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05-15-2008, 08:45 PM
"God never promises to remove us from our struggles. He does promise, however,
to change the way we look at them." --Max Lucado
Our inadequacies and disabilities do not keep us from being available to God.
Our journey with God is a lifelong process.
God's grace is new each morning, exactly what we need to meet each new challenge and it is an inexhaustible and ever-fresh supply.
Prayer is human communication with God.
Our past is our school of experience; let our past mistakes point us to God's way.
Our problems won't seem so impossible if we let God handle them.
Prayer is our best help when trials come our way because it keeps us in communion with God.
Our background does not matter to God.
Each one of us is part of the masterwork of God.
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Footprints the Tide Can't Touch
Oh, we love the ocean! We love to walk the beach and if my wife has a head-start on me, I can figure out which way she went - Oh, I kid her about being a little paddle footed - she leaves behind footprints that make a slight "V" in the sand. Of course, when the tide starts coming in you can forget all the footprints any of us left that day! When the waves finish giving the beach a bath, you can't even tell anyone walked there today. Notice when they want to commemorate the careers of those Hollywood stars, they have them put their footprints in cement in the sidewalk, not in sand at the beach.
Our word for today from the Word of God comes from Daniel 12:2. You see, we only get to walk this beach once. What kind of marks do we leave behind? How much will it matter that you or I have ever walked this way? Daniel 12:2-3 says this, "Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever." Now, the verse before it talks about eternal issues. It says, "Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt." That's why it's so important to lead people to righteousness. Two eternal destinations: everlasting life - that's heaven of course, and everlasting shame and contempt - that's hell. Now, he goes on here to say that you and I can have a vital part in which destination it will be for the people we know. If we lead them to righteousness, we'll shine like the stars forever and ever. People you influence for Jesus Christ will be the lasting legacy of your life. Everlasting! Footprints that are in cement, not in sand!
The problem is we get distracted from the eternal. We spent most of our time and our energy on earth stuff. We want to make a financial mark, a career mark, an educational mark, but the tide will one day come along and erase all those footprints we left in the sand. Someone else will get your position, your money, or your house. Or maybe we'll get involved in causes that will help improve things a little but have no impact on eternity - sand. Or we'll just get so busy or self-occupied that we neglect the people around us for our schedule, our goals, and our activity.
There's a poem I heard often as a young man and it puts everything in perspective, "Only one life, ‘twill soon be passed, only what's done for Christ will last." Daniel affirms the ultimate lasting thing you can do with your life. It's to lead someone else to eternal life. Take somebody to heaven with you! Is there going to be anybody there because of you? Are you working on leaving that kind of mark on the people around you? Maybe you've become distracted by leaving marks in the sand; marks that won't matter at all in eternity. The Lord's saying, "I've planted you among those people because I'm trusting you to tell them about Me. To let them know I love them enough to give my life for them. To tell them the difference I've made for you and how I can make all the difference for them."
How are you doing on the project that really, really matters; bringing the people you know to heaven with you? It is, after all, what Jesus gave His life for. It ought to be what our lives are about. Could it be that you've misplaced your priorities? That most of the marks of your life are in the sand of earth stuff rather than in the cement of eternity? Why don't you begin to use your influence to bring people you know to Jesus Christ - the relationship they've been looking for their whole life? The tides of time can never erase a life you have brought to Jesus.
You may not have made many tracks in the sand of earth, but there may be marks you have made in eternity cement. And if you do that, those will be there for a hundred billion years and more. There'll be people there in heaven because of you! --Ron Hutchcraft
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The Thirst For Living Water
When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, "Will you give me a drink?"(His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.)
The Samaritan woman said to him, "You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?" (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.)
Jesus answered her, "If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water."
"Sir," the woman said, "you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water? Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his flocks and herds?"
Jesus answered, "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life."
The woman said to him, "Sir, give me this water so that I won't get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water." (John 4:7-15, NIV)
The woman Jesus encounters at this well is just one example of so many who have a thirst for living water.
On a weekly basis searchers come to a place called where we hope we will find living water. From early childhood we have been assured that the assembly hall is the place where God can be found. In more recent years we have been convinced that the bigger the assembly, the more likely we are to have our thirsty soul satisfied. At the same time we are being told that smaller assemblies are the source of living water. So we come. We gather. We study. We sing. We pray. We watch. We listen. We hope. We search.
Sometimes our thirst is quenched. Some days we find what we are looking for. A message touches our heart. A conversation encourages us. A prayer reflects our deepest feelings. A song brings us to tears. We leave feeling refreshed. We tell others of the experience and we encourage them to join us for the next gathering.
Sometimes we go away empty. The singing is dull. The message misses our heart. The children are too noisy and distracting. We do not connect on any meaningful level with anyone. The prayers that are prayed sound very similar to the prayers that were prayed the week before, and the week before that, and the week before that. We wonder why we came. We wonder why anyone came. We wonder if we'll come back for the next assembly.
Is there a solution? Is there a place where we can find this living water? Is there a well from which we can draw water that will satisfy the thirst of our soul?
Jesus gave the woman the answer in verse 10: "If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water."
Jesus is what we are thirsty for. Jesus is where we should go. Jesus is whom we should seek. Jesus is the well from which the living water flows.
Assembly halls filled with people may meet our needs on certain levels. Gatherings of people may satisfy our longing for fellowship and connection. But, only a genuine encounter with the giver of living water will quench the thirst of our soul.
Perhaps our thirst has not been quenched, and our souls have not been refreshed because we have been going to the wrong well. This week let's try something different. Let's try Jesus. I'm not advocating that we "forsake the assembling of ourselves." Nor am I suggesting that we continue with tired and worn-out traditions that have lost value. I am encouraging us to search for Jesus. Go to Jesus and make the same request the woman at the well, "Sir, give me this water so that I won't get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water."
Thirsty? Jesus is waiting and ready to offer you a drink that will satisfy your thirst. Accept the offer. Drink of the living water. --Tom
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When Envy Creeps In by Rick Ezell
How can we overcome envy? How can we remain calm in the midst of a competitive society? The next time envy creeps into your heart and mind do the following.
