Weekly Spiritual Meditations - 2/14

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Trust the past to God’s mercy, the present to God’s love, and the future to God’s providence. --St. Augustine of Hippo

“To know God intimately, trust in Him faithrully, and depend on Him consistently.” --Joni Erickson Tada

Every movement we make in response to God has a ripple effect; touching family, neighbors, friends, community.

Are we big enough to become small enough for God to use us?

"The key to success is seeking God first in all things, knowing that He can...believing that He will."

You will seek the Lord your God and you will find Him if you search after Him with all your heart and soul. Praise the Lord!

God is Greater than ANY problem.

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Old Hat by Sally I Kennedy
"I will not forget you! See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands" Isaiah 49:15b-16
When neighbors moved into a nearby home, they were in their backyard all the time. Barbecues, parties, just hanging out. Now, a year later, they are seldom outside. The fun and thrill of the new tropical patio has become 'old hat'.
For us, places, things, jobs, toys, even people and relationships can become routine and lose their sparkle. Sometimes we want something new altogether, more interesting, more exciting.
Some good news is simple, but true, and that is we never become old hat to God.
His thoughts are ever towards us. He cares for us constantly, and continually. We are ever on His mind and in His thoughts, our names are even written on His palms so He will be sure to not forget!
Great, enduring, lasting is His love for us. We are not and never will be old hat to our heavenly Father.
That is for sure good news today.

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I love you, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. Psalm 18:1-2
We sing it and we say it in our public prayers: "Father, God, we love you." But notice very carefully the beginning phrase of our verse. "I love you, O Lord..." Even in public, community worship, we are taught the importance of a personal expression of love to God. When is the last time you told the Creator of the universe, "I love you!"
Prayer: Father in heaven, I love you. I love you because you are more than worthy of my love. I love you because you have first loved me. I love you because you sent your son to be my big brother and pay the price for my adoption into your family. I love you because of your faithfulness. I love you because you have permitted me in your grace to love you. In the name of Jesus I thank you. Amen. --Heartlight Daily Devotional

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He who pursues righteousness and love finds life, prosperity, and honor.
--Proverbs 21:21
Isn't it funny that when we set off to find happiness or joy or significance or meaning, we seldom find it. Instead, when we offer to serve others and give ourselves wholeheartedly to the Lord and His work, it is then that we find what we most need.
O Giver of every good and perfect gift, I ask today that You give me a chance to serve you and others in a way which shows your kingdom and its glory. If in the process You choose to meet the needs in my own heart, then I thank You. This I pray through your servant Jesus. Amen. --Heartlight Daily Devotional

