally love yourself first. --Cynthia Legette Davis

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Our God Is An Awesome God!
I know you're tired. I know you feel overwhelmed. You may feel as though this crisis, this problem, this hard time will last forever.
It won't. You are almost through.
You don't just "think" it has been hard; it has been hard. You have been tested, tried, and re-tested on what you have learned.
Your beliefs and your faith have been tried in fire. You have believed, then doubted, then, worked at believing some more. You have had to have faith even when you could not see or imagine what you were asked to believe. Others around you may have tried to convince you not to believe in what you were hoping you could believe. You have had opposition. You have not gotten to this place with total support and joy. You have had to work hard, in spite of what was happening around you. Sometimes, what motivated you was anger; sometimes fear.
Things went wrong....more problems occurred than you anticipated. There were obstacles, frustrations, and annoyances en route. You did not plan on this being the way it would evolve. Much of this has been a surprise; some of it has not been at all what you desired.
Yet, it has been good. part of you, the deepest part that knows truth, has sensed this all along, even when your head told you that things were out of whack and crazy, that there was no plan or purpose, that God had forgotten you. So much has happened, and each incident....the most painful, the most troubling, the most surprising....has a connection. You are beginning to see and sense that. You never dreamt things would happen this way, did you? But they did. Now you are learning the secret....they were meant to
happen this way, and this way is good, better than what you expected.
You didn't believe it would take this long, either...did you? But it did. You have learned patience. You never thought you could have it, but now you know you do. You have been led. Many were the moments when you thought you were forgotten, when you were convinced you had been abandoned. Now you know you have been guided. Now things are coming into place. You are almost at the end of this phase, this difficult portion of the journey. The lesson is almost complete. You know....the lesson, you fought, resisted, and insisted you could not learn. Yes, that one. You have almost mastered it. You have been changed from the inside out. You have been moved to a different level, a higher level, a better level.
You have been climbing a mountain. It has not been easy, but mountain climbing is never easy. Now, you are near the top. A moment longer, and the victory shall be yours.
Steady your shoulders. Breathe deeply. Move forward in confidence and peace. The time is coming to relish and enjoy all which you have fought for. That time is drawing near, finally.
I know you have thought before that the time was drawing near, only to learn that it wasn't. But now, the reward is coming. You know that too. You can feel it. Your struggle has not been in vain. For every struggle on this journey, there is a climax, a resolution.
Peace, joy, abundant blessings, and reward are yours here on earth. Enjoy! There will be more mountains, but now you know how to climb them. And you have learned the secret of what is at the top......abundant life! Freedom! Everything that your heart has desired. It will all come to pass.
Remember to keep climbing to the top, don't look back. You will make it because God is leading the way and has a hold on you that will never release. He will make sure that you have success. You will make it. Don't give up! And remember, I love you, but God loves you so much more than I ever could. --Author Unknown