Acknowledge envy as sin. Many people struggle with envy for years, yet never acknowledge its true character. Envy is sin. The envious person is not just a victim; he or she bears responsibility. The Scripture says, “For where you have envy... there you find disorder and every evil practice” (James 3:16 NIV). The failure to confess envy will only lead to more sin. Envy causes conflict with others, it travels with its cousin anger, it leads to depression, it manifests itself in gossiping, and it can even pull the trigger on murder.
Resist comparing yourself to others. “We do not dare to classify or compare ourselves... [it] is not wise” (2 Corinthians 10:12 NIV). Envious people are always comparing themselves to others. One way to bolster their own poor self-esteem is by finding fault with others. But when we compare ourselves with others two things happen and both are destructive. One, when we compare our strength to another person’s weakness we become prideful. Two, when we compare our weakness to another person’s strength we become envious. Either way we lose.
Recognize God’s goodness. In other words, we need to be grateful for what we already have. A myth has circulated since the beginning of time: I must have more than you to be happy. And, you must have more than me to be happy. This is simply not true. Instead of focusing on what we don’t have, we need to remind ourselves what we do have, giving thanks for God’s graciousness in our lives. Do you have life? Health? A job? A house? Clothes? Friends? When we understand God’s goodness in our lives, comparisons are meaningless.
Respond to others in love. “Love does not envy” (1 Cor. 13:4 NIV). When we love other people we appreciate their strengths and their gifts. We acknowledge that God loves them like God loves us-no more, no less. And when we choose to love, envy is eradicated from our lives.
Refocus on God. “Don’t be envious of sinful people; let reverence for the Lord be the concern of your life. If it is, you have a bright future” (Proverbs 23:17 GN). There are only three things that will last for eternity – God, his Word, and his people. Not houses, or cars, or jobs, or vacations, or clothes. When we look at people and their achievement and possessions, we need to look at the long haul not the short term. When I focus on God, my neighbor’s achievements and advancements don’t matter.
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"This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it." Psalm 118:24
Help to Make a Better Day
Little things make a better day!
*Being grateful for another morning by being cheerful on the outside, even though you might be in physical pain on the inside.
*Writing a note of encouragement, congratulations, appreciation, sympathy or condolence to someone needing a little lift.
*A short visit to a sick friend.
*A telephone call to someone who lives alone who may be lonely.
*A little gift to someone to brighten their day.
*Have a kind and warm greeting to those you pass by.
*Stop and smell the flowers and enjoy their beauty.
*Show kindness to animals ~ feed the birds.
*Explore the satisfaction of being courteous.
By administering just a few of these suggestions today, they will add to the sweetness and smoothness of life. They will bring pleasant communion with others, nurture friendships, and prevent the interference of those petty sophistications that keep us apart from others.
Though small, they create a beneficent radiation which enriches us and contributes to our own ennoblement. They will enhance a tender inclination for pleasantness that comes with the satisfaction of having done good. They strengthen the soul. They make a good day because they make us better people.
And then, when you lay down to go to sleep at the end of this day, you will be left with a satisfied feeling that you have been a more considerate person today than you were yesterday.
Then, by all means . . . try it again tomorrow! Smile! Jesus loves you! So do I! --Jimmy's Safe Harbor
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"For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ." Galatians 1:10
Who Am I?
Many of us battle with insecurities of some kind. Now, more than ever, it is apparent each day when we turn on our televisions or glance through magazines. The media tries to influence who we are and how we should live. There is no doubt we are living in challenging times. Is it any wonder that we have a world filled with so much emptiness and confusion? This leaves us asking ourselves, "Who am I?"
Well, we are a unique creation of God! And the more we dance for the world and everyone's approval, the further it takes us from our authentic self, and ultimately from God.
Growth and acceptance is a gradual process for everyone. Learn to accept yourself and your faults. Learn to love the person looking back at you in the mirror, just as God loves you. After all, He made you in His own image! And if He accepts you, surely you can learn to love and accept yourself.
We will never have all the answers to life. But we can have life more abundant, when we look to Jesus! He will restore us from the inside......out!
This is a brand new day God has blessed us with, and with His love and help, we can live a more pleasant life. We can look at ourselves and smile, because the reflection of Christ Jesus will shine through! And, my dear friend........GOD DOESN'T MAKE JUNK! --Jimmy's Safe Harbor
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"Doth not he see my ways, and count all my steps? If I have walked with vanity, or if my foot hath hasted to deceit; Let me be weighed in an even balance, that God may know mine integrity." Job 31:4-6
It's In The Valley's
Job speaks of his integrity in Chapter 31. I thought perhaps we could take a look at our own this morning.
I remember quite a few years back when I would go on camping trips, hiking through the woods or the mountains, up and down hills in and out valleys along the way. Sometimes my footing would somewhat falter, yet I always kept my balance and kept moving forward along the path.
These particular valleys in my "camping & hiking days" once again enter my thoughts as I search my heart and ask myself, "Am I still moving forward in pleasing God?"
I know that with God in my life, I have nothing to fear. For He is the same on the mountain tops as He is in the valleys. He will point the way for us, if we allow Him, and turn any crisis into calm. We need to just simply trust in Him regardless of the shape we're in.
He will guide us and comfort us, but most importantly, deliver us as we repent of all our sin. He is a Mighty God who is never-changing. He's the same yesterday, today and for ever more.
But do we really know where to find wisdom and understanding? It is hidden from the eyes of all humanity. Even the sharp-eyed birds cannot discover it. But Destruction and Death say,
"We have heard a rumor where it can be found." God surely knows where it can be found, for He looks throughout the whole earth, under all the heavens.
He made the winds blow and determined how much rain should fall. He made the laws of the rain and prepared a path for the lightening. Then, when He had done all this, He saw wisdom and measured it! He established it and examined it thoroughly. And this is what He says to all humanity: "The fear of the Lord is true wisdom to forsake evil is real understanding." (Read Job 28:20-28)
In conclusion, if and when you are "down in the valley" and out of sorts with yourself, look to the Lord for strength, wisdom, and understanding. He is the Almighty One! He will sustain you! He is your Comforter and Counselor. If you will just look to Him and seek His wonderful grace, you will soon discover that It's in the valley where you once started to grow.
