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preacher31 EXERCISE FOR PEOPLE OVER 50 - Subscribe

Begin by standing on a comfortable surface, where you have plenty of room at
each side.

With a 5-lb potato bag in each hand, extend your arms straight out from your
sides and hold them there as long as you can. Try to reach a full minute, and
then relax.

Each day you'll find that you can hold this position for just a bit longer.
After a couple of weeks, move up to 10-lb potato bags.

Then try 50-lb potato bags and then eventually try to get to where you can lift
a 100-lb potato bag in each hand and hold your arms straight for more than a
full minute. (I'm at this level.)

After you feel confident at that level, put a potato in each bag.

preacher31 AS I HAVE AGED 3/17/2010 01:16 - Subscribe

I would never trade my amazing friends,
my wonderful life, my loving family for
less gray hair or a flatter belly. As I've
aged, I've become kinder to myself, and
less critical of myself. I've become my
own friend.. I don't chide myself for eating
that extra cookie, or for not making my
bed, or for buying that silly cement gecko
that I didn't need, but looks so avante
garde on my patio. I am entitled to a treat,
to be messy, to be extravagant.

I have seen too many dear friends leave
this world too soon; before they understood
the great freedom that comes with aging.

Whose business is it if I choose to read
or play on the computer until 4 AM and
sleep until noon? I will dance with myself
to those wonderful tunes of the 60 &70's,
and if I, at the same time, wish to weep
over a lost love ... I will.

I will walk the beach in a swim suit that
is stretched over a bulging body, and will
dive into the waves with abandon if I
choose to, despite the pitying glances
from the jet set.

They, too, will get old.

I know I am sometimes forgetful. But
there again, some of life is just as well
forgotten. And I eventually remember
the important things.

Sure, over the years my heart has been
broken. How can your heart not break
when you lose a loved one, or when a child
suffers, or even when somebody's beloved
pet gets hit by a car? But broken hearts
are what give us strength and understanding
and compassion. A heart never broken is
pristine and sterile and will never know the
joy of being imperfect.

I am so blessed to have lived long enough
to have my hair turning gray, and to have
my youthful laughs be forever etched into
deep grooves on my face.

So many have never laughed, and so many
have died before their hair could turn silver.

As you get older, it is easier to be positive.
You care less about what other people think.
I don't question myself anymore..
I've even earned the right to be wrong.

I like being old. It has set me free. I like the
person I have become. I am not going to live
forever, but while I am still here, I will not
waste time lamenting what could have been,
or worrying about what will be. And I shall eat
dessert every single day(if I feel like it).

AS I HAVE AGED

preacher31 MY MOM'S TRANSLATION 3/13/2010 03:45 - Subscribe

Ezra had prepared his heart to seek
the Law of the Lord, and to do it, and
to teach statutes and ordinances in
Israel. �"Ezra 7:10

Four pastors were discussing the
merits of the various translations of
the Bible. One liked a particular version
best because of its simple, beautiful
English. Another preferred a more
scholarly edition because it was closer
to the original Hebrew and Greek.
Still another liked a contemporary
version because of its up-to-date vocabulary.

The fourth minister was silent for a moment,
then said, "I like my mother's translation best.
" Surprised, the other three men said they
didn't know his mother had translated the Bible.
"Yes," he replied. "SHE TRANSLATED IT INTO
LIFE, AND IT WAS THE MOST CONVINCING
TRANSLATION I EVER SAW."

Instead of discussing translation preferences,
this pastor reminded them that the most important
focus should be learning God's Word and doing it.
That was the top priority of Ezra's life. As a scribe,
he studied the Law, obeyed it, and taught it to
the Israelites (Ezra 7:10). For example, God
commanded His people not to intermarry with
neighboring nations who served pagan gods (9:1-2).
Ezra confessed the nation's sin to God (9:10-12)
and corrected the people, who then repented (10:10-12).

Let's follow Ezra's example by seeking the Word
of God and translating it into life. �" Anne Cetas

When we take time to read God's Word,
Our heart is filled with pleasure;
So let's relate the truth we've heard-
With others share the treasure. -Hess

The best commentary on the Bible is a person
who puts it into practice.

preacher31 THE PLOT 3/11/2010 01:11 - Subscribe

Scripture:

TEXT: Matthew 26:3-4 - Then the chief priests
and the elders of the people assembled in the
palace of the high priest, whose name was
Caiaphas, and they plotted to arrest Jesus
in some sly way and kill Him.