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Are You Listening?
Have you heard the universe talking lately? Have you heard the messages that are there every moment of every day? Have you heard the inner promptings of Spirit?
I remember when I first started hearing a voice inside my head, I was frightened. I was still a child, and this voice would speak to me very loudly... I recall being very frightened about this, and feeling worried. The questions that came up were: Was I crazy? Where was this voice coming from? Did others also hear this?
Now at that time, I was an insecure child and did not 'risk' asking anyone about this. I definitely did not want to be ridiculed or found to be crazy. So, I tried to block out that inner voice as much as I could, because I was frightened.
Then years later, I started to hear the wind, the birds, and everything else in nature speak. I would be sitting quietly underneath a tree, and would 'hear' patterns in the wind... I would hear messages... Now please understand that I am not saying that the wind or the birds spoke in words... It simply was as if the sounds of nature became a focus for my awareness. The sounds allowed my Higher Self to communicate with me in a form I could understand.
There also I felt a little worried... Maybe I was losing my mind or having hallucinations? Yet the wisdom that came to me at those times, the inspiration and the peace, really left no room for doubt. The Universe was communicating with me through its many voices and mouths.
Now these days, this has gone ever further... Everything and everyone brings me messages from Spirit. Let me give you an example. The other day I was in conversation with someone. Just as I started to say something which was 'negative,' the phone rang. I realized that, through this interruption, I was being prevented from speaking the words I was about to say. When you're
paying attention, you will see that your guidance is coming from all directions.
How else does God speak? Another example: Let's say you are getting ready to eat or drink something, and the drink or food slips away from you or falls out of your hand. What is God saying? This food is not for you, at least not at this time.
How else does the Universe talk to us? In every single little (or big) event in our lives. If nothing seems to be going right, maybe you're not headed in the right direction. If you keep trying to call someone and their phone is busy, you're being told that you are not to speak to this person now. When we are doing the 'right' thing at the 'right' time, then there are no blockages, no restrictions.
Listen to what your world is saying. Is you car battery low? Well, how is your own battery... are you feeling low on energy, feeling like you could use a boost? Do you have a slow leak in your car tires? Where in your life do you have a loss of air...a loss of vitality, of support, of life? Is your car overheating? Perhaps you've allowed certain situations or people in your life to get you to the "boiling point"...
Another way that messages will come to you are through things you 'overhear.' A lot of times I may be asking myself a question internally, and I will hear someone outside yell a loud no. Now I am aware that the person is not speaking to me (at least they are not aware that they are), yet the message is for me. Start listening... Pay attention to all the messages that are being played for you. When you turn on the radio, what is the first song you hear? How is that a message for you?
EVERYTHING is a message for you. When my computer jams, I know it's either time for me to take a break, or that I'm not to be working in that program or on the computer at all at that time. One morning I came in to the office with the thought of doing a typesetting job for someone. I wanted to do it right away and get it done before the phones got busy. When I turned on the computer, it refused to 'boot up'... it didn't do a thing. So rather than keep trying to get it to work, I realized there was a message here. I understood that I was not to work on the computer at that time.
Now my mind felt a little upset at this... after all I had a commitment and had to get the typesetting job done. But my 'aware' self realized that the message was "no typesetting now". So I went on to do other things. About one hour later, the phone rang. The client was calling to cancel the job! I was very thankful that I had listened to the message that came through my computer... I would have worked one hour on a job that was no longer needed.
You also can use all of your messages from the universe... They are always present and they are your helpers. The trick is to start paying attention. To open your awareness to everything.
Everything happens for a reason... we simply need to look for the message and we will find it is very clear. If at first you don't seem to see the messages, keep looking (and listening). After all, as with anything else, the more you do it, the better you get. So...STOP, CLOSE YOUR EYES, and LISTEN. --Marie T. Russell

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God does exist!
Barbershop Philosophy
A man went to a barber shop to have his hair and his beard cut as always. He started to have a good conversation with the barber who attended him.
They talked about so many things and various subjects. Suddenly, they touched the subject of God.
The barber said: "Look man, I don't believe that God exists as you say."
"Why do you say that?" -- asked the client.
Well, it's easy, you just have to go out in the street to realize that God does not exist. Tell me, if God existed, would there be so many sick people? Would there be abandoned children? If God existed, there would be no suffering nor pain. I can't think of a God who permits all of these things."
The client stopped for a moment to think but he didn't respond because he didn't want to start an argument. The barber finished his job and the client went out of the shop. Just after he left the barber shop he saw a man in the street with long hair and a beard (it appeared that it had been a long time since this man had his hair cut and he looked so untidy)
Then the client again entered the barber shop and he said to the barber: You know what? Barbers do NOT exist."
"How come they don't exist?", asked the barber. "I am here and I am a barber."
"No!" - the client exclaimed. "They don't exist because if they did there would be no people with long hair and beards like that man who walks in the street."
"Ah, barbers do exist, what happens is that people do not come to me."
"Exactly!"- affirmed the client. "That's the point. God DOES exist, what happens is people don't go to Him and do not look for Him that's why there's so much pain and suffering in the world."
God does exist! --Author Unknown

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Small Straws In A Soft Wind by Marsha Burns
Be renewed in faith, in hope, and in peace. The work of the enemy to tear you down has been formidable, but I will restore what has been torn down. I will strengthen what has become weakened through attacks on your body, soul and spirit. Yield to My power to build you up and prepare you to fulfill My purposes in your life. Yours is to overcome the despair that has developed as a result of relentless difficulties and begin to look to better days, says the Lord. Hosea 6:1 Come, and let us return to the LORD; for He has torn, but He will heal us; He has stricken, but He will bind us up.

