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preacher31
PRAYER QUOTE FOR THE WEEK - Subscribe
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PRAYER QUOTE FOR THE WEEK Rev. Joseph Lowery, pastor and civil rights veteran, gave the benediction at the Inauguration, calling Americans to pray for the nation and President Obama. God of our weary years, God of our silent tears, thou who has brought us thus far along the way, thou who has by thy might led us into the light, keep us forever in the path, we pray, lest our feet stray from the places, our God, where we met thee, lest our hearts, drunk with the wine of the world, we forget thee. Shadowed beneath thy hand may we forever stand true to thee, O God, and true to our native land. We truly give thanks for the glorious experience we’ve shared this day. We pray now, O Lord, for your blessing upon thy servant, Barack Obama, the 44th president of these United States, his family and his administration. He has come to this high office at a low moment in the national and, indeed, the global fiscal climate. But because we know you got the whole world in your hand, we pray for not only our nation, but for the community of nations. Our faith does not shrink, though pressed by the flood of mortal ills. —Rev. Joseph Lowery, January 20, 2009 |
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preacher31
WHEN THE CIRCUS COMES TO TOWN 2/07/2009 10:40 - Subscribe
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Scripture: 33But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. (Matthew 6:33) NIV Reflection: Do you remember what it was like, when you were a kid, when the circus or carnival came to town. I remember it as a real special time for me. When I was around 10 years old my father and mother took me to the carnival. As we were driving, on the highway, to the carnival my dad noticed a sign along side the road. It said, "Balloon Rides $5.00", so my father asked me if I wanted to take a balloon ride. Of course without hesitation I said a loud "Yes". My mother said a loud "No". So my dad and I went on a balloon ride. I noticed one thing about that balloon ride that I will never forget. As we went up in the balloon, the balloonist takes along sand as ballast, which he uses to control how fast and high we rise. When he threw out a little sand ballast we went higher, then more sand and still higher. The higher the balloonist wanted us to go, the more sand he threw out. You know its kind of like that with God. The closer we get to God, the more things of the world we have to throw out of our lives. The more we throw out the things of the world, the nearer we get to God. And you know thats not easy to do sometimes. Let go those things of the world and do what the Master tells you to do: "Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven". You know if we keep that in mind. our lives will be a whole lot better and a whole lot happier. Prayer: Psalm 8 O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens. From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise because of your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger. When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him? You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings [c] and crowned him with glory and honor. You made him ruler over the works of your hands; you put everything under his feet: all flocks and herds, and the beasts of the field, the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea, all that swim the paths of the seas. O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! |
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preacher31
WONDERFUL GRACE 2/10/2009 03:48 - Subscribe
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For God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so very much, that even while we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. Ephesians 2:4 NLT Amazing grace! how sweet the sound— That saved a wretch like me! I once was lost but now am found, Was blind but now I see. Amazing Grace , John Newton (1725-1807) The gift of forgiveness is often best appreciated by those who need it the most. The Reverend John Newton experienced this truth firsthand. His tombstone tells the story: "John Newton, clerk, once an infidel and Libertine, a servant of slavers in Africa, was, by the rich mercy of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, preserved, restored, pardoned, and appointed to preach the faith he had so long labored to destroy. " These words were written by Newton himself, a testimony to God's transforming power. After years as a hardened slave trader, that "wretch" met Jesus Christ and abruptly turned to defend the gospel he had so long despised. Throughout Newton's years of ministry, God's amazing grace remained central to Newton's thinking. When it was suggested he retire (at age eighty-two!) due to poor health and a failing memory, he responded, "My memory is nearly gone, but I remember two things: that I am a great sinner, and that Christ is a great Savior!" adapted from The One Year® Book of Hymns by Mark Norton and Robert Brown, Tyndale House Publishers (1995), entry for March 17 When a friend makes a mistake, don't rub it in. Rub it out. AUTHOR UNKNOWN |