Weekly Spiritual Meditations - July 21

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Show me the right path, O Lord; point out the road for me to follow. Lead me by your truth and teach me, for you are the God who saves me. All day long I put my hope in you. Psalm 25:4-5

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When at night you cannot sleep, talk to the Shepherd and stop counting sheep. ~Author Unknown

Before we can pray, "Lord, Thy Kingdom come," we must be willing to pray, "My Kingdom go." ~Alan Redpath

Look back. Do you see God's hand working in your life? Remember the times when you dared to trust Him and you were not disappointed. Remember the times you thought you could not survive . . . but you did. Remember the times you thought you knew better . . . but now you see that His way would have been the right way. Can you see even those times when God was working on your behalf before you ever came to Him?
-- Rocky Henriques

God knows where we are. Sometimes we forget this. Sometimes we even feel that God has forgotten us. He hasn’t. God knows exactly where we are. So when you are afflicted with those forsaken feelings, when you’re on the verge of throwing a pity party thanks to those despairing thoughts, go back to the Word of God. --Charles Swindoll

I’m comforted when I realize that God is in sovereign control of all of life. He not only knows the times and the seasons; He is also Lord of the unexpected and the unpredictable. Our times and our trials are in His hands. Even when we feel embarrassed or confused or do something really weird. --Charles Swindoll

A moment in His presence. A moment lost in praise. Sometimes that’s all it takes. Just a moment or two…to clear away the fog, to give you perspective, to melt away the anxiety, to erase the hurry/worry lines from your face, to refill your empty cup…And even if you have only a moment…it will be the best moment of your day. --Jack Hayford

Having faith in what God is doing even if we don’t understand, and even if we don’t agree, may be harder than anything we’ve ever done in our lives. --Rocky Henriques

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A Day at the Hardware Store
After a long day of cleaning, my son and I were returning our rented carpet cleaner to the hardware store.
Back at the car, I glanced at the receipt and realized they had charged me for the cleaning liquid but not for the rental.
Let the rationalizations begin. "I'm so tired from cleaning. The line is so long. I don't want to drag my son back in there. They've already made money off of me."
A still, small voice answered, "Are you a man of integrity, or not? If you aren't faithful in this little thing, how can you be trusted with big things?"
A momentary struggle ensued -- would I sell my integrity for $16?
"Come on, Jeremy," I said to my son. "We're going back inside." I didn't want to sacrifice my integrity for $16 million, let alone 16 dollars.
What about you? Have you had a critical moment lately that challenged your integrity? Remember, integrity is doing what's right, even when no one but God knows the outcome. From www.integrityresource.org

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In God We (Nearly) Trust by Max Lucado
A few days before our wedding, Denalyn and I enjoyed and endured a sailing voyage. Milt, a Miami church friend, had invited Denalyn, her mom, and me to join him and a few others on a leisurely cruise along the Florida coast.
Initially it was just that. Leisure. We stretched out on cushions, hung feet over the side, caught some zzz’s and rays. Nice.
But then came the storm. The sky darkened, the rain started, and the flat ocean humped like a dragon’s neck. Sudden waves of water tilted the vessel up until we saw nothing but sky and then downward until we saw nothing but blue. I learned this about sailing: there is nothing swell about a swell. Tanning stopped. Napping ceased. Eyes turned first to the thunderclouds, then to the captain. We looked to Milt.
He was deliberate and decisive. He told some people where to sit, others what to do, and all of us to hang on. And we did what he said. Why? We knew he knew best. No one else knew the difference between starboard and stern. Only Milt did. We trusted him. We knew he knew.
And we knew we didn’t. Prior to the winds, we might have boasted about Boy Scout merit badges in sailing or bass-boat excursions. But once the storm hit, we shut up (except for Denalyn, who threw up). We had no choice but to trust Milt. He knew what we didn’t—and he cared. The vessel was captained, not by a hireling or a stranger, but by a pal. Our safety mattered to him. So we trusted him.
Oh, that the choice were equally easy in life. Need I remind you about your westerly winds? With the speed of lightning and the force of a thunderclap, williwaws anger tranquil waters. Victims of sudden storms populate unemployment lines and ICU wards. You know the winds. You’ve felt the waves. Good-bye, smooth sailing. Hello, rough waters.
Such typhoons test our trust in the Captain. Does God know what he is doing? Can he get us out? Why did he allow the storm?
Can you say about God what I said about Milt?
I know God knows what’s best.
I know I don’t.
I know he cares.
Such words come easily when the water is calm. But when you’re looking at a wrecked car or a suspicious-looking mole, when war breaks out or thieves break in, do you trust him?
To embrace God’s sovereignty is to drink from the well of his lordship and make a sailboat-in-the-storm decision. Not in regard to Milt and the sea, but in regard to God and life. You look toward the Captain and resolve: he knows what’s best.