Reflection:

Jesus had predicted many times the journey
beginning at the Mount of Transfiguration
would end with His being handed over to the
authorities. He would suffer. He would be
crucified. On the third day He would rise again.

Those who would carry out the plan were the
religious leaders of the time. Their
understanding of when the Messiah would
come and what He would do did not include
Jesus. They saw Jesus as anyone but the
Promised One.

Their hope to be able to do the arrest on the
sly was unexpectedly made possible through
the agreement with Judas. For 30 pieces of
silver he would facilitate the arrest. The
journey that had been delayed while Jesus
was in Jerusalem was suddenly put on
"fast forward."

Many have raised questions about how these
people could want to do something so
secretive and sinister. We wonder how a
disciple could betray his rabbi. We wonder
until we reflect on our own "sly" plans.
Then we humbly praise our Lord for His
journey to Calvary and the gift of His
forgiveness.

THE PRAYER:

Forgive us, Lord, for our sly plans. Amen.

from Lutheran Hour Ministries

preacher31 EXPLAIN GOD 3/10/2010 12:28 - Subscribe

THIS IS FABULOUS!!!

It was written by an 8-year-old named Danny Dutton,
who lives in Chula Vista , CA . He wrote it for his
third grade homework assignment, to 'explain God.'
I wonder if any of us could have done as well?
[ .... and he had such an assignment, in California ,
and someone published it, I guess miracles do happen ! ]

EXPLANATION OF GOD:
'One of God's main jobs is making people. He makes
them to replace the ones that die, so there will be
enough people to take care of things on earth. He
doesn't make grownups, just babies. I think because
they are smaller and easier to make. That way he
doesn't have to take up his valuable time teaching
them to talk and walk. He can just leave that to
mothers and fathers.'

'God's second most important job is listening to prayers.
An awful lot of this goes on, since some people, like
preachers and things, pray at times beside bedtime.
God doesn't have time to listen to the radio or TV
because of this. Because he hears everything, there
must be a terrible lot of noise in his ears, unless he
has thought of a way to turn it off.'

'God sees everything and hears everything and is
everywhere which keeps Him pretty busy. So you
shouldn't go wasting his time by going over your
mom and dad's head asking for something they
said you couldn't have.'

'Atheists are people who don't believe in God.
I don't think there are any in Chula Vista ...
At least there aren't any who come to our church.'

'Jesus is God's Son. He used to do all the hard
work, like walking on water and performing miracles
and trying to teach the people who didn't want to
learn about God.. They finally got tired of him
preaching to them and they crucified him But he
was good and kind, like his father, and he told his
father that they didn't know what they were doing
and to forgive them and God said O.K.'

'His dad (God) appreciated everything that he had
done and all his hard work on earth so he told him
he didn't have to go out on the road anymore. He
could stay in heaven. So he did. And now he helps
his dad out by listening to prayers and seeing things
which are important for God to take care of and which
ones he can take care of himself without having to
bother God. Like a secretary, only more important.'

'You can pray anytime you want and they are sure
to help you because they got it worked out so one of
them is on duty all the time.'

'You should always go to church on Sunday because
it makes God happy, and if there's anybody you want
to make happy, it's God!

Don't skip church to do something you think will be
more fun like going to the beach. This is wrong. And
besides the sun doesn't come out at the beach until
noon anyway.'

'If you don't believe in God, besides being an atheist,
you will be very lonely, because your parents can't go
everywhere with you, like to camp, but God can. It is
good to know He's around you when you're scared,
in the dark or when you can't swim and you get
thrown into real deep water by big kids.'

'But....you shouldn't just always think of what God
can do for you. I figure God put me here and he can
take me back anytime he pleases.

And...that's why I believe in God.'

evie Dr. Poop, Classic Poop, Diet Poop and Salty Lemonade 3/07/2010 07:44 - Subscribe

"Why is it that you always look so hot when you're depressed?"

I left work covered in toilet water. I figured it was time to request that my uniform be laundered.

