Daily Spiritual Meditations - 1/3

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7 He is the LORD our God;
His judgments are in all the earth.
8 He remembers His covenant forever,
The word which He commanded, for a thousand generations,
9 The covenant which He made with Abraham,
And His oath to Isaac,
10 And confirmed it to Jacob for a statute,
To Israel as an everlasting covenant,
11 Saying, “To you I will give the land of Canaan
As the allotment of your inheritance,”
12 When they were few in number,
Indeed very few, and strangers in it. Psalm 105

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Since you call on a Father who judges each man's work impartially, live your lives as strangers here in reverent fear. For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God.

1 Peter 1:17-21 NIV

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Let Jesus into your life

Pay heed to the Voice of God and obey His commands.
Let God's ways be your ways and goodness and mercy will follow you all the days of your life.
Lift up the standard of the Lord and carry it into life's battle against evil and injustice.
Let God's Holy Spirit be your guide and lean not on your own understanding.
Brethren, think about what your life would be like if you could tap into God's Infinite Wisdom, Power and Love.
Your life surely would be transformed into something beyond comprehension.
Yet, Jesus taught us that all things were possible because with God nothing is impossible.
The more we follow after God's ways the more we will abound in love, power, and wisdom.
Let Jesus into your life and let Him take control.
©01/03/2001 Jim Welch

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Unseen Abundance

Late in the afternoon the Twelve came to him Jesus and said, "Send the crowd away so they can go to the surrounding villages and countryside and find food and lodging, because we are in a remote place here." He replied, "You give them something to eat" (Luke 9:12-13).

The disciples had noticed that the people were in need of food. They asked the Lord to send the people away so they could get something to eat. Jesus' response: "You give them something to eat." The disciples took inventory of their resources (5 loaves of bread and 2 fish), and decided they could not feed the 5000 plus people with what they had available. Their next step was to put their problem solving abilities to work. Their reasoning skills and common sense told them they would have to "go and buy food for all the crowd." The next step would have probably been to take up a collection, and hope they would collect enough money to buy what was needed.
Jesus, however, saw the need as well. His response was to take what was available, give thanks for it, and use it to meet the need. He did not look at what they had alone, but at the potential of what it could become through God's power. He thanked God for it--even though to most it did not look like it would come close to being enough.
How many times do we see a need at home, or in our neighborhood or church, only to respond with "I can't" or "We can't" after examining the resources. Then we would do much the same as the twelve--begin reasoning what we must do to meet the need, and easily finding excuses why we cannot.
Jesus demonstrated that there are more resources available to us than what meets the human eye. It is the unseen abundance of all that God has, that with which He desires us to meet the needs for our lives, our homes, our communities and our churches.
God gave us the ability to reason and think and work things out, but He did not give us these abilities to be the beginning and the end of our solution finding process. They are to be tightly woven together with faith--and they are nothing without God.
We often come to God for direction, then ask Him to bless us as we make our best efforts to accomplish a given task. Many times the majority of the process becomes just that--our best effort--as we somehow forget God's availability and ability to help. Perhaps the approach we would use should be more similar to that of our Lord's: take whatever we have, give thanks, and use it to meet the need. There will always be more than enough to do so.

Day by Day Devotionals

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Read Genesis 7 -- 9 http://www.studylight.org/desk/?l=en&query=ge+7-ge+9&section=0&translation=kjv&oq=

Highlights In Today's Reading:

Today's chapters emphasize the importance of reading for ourselves exactly what God has said in the Bible rather than relying on others.

And the Lord said unto Noah, Come thou and all thy house into the ark; for thee have I seen righteous before Me in this generation. . . . And Noah did according unto all that the Lord commanded him (7:1,5). True worship had been reduced to one family — Noah's. The flood was God's method of judgment against the wickedness of men and a means of separating the family of Noah from sin's corruption.

By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith (Heb. 11:7). Noah's obedience to the command of God to build and enter the ark typifies the believer who, by faith, receives Christ (a type of the ark) and is saved from judgment (spiritual death).