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DOES PRAYER CHANGE THINGS? Author Unknown
They say that prayer changes things, but does it REALLY change anything? Oh yes! It really does!
Does prayer change your present situation or sudden circumstances? No, not always, but it does change the way you look at those events.
Does prayer change your financial future? No, not always, but it does change who you look to for meeting your daily needs.
Does prayer change shattered hearts or broken bodies? No, not always, but it will change your source of strength and comfort.
Does prayer change your wants and desires? No, not always, but it will change your wants into what God desires!
Does prayer change how you view the world? No, not always, but it will change whose eyes you see the world through.
Does prayer change your regrets from the past? No, not always, but it will change your hopes for the future!
Does prayer change the people around you? No, not always, but it will change you - the problem isn't always in others.
Does prayer change your life in ways you can't explain? Oh, yes, always! And it will change you from the inside out!
So does prayer REALLY change ANYTHING? Yes! It REALLY does change EVERYTHING!

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Your spirit is more powerful than your flesh.
1 John 4:4 says, The one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. The Holy Spirit, who lives in you if you are born again, is greater than anything in the world, including your flesh. Therefore, you do not have to be controlled by your flesh and worldly lusts.
In Luke 10:19, Jesus says, "I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you." This verse doesn't mean that things won't come against us, but it does mean that even when hard things come against us, God has given us the power to remain peaceful and joyful even in the midst of the difficult circumstances.
Remember that God "is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us" (Ephesians 3:20).
The power God has given us is amazing; however, many never activate that power in their own lives because they don't really believe that God will personally work in them.
Remember that Jesus said, "it shall be done for you as you have believed" (Matthew 8:13). Therefore, dare to believe that God has given you the power to do awesome things for Him--things that you can only do because your spirit is more powerful than your flesh. Author Unknown

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Learning To Listen
Let the wise listen and add to their learning. Proverbs 1:5
A popular advertisement of a few years ago declared, “When E. F. Hutton speaks . . . people listen!” The ad featured people stopping in mid-step, much like children playing the game of freeze, at the sound of the unseen speaker’s voice. In the next frame everyone is standing in mute silence, ears turned toward the direction the voice came from, waiting in eager anticipation of the next word that would be spoken by the voice of E. F. Hutton.
People hear what they listen for and what they have trained themselves to hear. This point is well illustrated by a story told about two men who were walking along a crowded city sidewalk. Suddenly one of the men remarked, “Listen to the sound of the cricket.” However, his friend, who had not trained himself to listen to the sounds of nature, could not hear the cricket above the roar of the traffic and the sounds of the people as they scurried noisily along their way. And so it is with hearing God speak. We must train ourselves to hear His voice above the noise and confusion of the world. We must learn to freeze like those folks in the E. F. Hutton ad, turn our ear in God’s direction, and wait in silence for Him to speak or we will never learn to hear His voice in the crowded streets of life.
The spiritual disciplines teach us many things, but perhaps the most valuable skill we learn through practicing any of them is the ability to listen when God speaks. Through consistent listening, we begin to recognize His voice. God will not vie for our attention; He doesn’t break through the noise with a loud and commanding voice. God speaks to our hearts and minds and, in order to hear Him, we need to set aside time each day to attune our inner ears to His voice. Saint Benedict called this kind of spiritual listening “listening with the ears of the heart.”
Today I pray we will all stop what we are doing, sit in silence, and begin to listen to what God has to say. Instead of reciting our laundry list of wants and coming to God as advisors, we learn to close our mouth, quiet our mind, open our ears, and listen. When God speaks, His people need to listen. In order for us to be faithful to the spiritual discipline of prayer, we need to be mindful that the most important part of prayer is listening for God’s voice. Until we train our inner ears to hear Him in the quiet, we will never hear His voice as we go about the noisy business of living. When God speaks, those who practice the spiritual discipline of self care listen! “Speak Lord, your servant is listening.”
You have two ears and one mouth. Use them in proportion. --Anonymous --Winning Words