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"What Did He Say?" by Wendy Pope
Ephesians 5:1, "Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children." (NIV)
My husband and I teach our children what most parents teach their children:
*We don't hit others.
*We must share.
*We must obey.
*We treat others the way you want to be treated.
We try so hard to teach them how to act that we sometimes forget to show them how to act. I learned this lesson from my son one day as I drove home from preschool.
I consider myself a patient driver. One of my favorite things to do in the car is listen to praise and worship music. Most days I can handle any traffic difficulty, because the music keeps me calm; however, there are days when even worshipping and praising can't make my natural instincts subside.
The traffic is moving slow, I am running late, and a car pulls out in front of me and does not accelerate. On days like these, I have a tendency to talk to cars, and the love of Jesus is not flowing from my lips. One day, while as I was ranting and raving, my son heard me and asked, "Mom, who are you talking to?" I told him I was talking to the cars because they are going too slow. Little did I know that my actions would come back to haunt me.
It was a beautiful day. The sun was shining; I was on-time to pick my son up from preschool and I was just loving Jesus. The traffic light ahead turned yellow warning me to prepare to stop, so I began to slow down, like the cars in front of me. All of a sudden, out of the back seat came shouts of anger and ugliness. My sweet little three-year old was yelling at the cars slowing down. I said to myself, "What did he say?" The Holy Spirit whispered, "Exactly what he heard you say." OUCH!
Today's key verse flashed in my mind: "Be imitators of Christ." I asked God and my son to forgive me for the way I acted. This entire incident made me stop and reflect on the way I conduct myself. I began to ask myself some tough questions. I hate to admit it, but I did not like the answers. What my son imitated was a reflection of my heart. Matthew's gospel challenges our speech by teaching us the relationship between our heart and our mouth, "For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks." (12:24, NIV) What my son saw was what the world saw.
I fell under conviction. I began to pray for the Lord to infuse me with Himself to the point that others would only see a reflection of Him when they looked at me. I invited Him to change my heart and to use me to change the hearts of others with same "heart condition." I told Him I wanted to bring the fragrance of His love to all those I meet each day, but especially to those I love.
Our walk must match our talk. What are your actions saying about you?
My Prayer for Today: God help me yield to Your Spirit today instead of my own instincts. If I follow my own instincts I will not reflect the greatness of Who You are to others. It is only through the power of the Holy Spirit in me that I can change. Thank You in advance for the changes You are going to make in my life. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
Application Steps: Ask a very close and godly friend to help you honestly answer the reflections points for today. Record the answers. Ask this friend to pray for you on a daily basis and to hold you accountable. Give God permission to change your heart. Make a date with your friend to celebrate God's answer to this prayer.
Reflection Points:
What is my first reaction when something "unscheduled" happens in my day?
Do I reflect Jesus?
Does my walk match my talk?
What changes can I make to insure others see Christ in me through my words and deeds?
Power Verses:
Romans 8: 12, "So, dear brothers and sisters, you have no obligation whatsoever to do what your sinful nature urges you to do."
Ephesians 4:29, "Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen."
Philippians 4:13, "I have strength for all things in Christ Who empowers me [I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him Who infuses inner strength into me; I am self-sufficient in Christ's sufficiency]."
2 Timothy 1:7, "For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self- discipline."

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MY COMMITMENT AS A CHRISTIAN
Written by a young African pastor and tacked on the wall of his house.
I'm a part of the fellowship of the unashamed. I have Holy Spirit Power. The dye has been cast. I have stepped over the line. The decision has been made. I'm a disciple of His. I won't look back, let up, slow down, back away,
or be still. My past is redeemed, my present makes sense, my future is secure. I'm finished and done with low living, sight walking, small planning, smooth knees, colorless dreams, tamed visions, mundane talking, cheap
living, and dwarfed goals. I no longer need pre-eminence, prosperity, position, promotions, plaudits, or popularity. I don't have to be right, first, tops, recognized, praised, regarded, or rewarded. I now live by faith, lean on His presence, walk by patience, lift by prayer, and labor by power. My face is set, my gait is fast, my goal is heaven, my road is narrow, my way rough,
my companions few, my Guide reliable, my mission clear. I cannot be bought, compromised, detoured lured away, turned back, deluded, or delayed.! I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the presence of the adversary, negotiate at the table of the enemy, ponder at the pool of popularity, or meander in the maze of mediocrity. I won't give up, shut up, let up, until I have stayed up, stored up, prayed up, paid up, and preached up for the cause of Christ. I am a disciple of Jesus. I must go till He comes, give till I drop, preach till all know, and work till He stops me. And when He comes for His own, He will have no problems recognizing me ---- my banner will be clear!
Comments: What an inspiration to anyone who calls him or herself a Christian. I think this is one of those things that I need to hang in LARGE print on my mirror so I have to read it every morning when I get up. Some days I feel that it would be so much easier if I just decided to give up, shut up, let up and most of all blow up. Maybe I’d feel a lot better and could then continue on. But it’s on days like those days that God seems to calm me the most and teach me so much, if I’ll just allow myself to concentrate on Him instead of me. I pray that you will read this and be inspired to do all you can, even on those days that you feel like not doing anything anymore.
Prayer: Praise God for being our Light of the World and our Star of the Morning. Confess to Him the times when you have given up because of your circumstances. Thank Him for the trials in your life that allow you to persevere. Ask Him to help you live more and more each day with the zest that the Spirit of the Lord gives.