The ark had only one door, symbolic of Jesus, who said: I am the door: by Me if any man enter in, he shall be saved (John 10:9). This means that we must turn from our sins, receive Christ as our Savior and allow Him to be Lord of our lives. We will then desire to be obedient to His Word. In Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away (II Cor. 5:17). God gives us a new world of opportunities for worshiping and serving Him.

Noah knew what was of foremost importance — his need to worship the Lord. The first thing we read about him after he left the ark is that he builded an altar unto the Lord . . . and offered burnt offerings on the altar (Gen. 8:20).

Offering a sacrifice on the altar was an open confession of Noah's faith, as well as his gratitude for the saving grace of God. It was an acknowledgement that he was undeserving of mercy and that someone, or something, apart from himself must become the substitute to pay the penalty for his sin. The altar sacrifice is symbolic of Christ, the only sacrifice which God accepts as the full and complete atonement for our sins.

It is the revelation of God's grace that creates within the child of God a desire to worship Him for who He is, as well as for what He has done. Jesus paid the price for our sins by His death on the cross. Such a revelation of God's grace should cause us to humble ourselves before Him and accept Him as our personal Guide through life. No one can improve on that.

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast (Eph. 2:8-9).

Thought for Today:

One of the results of a person experiencing God's grace and forgiveness is that he has a grateful heart (see Luke 7:47).

Christ Revealed:

Through the ark (Gen. 7:1,7; Acts 4:12; I Pet. 3:12, 20). Christ is our ark of safety. Jesus . . . delivered us from the wrath to come (I Thess. 1:10).

Word Studies:

8:1 asswaged = subsided; 8:3 abated = decreased; 8:21 sweet savour = symbolic of satisfaction; 9:9 Covenant = binding agreement with qualifications given by God; 9:13 bow = rainbow; 9:20 husbandman = farmer.

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You’re Gonna Be Like Him

Romans 8:29-30
For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son. . . And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.

Becoming Like Jesus

We’ve been learning that nothing is an accident when it comes to your relationship with God. He decided to make you his child before the world began. Then, he arranged every detail in your life so that you would hear the gospel and accept Jesus as your savior.

The movie, Back to the Future 2, involves the time traveler in a situation in which his mother falls in love with him. He has to make sure nothing comes of that relationship or it will change his present. As the events unfold, it becomes very clear that changing just one relationship in a person’s life could make a radical difference in the future of many people for several generations.

God doesn’t travel in time to arrange the details of our heredity, our birth, and the days of our lives. Because he is eternal, all-knowing, and all-powerful, God has already planned every detail of who we are and what will happen to us. Romans 8:29-30 highlights four significant things God does to make every one of his children look like Jesus. First, he predestines or chooses us before creation. Next, he calls us and makes us want to be saved. Then, he justifies us by declaring us not guilty of any sin. He can do that because Jesus gave his life on the cross to pay the death penalty for our sins. The fourth and final thing God will do for each of his kids is to make us be like Jesus.

God uses everything that happens in our lives from the moment of salvation until our death to mold us. God uses all sorts of experiences, influences, teachings, and discipline as his tools. He helps us think, feel, and act more and more like Jesus all the time. We won’t become perfect in this life, no matter how hard we try. But, the moment we die, God will instantly finish the job. 1 John 3:2 says, “Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he [Christ] appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.”

God has given his word that he will make us holy, pure, and godly from the inside out. You could say that is his primary purpose in our lives. God filters every second of our lives through his love and power in order accomplish his goal of making us look like our big brother, Jesus. What a full, meaningful, and adventurous life we get to live as the chosen, called, and adopted children of God!

Today’s Prayer:

Eternal God and Father, thank you that there are no accidents in life because you are in control. Thank you that you use every single part of my life to make me like Jesus. You use my goof-ups just as easily as you use my greatest successes. I praise you for being the absolute king and organizer of my life. Amen.

Written by Martha E Menne, Flagstaff AZ

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1 Thessalonians 5:16 "Rejoice evermore"
Philippians 4:4 "Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say, Rejoice."

When we are filled with the Spirit there is a continual joy that brings a smile down deep inside. We know that whatever a day may bring there is always hope.

Joy to hold the wife's hand.