Today I learned that it is simply impossible to explain the difference between the two "envelopes" when my audience can't differentiate between "good" and "well." I only tried because they seemed genuinely interested. I'm back to mispronouncing the verb for their sake. Or I could avoid using that word entirely, conversation isn't worth ignoring education.

I left work after cleaning only six rooms. It felt like I was there forever. My intestines are still freaking out about the spicy tuna lettuce wraps I attempted yesterday after work. So much for trying new things. My kitchen wreaks of failure. I doubt I'll ever finish the dishes. I'll eat off of the floor if I have to.

Sometimes I wish Xu had a facebook account so that I can leave him passive aggressive notes about tipping shit over, washing his face in the toilet and drying his paws on the toilet paper. Somehow I doubt anyone on facebook gives a shit that my special needs cat is still being special.

I haven't seen anyone all weekend. Shan has been out or sleeping, Lucas hasn't left Megan's. It hardly seems worth it to call anyone. I guess that's what you get when you attempt an exciting Friday night.

My face feels like it has been stuck in a dramatic frown ever since.

It's time to read.

1 Comments
Mood: beat

preacher31 FOR I WAS HUNGRY 3/07/2010 03:21 - Subscribe

Scripture:

Matthew 25:34-40 (New International Version)

34"Then the King will say to those on his right,
'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take
your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you
since the creation of the world. 35For I was
hungry and you gave me something to eat,
I was thirsty and you gave me something to
drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in,
36I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was
sick and you looked after me, I was in prison
and you came to visit me.'

37"Then the righteous will answer him,
'Lord, when did we see you hungry and
feed you, or thirsty and give you something
to drink? 38When did we see you a stranger
and invite you in, or needing clothes and
clothe you? 39When did we see you sick
or in prison and go to visit you?'

40"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth,
whatever you did for one of the least of
these brothers of mine, you did for me.'

Reflection:

I have a question for you today. Do you
want to be close to God?
In many of my Reflections, there has been a
central theme, a central thought. That is
"God is there for you" Now I'm asking you,
Do you want to be close to God? If you do,
and if its ok with you, I would like to tell you
one of the ways you can be close to God.
Jesus tells us. As a believer, when you do
something, in God's name, for some one else,
you are doing it for God, "you are close to God".
When you feed the hungry (physically/spiritually),
give a drink to the thirsty (physically/spiritually),
invite a stranger in your home, give clothing to
the poor, care for the sick (physically/spiritually),
visit someone in prison (physically/spiritually),
YOU ARE CLOSE TO GOD.
"Whatever you did for one of the least of
these brothers of mine, you did for me."

Prayer:

Lord, make me an instrument of thy peace.
Where there is hatred . . . let me sow love
Where there is injury . . . pardon
Where there is doubt . . . faith
Where there is despair . . . hope
Where there is darkness . . . light
Where there is sadness . . . joy
O, Divine Master,
Grant that I may not so much seek
To be consoled . . . as to console
To be understood . . . as to understand,
To be loved . . . as to love
For it is in giving . . . that we receive,
It is in pardoning, that we are pardoned,
It is in dying . . . that we are born to eternal life.

preacher31 IN HIS PRESENCE 3/04/2010 10:37 - Subscribe

Scripture:

Hebrews 13:6 promises, "So that we may boldly say,
the Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man
shall do unto me."

Reflection:

I recently had a friend who was in deep
need of comfort. His life was not going well
and he was extremely depressed. I talked
with him for awhile and prayed with him and
assured him that I would keep him in my
prayers.
After I finished talking with him, I began to
think and pray about his many problems.
Through my prayers God made me realize
that i was a having the same problem that
my friend was having. That is, that we both
suffer from an extreme case of anxiety.
We are both anxious about our future.
We don't know what we are going to face
this coming year.
The interesting thing is, I know one very
important reason that why neither one of
us should be anxious about the coming
year. "GOD WILL NEVER, I REPEAT,
NEVER LEAVE US!" If we are children of
God, as our Father, He will never leave us.

I believe my friend and I are worried that we
are going to face something we don't
understand, and we are going have to
face it alone.
The Bible teaches us that GOD WILL
NEVER FORSAKE US. It literally means
that He will never abandon us. He will
not give up on us.
You see what my friend, you and I need
to remember is WHEN THE DEVIL
COMES AND KNOCKS AT YOUR
HEART'S DOOR, YOU CAN SIMPLY
SAY "JESUS, PLEASE GO
ANSWER THE DOOR!"