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ROUGH SAILING AHEAD by Ivie Bozeman
During my youth, the two metaphors or symbols of Christ my youth group focused on were "light" and "running water." Jesus was the light, and the water symbolized the stream of life. When we accepted Christ, our lives would be like a flowing stream of pure, clear water flowing gently and peacefully along. As members of Christian families and a church that taught us the love of Jesus; we thought all we had to do was to accept Him and our lives would begin to flow with the stream. Sure, we wanted that kind of life. At sixteen I gave my life to Christ. I was eager to walk in His light and cruise down the gently flowing river of salvation.
I soon found this was not the whole picture. There were still periods of darkness when the sun didn't shine. The stream could become rough and the nights dark. However, I did have the assurance at these times that somewhere in the darkness; the presence of Christ was still with me. I knew if I could continue holding on through the darkness, the light would shine again in my life. The flowing stream I'd pictured as the Christian Walk through life sometimes slowed down; its water becoming dark and polluted. Rather than flowing in a straight line, it detoured around many fallen trees and debris that clogged its path. When these bends in the stream appeared, there seemed to be a tiny circle of light just beyond. I knew if I could keep moving and holding on to the image of the light, I could find my way out of the maze.
When these times came in my journey, I blamed myself. Where had I failed? This was not the life I thought I'd chosen. Later, I figured out this was God's way of purifying and making me stronger. Each time I came through a period of darkness, I realized Christ was teaching and molding me into the person He wanted me to be.
Today, as I tell others of the Christian life, I'm always careful to point out the obstacles they may encounter along the way. Walking the path of Jesus is not an easy one. It led Him to the cross, but it bought salvation for us. Our Christian journey will not be an easy one - but when we let Jesus walk with us, it is worth the trip. We become stronger and we can help others along the way. We can assure others that the Love of Jesus never leaves us. We may try to leave Him; or in the darkness, his light may be hard to see; but He's always there. We just need to remember to reach out toward Him.
Luke 9:23-24 Then he said to them all, "If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will save it." NRSV

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Small Straws In A Soft Wind by Marsha Burns
I will go before you to remove every hindrance and to pave the way for you to achieve all that I have set before you. Refuse to allow uncertainty or worry to undermine your faith or cloud your judgment. Let Me lead you on this path, for I will do so skillfully. But, you must stay focused and keep your priorities in order so that nothing can draw you off course, says the Lord. Walk in the Spirit! Isaiah 62:10 Go through, go through the gates! Prepare the way for the people; build up, build up the highway! Take out the stones, lift up a banner for the peoples!

The work that is ahead of you may seem daunting and beyond your scope. But, if you put your trust in Me I will make the seemingly impossible not only possible but plausible. I will strengthen you and give you the vision to accomplish more than you could have imagined or believed, says the Lord. Just put one foot in front of the other as you take things one step at a time, and do not be afraid. I am on the journey with you. Mark 5:36b "Do not be afraid; only believe."

Accept and embrace change as you do the seasons. The changes you face are inevitable whether you receive them with joy and expectation or with resistance and dread. Make it easy on yourself and be willing to move with My Spirit in freedom and fluidity. You can trust Me to cause everything to work together for your good. Let My glory be known in all you do, says the Lord. Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

Watch for situations that create stress, and set yourself to maintain peace instead. This is definitely a time when the proverbial molehill can become an insurmountable mountain if you lose objectivity. Trust in Me to bring you through every circumstance in victory. Be focused and stay positive so that despair cannot undermine your faith or determination, says the Lord. Matthew 21:21 So Jesus answered and said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but also if you say to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ it will be done.

Take the time and seize the moment to step back from your troubles and view your life from an objective and greater perspective. See it through the eyes and truth of eternity, and be grateful. Remember that you belong to Me. Know that I have chosen you not only to live in My kingdom, but to be My representative. You are just a pilgrim passing through all that is temporary on your way to that which lasts forever, says the Lord. Psalms 26:7 That I may proclaim with the voice of thanksgiving, and tell of all Your wondrous works.

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The Trumpet by Bill Burns
"Set the trumpet to your mouth!" Hosea 8:1
Do you believe My word? My word is absolute. For those things that I speak will come to pass. And, those things that come to pass will become the blessings of the children of the kingdom of heaven. So, please, do not forget that I am the Lord of glory and My glory rests over all you do and believe. For, these are the days of the fulfillment of divine things in this land. Be faithful, for I am faithful. And, in your faithfulness you shall see the mighty outpouring of My Spirit, says the Lord God.