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Now Playing
And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.
Philippians 4:8
The human brain is an amazing component of our bodies. With it, we are able to sense, to recognize, to understand, and to remember countless things. Our brains keep track of countless important details (like heartbeats) that keep us alive. All without conscious decisions on our part. Even with the most advanced products of scientific research, we have not been able to rival what has been given to us by God with the gift of life.
One thing we must be careful about is the type of material we give our brains access to. Since the brain is like a sponge, it retains all the information it receives. A few years ago, Denny Gunderson, former president of Youth With A Mission, asked an interesting question: Would you feel comfortable if your thoughts were to be shown on a movie screen for all to see?
What we think about can have a very strong impact on the way we handle a situation or view a series of events. Thoughts lead to actions. And, if left unchecked, these can turn into negative character traits rather quickly.
The Lord wants our minds to be pure and useful for the tasks he has planned for us. It is difficult to serve effectively when a person is considering thoughts of revenge, envy, or other wickedness. Paul understood this and challenged the Philippian church to think about things that were honorable, true, lovely, admirable, and worthy of praise. This way, their actions would match their thoughts.
Would you feel comfortable if your thoughts were shown on a movie screen for all to see? It’s not too late to allow God to perform some “editing” so our thinking is in line with his. The question is whether you are willing to let him do it. Can you take the list from Philippians 4 and note three or four items for each of those traits? Author Unknown

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"THE OPEN WINDOW"
Summer heat time is not when you want your car air conditioner to go out on you - especially when you're driving a long trip. Tough - that's when the a/c decided to die on us. Now I know that brave people survived without air conditioning for centuries. You know, somehow that philosophical observation didn't make me feel any better as we sped along with our windows open and hot air slowly putting the driver to sleep. Oh, but there's more. More than once, belching black exhaust smoke came blowing in our open windows. Then there was the discarded cigarette butt that bounced off the window, narrowly missing the driver. We really enjoyed the spider that came in, of course, and the clumps of pollen; they were great. Probably our favorite thing of all was what came flying at us from two tractor trailers that passed us. Now, I'm not going to give you all the gory details but I will tell you that those trucks were carrying cattle. Open window: kind of a nasty trip.
It's amazing what can get in when you leave the window open - stuff you really don't want inside. But that could be exactly what's happening in your life right now; a lot of nasty stuff is coming in because you've left the window open.
That's one reason God gives us some very practical advice to avoid getting stuff you don't really want in your life. It's brief. It's to the point, and it's our word for today from the Word of God. Ephesians 4:27 says, "Do not give the devil a foothold." Or we might say, don't leave any window open that the devil could use to get in.
The context of this actually warning provides us with some specific examples of how that can happen. The verse before the "no foothold" verse talks about anger that you allow to last more than a day. Smoldering anger morphs into more anger, then into resentment and hard feelings, and ultimately into a damaging, broken and hostile relationship. All because you didn't close the window before the devil blew in all his anger junk. Whatever the issue is, get over it - fast!
The verses after this "keep the devil out" warning talk about not stealing. It's true that anytime you cheat or take what isn't yours to have, you might as well say, "Devil, come on in and mess up my life." Then the next verses talk about unkind words - which leave wounds that can become something very ugly and divisive. That's the little seed the devil needs to grow some major hurt and destruction. Bitterness is mentioned here, too. Maybe you've let bitterness and hard feelings set up shop in your heart. You've opened the window to something that will turn you hard, poison innocent people, and it will make you its slave. And forgiving is the only way to get rid of bitterness poison. Then close the window and don't let any of those kinds of feelings get inside again.
Unresolved conflicts, a wandering eye, playing with temptation that you should be avoiding like the plague, letting your passions push you to the moral edge, watching and listening to stuff that opens your heart to things you think you'll never do - those are open windows. Windows that you can't afford to leave open one more day.
For an open window is all that the enemy of your soul needs to corrupt and to ultimately control your life. So think about "Where's he been getting in?" It's much easier to close the window than to deal with the mess he will make of everything that you care about. --Ron Hutchcraft