--Jimmy's Safe Harbor
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"For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich." 2 Corinthians 8:9
Decorate What You Have
One Christmas Eve, as late Christmas shoppers hurried along the street, a crippled newsboy stood on his crutches offering his papers to the passersby. He looked happy, and his crutches were decorated with evergreens.
One man greeted him with a cheerful smile, "My boy, you surely have the Christmas spirit!"
The boy replied, "What's the use of putting on a sour face? Sure, I am poor and lame, but that's no reason for looking glum. I won't get presents like other boys at Christmas, but I can have fun, too. So I decorated my crutches just to make them seem special for Christmas."
The man was deeply inspired by this young boy . . . he had decorated all he had. --Author Unknown
If we go out to seek joy, it will elude us. If we go out to impart joy, we will find it. The time of year matters not, whether you have little or much, it makes no difference. If you have Jesus, you are rich in every aspect of life. --Jimmy's Safe Harbor
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Small Straws In A Soft Wind by Marsha Burns
Beloved, clear your mind and silence your flesh. Things have not worked out as you planned, but I am bringing you by a way that you have not known, and I am doing things in your life that you have not expected. These things are for your good. I want to bring you to a higher spiritual level where you can see clearly that your position in My kingdom is not about your desires or satisfying your flesh or meeting your financial expectations; it is about living in the Spirit where My purposes become your purposes without question, says the Lord.
Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.
Galatians 2:20 "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me."
You are on the very cusp of breaking over into the next facet of this season. Your experiences will present a brilliant illustration of My work that will ultimately cause you to increase in a variety of ways. I will open your spiritual eyes to see with greater definition the aspects that make up your spiritual journey so that you can more completely cooperate with Me, says the Lord. Yield to the moving of My Spirit. Matthew 13:17 For assuredly, I say to you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.
Be quiet so you can discern and perceive the hindering forces that create confusion and misunderstandings. This is a perverse spirit sent to keep you from accomplishing your goals and purposes by undermining your confidence. Break through these barriers by placing your faith and trust in Me that I will supernaturally guide you through this maze. I am with you to lead you into a broad place where there is no restraint, says the Lord. Psalms 118:5 I called on the LORD in distress; the LORD answered me and set me in a broad place.
Many of my people are feeling off-balance and even unstable at this time. You will make it through this period of instability if you will determine not to allow these feelings to throw you into a tail spin. This too shall pass, but you must be persistent in your efforts to push through. You will find your spiritual equilibrium by taking a firm stand in faith that I am the solid Rock on which you stand, says the Lord, and that I will uphold you and not allow you to go down. Matthew 14:26-31 And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, "It is a ghost!" And they cried out for fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, "Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid." And Peter answered Him and said, "Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water." So He said, "Come." And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, "Lord, save me!" And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, "O you of little faith, why did you doubt?"
Refuse to allow the enemy to plant a seed of doubt and unbelief in your heart. As you determine to take a stand and believe My Word, says the Lord, you will gain strength and see the fulfillment of My promises. Do not allow your circumstances or feelings to undermine your faith on any matter. And, rejoice with inexpressible joy, for you shall see My manifest presence when you believe. Romans 15:13 Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
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THE LIVING WATER
God is the Living Water
The ever-flowing Tide
The steady Rock of Ages
An Ocean, vast and wide.
He restores my fleeting spirit
Puts spring into my step
Adds a bit of sunshine.
Where Godly things are kept.
He is a sure Foundation
Removes the doubts and fear
When I am overcome by life
His voice, I often hear.
He is the Rose of Sharon
The Keeper of my soul
The Lily of the Valley
The One who makes me whole.
He is a gentle Current
A River, running free
My Refuge at the harbor
An Anchor on life's sea.
He is the Living Water
The Fruit upon the vine.
--Marilyn Ferguson
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I AM THERE
Do you need Me?
I am there.
You cannot see Me, yet I am the light you see by.
You cannot hear Me, yet I speak through your voice.
You cannot feel Me, yet I am the power at work in your hands.
I am at work, though you do not understand My ways.
I am at work, though you do not recognize My works.
I am not strange visions, I am not mysteries.
Only in absolute stillness, beyond self, can you know Me as I am, and then but as a feeling and a faith.
Yet I am there. Yet I hear. Yet I answer.
When you need Me, I am there.
Even if you deny Me, I am there.
Even when you feel most alone, I am there.
Even in your fears, I am there.
Even in your pain, I am there.
I am there when you pray and when you do not pray.
I am in you, and you are in Me.
Only in your mind can you feel separate from Me,
For only in your mind are the mists of "yours" and "mine".
Empty your heart of empty fears.
When you get yourself out of the way, I am there.
You can of yourself do nothing, but I can do all, and I am in all.
Though you may not see the good, good is there, for I am there.
I am there because I have to be, because I am.
Only in Me does the world have meaning;
Only in Me does the world take form;
Only because of Me does the world go forward.
I am the law on which the movement of the stars.
And the growth of living cells are founded.
I am the love that is the law's fulfilling.
I am assurance.
I am peace.
I am oneness.
I am the law that you can live by.
I am the love that you can cling to.
I am your assurance.
I am your peace.
I am one with you.
I am.
Though you fail to find Me, I do not fail You.
Though your faith in Me is unsure, My faith in you never wavers,
Because I know you, because I love you.
Beloved, I am there.
