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preacher31
BECAUSE YOU LOVE ME - Subscribe
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For all those times you stood by me For all the truth that you made me see For all the joy you brought to my life For all the wrong that you made right For every dream you made come true For all the love I found in you I'll be forever thankful You're the one who held me up And never let me fall You're the one who saw me through, through it all You were my strength when I was weak You were my voice when I couldn't speak You were my eyes when I couldn't see You saw the best there was in me Lifted me up when I couldn't reach You gave me faith 'cause you believed I'm everything I am Because you loved me You gave me wings and made me fly You touched my hand I could touch the sky I lost my faith, you gave it back to me You said no star was out of reach You stood by me and I stood tall I had your love I had it all I'm grateful for each day you gave me Maybe I don't know that much But I know this much is true I was blessed because I was loved by you You were my strength when I was weak You were my voice when I couldn't speak You were my eyes when I couldn't see You saw the best there was in me Lifted me up when I couldn't reach You gave me faith 'cause you believed I'm everything I am Because you loved me You were always there for me The tender wind that carried me The light in the dark shining your love into my life You've been my inspiration Through the lies you were the truth My world is a better place because of you You were my strength when I was weak You were my voice when I couldn't speak You were my eyes when I couldn't see You saw the best there was in me Lifted me up when I couldn't reach You gave me faith 'cause you believed I'm everything I am Because you loved me You were my strength when I was weak You were my voice when I couldn't speak You were my eyes when I couldn't see You saw the best there was in me Lifted me up when I couldn't reach You gave me faith 'cause you believed I'm everything I am Because you loved me I'm everything I am Because you loved me It is amazing to me how this very popular Celine Dion song best describes my feelings towards my God. |
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preacher31
WHAT IS THE MEANING OF LIFE? 2/08/2012 03:46 - Subscribe
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Scripture: "He taught them with authority" (Mark 1:22). LIFE A number of years ago The editors of "Life Magazine" compiled an inspiring collection of essays in answer to their question, "What is the meaning of life?" From more than 25 countries, 200 poets, scientists, philosophers and just "everyday people" shared their vision of the meaning of life. The following essays are just a small sampling from this life-enriching collection. The first is from Capetown South Africa's Archbishop Desmond Tutu who wrote, in part: The evolution of the world is a great manifestation of God. As scientists understand more and more about the interdependence not only of living things but of rocks, rivers - the whole of the universe - I am left in awe that I, too, am a part of this tremendous miracle. Not only am I a part of this pulsating network, but I am an indispensable part. It is not only theology that teaches me this, but it is the truth that environmentalists shout from the rooftops. Every living creature is an essential part of the whole. Our surroundings are awesome. We see about us majestic mountains, the perfection of a tiny mouse, a newborn baby, a flower, the colors of a seashell. Each creature is most fully that which it is created to be, an almost incredible reflection of the Infinite, the invisible, the indefinable. All women and men participate in that reflected glory. We believe that we are in fact the image of our Creator. Our response must be to live up to that amazing potential - to give God glory by reflecting His beauty and His love. That is why we are here and that is the purpose of our lives. The next essay was written by renowned Grammy-winning composer and recording artist Quincy Jones, a portion of which I will read: In 1974 I was blessed to have survived a brain aneurysm and two brain operations. It is unfortunate, but sometimes it takes a life-threatening crisis such as this to get your undivided attention, and this certainly did. I was given the opportunity to renew my basic belief in the importance of spirituality, reopening communications on a one-to-one basis with the Creator. God has given each one of us approximately 25,000 to 26,000 days on this earth. I truly believe He has something very specific in mind: 8300 days to sleep, 8,300 to work and 8,300 to give, live, play, pray and love one another. We were born to struggle, to face the challenges of our lifetime and, ultimately, to evolve to a higher consciousness. When we find we can unyieldingly bestow our trust to that inner voice, it is evidence of our divine guidance. The universal karmic law dictates: "You get what you give" and "You've got to bring some to get some. " I would like to believe that the highest state of evolution in our lifetime is to reach a state where grace and giving reign and we experience the oneness of ourselves with the creations of this universe. We must search for the good in each of God's creations; it is important to invest our faith in the best part of humanity. |