Prayer:

Oh Lord You teach me, " Do not
be anxious about anything but
through prayer, and supplication in
thanksgiving make your requests
known to You. I DO SO NOW MY
LORD.

preacher31 THE QUOTE OF THE MONTH 3/04/2010 02:42 - Subscribe

The quote of the month is by Jay Leno:

'With hurricanes, tornadoes, fires out of control, mud slides, flooding,
severe thunderstorms tearing up the country from one end to another, and
with the threat of bird flu, swine flu and terrorist attacks, 'Are we
‎ sure this is a good time to take God out of the Pledge of Allegiance?'

preacher31 THE FAIREST 3/01/2010 07:10 - Subscribe

(from the Daily Bread)

Scripture:

Revelation 5:8-14
(New King James Version)

Worthy Is the Lamb

8 Now when He had taken the scroll,
the four living creatures and the twenty-four
elders fell down before the Lamb, each
having a harp, and golden bowls full of
incense, which are the prayers of the
saints. 9 And they sang a new song, saying:

“ You are worthy to take the scroll,
And to open its seals;
For You were slain,
And have redeemed us to God by Your
blood Out of every tribe and tongue and
people and nation,
10 And have made us[a] kings and
priests to our God;
And we[c] shall reign on the earth.”

11 Then I looked, and I heard the voice of
many angels around the throne, the living
creatures, and the elders; and the number
of them was ten thousand times ten thousand,
and thousands of thousands, 12 saying with
a loud voice:

“ Worthy is the Lamb who was slain
To receive power and riches and wisdom,
And strength and honor and glory and blessing!”

13 And every creature which is in heaven and on
the earth and under the earth and such as are in
the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying:

“ Blessing and honor and glory and power
Be to Him who sits on the throne,
And to the Lamb, forever and ever!”[d]

14 Then the four living creatures said, “Amen!”
And the twenty-four[e] elders fell down and
worshiped Him who lives forever and ever.[f]

Worthy is the Lamb who was slain! �"Revelation 5:12

Reflection:

When I first became a Christian and started
attending church at age 19, I immediately fell
in love with singing the great hymns of the faith.
My heart overflowed with joy and thanksgiving as
we sang of God’s love for us in Christ. Soon one
of my favorite hymns (from the late 1600s) became
“Fairest Lord Jesus!” I love the simplicity of the
melody and the awesomeness of the One exalted
in these words:

Fair is the sunshine,
fairer still the moonlight,
and all the twinkling starry host: Jesus shines brighter,
Jesus shines purer than all the angels heaven can boast.
Beautiful Savior!
Lord of the nations!
Son of God and Son of Man!
Glory and honor, praise, adoration
now and forevermore be Thine!

God’s Son, whom we sing about in this song, came
to this earth, lived a perfect life, and gave Himself for
us on the cross (Luke 23:33). He arose from the grave
(Luke 24:6) and is now seated at God’s right hand (Heb. 1:3).
One day we’ll join in worship with thousands upon thousands
and say: “Blessing and honor and glory and power be to Him
who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, forever and ever!”
(Rev. 5:13). Maybe we’ll sing “Fairest Lord Jesus!” too.

Until then, let’s allow Jesus to be “the fairest” above all in
our personal lives by seeking wisdom from His Word and
following in His ways. �" Anne Cetas

We can never praise Jesus too much.

preacher31 WHAT IS YOUR DEFINITION OF LOVE 2/27/2010 08:57 - Subscribe

Scripture:

So now I am giving you a new commandment:
Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you
should love each other. Your love for one
another will prove to the world that you are
my disciples.
John 14:2 NLT

Reflection:

A healthy definition of love is crucial to
understanding the central message of the
Bible. According to the Bible, love is not
confined to sexuality, nor is it primarily a
feeling at all. The Bible teaches that love
is a commitment. As a commitment, love
is not dependent of good feelings, but
rather on a consistent and courageous
decision to extend oneself for the well-being
of another. That commitment then produces
good feelings, not the other way around. Jesus
became the perfect demonstration of God's
unconditional love for us by laying down his
life for our benefit.

adapted from TouchPoint Bible with devotional
commentary by Ron Beers and Gilbert Beers,
Tyndale House Publishers (1996), p 1227