By James Dillet Freeman
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And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice. Ephesians 4:30-31
4Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 8Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 9Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. Philippians 4:4-9
Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. 1 Corinthians 12:27
Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. John 14:1
I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. John 15:5
13Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. 14You are my friends if you do what I command. 15I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. 16You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. 17This is my command: Love each other. John 15:13-17
For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. 1 Timothy 6:7
A woman giving birth to a child has pain because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world. John 16:21
Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up. James 4:10
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THREE WORD By: Joseph J. Mazzella
"What's it going to take to change this world?" That is a question that has troubled mankind for centuries. While I don't pretend to have all the answers I think that I have learned the first step to take. It isn't a difficult step either. In fact, it only consists of three little words. If everyone just accepted these three little words into their hearts and believed them with their souls then we could finally put an end to hunger, war, hatred, and strife. If everyone just lived by the truth of these words then we could begin to make this world a paradise with everyone working together, helping each other, and caring for this planet that is our home. What are these three words? "God Loves You."
God loves us all so much, yet so many of us go through life never accepting His love into our hearts, souls, and minds. Perhaps we don't accept it because we don't feel worthy of it. Well we aren't, but God gives it to us just the same. When we do accept God's love, however, an amazing thing happens. We start to become more worthy of it everyday. In fact, we start to choose it, share it, and live in it moment by moment. Then we begin to change the world around us as well. With God's love flowing into our hearts like a river we begin to brighten everyone we meet with our light and uplift everyone we meet with our joy. With God's love within us we begin to live as His Children and everyday bring a little more Heaven to Earth.
"God loves you!" Take these three words to heart. Accept them into your soul. Believe them in your mind. And live them in your life. Then go out and start to change the world. It can be done. It is being done right now one heart, one soul, and three words at a time. It is going to take a lot of love to change this world, but God has more than enough for the job. He just wants you to help Him share it and plant it in every heart you touch.
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Dear Lord, Teach us the value of sharing what we have with others. Teach us that by giving to those in need, we give to you. Open our eyes to the needy around us. Help us to know that life's true rewards cannot be bought and are not found in this earthly life. Amen.
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Read Through The Bible
Exodus 32
The Golden Calf
1 When the people saw that Moses was so long in coming down from the mountain, they gathered around Aaron and said, "Come, make us gods who will go before us. As for this fellow Moses who brought us up out of Egypt, we don't know what has happened to him. 2 Aaron answered them, "Take off the gold earrings that your wives, your sons and your daughters are wearing, and bring them to me." 3 So all the people took off their earrings and brought them to Aaron. 4 He took what they handed him and made it into an idol cast in the shape of a calf, fashioning it with a tool. Then they said, "These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt." 5 When Aaron saw this, he built an altar in front of the calf and announced, "Tomorrow there will be a festival to the LORD." 6 So the next day the people rose early and sacrificed burnt offerings and presented fellowship offerings. Afterward they sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in revelry. 7 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Go down, because your people, whom you brought up out of Egypt, have become corrupt. 8 They have been quick to turn away from what I commanded them and have made themselves an idol cast in the shape of a calf. They have bowed down to it and sacrificed to it and have said, 'These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt. 9 "I have seen these people," the LORD said to Moses, "and they are a stiff-necked people. 10 Now leave me alone so that my anger may burn against them and that I may destroy them. Then I will make you into a great nation." 11 But Moses sought the favor of the LORD his God. "O LORD," he said, "why should your anger burn against your people, whom you brought out of Egypt with great power and a mighty hand? 12 Why should the Egyptians say, 'It was with evil intent that he brought them out, to kill them in the mountains and to wipe them off the face of the earth'? Turn from your fierce anger; relent and do not bring disaster on your people. 13 Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac and Israel, to whom you swore by your own self: 'I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and I will give your descendants all this land I promised them, and it will be their inheritance forever.' " 14 Then the LORD relented and did not bring on his people the disaster he had threatened. 15 Moses turned and went down the mountain with the two tablets of the Testimony in his hands. They were inscribed on both sides, front and back. 16 The tablets were the work of God; the writing was the writing of God, engraved on the tablets. 17 When Joshua heard the noise of the people shouting, he said to Moses, "There is the sound of war in the camp." 18 Moses replied: "It is not the sound of victory, it is not the sound of defeat; it is the sound of singing that I hear." 19 When Moses approached the camp and saw the calf and the dancing, his anger burned and he threw the tablets out of his hands, breaking them to pieces at the foot of the mountain. 20 And he took the calf they had made and burned it in the fire; then he ground it to powder, scattered it on the water and made the Israelites drink it. 21 He said to Aaron, "What did these people do to you, that you led them into such great sin?" 22 "Do not be angry, my lord," Aaron answered. "You know how prone these people are to evil. 23 They said to me, 'Make us gods who will go before us. As for this fellow Moses who brought us up out of Egypt, we don't know what has happened to him.' 24 So I told them, 'Whoever has any gold jewelry, take it off.' Then they gave me the gold, and I threw it into the fire, and out came this calf!" 25 Moses saw that the people were running wild and that Aaron had let them get out of control and so become a laughingstock to their enemies. 26 So he stood at the entrance to the camp and said, "Whoever is for the LORD, come to me." And all the Levites rallied to him. 27 Then he said to them, "This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: 'Each man strap a sword to his side. Go back and forth through the camp from one end to the other, each killing his brother and friend and neighbor.' " 28 The Levites did as Moses commanded, and that day about three thousand of the people died. 29 Then Moses said, "You have been set apart to the LORD today, for you were against your own sons and brothers, and he has blessed you this day." 30 The next day Moses said to the people, "You have committed a great sin. But now I will go up to the LORD; perhaps I can make atonement for your sin." 31 So Moses went back to the LORD and said, "Oh, what a great sin these people have committed! They have made themselves gods of gold. 32 But now, please forgive their sin—but if not, then blot me out of the book you have written." 33 The LORD replied to Moses, "Whoever has sinned against me I will blot out of my book. 34 Now go, lead the people to the place I spoke of, and my angel will go before you. However, when the time comes for me to punish, I will punish them for their sin." 35 And the LORD struck the people with a plague because of what they did with the calf Aaron had made.
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O Lord, Thank you for offering us daily love and acceptance. Teach us to persevere in faith and to trust you for the outcome. Amen.
Wherever you are in life, whatever you've done, you can begin again. If you do not have Jesus in your life and wish to ask Jesus into your life please go to this link now to do so: http://www.cyberrecovery.net/forums/showthread.php?t=95 . Jesus is calling you to live a life that matters.
to change the way we look at them." --Max Lucado
Our inadequacies and disabilities do not keep us from being available to God.