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Today I Can... by Anonymous
I woke up early today, excited over all I get to do before the clock strikes midnight. I have responsibilities to fulfill today. I am important. My job is to choose what kind of day I am going to have.
Today I can complain because the weather is rainy or I can be thankful that the grass is getting watered for free.
Today I can feel sad that I don't have more money or I can be glad that my finances encourage me to plan my purchases wisely and guide me away from waste.
Today I can grumble about my health or I can rejoice that I am alive.
Today I can lament over all that my parents didn't give me when I was growing up or I can feel grateful that they allowed me to be born.
Today I can cry because roses have thorns or I can celebrate that thorns have roses.
Today I can mourn my lack of friends or I can excitedly embark upon a quest to discover new relationships.
Today I can whine because I have to go to work or I can shout for joy because I have a job to do.
Today I can complain because I have to go to school or eagerly open my mind and fill it with rich new tidbits of knowledge.
Today I can murmur dejectedly because I have to do housework or I can feel honored because the Lord has provided shelter for my mind, body and soul.
Today stretches ahead of me, waiting to be shaped. And here I am, the sculptor who gets to do the shaping.
What today will be like is up to me. I get to choose what kind of day I will have!
Have a GREAT DAY! Unless you have other plans.

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SUMMARY OF SEVEN PRICIPLES FOR SPIRITUAL RENEWAL
1) Acknowledge your need (Mark 9:24).
2) Seek the Lord for personal revival (Psalm 85:6).
3) Pursue forgiveness and cleansing from all sin (Psalm 51:1-4,10).
4) Consider if God is perhaps humbling, testing, and teaching you in your current "desert" experience (Deuteronomy 8:2-3).
5) Rejoice in the Lord (Philippians 4:4).
6) Cast your cares on the Lord (1 Peter 5:7).
7) Seek to be continuously filled with the Holy Spirit and fire (Ephesians 5:18; Matthew 3:11).
Follow these principles while remaining faithful in prayer, Bible reading, and church attendance, and you will find that spiritual renewal is ready and waiting for you! --Pastor Jim Feeney
Scripture: Isaiah 40:29-31 ESV 29 He gives power to the faint and to him who has no might he increases strength. 30 Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; 31 but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.
Prayer: Lord, bring spiritual renewal in my life. Empower me to do my part. I know you will do your part. Amen

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Small Straws In A Soft Wind by Marsha Burns
Beloved, it is time for you to divorce yourself from the devil and everything he has done to bring you down in defeat. Cut him off and refuse to allow him access to your activities, your bank account, your mind, your emotions and your will. He has intruded, taken liberties, and violated your boundaries. Tell him in no uncertain terms to get out of your life and refuse to allow him back in, says the Lord. Enough is enough! James 4:7 Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.