The love we give away is the only love we keep.
ELBERT HUBBARD

preacher31 WHAT MATTERS MOST TO GOD 2/24/2010 09:10 - Subscribe

Scripture:

1 And so, dear brothers and sisters,
[a] I plead with you to give your bodies
to God because of all he has done for
you. Let them be a living and holy
sacrifice�"the kind he will find acceptable.
This is truly the way to worship him.
2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs
of this world, but let God transform you
into a new person by changing the way
you think. Then you will learn to know
God’s will for you, which is good and
pleasing and perfect.
Romans 12:1-2 (New Living Translation)

Reflection:

I look around at various people in my life
and I see a vast diversity of what they do.
Some are ministers, some are maintenance
workers, many of my friends work in the
communication industry, some are out of
work, some are in school.
It seems that what we do is so very
important to us.
I have a question then, Is it important to God?

I believe what matters most to God isn't
what we do, it's who we are. I don't think
what accomplishments we pursue in life is
nearly as important as becoming the person
God created us to be. I think we need to use
our time we have in life, on earth, very well.
Each one of us needs to center our lives on
living up to our potential. I believe we need
to think and to pray for God's help and His
strength every day. We need to grow into
the person that God wants us to be. We need
to be someone who's free to live with love and
joy. We need to be a person who lives with and
loves our God. THAT'S THE PERSON I WANT
TO BE.

Prayer:

Oh mighty God, thank You for making me part
of you wonderful and marvelous creation. Lord
help me be the kind of person You created me to
be. Thank you God that through Your Son, Jesus
Christ, I am free to live with love and joy.

evie Children 2/24/2010 03:34 - Subscribe

I'm done interfering.
If you want to marry him, I will keep my opinions to myself.
I know how you feel about him.
I felt that way when I was your age.
It hurts to accept any criticism.
Divorce is expensive.
I hope you take that into consideration.
Have fun spending the rest of your life speaking pothead.
I can't wait for you to make this mistake.
You'll see that there is a massive difference between talking to someone online every night and living with said person.
Good luck with the disappointment.

0 Comments
Mood: Annoyed

preacher31 WALKING CLOSE TO GOD 2/20/2010 03:12 - Subscribe

Scripture:

Psalm 15
A Psalm of David.
1 LORD, who may abide in Your tabernacle?
Who may dwell in Your holy hill?

2 He who walks uprightly,
And works righteousness,
And speaks the truth in his heart;
3 He who does not backbite with his tongue,
Nor does evil to his neighbor,
Nor does he take up a reproach against his friend;
4 In whose eyes a vile person is despised,
But he honors those who fear the LORD;
He who swears to his own hurt and does not change;
5 He who does not put out his money at usury,
Nor does he take a bribe against the innocent.

He who does these things shall never be moved.

Reflection:

I often have heard many a Christian say the following
statement, "Always walk close to God". That's really
basically what David is asking here."What kind of person
dwells close to God?" It seems to me that is a pretty
important question to ask. What kind of person is close
to God?
Well we are to be the kind of people who walk uprightly and
and do the right thing. Even through "doing the right thing" may
not be PC anymore. We are to speak the truth that comes from
our hearts. We are to refuse to backbite or gossip,
"Wow when's the last time I did that". As a matter of fact we
are not to do any evil to our neighbor. We are not to speak
badly or reproach a friend. We are to honor and
respect those who love the lord, and we are to keep their
promises even when it hurts.
And we are to be the type of people who lend money
without charging interest, in other words we don't have to
be out to make a buck. And we cannot be bribed to lie
about the innocent.
That's the kind of person who walks close to God! A good
and kind person who cares deeply about the people around
them, Who loves the truth and does all they can to help others.
DOES THAT SOUND FAMILIAR TO YOU?
Remember: The closer we get to God, the more like Him
we will become. �" David H. Roper

Prayer:

Just a closer walk with Thee,
Grant it, Jesus, is my plea,
Daily walking close to Thee,
Let it be, dear Lord, let it be.

AMEN

preacher31 PLEASE REMEMBER 2/18/2010 11:00 - Subscribe

DON'T TAKE LIFE SO SERIOUSLY!
DANCE
KISS A LOT
RELAX IN NATURE
HAVE FUN
AND BE HAPPY!!!!!