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God's Measurement Author Unknown
When God measures our worth - it's said
He places the tape, "round the heart not the head."
For who knows the worth of a human soul?
The total story is yet to unfold.
Our loving Father has a plan for everyone,
Through a glass dimly, now I can't see.
Just what the future is going to be.
But by faith day by day, God leads me on.
His peace and power help keep me strong.
Value every soul on Earth
As through God's eyes, give them worth.
Care for those who need a helping hand,
Meet their needs if you can,
The joy you'll find is such giving
Makes life much more worth the living.
And too, it will last when life is 'ore.
And we gather upon eternity's shore.
For God measures our worth - each one,
When life here on Earth is done.
And he places the tape, - I've heard it said,
" Around the heart, and not the head"

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Rejoice In Today by Daniel M Corkery
This is a day we shall rejoice
Today we can now hear
The call of the inner voice
Gradually I start my day
On my knees I like to pray
Out of gratitude you can hear me say
This is a day that God has made
For these are the days
I would never trade
Today we have a choice
Will we let other hear our voice
As we turn to give it away
We can surely rejoice in today
Now we have a new direction
We worked the steps to correction
We have a new program to follow
No longer shall we wallow
In old self pity or shame
We have now changed
We now have goals
At which to aim
We can now rejoice
We can work together
We now all have a new choice
Easy does it but do take action today
Always be happy rejoice in this way
After we reach our goal we turn
To the new man offer a hand
Because we understand
We now have a choice
So in today rejoice

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“’For I know the plans I have for you,’ says the Lord. ‘Plans to prosper you and not to harm you. Plans to give you a good hope and a good future.’” Jeremiah 29:11

"The Lord bless you and keep you, the Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace." Numbers 6:24-27

"Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up the other; but woe to one who is alone and falls and does not have another to help." Ecclesiastes 4:9-10

May the Lord keep watch between you and me when we are away from each other. Genesis 31:49

May the Lord of peace Himself, give you peace always in every way. 2 Thessalonians 3:16

"I will call on Him as long as I live." Psalm 116:2

It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in man. Psalm 118:8

The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still. Exodus 14:14

As for God, His way is perfect; The word of the LORD is proven; He is a shield to all who trust in Him.
For who is God, except the LORD? And who is a rock, except our God? It is God who arms me with strength, And makes my way perfect. Psalm 18:30-32

"How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!" --Psalm 119:103

Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. Ephesians 4:32

Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know. Jeremiah 33:3

May my meditation be pleasing to him, as I rejoice in the LORD. Psalm 104:34

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I Love You Anyway Author Unknown
The fear of rejection may be one of the most basic fears of the human experience. Dr. Joe Harding tells a heart-warming story of a man who finally decided to ask his boss for a raise in salary. It was Friday. He told his wife that morning what he was about to do. All day the man felt nervous and apprehensive. Late in the afternoon he summoned the courage to approach his employer. To his delight, the boss agreed to a raise.
The man arrived home to a beautiful table set with their best china. Candles were lighted. His wife had prepared a festive meal. Immediately he figured that someone from the office had tipped her off! Finding his wife in the kitchen, he told her the good news. They embraced and kissed, then sat down to a wonderful meal. Next to his plate the man found a beautiful lettered note. It read: "Congratulations, darling! I knew you'd get the raise! These things will tell you how much I love you."
While on his way to the kitchen to get dessert he noticed that a second card had fallen from her pocket. Picking it off the floor, he read: "Don't worry about not getting the raise! You deserve it anyway! These things will tell you how much I love you."
Total acceptance! Total love. Her love for him was not contingent upon his success at work. In fact, just the opposite. If he were to fail there, if he were to be rejected by his boss, he'd be all the more accepted at home. She stood behind him no matter what; softening the blows, healing the wounds, believing in him, loving him. We can be rejected by almost anyone if we're loved by one.
That's the way families can be with each other - and I think that's the way God is with us, too! "We love Him because He first loved us." (1 John 4:19)
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." (John 3:16)

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Dearest Lord, give us a strong faith in your ways, letting go of ourselves, relying on your grace more each day. Thank you, Lord. Amen.