Our journey with God is a lifelong process.
God's grace is new each morning, exactly what we need to meet each new challenge and it is an inexhaustible and ever-fresh supply.
Prayer is human communication with God.
Our past is our school of experience; let our past mistakes point us to God's way.
Our problems won't seem so impossible if we let God handle them.
Prayer is our best help when trials come our way because it keeps us in communion with God.
Our background does not matter to God.
Each one of us is part of the masterwork of God.
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Footprints the Tide Can't Touch
Oh, we love the ocean! We love to walk the beach and if my wife has a head-start on me, I can figure out which way she went - Oh, I kid her about being a little paddle footed - she leaves behind footprints that make a slight "V" in the sand. Of course, when the tide starts coming in you can forget all the footprints any of us left that day! When the waves finish giving the beach a bath, you can't even tell anyone walked there today. Notice when they want to commemorate the careers of those Hollywood stars, they have them put their footprints in cement in the sidewalk, not in sand at the beach.
Our word for today from the Word of God comes from Daniel 12:2. You see, we only get to walk this beach once. What kind of marks do we leave behind? How much will it matter that you or I have ever walked this way? Daniel 12:2-3 says this, "Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever." Now, the verse before it talks about eternal issues. It says, "Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt." That's why it's so important to lead people to righteousness. Two eternal destinations: everlasting life - that's heaven of course, and everlasting shame and contempt - that's hell. Now, he goes on here to say that you and I can have a vital part in which destination it will be for the people we know. If we lead them to righteousness, we'll shine like the stars forever and ever. People you influence for Jesus Christ will be the lasting legacy of your life. Everlasting! Footprints that are in cement, not in sand!
The problem is we get distracted from the eternal. We spent most of our time and our energy on earth stuff. We want to make a financial mark, a career mark, an educational mark, but the tide will one day come along and erase all those footprints we left in the sand. Someone else will get your position, your money, or your house. Or maybe we'll get involved in causes that will help improve things a little but have no impact on eternity - sand. Or we'll just get so busy or self-occupied that we neglect the people around us for our schedule, our goals, and our activity.
There's a poem I heard often as a young man and it puts everything in perspective, "Only one life, ‘twill soon be passed, only what's done for Christ will last." Daniel affirms the ultimate lasting thing you can do with your life. It's to lead someone else to eternal life. Take somebody to heaven with you! Is there going to be anybody there because of you? Are you working on leaving that kind of mark on the people around you? Maybe you've become distracted by leaving marks in the sand; marks that won't matter at all in eternity. The Lord's saying, "I've planted you among those people because I'm trusting you to tell them about Me. To let them know I love them enough to give my life for them. To tell them the difference I've made for you and how I can make all the difference for them."
How are you doing on the project that really, really matters; bringing the people you know to heaven with you? It is, after all, what Jesus gave His life for. It ought to be what our lives are about. Could it be that you've misplaced your priorities? That most of the marks of your life are in the sand of earth stuff rather than in the cement of eternity? Why don't you begin to use your influence to bring people you know to Jesus Christ - the relationship they've been looking for their whole life? The tides of time can never erase a life you have brought to Jesus.
You may not have made many tracks in the sand of earth, but there may be marks you have made in eternity cement. And if you do that, those will be there for a hundred billion years and more. There'll be people there in heaven because of you! --Ron Hutchcraft
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The Thirst For Living Water
When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, "Will you give me a drink?"(His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.)
The Samaritan woman said to him, "You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?" (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.)
Jesus answered her, "If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water."
"Sir," the woman said, "you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water? Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his flocks and herds?"
Jesus answered, "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life."
The woman said to him, "Sir, give me this water so that I won't get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water." (John 4:7-15, NIV)
The woman Jesus encounters at this well is just one example of so many who have a thirst for living water.
On a weekly basis searchers come to a place called where we hope we will find living water. From early childhood we have been assured that the assembly hall is the place where God can be found. In more recent years we have been convinced that the bigger the assembly, the more likely we are to have our thirsty soul satisfied. At the same time we are being told that smaller assemblies are the source of living water. So we come. We gather. We study. We sing. We pray. We watch. We listen. We hope. We search.
Sometimes our thirst is quenched. Some days we find what we are looking for. A message touches our heart. A conversation encourages us. A prayer reflects our deepest feelings. A song brings us to tears. We leave feeling refreshed. We tell others of the experience and we encourage them to join us for the next gathering.
Sometimes we go away empty. The singing is dull. The message misses our heart. The children are too noisy and distracting. We do not connect on any meaningful level with anyone. The prayers that are prayed sound very similar to the prayers that were prayed the week before, and the week before that, and the week before that. We wonder why we came. We wonder why anyone came. We wonder if we'll come back for the next assembly.
Is there a solution? Is there a place where we can find this living water? Is there a well from which we can draw water that will satisfy the thirst of our soul?
Jesus gave the woman the answer in verse 10: "If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water."
Jesus is what we are thirsty for. Jesus is where we should go. Jesus is whom we should seek. Jesus is the well from which the living water flows.
Assembly halls filled with people may meet our needs on certain levels. Gatherings of people may satisfy our longing for fellowship and connection. But, only a genuine encounter with the giver of living water will quench the thirst of our soul.
Perhaps our thirst has not been quenched, and our souls have not been refreshed because we have been going to the wrong well. This week let's try something different. Let's try Jesus. I'm not advocating that we "forsake the assembling of ourselves." Nor am I suggesting that we continue with tired and worn-out traditions that have lost value. I am encouraging us to search for Jesus. Go to Jesus and make the same request the woman at the well, "Sir, give me this water so that I won't get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water."
Thirsty? Jesus is waiting and ready to offer you a drink that will satisfy your thirst. Accept the offer. Drink of the living water. --Tom
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When Envy Creeps In by Rick Ezell
How can we overcome envy? How can we remain calm in the midst of a competitive society? The next time envy creeps into your heart and mind do the following.