Joy when hugging your children.

Joy of the Lord is our strength.

Joy of a rainbow.

The joy of victory.

There is a great joy when we totally surrender our lives to our Lord. Joy when we cast all our cares upon Him for He cares for us. Joy that we are accepted in the beloved.

Joy brings a smile upon one's face and completeness in one's soul and spirit. Happy is the man and woman that walks in the Lord one day at a time.

May joy be part of your life today!

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INSIDIOUS PRIDE

“Most of us sense that real tolerance of other people's shortcomings and viewpoints and a respect for their opinions are attitudes which make us more useful to others.” Alcoholics Anonymous, page 19

“Patience is better than pride.” Ecclesiastes 7:8

For what it's worth: Pride nearly killed me, keeping me from asking for help. It still can, possessing the power to drive me back to the bottle and to death. Pride has many insidious methods of attack: when I want to give advice but am not willing to listen to it; any time I think my opinions better than others; when I believe my way is the only way, especially when reason strongly suggests others are right; when I judge the motives of others and “know” I am right; or, when I feel obligated to straighten out the questionable behavior of others or speak out for everyone as “the voice” of the group, or in any other way have “the savior” complex whose purpose is to save the world. Those are only a few. Pride can come up with many other devious ways to strike. That is why I must go to my Heavenly Father each new day, and often during the day, to beg Him to remind me I am not running the show. He is. My job is to do His will, not mine. It is so much more relaxing to let Him be The Savior!

God bless you!
Joe W.

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Today I will...take advantage of the opportunity God has given me to make right what has been wrong and to obey him.

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Give God Your Best Part2
January 3

For on My holy mountain, on the mountain height of Israel, says the Lord God, . . . There will I require your offerings and the firstfruits and the choicest of your contributions, with all your sacred things.
—Ezekiel 20:40

Ezekiel 20:40 says that we should bring the Lord our first fruits, the choicest selections of all our offerings. To stay in perfect peace, we should give God the best of our time and our goods. We must be honest with ourselves about what our priorities really are and start making changes to keep God in first place. Don't give God your leftovers; don't give Him the part of your day when you're worn out and you can't think straight or hardly keep your eyes open. Give God the first fruits of your attention. Give Him the best part of your day. That's where your real priorities will be found.

God needs to be your priority in everything you do. From getting dressed to setting your schedule, you can ask God for wisdom to make choices that will glorify Him. You can intermingle your time with God into everything you do to such a degree that you can pray without ceasing (pray your way through the day). As you become aware of His presence, it will not be possible to compartmentalize God or separate secular activities from sacred ones. Even ordinary events will become sacred because He is involved in them.

Talk to God as you go about your day, asking Him to direct you in the choices you are making and to empower you for the jobs you need to get done. As you acknowledge that God is always with you, you will keep Him first in everything you set out to do, and He will show you a direct path that will lead you to peace. Following the moment-by-moment leading of the Holy Spirit will cause you to enjoy every day of your life.

From the book New Day, New You

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Burnout Symptoms

Psalm 42:9-11: “I say to God…’Why have you forgotten me?…My bones suffer…” (vv.9-10).

“I’m working harder than ever, yet accomplishing far less,” a busy executive said. “Just the thought of getting out of bed in the morning, dressing, and going to face people makes me gag. I used to enjoy being with others, but lately people irritate me. Everyone blames me for everything. I want to run away and never come back. I hate the person I’ve become. Everything just keeps getting worse. Why won’t God help me?”

These words reveal classic burnout symptoms. Unless steps are taken to reverse the debilitating process, this person will become another charred statistic. Although there are no simple solutions to burnout, the first step to becoming mentally strong again is to accept responsibility for one’s own life and health. Accepting responsibility means making decisions to reverse self-destructive thoughts and behaviors.

A person facing severe burnout cringes at the mere thought of doing something. Doing is what propelled him to this devastation. However, this time the doing is not in the name of accomplishment, success, or service. This doing is to regain life. I know. I remember. This burnout victim was me.

Lord, my mind hurts,
my heart hurts,
and my body hurts.
Don’t abandon me now. I need help.