For many of you it has been a long haul, but you will begin to see the fruit of your labor. The time of difficult transition is about to become a thing of the past. You have endured the tests and are emerging with greater strength and wisdom. Enjoy this time of breaking through into a time of fruitfulness, says the Lord. Psalms 31:7 I will be glad and rejoice in Your mercy, for You have considered my trouble; You have known my soul in adversities.

In the Spirit I saw people in the congregation suddenly stand up. But, when I looked with natural eyes they were still seated. So, I asked, "What's up, Lord?" And He said that people are going to start standing up for their faith and conviction and that we, His people, are moving in the direction of no compromise. Matthew 5:37 "But let your ‘Yes‘ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ For whatever is more than these is from the evil one."

I kept hearing in my spirit the phrase "new batch of recruits." And, the Lord said: I am the Commander of the Army of the Lord, and I am recruiting those who have a heart to serve and fight against the enemy forces that have gathered against the kingdom of the Most High. You are My battles axes and My weapons of war, and I will train you to gain the victory through the sharp sword of My Word, says the Lord. The call for new recruits has gone forth, but the choice is yours as to whether you will be a force for good against evil. Jeremiah 51:20 You are My battle-ax and weapons of war: for with you I will break the nation in pieces; with you I will destroy kingdoms.

And, the rains come, says the Lord. For those who have been obedient to My Word and the leading of My Spirit, it will be a time of refreshing where you will experience a time of stimulation and a fresh, new beginning. But, for those who have been disobedient to My Word and in rebellion to the leading of My Spirit, it will be a time a confusion, chaos and destruction. I am with you to lead you in the way of righteousness if you will follow. Matthew 7:24-27 "Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall."

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The Trumpet by Bill Burns
"Set the trumpet to your mouth!" Hosea 8:1
Rise up My people and receive that which I am doing in these days for I am coming to you as the Spirit of revelation. I will birth the wisdom of the kingdom within; the knowledge of the most high that will lead you and guide you and will take you to heavenly places that you have yet to enter into. So come with faith and let your hope be transformed; and let it become a true reality of that which I am doing within you. I will transport you into heavenly places and cause your vision to be clear. I will create a flow within you of the power of My Spirit that will manifest My kingdom. In the manifest presence of My kingdom you will find that people are healed, delivered, and set free. You will find a chosen generation who are ready to rise up through the power of My deliverance into the destiny that I have written for them. You are kings and priests of the Most High, so allow this flow of My spirit to carry you and bring you forth into the valley of vision where you have been given eyes to see and understand the times and seasons in which you find yourself. For it will be with perfect understanding that you will walk in My ways. You will fulfill My desires, and you will bring the glory of the kingdom to this earth in these days, says the Lord of Hosts.

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Father We Thank Thee by Ralph Waldo Emerson
For flowers that bloom about our feet,
Father, we thank Thee.
For tender grass so fresh, so sweet,
Father, we thank Thee.
For the song of bird and hum of bee,
For all things fair we hear or see,
Father in heaven, we thank Thee.
For blue of stream and blue of sky,
Father, we thank Thee.
For pleasant shade of branches high,
Father, we thank Thee.
For fragrant air and cooling breeze,
For beauty of the blooming trees,
Father in heaven, we thank Thee.
For this new morning with its light,
Father, we thank Thee.
For rest and shelter of the night,
Father, we thank Thee
For health and food, for love and friends,
For everything Thy goodness sends,
Father in heaven, we thank Thee.