Acknowledge envy as sin. Many people struggle with envy for years, yet never acknowledge its true character. Envy is sin. The envious person is not just a victim; he or she bears responsibility. The Scripture says, “For where you have envy... there you find disorder and every evil practice” (James 3:16 NIV). The failure to confess envy will only lead to more sin. Envy causes conflict with others, it travels with its cousin anger, it leads to depression, it manifests itself in gossiping, and it can even pull the trigger on murder.
Resist comparing yourself to others. “We do not dare to classify or compare ourselves... [it] is not wise” (2 Corinthians 10:12 NIV). Envious people are always comparing themselves to others. One way to bolster their own poor self-esteem is by finding fault with others. But when we compare ourselves with others two things happen and both are destructive. One, when we compare our strength to another person’s weakness we become prideful. Two, when we compare our weakness to another person’s strength we become envious. Either way we lose.
Recognize God’s goodness. In other words, we need to be grateful for what we already have. A myth has circulated since the beginning of time: I must have more than you to be happy. And, you must have more than me to be happy. This is simply not true. Instead of focusing on what we don’t have, we need to remind ourselves what we do have, giving thanks for God’s graciousness in our lives. Do you have life? Health? A job? A house? Clothes? Friends? When we understand God’s goodness in our lives, comparisons are meaningless.
Respond to others in love. “Love does not envy” (1 Cor. 13:4 NIV). When we love other people we appreciate their strengths and their gifts. We acknowledge that God loves them like God loves us-no more, no less. And when we choose to love, envy is eradicated from our lives.
Refocus on God. “Don’t be envious of sinful people; let reverence for the Lord be the concern of your life. If it is, you have a bright future” (Proverbs 23:17 GN). There are only three things that will last for eternity – God, his Word, and his people. Not houses, or cars, or jobs, or vacations, or clothes. When we look at people and their achievement and possessions, we need to look at the long haul not the short term. When I focus on God, my neighbor’s achievements and advancements don’t matter.
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"This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it." Psalm 118:24
Help to Make a Better Day
Little things make a better day!
*Being grateful for another morning by being cheerful on the outside, even though you might be in physical pain on the inside.
*Writing a note of encouragement, congratulations, appreciation, sympathy or condolence to someone needing a little lift.
*A short visit to a sick friend.
*A telephone call to someone who lives alone who may be lonely.
*A little gift to someone to brighten their day.
*Have a kind and warm greeting to those you pass by.
*Stop and smell the flowers and enjoy their beauty.
*Show kindness to animals ~ feed the birds.
*Explore the satisfaction of being courteous.
By administering just a few of these suggestions today, they will add to the sweetness and smoothness of life. They will bring pleasant communion with others, nurture friendships, and prevent the interference of those petty sophistications that keep us apart from others.
Though small, they create a beneficent radiation which enriches us and contributes to our own ennoblement. They will enhance a tender inclination for pleasantness that comes with the satisfaction of having done good. They strengthen the soul. They make a good day because they make us better people.
And then, when you lay down to go to sleep at the end of this day, you will be left with a satisfied feeling that you have been a more considerate person today than you were yesterday.
Then, by all means . . . try it again tomorrow! Smile! Jesus loves you! So do I! --Jimmy's Safe Harbor
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"For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ." Galatians 1:10
Who Am I?
Many of us battle with insecurities of some kind. Now, more than ever, it is apparent each day when we turn on our televisions or glance through magazines. The media tries to influence who we are and how we should live. There is no doubt we are living in challenging times. Is it any wonder that we have a world filled with so much emptiness and confusion? This leaves us asking ourselves, "Who am I?"
Well, we are a unique creation of God! And the more we dance for the world and everyone's approval, the further it takes us from our authentic self, and ultimately from God.
Growth and acceptance is a gradual process for everyone. Learn to accept yourself and your faults. Learn to love the person looking back at you in the mirror, just as God loves you. After all, He made you in His own image! And if He accepts you, surely you can learn to love and accept yourself.
We will never have all the answers to life. But we can have life more abundant, when we look to Jesus! He will restore us from the inside......out!
This is a brand new day God has blessed us with, and with His love and help, we can live a more pleasant life. We can look at ourselves and smile, because the reflection of Christ Jesus will shine through! And, my dear friend........GOD DOESN'T MAKE JUNK! --Jimmy's Safe Harbor
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"Doth not he see my ways, and count all my steps? If I have walked with vanity, or if my foot hath hasted to deceit; Let me be weighed in an even balance, that God may know mine integrity." Job 31:4-6
It's In The Valley's
Job speaks of his integrity in Chapter 31. I thought perhaps we could take a look at our own this morning.
I remember quite a few years back when I would go on camping trips, hiking through the woods or the mountains, up and down hills in and out valleys along the way. Sometimes my footing would somewhat falter, yet I always kept my balance and kept moving forward along the path.
These particular valleys in my "camping & hiking days" once again enter my thoughts as I search my heart and ask myself, "Am I still moving forward in pleasing God?"
I know that with God in my life, I have nothing to fear. For He is the same on the mountain tops as He is in the valleys. He will point the way for us, if we allow Him, and turn any crisis into calm. We need to just simply trust in Him regardless of the shape we're in.
He will guide us and comfort us, but most importantly, deliver us as we repent of all our sin. He is a Mighty God who is never-changing. He's the same yesterday, today and for ever more.
But do we really know where to find wisdom and understanding? It is hidden from the eyes of all humanity. Even the sharp-eyed birds cannot discover it. But Destruction and Death say,
"We have heard a rumor where it can be found." God surely knows where it can be found, for He looks throughout the whole earth, under all the heavens.
He made the winds blow and determined how much rain should fall. He made the laws of the rain and prepared a path for the lightening. Then, when He had done all this, He saw wisdom and measured it! He established it and examined it thoroughly. And this is what He says to all humanity: "The fear of the Lord is true wisdom to forsake evil is real understanding." (Read Job 28:20-28)
In conclusion, if and when you are "down in the valley" and out of sorts with yourself, look to the Lord for strength, wisdom, and understanding. He is the Almighty One! He will sustain you! He is your Comforter and Counselor. If you will just look to Him and seek His wonderful grace, you will soon discover that It's in the valley where you once started to grow.