2009 Joan C. Webb

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Fishers of Men
January 3rd, 2009

By Alec Niemi

I took Christy our daughter fishing when she was about three. We were jigging for cod and got our hook caught on the bottom. Yarding on the line I felt it let loose from the bottom but it had snagged something that came up with the hook. It was round, long and soft sea cucumber. When I pulled it into the boat Christy had this radiant glow of excitement on her face. I told her we had caught and that they grew on the ocean floor. When we got home she ran into the house hollering, “Mom! Mom!” and then she stopped and turned to me and with an inquisitive voice asked…”Dad, what kind of a pickle was it we caught?”

Luke chapter five tells about how some fishermen were out fishing but were not catching anything. When Jesus told them to cast their nets out the other side of the boat they were skeptical but did it and then were surprised at the fish they caught. These fishermen then became disciples of Jesus and He told them they would become Fishers of men.

There is no greater joy than to see the radiant glow of excitement on a person’s face when they are ‘caught‘ by the reality of the Gospel and submit to the call of Jesus.

Anticipating a great year for ‘Fishers of Men,’ I trust that you have all your fishing gear in order so that 2009 will be a great year for fishing.
My prayer for you this week (and year).

“Lord I pray that when You speak, we will listen, leaving whatever we have to, in order to set our nets where you tell us to set them. And then Lord, that You would fill these nets so full that we will have to call our partners to help us bring in the catch. Amen.” Luke 5:4-10

Have a great week and a great year.

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1 Minute Daily Devotions

January 3, 2009
The Real Beauty of a Rainbow

"As the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness round about. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. And when I saw it, I fell upon my face, and I heard a voice of one that spake." - Ezekiel 1:28

Most of the rain falling in Palestine comes in the form of brief, but heavy, showers followed by a brilliant sun - a perfect formula for rainbows. In fact, these conditions often treat us to double rainbows; occasionally the moon is so bright that it will generate one. The sight of the rainbow is so beautiful and powerful, that it is often used in the Bible as a reminder of God's covenant with us and of our reconciliation and peace through Jesus.

We can, indeed, find prominent use of the rainbow in the beginning, middle, and end of scripture. Near the beginning in Genesis, God sends a rainbow as His covenant that He will never again flood all the earth as punishment for human sin. In the middle, in Ezekiel, the rainbow symbolizes the coming of Christ, as well as to declare the glory of God. And in Revelation, at the end of God's Word, John described Christ as "clothed with a cloud and a rainbow on His head," a symbol of peace and reconciliation with God.

God never intended the rainbow to be a symbol of diversity, or a symbol to represent the goodness of what God calls evil. God gave us the rainbow as a symbol of the trustworthiness of His promises - as a symbol of hope in Him.

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Daily Word — Saturday, January 3, 2009

Harmony
We blend our unique qualities, fulfilling a vision of harmony.
What a difference a drop of one color can make when it's added to another liquid color. Primary shades are distinct, yet when combined with one another, they create additional hues. Stirring in more droplets creates still more shades--blended tints that shimmer like liquid jewels--rubies, sapphires, and emeralds.
What a difference one person's thought or action can make for a group of people. Like primary colors, each person's God-given qualities shimmer with uniqueness. And in connecting our personal qualities one with another, we create a blessed variety in the human experience.
With intuition and interaction, we blend distinct feelings and abilities. Blessings of understanding emerge. With eager participation, we support a vision of peace and harmony.
"Little children, let us love, not in word or speech, but in truth and action."--1 John 3:18

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Taking Out the Garbage

Read Psalm 51:1-12

Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me.
-Psalm 51:10 (NRSV)

WHEN I walked into the kitchen, I saw a bag of garbage waiting to be taken out. As I performed the task, I considered how life can become cluttered with a lot of "garbage" - selfish desires, resentments, uncontrolled anger, wrong attitudes, unbecoming actions, harbored guilt - that troubles and hurts us and others deeply. At that point, the garbage within us needs to be taken out.