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Now Before I Run To Play
Now before I run to play
Let me not forget to pray
To God who kept me through the night
And waked me with the morning light.
Help me, Lord, to love Thee more
Than I have ever loved before,
In my work and in my play,
Be Thou with me through the day
Author Unknown

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Do Not Worry
22 Then He said to His disciples, “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; nor about the body, what you will put on. 23 Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing. 24 Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap, which have neither storehouse nor barn; and God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds? 25 And which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? 26 If you then are not able to do the least, why are you anxious for the rest? 27 Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 28 If then God so clothes the grass, which today is in the field and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will He clothe you, O you of little faith? 29 “And do not seek what you should eat or what you should drink, nor have an anxious mind. 30 For all these things the nations of the world seek after, and your Father knows that you need these things. 31 But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things[c] shall be added to you. 32 “Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. 33 Sell what you have and give alms; provide yourselves money bags which do not grow old, a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches nor moth destroys. 34 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Luke 12

1 I will lift up my eyes to the hills—From whence comes my help? 2 My help comes from the LORD, Who made heaven and earth. Psalm 121:1-2

Lean on, trust in, and be confident in the Lord with all your heart and mind and do not rely on your own insight or understanding. Proverbs 3:5

6 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, 7 casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. 8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. 9 Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world. 10 But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you. 11 To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen. 1 Peter 5:6-11

Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him! Psalm 34:8

Seeing the Invisible
16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. 17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, 18 while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal. 2 Corinthians 4:16-18

1 If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. Colossians 3:1-2

16 As for me, I will call upon God, And the LORD shall save me. 17 Evening and morning and at noon I will pray, and cry aloud, And He shall hear my voice. Psalm 55:16-17

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True peace only comes from the Prince of Peace.
Peace does not mean that everything around you is calm and tranquil; true peace means that you are able to remain peaceful during the storms of life.
But this peace, which the Bible promises is available to believers, can only come from God. Jesus said, "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace" (John 16:33). In other words, Jesus came so that you could have peace.
Paul tells us, in Philippians 4:6-7, that we can have peace if we don't become anxious about life but instead give our worries to God: "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."
Hand over all of your problems to the Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ, and He will give you a peace that passes understanding -- a peace that is beyond comprehension. Weekly Wisdom

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SOMETHING THAT WILL LAST FOREVER
I recently have been challenged to think about my life by this question: What are you going to do with your life that will last forever?
One can hardly answer that question without also dealing with this: what you are doing with your life right now that will last forever? Sobering thought isn't it?
Will it matter in eternity if your bank account shows that you are worth millions of dollars?
Will it matter in eternity if your resume is impressive and includes all your great accomplishments as a professional?
Will it matter in eternity if you approach the throne of God with deeds to the property of your summer home, your winter home, and your private home in the islands?
Will it matter in eternity if you can tell the Lord that you were the president of your company, and that you were responsible for starting it, maintaining it, and leading it?
Will it matter who wins the U. S. Open, or the NBA finals, or the World Cup, or American Idol, the lottery, or any of the countless other competitive events that occupy so much of our time and attention?
Will it matter in eternity if you can say you have driven the fastest and most expensive automobiles money could buy?
Will it matter in eternity if you have spent thousands and thousands of dollars to keep your body looking young and vibrant?
Will any of this matter in eternity?
Let's go back to the original question: what are you going to do with your life that will last forever?
Suppose your life ended today. Would you leave behind anything that will last forever?
I'm not trying to scare you, or guilt you, nor am I trying to say you need to be busier or work harder to prove your value to God and the world. I simply want to encourage you to think about your life. I want you to think about how you are living your life right now, and how you will live your life in the future. Just think about it.
Many must admit that your life is being lived for the here and now, for pleasure, for all the rewards and awards you can accumulate in this life. You are living for the stuff. You are living for your glory. You are living to satisfy your desires. Is that really what you want to be doing with this life that was given to you by the giver of all good things?
Others could send me a long list of names that represent individual lives that you have touched which inevitably produced fruit that will live forever. Because you have spent, or are spending, your life investing in people. You have done or are doing things that will last forever. Praise God for making yourself available to Him. Please don't stop. There are so many others who need you.
People will last for eternity. Relationships will last for eternity.
What are you doing with your life that will last for eternity? Who are the people you investing in who will join you in Heaven? Your spouse. Your children. Your parents. Your closest friends. The neighbor. The worker in the next cubicle. That little boy on the Tee Ball team you are coaching. That little girl on your daughter's soccer team. That student in your class that knows every button to push. These are the things that will last for eternity.
So, what are you going to do with your life that will last forever? --Tom Norvell