--Jimmy's Safe Harbor
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"For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich." 2 Corinthians 8:9
Decorate What You Have
One Christmas Eve, as late Christmas shoppers hurried along the street, a crippled newsboy stood on his crutches offering his papers to the passersby. He looked happy, and his crutches were decorated with evergreens.
One man greeted him with a cheerful smile, "My boy, you surely have the Christmas spirit!"
The boy replied, "What's the use of putting on a sour face? Sure, I am poor and lame, but that's no reason for looking glum. I won't get presents like other boys at Christmas, but I can have fun, too. So I decorated my crutches just to make them seem special for Christmas."
The man was deeply inspired by this young boy . . . he had decorated all he had. --Author Unknown
If we go out to seek joy, it will elude us. If we go out to impart joy, we will find it. The time of year matters not, whether you have little or much, it makes no difference. If you have Jesus, you are rich in every aspect of life. --Jimmy's Safe Harbor
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Small Straws In A Soft Wind by Marsha Burns
Beloved, clear your mind and silence your flesh. Things have not worked out as you planned, but I am bringing you by a way that you have not known, and I am doing things in your life that you have not expected. These things are for your good. I want to bring you to a higher spiritual level where you can see clearly that your position in My kingdom is not about your desires or satisfying your flesh or meeting your financial expectations; it is about living in the Spirit where My purposes become your purposes without question, says the Lord.
Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.
Galatians 2:20 "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me."
You are on the very cusp of breaking over into the next facet of this season. Your experiences will present a brilliant illustration of My work that will ultimately cause you to increase in a variety of ways. I will open your spiritual eyes to see with greater definition the aspects that make up your spiritual journey so that you can more completely cooperate with Me, says the Lord. Yield to the moving of My Spirit. Matthew 13:17 For assuredly, I say to you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.
Be quiet so you can discern and perceive the hindering forces that create confusion and misunderstandings. This is a perverse spirit sent to keep you from accomplishing your goals and purposes by undermining your confidence. Break through these barriers by placing your faith and trust in Me that I will supernaturally guide you through this maze. I am with you to lead you into a broad place where there is no restraint, says the Lord. Psalms 118:5 I called on the LORD in distress; the LORD answered me and set me in a broad place.
Many of my people are feeling off-balance and even unstable at this time. You will make it through this period of instability if you will determine not to allow these feelings to throw you into a tail spin. This too shall pass, but you must be persistent in your efforts to push through. You will find your spiritual equilibrium by taking a firm stand in faith that I am the solid Rock on which you stand, says the Lord, and that I will uphold you and not allow you to go down. Matthew 14:26-31 And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, "It is a ghost!" And they cried out for fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, "Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid." And Peter answered Him and said, "Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water." So He said, "Come." And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, "Lord, save me!" And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, "O you of little faith, why did you doubt?"
Refuse to allow the enemy to plant a seed of doubt and unbelief in your heart. As you determine to take a stand and believe My Word, says the Lord, you will gain strength and see the fulfillment of My promises. Do not allow your circumstances or feelings to undermine your faith on any matter. And, rejoice with inexpressible joy, for you shall see My manifest presence when you believe. Romans 15:13 Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
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THE LIVING WATER
God is the Living Water
The ever-flowing Tide
The steady Rock of Ages
An Ocean, vast and wide.
He restores my fleeting spirit
Puts spring into my step
Adds a bit of sunshine.
Where Godly things are kept.
He is a sure Foundation
Removes the doubts and fear
When I am overcome by life
His voice, I often hear.
He is the Rose of Sharon
The Keeper of my soul
The Lily of the Valley
The One who makes me whole.
He is a gentle Current
A River, running free
My Refuge at the harbor
An Anchor on life's sea.
He is the Living Water
The Fruit upon the vine.
--Marilyn Ferguson
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I AM THERE
Do you need Me?
I am there.
You cannot see Me, yet I am the light you see by.
You cannot hear Me, yet I speak through your voice.
You cannot feel Me, yet I am the power at work in your hands.
I am at work, though you do not understand My ways.
I am at work, though you do not recognize My works.
I am not strange visions, I am not mysteries.
Only in absolute stillness, beyond self, can you know Me as I am, and then but as a feeling and a faith.
Yet I am there. Yet I hear. Yet I answer.
When you need Me, I am there.
Even if you deny Me, I am there.
Even when you feel most alone, I am there.
Even in your fears, I am there.
Even in your pain, I am there.
I am there when you pray and when you do not pray.
I am in you, and you are in Me.
Only in your mind can you feel separate from Me,
For only in your mind are the mists of "yours" and "mine".
Empty your heart of empty fears.
When you get yourself out of the way, I am there.
You can of yourself do nothing, but I can do all, and I am in all.
Though you may not see the good, good is there, for I am there.
I am there because I have to be, because I am.
Only in Me does the world have meaning;
Only in Me does the world take form;
Only because of Me does the world go forward.
I am the law on which the movement of the stars.
And the growth of living cells are founded.
I am the love that is the law's fulfilling.
I am assurance.
I am peace.
I am oneness.
I am the law that you can live by.
I am the love that you can cling to.
I am your assurance.
I am your peace.
I am one with you.
I am.
Though you fail to find Me, I do not fail You.
Though your faith in Me is unsure, My faith in you never wavers,
Because I know you, because I love you.
Beloved, I am there.
By James Dillet Freeman
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And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice. Ephesians 4:30-31
4Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 8Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 9Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. Philippians 4:4-9
Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. 1 Corinthians 12:27
Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. John 14:1
I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. John 15:5
13Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. 14You are my friends if you do what I command. 15I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. 16You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. 17This is my command: Love each other. John 15:13-17
For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. 1 Timothy 6:7
A woman giving birth to a child has pain because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world. John 16:21
Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up. James 4:10
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THREE WORD By: Joseph J. Mazzella
"What's it going to take to change this world?" That is a question that has troubled mankind for centuries. While I don't pretend to have all the answers I think that I have learned the first step to take. It isn't a difficult step either. In fact, it only consists of three little words. If everyone just accepted these three little words into their hearts and believed them with their souls then we could finally put an end to hunger, war, hatred, and strife. If everyone just lived by the truth of these words then we could begin to make this world a paradise with everyone working together, helping each other, and caring for this planet that is our home. What are these three words? "God Loves You."