There is an appropriate time and a proper way to dispose of spiritual garbage that collects in our lives. Many centuries ago, the psalmist wrote about the messiness in his life and heart. He acknowledged its presence and the need to rid himself of it. From the depths of his heart, he cried out, "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me." That prayer still works for us.

When garbage accumulates in the heart, God offers us a way to dispose of it so that serious consequences do not follow.

Howard Coop (Kentucky, USA)
Prayer
Loving God, remove the garbage from our lives and cleanse our hearts. Through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Thought for the Day
Each day, God offers us a clean, new heart.

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Today's Eagle's Wings: Saturday, January 03, 2009

Strong in Faith

He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God.
ROMANS 4:20

Faith is ever engaged in a war. There are enemies which daily oppose this grace in a Christians life. Now the two greatest enemies with which our faith must contend are feelings and human reasoning. Indulging in either of these is dangerous for the believer. They will attack the very vitals of our hope and confidence in the Lord. Is it not true that when the Lord tests your faith with respect to some promise, your feelings tell you that His Word will not be fulfilled to you? And does not your human reasoning tell you that the promise cannot be fulfilled?

But consider Abraham. Paul said, He staggered not at the promise. It literally reads, He was not in strife with himself. In other words, there was no battle going on in Abrahams heart as to whether or not God would fulfil His promise of a son. Furthermore, we read that he considered not his own body now dead (v. 19). Again, human reasoning told him that this promise could not be fulfilled to a man ninety-nine years old. But this man against hope believed in hope (v. 18).

The question is, how did he do it? The answer is found in verse 21. You see, Abraham was fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform. In other words, Abraham looked to the character of God. He knew that the God who made such a promise was no liar, and that He had the power to fulfil His Word.

Tell me, dear child of God, how fares your faith? Do you feel the Lords Word will not hold good for you? Have you reasoned yourself into a dungeon of depression? Then look away from yourself. Look to Him who cannot lie and hence must fulfil His own Word by the sheer arm of omnipotence!

Where reason cannot wade there faith may swim.
Thomas Watson

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January 3rd:

John recognizes Jesus, from the Light that descended from Heaven,
and invites the disciples - and us - to recognize Jesus. He's the one who takes away our sins.

May we continue to welcome him,
more deeply into our hearts this week. May we continue to celebrate the gift we have in Jesus, now, and where we need it.

Lord of Light,
how many times do I walk by you
and not see you?

You have come onto this earth
to live in my life and embrace the humanity of us all.
I ask that you give me the light to see you and to recognize your presence in others.

Take away my sins:
my sins of blindness and ignorance
and of indifference.

Help me to share in your great and compassionate heart and the loving vision with which you see each one of us.

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Co-Creators

Bible Reading: Genesis 1:27; Ephesians 2:10; 4:22-24; Colossians 3:9-10.

I often have people tell me: "I can't draw. I'm not creative. I'm no good at creative things." Being creative doesn't depend on whether you can draw a straight line or not. Our Father, the Creator, made us in His image. God intended for us to be creators, too. You might find a new solution for a domestic problem, or create a new way to deal with poverty. The world is crying for the creative solutions that you can bring to its problems. Get to know the Creator, and become a co-creator with Him.

Moment of Meditation: The Creator of the universe can show you how to solve any problem He places in your hands.

A Talk with Jesus: Lord, free me from bondage to fears of inadequacy so that I can be a co-creator with You. Amen.

For Further Study: Exodus 28:15; 31:1-11; Proverbs 8:12,22-31; 2 Corinthians 5:17.

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Behold the Lamb of God… . I saw the Spirit come like a dove down from the sky. (John 1:32)

What do you think? Did John actually see a lamb? A dove? A man with an amazing sense of integrity, holiness, and dignity about him? How many of us would be deeply grateful to have the spiritual awareness of Jesus that John described—even if we didn’t have the excitement of seeing visions and getting instantaneous revelations!

Whatever it was that John actually saw, we can be clear that the Holy Spirit allowed him to perceive Jesus’ holiness and deep connection with the Father. Whether or not he saw a real dove is not as important as recognizing what it was that moved John to testify so boldly about Jesus. He had spent his life preparing himself and his fellow Jews for the coming of God’s Messiah and the age of salvation. So when Jesus came to him, his heart was ready.