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Read Through The Bible
2 Chronicles 9
The Queen of Sheba’s Praise of Solomon
1 Now when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon, she came to Jerusalem to test Solomon with hard questions, having a very great retinue, camels that bore spices, gold in abundance, and precious stones; and when she came to Solomon, she spoke with him about all that was in her heart. 2 So Solomon answered all her questions; there was nothing so difficult for Solomon that he could not explain it to her. 3 And when the queen of Sheba had seen the wisdom of Solomon, the house that he had built, 4 the food on his table, the seating of his servants, the service of his waiters and their apparel, his cupbearers and their apparel, and his entryway by which he went up to the house of the Lord, there was no more spirit in her. 5 Then she said to the king: “It was a true report which I heard in my own land about your words and your wisdom. 6 However I did not believe their words until I came and saw with my own eyes; and indeed the half of the greatness of your wisdom was not told me. You exceed the fame of which I heard. 7 Happy are your men and happy are these your servants, who stand continually before you and hear your wisdom! 8 Blessed be the Lord your God, who delighted in you, setting you on His throne to be king for the Lord your God! Because your God has loved Israel, to establish them forever, therefore He made you king over them, to do justice and righteousness.” 9 And she gave the king one hundred and twenty talents of gold, spices in great abundance, and precious stones; there never were any spices such as those the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon. 10 Also, the servants of Hiram and the servants of Solomon, who brought gold from Ophir, brought algum wood and precious stones. 11 And the king made walkways of the algum wood for the house of the Lord and for the king’s house, also harps and stringed instruments for singers; and there were none such as these seen before in the land of Judah. 12 Now King Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba all she desired, whatever she asked, much more than she had brought to the king. So she turned and went to her own country, she and her servants.
Solomon’s Great Wealth
13 The weight of gold that came to Solomon yearly was six hundred and sixty-six talents of gold, 14 besides what the traveling merchants and traders brought. And all the kings of Arabia and governors of the country brought gold and silver to Solomon. 15 And King Solomon made two hundred large shields of hammered gold; six hundred shekels of hammered gold went into each shield. 16 He also made three hundred shields of hammered gold; three hundred shekels of gold went into each shield. The king put them in the House of the Forest of Lebanon. 17 Moreover the king made a great throne of ivory, and overlaid it with pure gold. 18 The throne had six steps, with a footstool of gold, which were fastened to the throne; there were armrests on either side of the place of the seat, and two lions stood beside the armrests. 19 Twelve lions stood there, one on each side of the six steps; nothing like this had been made for any other kingdom. 20 All King Solomon’s drinking vessels were gold, and all the vessels of the House of the Forest of Lebanon were pure gold. Not one was silver, for this was accounted as nothing in the days of Solomon. 21 For the king’s ships went to Tarshish with the servants of Hiram. Once every three years the merchant ships came, bringing gold, silver, ivory, apes, and monkeys. 22 So King Solomon surpassed all the kings of the earth in riches and wisdom. 23 And all the kings of the earth sought the presence of Solomon to hear his wisdom, which God had put in his heart. 24 Each man brought his present: articles of silver and gold, garments, armor, spices, horses, and mules, at a set rate year by year. 25 Solomon had four thousand stalls for horses and chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen whom he stationed in the chariot cities and with the king at Jerusalem. 26 So he reigned over all the kings from the River to the land of the Philistines, as far as the border of Egypt. 27 The king made silver as common in Jerusalem as stones, and he made cedar trees as abundant as the sycamores which are in the lowland. 28 And they brought horses to Solomon from Egypt and from all lands.
Death of Solomon
29 Now the rest of the acts of Solomon, first and last, are they not written in the book of Nathan the prophet, in the prophecy of Ahijah the Shilonite, and in the visions of Iddo the seer concerning Jeroboam the son of Nebat? 30 Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel forty years. 31 Then Solomon rested with his fathers, and was buried in the City of David his father. And Rehoboam his son reigned in his place.

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God is the final authority here, and I thank Him for you, and allowing me to share with you in this way. Lord, please continue to use me to do Thy Will. Continue to bless me that I may be a blessing to others. Keep me strong that I may help the weak and unsaved. Keep me uplifted that I may have words of encouragement for others. May the Holy Spirit always continue to guide me. I ask for your continued prayers, and please pray for each other. 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.