I want you to remember:

Every sixty seconds you spend angry,
upset or mad, is a full minute of happiness
you'll never get back.
Life is short, Break the rules, Forgive
quickly, Kiss slowly, Love truly, Laugh
uncontrollably, And NEVER,
NEVER REGRET ANYTHING THAT
MADE YOU SMILE.
REMEMBER GOD LOVES YOU!!!!!!

preacher31 PATHS TO PRAYER 2 2/13/2010 05:53 - Subscribe

Whitney Hopler

There are many ways to pray -
many paths of communication that
can lead you closer to God.

Here are some different paths you
can take to prayer:

"Absence": When God feels far away,
recognize that as a normal part of your
spiritual journey, but remember that
God hasn't abandoned you. He has
promised always to be with you, but
when you don't sense His presence,
you're experiencing it in a whole new
way. During the time that you feel
separated from God, He can wean
you from your attachment to immature
thoughts and feelings about Him and
help you grow to eventually see Him
in clearer ways, experience His love
more deeply, and let it flow through
you to others.

"An argument with God": When you
argue with God through prayer, you
can actually grow closer to Him by
engaging with Him in real, raw, and
honest ways. Be humble yet confident
about confronting God about an issue
in your life. God would rather have you
argue with Him than not care enough
to confront Him about what's troubling
you. Feel free to wrestle with God as
part of the process of passionately
pursuing Him. Don't be afraid to tell
God: "I love you, but I'm mad and
confused."

"A long, slow journey": When the
answers to your prayers take a long time
to come, you can learn to adjust your
lifestyle to God's timing. Remember that
prayer isn't primarily about getting
something from God right when you
want it; instead, it's about being with
God and allowing Him to change you
in the process. Waiting on God helps
you learn to trust God's good plans for
your life, even when you don't understand
or agree with His timing. Ask God to give
you the strength to be patient while you
must wait.

"A dangerous activity": When God
responds to your prayers by calling you
to grow as a person in uncomfortable ways
or make difficult sacrifices to help others,
praying can seem like a dangerous activity.
But remember that God wants to bless you -
just on His terms, not yours. While you
may pray to be relieved of your cares, God
wants to propel you into spiritual growth and
service. Invite Him to do the work He wants
to do in your soul and through your life.
You'll ultimately benefit in powerful ways
from it.

Adapted from The Folly of Prayer: Practicing the
Presence and Absence of God, copyright 2009 by
Matt Woodley. Published by IVP Books, a division
of InterVarsity Press, Downers Grove, Ill.,
www.ivpress.com.

(Will Continue)

preacher31 PATHS TO PRAYER (1) 2/12/2010 12:33 - Subscribe

Whitney Hopler

There are many ways to pray -
many paths of communication that
can lead you closer to God.

Here are some different paths you
can take to prayer:

"Guttural groaning":
When you feel pain or doubt so deeply
that you can't express verbally, you can
simply groan in your spirit and God will hear.
The Holy Spirit within you will intercede to
God the Father for you to express what
you can't put into words. Guttural groaning
will open your heart to God's comfort,
hope, and compassion.

"Skin, trees, blood, bread, and wine":
When you pray using your physical senses
(such as seeing, hearing, smelling, touching,
or tasting), you can deepen your connection
to God. Start by celebrating Communion for
a powerful encounter with God. Then try other
sacramental approaches to prayer, like praying
with other people whose faces you can see,
touching someone you're praying for, praying
outside in nature, moving your body when you
pray (kneeling, raising your hands, dancing, walking,
making the sign of the cross, or anything else
God may lead you to do).

"Desperation": When you cry out to God
from the depths of your helplessness, God
hears you. Don't let either pride or insecurity
keep you from praying when you feel desperate.
Remember that Jesus has given you the freedom
and confidence you need to turn to God in the midst
of desperate situations. Open yourself up fully to
receive His help. Expect God to reach out to you.
Let the desperation you experience motivate you to
pursue God more and develop deeper compassion
for other people in need.