Just as John was able to perceive the wonder of Jesus, we too can “see” the Lord in a powerful way as we open ourselves to the Holy Spirit. During this day of Sabbath blessing, we have an extraordinary opportunity to sense Jesus’ holiness, love, and grace: in the Scripture readings at Mass, in the brothers and sisters who join us to celebrate the Lord’s passion, and most powerfully in the body and blood of Christ offered to us in the Eucharist. As we gather to worship the Lord and receive him as the source of all life, we can encounter a God who will never abandon us, a God whose heart is filled with grace and power to meet all of our needs.

John the Baptist saw Jesus in a new way, and his joy was complete (John 3:29). The same can happen in us today at Mass as we ask the Holy Spirit to open our eyes. Then, as we see Jesus in this new and life-giving way, we will be compelled to bring this vision into our world every day. Like John, we too will cry out, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away our sins!”

“Holy Spirit, open my eyes to see Jesus today. Come, Lord, and reveal your presence to me.”

1 John 2:29–3:6; Psalm 98:1,3-6

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Today's Prayer
Dear God, Thank you for the privilege of being able to commune with you through prayer. Thank you for speaking to me through your Word and teaching me through life's circumstances. Thank you for the beautiful birds that sing such a lovely song, for the sun that shines, for the rain that cools and replenishes the thirsty earth...and provides water for us to drink. I pray for those in lands where there is famine or flood; that you would balance the weather and provide their needs. Please reveal your power, your love, your presence to them in a mighty way; that they would know that you are God. With love and happiness that comes from the peace you give, Lord. Amen.

The 9-5 Window
TGIF Today God Is First Volume 2, by Os Hillman
01-03-2009

Then Moses said to him, "If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here. How will anyone know that you are pleased with me and with your people unless you go with us? What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?" (Ex 33:15-16).

A few years ago, the "AD 2000" movement was a major emphasis in the church and had a goal of reaching the "10/40" window. This reference was related to the 10th parallel and the 40th parallel of the globe. It was determined that this was where the most people resided who had never heard the message of the gospel.

Today, there is a new move of God that is focused on the "9-5" window. This represents those who work—whether they are homemakers, construction workers, nurses, executives, Fortune 500 CEOs or pastors and vocational ministers. The one thing many of us have in common is that we work. However, the one thing most workers have failed to do is bring Jesus into their work lives. But, God is changing this.

God is helping workplace believers today understand the importance of bringing the presence of Jesus into their work lives so that He may be shared with those who have yet to receive salvation. God is calling us to move past "principle-based" living to "presence-based" living. It is only when we bring God's presence into our work lives that we see real transformation in us and others. It is the mission field of the 21st century—the "9-5" window. It is where more unsaved people live than the 10/40 window.

God is calling us to establish "church plants" into this new frontier that the church has failed to focus upon. The "Church" is a Church when two believers come together in the name of Jesus. It is not a building. It is a people. So today, bring the Church to the workplace by focusing your mission activity on the greatest mission field of the 21st century—the 9-5 window.

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Who May Know God?

Canst thou by searching find out God? canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection? Job 11:7.

We cannot by searching find out God, but He has revealed Himself in His Son, who is the brightness of the Father's glory and the express image of His person. If we desire a knowledge of God we must be Christlike. . . . Living a pure life through faith in Christ as a personal Saviour will bring to the believer a clearer, higher conception of God. . . .

Eternal life is the reward that will be given to all who obey the two great principles of God's law--love to God and love to man. The first four commandments define and enjoin love to God; the last six, love to our fellow men. Obedience to these commands is the only evidence man can give that he possesses a genuine, saving knowledge of God. Love for God is demonstrated by love for those for whom Christ has died. While enshrouded in the pillar of cloud, Christ gave directions regarding this love. Distinctly and clearly He laid down the principles of heaven as rules that His chosen people were to observe in their dealings one with another. These principles Christ lived out in His life of humanity. In His teaching He presented the motives that should govern the lives of His followers. . . .