My grace that empowers you to fulfill desire and purpose is abundant. But, you must access grace by faith and apply it to every circumstance. Know in your heart that I have already provided every resource necessary for you to accomplish all that I have given you to do, both spiritually and naturally. As you dedicate yourself entirely to My kingdom, I am with you to give direction, provision, and life, says the Lord. 2 Corinthians 12:9 And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness."

Achieve and maintain tranquility, beloved. Even though the opportunity to be drawn into someone else's chaos presents itself, you must stand your ground of peace. Refuse to allow anything to disturb you. Be level-headed and trust Me to give wisdom and to direct your steps in situations that take you off guard. Keep looking up, says the Lord. Isaiah 26:3 You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You.

In a vision I saw a very large cloud in the west, on the horizon. The inside of the cloud was bright orange like fire. It began to rotate counter-clockwise and formed a sort of funnel that extended down to the ground, much like a tornado. Then, I saw the force of the movement pick up people from the earth, and the cloud seemed to swallow them up. I thought of this scripture:
1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.

In much the same way that you would position yourself and do the work to receive a promotion in the natural realm, it is My desire that you take your place spiritually and do all that is necessary to receive the greatest benefits of My kingdom, says the Lord. This positioning will take thought and deliberate effort as well as strength of desire and purpose, but you will not regret it. Jeremiah 29:13 And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.

Be quiet and stay calm. Negative emotions will only take you off course and keep you from seeing things as they really are. Refuse to allow chaos and confusion any place in you. Allow peace to lead you in everything. It is a very narrow path that will bring you to know righteousness and wisdom. Stay firmly on that path, and let Me direct your steps, says the Lord. Matthew 7:13 "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it."

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The Trumpet by Bill Burns
"Set the trumpet to your mouth!" Hosea 8:1
Listen to the sound of the season and you will find My presence. Seek Me and acknowledge the fact that I am with you in a greater and mightier way than ever. Listen for My voice. Listen for the sound of the trumpet. This is the season of hearing. Listen and hear, and then you shall know what I am doing. Never ever forget that I am always with you. You will have a greater understanding of My presence than you have had before, says the Lord.

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Our Father, up in heaven, hear this fervent prayer
May the people of all nations be united in thy care.
For earth's peace and man's salvation can come only by Thy grace
And not through bombs and missiles and our quest for outer space.
For until all men recognize that "The Battle is the Lord's"
And peace on earth cannot be won with strategy and swords.
We will go on vainly fighting, as we have in ages past
Finding only empty victories and a peace that cannot last.
But we've grown so rich and mighty and so arrogantly strong,
We no longer ask in humbleness "God, show us where we're wrong"
We have come to trust completely in the power of man-made things,
Unmindful of God's mighty power and that He Is "King of Kings"
We have turned our eyes away from Him to go our selfish way,
And money, power and pleasure are the gods we serve today.
And the good green earth God gave us to peacefully enjoy,
Through greed and fear and hatred we are seeking to destroy.
Oh, Father, up in heaven, stir and wake our sleeping souls,
Renew our faith and lift us up and give us higher goals.
And grant us heavenly guidance as war threatens us again
For, more than guided missiles, all the world needs guided men.
--Helen Steiner Rice

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O God, our Help in Ages Past, our Hope in Years To Be,
Look down upon this present and see our need in Thee.
For in this day of unrest, with danger all around,
We need Thy hand to lead us to higher, safer ground.
We need Thy help and counsel to make us more aware
That our safety and security lie solely in Thy care.
And as we fight for freedom make our way and purpose clear
And in our hours of danger may we feel Thy Presence near.
--Helen Steiner Rice