God loves us all so much, yet so many of us go through life never accepting His love into our hearts, souls, and minds. Perhaps we don't accept it because we don't feel worthy of it. Well we aren't, but God gives it to us just the same. When we do accept God's love, however, an amazing thing happens. We start to become more worthy of it everyday. In fact, we start to choose it, share it, and live in it moment by moment. Then we begin to change the world around us as well. With God's love flowing into our hearts like a river we begin to brighten everyone we meet with our light and uplift everyone we meet with our joy. With God's love within us we begin to live as His Children and everyday bring a little more Heaven to Earth.
"God loves you!" Take these three words to heart. Accept them into your soul. Believe them in your mind. And live them in your life. Then go out and start to change the world. It can be done. It is being done right now one heart, one soul, and three words at a time. It is going to take a lot of love to change this world, but God has more than enough for the job. He just wants you to help Him share it and plant it in every heart you touch.
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Dear Lord, Teach us the value of sharing what we have with others. Teach us that by giving to those in need, we give to you. Open our eyes to the needy around us. Help us to know that life's true rewards cannot be bought and are not found in this earthly life. Amen.
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Read Through The Bible
Exodus 32
The Golden Calf
1 When the people saw that Moses was so long in coming down from the mountain, they gathered around Aaron and said, "Come, make us gods who will go before us. As for this fellow Moses who brought us up out of Egypt, we don't know what has happened to him. 2 Aaron answered them, "Take off the gold earrings that your wives, your sons and your daughters are wearing, and bring them to me." 3 So all the people took off their earrings and brought them to Aaron. 4 He took what they handed him and made it into an idol cast in the shape of a calf, fashioning it with a tool. Then they said, "These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt." 5 When Aaron saw this, he built an altar in front of the calf and announced, "Tomorrow there will be a festival to the LORD." 6 So the next day the people rose early and sacrificed burnt offerings and presented fellowship offerings. Afterward they sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in revelry. 7 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Go down, because your people, whom you brought up out of Egypt, have become corrupt. 8 They have been quick to turn away from what I commanded them and have made themselves an idol cast in the shape of a calf. They have bowed down to it and sacrificed to it and have said, 'These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt. 9 "I have seen these people," the LORD said to Moses, "and they are a stiff-necked people. 10 Now leave me alone so that my anger may burn against them and that I may destroy them. Then I will make you into a great nation." 11 But Moses sought the favor of the LORD his God. "O LORD," he said, "why should your anger burn against your people, whom you brought out of Egypt with great power and a mighty hand? 12 Why should the Egyptians say, 'It was with evil intent that he brought them out, to kill them in the mountains and to wipe them off the face of the earth'? Turn from your fierce anger; relent and do not bring disaster on your people. 13 Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac and Israel, to whom you swore by your own self: 'I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and I will give your descendants all this land I promised them, and it will be their inheritance forever.' " 14 Then the LORD relented and did not bring on his people the disaster he had threatened. 15 Moses turned and went down the mountain with the two tablets of the Testimony in his hands. They were inscribed on both sides, front and back. 16 The tablets were the work of God; the writing was the writing of God, engraved on the tablets. 17 When Joshua heard the noise of the people shouting, he said to Moses, "There is the sound of war in the camp." 18 Moses replied: "It is not the sound of victory, it is not the sound of defeat; it is the sound of singing that I hear." 19 When Moses approached the camp and saw the calf and the dancing, his anger burned and he threw the tablets out of his hands, breaking them to pieces at the foot of the mountain. 20 And he took the calf they had made and burned it in the fire; then he ground it to powder, scattered it on the water and made the Israelites drink it. 21 He said to Aaron, "What did these people do to you, that you led them into such great sin?" 22 "Do not be angry, my lord," Aaron answered. "You know how prone these people are to evil. 23 They said to me, 'Make us gods who will go before us. As for this fellow Moses who brought us up out of Egypt, we don't know what has happened to him.' 24 So I told them, 'Whoever has any gold jewelry, take it off.' Then they gave me the gold, and I threw it into the fire, and out came this calf!" 25 Moses saw that the people were running wild and that Aaron had let them get out of control and so become a laughingstock to their enemies. 26 So he stood at the entrance to the camp and said, "Whoever is for the LORD, come to me." And all the Levites rallied to him. 27 Then he said to them, "This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: 'Each man strap a sword to his side. Go back and forth through the camp from one end to the other, each killing his brother and friend and neighbor.' " 28 The Levites did as Moses commanded, and that day about three thousand of the people died. 29 Then Moses said, "You have been set apart to the LORD today, for you were against your own sons and brothers, and he has blessed you this day." 30 The next day Moses said to the people, "You have committed a great sin. But now I will go up to the LORD; perhaps I can make atonement for your sin." 31 So Moses went back to the LORD and said, "Oh, what a great sin these people have committed! They have made themselves gods of gold. 32 But now, please forgive their sin—but if not, then blot me out of the book you have written." 33 The LORD replied to Moses, "Whoever has sinned against me I will blot out of my book. 34 Now go, lead the people to the place I spoke of, and my angel will go before you. However, when the time comes for me to punish, I will punish them for their sin." 35 And the LORD struck the people with a plague because of what they did with the calf Aaron had made.
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O Lord, Thank you for offering us daily love and acceptance. Teach us to persevere in faith and to trust you for the outcome. Amen.
Wherever you are in life, whatever you've done, you can begin again. If you do not have Jesus in your life and wish to ask Jesus into your life please go to this link now to do so: http://www.cyberrecovery.net/forums/showthread.php?t=95 . Jesus is calling you to live a life that matters.