Those who partake of God's love through a reception of the truth will give evidence of this by making earnest, self-sacrificing efforts to give the message of God's love to others. Thus they become laborers together with Christ. Love for God and for one another unites them to Christ by golden links. Their life is bound up with His life in sanctified, elevated union. . . . This union causes rich currents of Christ's love to flow continually into the heart, and then flow forth again in love for others.

The qualities that it is essential for all to possess in order to know God are those that mark the completeness of Christ's character--His love, His patience, His unselfishness. These attributes are cultivated by doing kind actions with a kindly heart.
From That I May Know Him - Page 9

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WEEK 52 DAY 7

“Be still and know that I am God…the Lord of hosts is with us: the God of Jacob is our refuge.”
Selah
Psalm 46: 10, 11
King James Version
Exploration - A daily religious path of exploration, inspirations, and affirmations about Jesus and the lives of women who love him.

“Our Quiet Refuge”
“Be still and cool in thy own mind and spirit.”
George Fox
Do I take time in my week to be still and know God?

“Stillness has to do with seeing…the opening our eyes to another dimension, to the mystery of God that lies all about us.”
M. Mayne
Inspiration - A daily religious path of exploration, inspirations, and affirmations about Jesus and the lives of women who love him.

“In the rush and noise of life, as you have intervals, step within yourselves and be still. Wait upon God and feel His good presence; this will carry you through your day’s business.”
William Penn

I’ve always been a person who liked my “quiet time.” I think a lot of my desire for times of peacefulness has to do with the busyness that surrounded our family household when I was growing up. My parents had many friends and had lives filled with caring for others and so our home became a “pit-stop” for anyone who needed a shoulder to lean on.
However, I always tried to find some spot where I could retreat from the activity and just be quiet.
Thankfully, I married someone who also enjoys the bliss of quiet moments. Living where we do, Jim and I frequently take time to sit outside in the early morning or at dusk to rest our hearts and minds. It is during those special slivers of time, when I am quietly reflecting, that I seem to find clarity of thought and clearness of vision.
Sadly, we often overlook God’s weekly cycle that calls us to rest and stillness. We’ve decided, that our human wisdom knows more than heaven’s and so we cram every minute of every day with activities that we think will make us feel like we are doing something useful with our lives.
The other day, I found a little book that focused on incorporating stillness and peace into our lives. The author noted that sometimes just lying in a hammock and “doing nothing” opens our mind to ideas that, when we are rushing about, would be crowded out by the hustle and bustle we seem to feel is so necessary.
The Psalmist David, who found out first hand as a shepherd the value in times of quiet reflection, penned the words to Psalms 46: 10, 11, our text for today. He advises us to “Be still and know that I am God.” Isn’t it interesting that David found it is in stillness, when we get to really know our Father in heaven.
While church duties and religious activities have their place in a spiritual life, it is in the times of quiet reflection when we get to “know” who God is.
I love the words of one of my favorite poets, John Greenleaf Whittier, whose prayer only underscores the Psalm of David:
“Dear Lord and Father of mankind,
Forgive our foolish ways!
Reclothe us in our rightful mind;
In purer lives Your service find,
In deeper reverence, praise.
Drop Your still dews of quietness
Till all our strivings cease;
Take from our lives the strain and stress,
And let our ordered lives confess,
the beauty of Your peace.”

May we all take time every week to get to “know” God during moments of sacred serenity. As David wrote in Psalm 62: 1, “My soul waits in silence for God.” In the beautiful words penned by Angela Ashwin, this is my prayer and I know it is yours, too: “In the silence I receive once more this gift of my life from You. Hold me in Your stillness, simplify me, and take possession of me, my God.”
“O make my heart so still, so still,
When I am deep in prayer,
That I might hear the white mist-wreaths
Losing themselves in air.”
Utsonomya San
Japan

Affirmations - A daily religious path of exploration, inspirations, and affirmations about Jesus and the lives of women who love him.