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We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. Romans 6:4

Therefore if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. 2 Corinthians 5:17

For I am the LORD, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you. Isaiah 41:13

A man's pride brings him low, but a man of lowly spirit gains honor. Proverbs 29:23

Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law. The commandments, "Do not commit adultery," "Do not murder," "Do not steal," "Do not covet," and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this one rule: "Love your neighbor as yourself." Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. Romans 13:8-10

But, dear friends, remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ foretold. They said to you, "In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires." These are the men who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit. But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit. Keep yourselves in God's love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life. Be merciful to those who doubt; snatch others from the fire and save them; to others show mercy, mixed with fear--hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh. To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy-- to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen. Jude 1:17-25

Without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. Hebrews 11:6

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Pettiness Prayer
Keep us, oh God, from pettiness. Let us be large in thought, in word, in deed. Let us be done with fault finding and leave off self-seeking. May we put away all pettiness and meet each other face to face, without self-pity and without prejudice. May we always be patient, never hasty in judgment and always tolerant. Teach us to put into action our better impulses, straightforward and unafraid. Let us take time for all things; make us calm, serene and gentle. Grant that we may realize it is the little things in life that create differences, that in the big things of life we are as one and may we strive to touch and to know the great common heart of us all and oh God, let us not forget to be kind.

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Read Through The Bible
2 Chronicles 4
The Temple’s Furnishings
1 He made a bronze altar twenty cubits long, twenty cubits wide and ten cubits high. 2 He made the Sea of cast metal, circular in shape, measuring ten cubits from rim to rim and five cubits high. It took a line of thirty cubits to measure around it. 3 Below the rim, figures of bulls encircled it—ten to a cubit. The bulls were cast in two rows in one piece with the Sea. 4 The Sea stood on twelve bulls, three facing north, three facing west, three facing south and three facing east. The Sea rested on top of them, and their hindquarters were toward the center. 5 It was a handbreadth in thickness, and its rim was like the rim of a cup, like a lily blossom. It held three thousand baths. 6 He then made ten basins for washing and placed five on the south side and five on the north. In them the things to be used for the burnt offerings were rinsed, but the Sea was to be used by the priests for washing. 7 He made ten gold lampstands according to the specifications for them and placed them in the temple, five on the south side and five on the north. 8 He made ten tables and placed them in the temple, five on the south side and five on the north. He also made a hundred gold sprinkling bowls. 9 He made the courtyard of the priests, and the large court and the doors for the court, and overlaid the doors with bronze. 10 He placed the Sea on the south side, at the southeast corner. 11 And Huram also made the pots and shovels and sprinkling bowls. So Huram finished the work he had undertaken for King Solomon in the temple of God: 12 the two pillars; the two bowl-shaped capitals on top of the pillars; the two sets of network decorating the two bowl-shaped capitals on top of the pillars; 13 the four hundred pomegranates for the two sets of network (two rows of pomegranates for each network, decorating the bowl-shaped capitals on top of the pillars); 14 the stands with their basins; 15 the Sea and the twelve bulls under it; 16 the pots, shovels, meat forks and all related articles. All the objects that Huram-Abi made for King Solomon for the temple of the Lord were of polished bronze. 17 The king had them cast in clay molds in the plain of the Jordan between Sukkoth and Zarethan. 18 All these things that Solomon made amounted to so much that the weight of the bronze could not be calculated. 19 Solomon also made all the furnishings that were in God’s temple: the golden altar; the tables on which was the bread of the Presence; 20 the lampstands of pure gold with their lamps, to burn in front of the inner sanctuary as prescribed; 21 the gold floral work and lamps and tongs (they were solid gold); 22 the pure gold wick trimmers, sprinkling bowls, dishes and censers; and the gold doors of the temple: the inner doors to the Most Holy Place and the doors of the main hall.

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God, as we face life's obstacles, give us faith to trust your power and love. 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.