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Prayer For Peace of Mind by Saint Francis Xavier Cabrini
FORTIFY me with the grace of Your Holy Spirit and give Your peace to my soul that I may be free from all needless anxiety, solicitude and worry. Help me to desire always that which is pleasing and acceptable to You
so that Your will may be my will. Amen

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Read Through The Bible
Ezekiel 28
1 The word of the Lord came again unto me, saying, 2 Son of man, say unto the prince of Tyrus, Thus saith the Lord God; Because thine heart is lifted up, and thou hast said, I am a God, I sit in the seat of God, in the midst of the seas; yet thou art a man, and not God, though thou set thine heart as the heart of God: 3 Behold, thou art wiser than Daniel; there is no secret that they can hide from thee: 4 With thy wisdom and with thine understanding thou hast gotten thee riches, and hast gotten gold and silver into thy treasures: 5 By thy great wisdom and by thy traffick hast thou increased thy riches, and thine heart is lifted up because of thy riches: 6 Therefore thus saith the Lord God; Because thou hast set thine heart as the heart of God; 7 Behold, therefore I will bring strangers upon thee, the terrible of the nations: and they shall draw their swords against the beauty of thy wisdom, and they shall defile thy brightness. 8 They shall bring thee down to the pit, and thou shalt die the deaths of them that are slain in the midst of the seas. 9 Wilt thou yet say before him that slayeth thee, I am God? but thou shalt be a man, and no God, in the hand of him that slayeth thee. 10 Thou shalt die the deaths of the uncircumcised by the hand of strangers: for I have spoken it, saith the Lord God. 11 Moreover the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, 12 Son of man, take up a lamentation upon the king of Tyrus, and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord God; Thou sealest up the sum, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty. 13 Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created. 14 Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire. 15 Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee. 16 By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God: and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire. 17 Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee. 18 Thou hast defiled thy sanctuaries by the multitude of thine iniquities, by the iniquity of thy traffick; therefore will I bring forth a fire from the midst of thee, it shall devour thee, and I will bring thee to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all them that behold thee. 19 All they that know thee among the people shall be astonished at thee: thou shalt be a terror, and never shalt thou be any more. 20 Again the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, 21 Son of man, set thy face against Zidon, and prophesy against it, 22 And say, Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I am against thee, O Zidon; and I will be glorified in the midst of thee: and they shall know that I am the Lord, when I shall have executed judgments in her, and shall be sanctified in her. 23 For I will send into her pestilence, and blood into her streets; and the wounded shall be judged in the midst of her by the sword upon her on every side; and they shall know that I am the Lord. 24 And there shall be no more a pricking brier unto the house of Israel, nor any grieving thorn of all that are round about them, that despised them; and they shall know that I am the Lord God. 25 Thus saith the Lord God; When I shall have gathered the house of Israel from the people among whom they are scattered, and shall be sanctified in them in the sight of the heathen, then shall they dwell in their land that I have given to my servant Jacob. 26 And they shall dwell safely therein, and shall build houses, and plant vineyards; yea, they shall dwell with confidence, when I have executed judgments upon all those that despise them round about them; and they shall know that I am the Lord their God.

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A Simple Prayer
Today, For what I am that I ought not to be, Forgive me. For what I am not that I ought to be, Forgive me. Be with my mouth in what it speaks. Be with my hands in what they do. Be with my mind in what it thinks. Be with my heart in what it feels. Work in me, through me, for me, in spite of me. Amen

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Jesus is calling you to live a life that matters.