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preacher31
DON'T WORRY 2/12/2012 10:13 - Subscribe
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Scripture: So don't worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today's trouble is enough for today!" Matthew 6:25-34 NLT Reflection: "Jesus encourages us not to worry about that which we cannot control or about that which is not important. Worry instead, he says, about your priorities and the condition of your soul. When you find yourself overcome with worry, take a careful look at the priorities of your heart. When God is firmly established at the center of our focus and desires, worry loses its grip on our lives. (from the Touch Point Bible with commentaries by Ron Beers and Gilbert Beers (Tyndale), p. 829) |
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preacher31
I'M PROUD 2/18/2012 09:51 - Subscribe
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I would like to talk on a different subject. Some of you will say this is political or radical. You may even say that it has nothing to do with religion or faith. That's ok please remember you are entitled to your opinion. I have four wonderful children. I am proud of each one them. Each one of my children presents a particular gift or talent that I'am very proud of. I would like to talk to you about my youngest son. He has become a part of a movement that has been in the news lately. He is a protester, part of the Occupy Movement. You still hear something about these protesters every once in awhile in the news. He's kind of like his old man, you see I was a protester too, yes in the 60's against a war, not those who fought the war, but against the war itself. I'm proud to say that my son was arrested for what he and I believe in. I don't think he minds me telling you this, if he does it's to late. Now I realize that many of you will have all kinds of images in your mind about my son and about these protesters. I'm sure they are the same kind of images that many had of me when I was arrested. I can't change those attitudes and images and I'm not going to try. My son and many of these protesters, have a problem with a society that views human beings as commodities. They have a problem with a culture that celebrates the logic of greed. You see they see the old idea of democracy, that is, of the few that governs the many through the power of capital as being wrong. They see democratic values in working together in the very interest of social responsibility and the common good. Does any of this sound familiar, I think I learned this about Jesus in church. I also believe this is what I read in the Scriptures. In other words, the man I put my faith in, that I believe is the Son of God, the reason I call myself a Christian said the same thing. Many of these protesters are shifting the national conversation to important issues. From poverty and joblessness, to corporate corruption. They are asking the big questions about our American Society and the very foundations of our morality. ARE YOU ASKING QUESTIONS? WHAT IS THE FOUNDATION OF YOUR MORALITY? I'M PROUD SON!!! |
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preacher31
BE ALL YOU CAN BE! 2/22/2012 07:48 - Subscribe
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"Repent, and believe the Good News" (Mark. 1:15) There's an amusing story of a farmer who owned a very beautiful horse of which he was very proud. One day he rode him into town and carefully tied the animal to the hitching post in front of the general store. Two thieves, passing through the town, spied the handsome horse and decided to steal it. They also decided on a clever strategy to carry out their plan. One of them untied the horse and rode swiftly away. The other remained by the post. When the farmer emerged from the store and saw that his horse was gone, he was about to shout for help when the conspirator walked up to him. In a sad, low tone he said, "Sir, I am your horse. Years ago I sinned, and for my sins I was punished. I was changed into a horse. Today my sentence is over, and I can be released if you will be so kind." The farmer was dumbfounded, yet touched by the story. So he sent the man away wishing him luck in his new life. Several weeks later the farmer went to a fair in a neighboring town. Great was his surprise to see his own horse for sale there. After gazing long at the animal to make sure that his eyes did not deceive him, he walked over and whispered into the horse's ear, "So -- I see you've sinned again!" When we sin again, even though we don't turn into a horse, our humanity is diminished. And we are called to repentance, which means to restore our lost humanity -- to transform ourselves into the fully human person God wants us to be. (Sunday Sermons on Line) |