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preacher31
EXERCISE FOR PEOPLE OVER 50 - Subscribe
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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. |
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preacher31
AS I HAVE AGED 3/17/2010 01:16 - Subscribe
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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 |
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MY MOM'S TRANSLATION 3/13/2010 03:45 - Subscribe
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Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the Law of the Lord, and to do it, and to teach statutes and ordinances in Israel. â€"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. â€" 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. |
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preacher31
THE PLOT 3/11/2010 01:11 - Subscribe
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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 |
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EXPLAIN GOD 3/10/2010 12:28 - Subscribe
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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.' |
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preacher31
FOR I WAS HUNGRY 3/07/2010 03:21 - Subscribe
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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. |
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preacher31
IN HIS PRESENCE 3/04/2010 10:37 - Subscribe
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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. |
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THE QUOTE OF THE MONTH 3/04/2010 02:42 - Subscribe
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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?' |
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THE FAIREST 3/01/2010 07:10 - Subscribe
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(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! â€"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. â€" Anne Cetas We can never praise Jesus too much. |
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WHAT IS YOUR DEFINITION OF LOVE 2/27/2010 08:57 - Subscribe
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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 |
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WHAT MATTERS MOST TO GOD 2/24/2010 09:10 - Subscribe
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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 sacrificeâ€"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. |
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WALKING CLOSE TO GOD 2/20/2010 03:12 - Subscribe
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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. â€" 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 |
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PLEASE REMEMBER 2/18/2010 11:00 - Subscribe
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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!!!!!! |
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PATHS TO PRAYER 2 2/13/2010 05:53 - Subscribe
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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) |
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PATHS TO PRAYER (1) 2/12/2010 12:33 - Subscribe
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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) |
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AM I A TALKER OR A DOER 2/09/2010 09:39 - Subscribe
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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 itâ€"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?" |
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JUST AS I AM 2/07/2010 12:34 - Subscribe
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"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 |
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ALL YOUR HEART 2/02/2010 09:12 - Subscribe
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Scripture: Proverbs 3:5 5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. 6 Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take. Blondin was a 19th century acrobat, famous for his tightrope act 160 feet above Niagra Falls on a rope which was over a thousand feet long. In 1860 a Royal party from Britain saw Blondin cross the tightrope on stilts, and again blindfolded. After that he stopped halfway and cooked and ate an omelet. Next he wheeled a wheelbarrow from one side to the other, and returned with a sack of potatoes in it. Then Blondin approached the Royal party. He asked the Duke of Newcastle, "do you believe I could take a man across the tightrope in this wheelbarrow?" "Yes, I do" , said the Duke. "Hop in, then" , replied Blondin. Well, the Duke declined Blondin's challenge. He might have believed Blondin could do it, but he wasn't about to trust him with his life. Reflection: You see that's what trusting in the Lord with all your heart is, "GETTING IN THE WHEELBARROW!". Trusting God with your whole life. God trusted us so much that He gave us a gift. He gave us the gift of His only Son, Jesus Christ. If we accept this gift from God we are a forgiven people, we are an eternal people. Now we can't repay God for His gift, but we can give God a gift back, the Gift of Trust. Now this gift of trust to God means that we completely trust Him with everything that is in us. It means that we don't rely on anything else but God. We do not rely on our own strength or the strength of others. We give all the strength we have, both physically and mentally to the will of the Holy Spirit. WE TRUST GOD AND ONLY GOD! HOW'S YOUR TRUST BEEN LATELY? Not a shadow can rise, not a cloud in the skies, But His smile quickly drives it away; Not a doubt or a fear, not a sigh or a tear, Can abide while we trust and obey. Trust and obey, for there’s no other way To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey. |
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TAKE A QUICK LOOK AT THIS 1/31/2010 03:57 - Subscribe
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U.S. House & Senate have voted themselves $4,700 and $5,300 raises. 1. They voted to not give you a S.S. Cost of Living raise in 2010 and 2011. 2. Your Medicare premiums will go up $285.60 for the 2 years and you will not get the 3% COLA. Your total 2 year loss and cost is $1,600 or $3,200 for husband and wife. 3. Over 2 years they each get $10,000. 4. How’s that hope and change workin’ out for ya? 5. Will they increase your cost of drugs - doctor fees - local taxes - food, etc.? Maybe it's time for the 28th Amendment… "Congress shall make no law that applies to the citizens of the United States that does not apply equally to the Senators or Representatives, and Congress shall make no law that applies to the Senators or Representatives that does not apply equally to the citizens of the United States." |
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preacher31
WWJD 1/30/2010 02:50 - Subscribe
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SACRIFICIAL LOVE God is always ready to help us and expects us to help others Scripture: "Don't forget to do good and to share what you have with those in need, for such sacrifices are very pleasing to God." Hebrews 13:16 NLT In His steps "Have you seen kids wearing bracelets with the initials WWJDâ€" "What Would Jesus Do?" The story behind those bracelets begins a century ago, when a minister named Charles Sheldon wrote a novel titled In His Steps. One Sunday morning at First Church, Pastor Henry Maxwell is preaching a sermon about how to follow Christ's example of sacrificial love. The service is suddenly i nterrupted when a tramp stands up. He's been out of work for a year, he says, yet not one person in town has helped him find another job. Twisting his shabby hat in his hands, the tramps says, "I was wondering if what you call following Jesus is the same thing as what he taught.… I get puzzled when I see so many Christians living in luxury and remember how my wife died in a tenement.…what would Jesus do?" At that point, to the congregation's horror, the tramp collapses and dies. The following Sunday, the minister makes a stunning proposal: He's looking for volunteers willing to pledge themselves for an entire year to do nothing without first asking, "What would Jesus do?" Some fifty people make the pledge, and a remarkable series of events begins. Some of these people pay a high price for their obedience. But they also learn the joy of following faithfully in his footsteps. A few years ago, a Holland, Michigan, youth leader was so inspired by this classic story that she had bracelets made bearing the letters WWJD and gave them to the kids in her church. The idea caught fire, and today millions wear them. adapted from How Now Shall We Live? Devotional by Charles Colson (Tyndale) pp 585-86 |