"Mystery": When your prayers go unanswered
and you don't know why, don't hesitate to ask God
questions and express your agony to Him. Choose
to trust God's promise that He will do what's best
when you pray. Realize that He may be using
unanswered prayers to change you for the better
as you go through difficult circumstances.
Understand that sometimes God will choose to
give you something more valuable than answers to
your prayers: Himself. Get to know the Giver rather
than just the gifts. Make your ultimate goal in prayer
to spend time with God instead of trying to get
something from Him. Ask God to help you surrender
your will to His will and trust that He will work out every
situation according to what's best when you invite Him
to do so.

Adapted from The Folly of Prayer: Practicing the
Presence and Absence of God, copyright 2009 by
Matt Woodley. Published by IVP Books, a division
of InterVarsity Press, Downers Grove, Ill.,
www.ivpress.com.

(Will Continue)

evie Dear Apple 2/11/2010 03:54 - Subscribe

Thank you for spending time, money and energy manufacturing your latest technological device. I'm sure many will benefit from having a laptop with no keyboard, multitasking or flash. I do not doubt for one second that dozens of people were sitting at the edge of their seats waiting for you to produce a giant iPod. Though I support you in the production of overpriced computers, could you please focus on making a super hardcore charger that doesn't suck or crap out after the first week of use? Thank you, Santa.

Warm regards,
Rachel

preacher31 AM I A TALKER OR A DOER 2/09/2010 09:39 - Subscribe

Scripture:

22Do not merely listen to the word,
and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.

23Anyone who listens to the word but does
not do what it says is like a man who looks
at his face in a mirror 24and, after looking at
himself, goes away and immediately forgets
what he looks like. 25But the man who looks
intently into the perfect law that gives freedom,
and continues to do this, not forgetting what
he has heard, but doing it�"he will be blessed
in what he does.
James 1:21-25 (New International Version)

Reflection:

These versus from the Book of James have
always hit home to me. When I was active
in the ministry, I considered myself a
somewhat Biblical scholar. I would always
look at the Scriptures and read the words
and decide how I was going to present the
words to my congregation. I very rarely
applied Gods words to my life. I quickly
became a man of a lot of words and not
a man that lived by those words. I was
not a man of action.
I began to see that this was true of my
congregation. We all talked the game
but we didn't participate. We would read
the word, and hear the word, but we
would not live by the word.
It is so very true what David C.
McCasland said,
When I study God’s Word, my first
question should not be, “What am I
going to say about this?” but “What
am I going to do about this?”
Remember what it says in James
2: 14-17: "4What good is it, my brothers,
if a man claims to have faith but has no
deeds? Can such faith save him?
15Suppose a brother or sister is without
clothes and daily food. 16If one of you says
to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and
well fed," but does nothing about his physical
needs, what good is it? 17In the same way,
faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action,
is dead.
ASK YOURSELF, "ARE YOU ALIVE OR DEAD".

Prayer:

Oh God as I look at and hear Your Word, I pray
that I apply Your Word to my life. Oh God
I want to be a doer of Your Word. Let my first
question be "What am I going to do about this?"

preacher31 JUST AS I AM 2/07/2010 12:34 - Subscribe

"Just as I am, without one plea,
But that Thy blood was shed for me,
And that Thou bidd'st me come to Thee,
O Lamb of God I come! I come!"
Charlotte Elliot (1789-1871)

A simple invitation

"The simple message of the song
"Just as I Am" was so popular in the
early days of Billy Graham's evangelistic
crusades that it became a regular part
of the response to each appeal to make
a public commitment for Christ.

Charlotte Elliott seemed to have
everything going for her as a young
woman. She was gifted as a portrait
artist and also a writer of humorous
verse. Then in her early thirties she
suffered a serious illness that left her
weak and depressed. During her illness
a noted minister, Dr. Caesar Malan of
Switerland, came to visit her. Noticing
her depression, he asked if she had
peace with God. She resented the
question and said she did not want to
talk about it.

But a few days later she went to
apologize to Dr. Malan. She said that
she wanted to clean up some things
in her life before becoming a Christian.
Malan looked at her and answered,
"Come just as you are." That was enough
for Charlotte Elliot, and she yielded herself
to the Lord that day.

Fourteen years later, remembering those
words spoken to her by Caesar Malan in
Brighton, England, she wrote this simple
hymn that has been used to touch the hearts
of millions who have responded to Christ's i
nvitation to come just as they are."

from The One Year Book of Hymns by Mark
Norton and Robert Brown (Tyndale) entry for
June 22