“To be there before You, Lord, that’s all.
To shut the eyes of my body,
To shut the eyes of my soul,
And be still and silent.
To expose myself to You
who are there, exposed to me.
To be there before You,
The Eternal Presence."
Michel Quoist

Your friend,
Dorothy Valcarcel, Author

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The Rainbow

Read Genesis 8:1 through 11:32

Sometimes life and its pressures cause us to miss the reminders of God’s presence. We may have lost the awe we felt as children when we saw a rainbow because science has been able to explain what seemed unexplainable. After all, an Internet search will tell us what causes rainbows and makes the colors. But did you know that the colors of the rainbow go beyond the visible spectrum, to colors we cannot see with our eyes?

God’s creation is beyond what we can comprehend, as are His thoughts and actions. Although He knows that “every inclination of [man’s] heart is evil from childhood” (Genesis 8:21), He gave us the rainbow as a reminder of His promise that He would never again send a flood to destroy all life. In addition to this everlasting covenant He made with Noah and his sons, He chose to bless them. “Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the earth,” He said (Genesis 9:1).

As descendants of Noah, we have inherited God’s promise and blessing. Like Noah, we must bring God our offerings and remember to say thank you.

Prayer Suggestion: Ask God how He would have you share His blessing with others today.

Quicklook:Genesis 8:20 through 9:1 God's Word For Today

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Meeting Life's Demands
January 3rd
READ: Mark 1:16-39

Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed (Mark 1:35).

After this full day—and what a full day it was, what a heavy ministry our Lord had that day with all the healing He did in the evening!—Mark records that early in the morning, before it was daylight, Jesus went out on the mountainside, and there, by Himself, He prayed. But even there He was not safe. His disciples interrupted this communion, told Him that everyone was looking for Him. And Jesus reveals the heart and substance of His prayer in what He says in reply: "Let us go somewhere else—to the nearby villages—so I can preach there also." This is what He was praying about—that God would lead Him, doors would be opened, and hearts prepared in the cities to which He would go next.

Why did Jesus seek the Father's face like this, in these hours of pressure? The only answer we can come to is that He wants to make clear that the authority He had was not coming from Him. This is what our Lord is trying to get across to us so continually in the Scriptures—that it was not His authority by which He acted; He had to receive it from the Father.

I do not know any more confusing doctrine in Christendom today—one that has robbed the Scriptures of their authority and power in the minds and hearts of countless people—than the idea that Jesus acted by virtue of the fact that He was the Son of God, that the authority and power He demonstrated were due to His own deity. Yet He Himself takes great pains to tell us this is not the case. "The Son can do nothing by himself" (John 5:19). Why do we ignore His explanation and insist that it is He, acting as the Son of God? He tells us that "it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work"(John 14:10). And all the power that Jesus manifested had to come to Him constantly from the one who dwelt within Him.

Jesus stresses this because this is what He wants us to learn. We are to operate on the same basis. Our response to the normal, ordinary demands of life and the power to cope with those demands must come from our reliance upon Him at work within us. This is the secret: All power to live the Christian life comes not from us, doing our dead-level best to serve God, but from Him, granted to us moment by moment as the demand is made upon us. Power is given to those who follow, who obey. The Father is at work in the Son; the Son is at work in us. As we learn this, then we are given power to meet the demands and the needs that are waiting for us in the ministry yet to come.

Thank You, Father, that the same power is available to me today, making me ready so be your instrument in any and every situation in which demand is laid upon me.

This daily devotion was inspired by one of Ray's sermons.

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Conversational Prayer-Sonnets and Scriptures

January 3 ~

And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He who has the Son has life; he who has not the Son of God has not life ... bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ ...
1 Jn.5:11-12 (RSV); 2 Cor.10:5 (KJV)

Heaven Here

Then I can enter into heaven now
- this moment! - e'en while in this fleshly frame
if I'll but spurn, eschew, firm disavow
each troubled thought, regardless of its claim,
its logic justifying fear, concern,
dislike, unlove. If I refuse to heed,
identify with each such thought, and turn
at once to Thee, Lord, looking to be freed
completely from it, looking unto Thee
to give me refuge in Thy warmth, in Thine
Own Presence ... seeking Thee, then ... suddenly
I find I am in heaven's peace of mind.
I'm there (though here): immersed, O Lord, in Thee:
from Self's dark cell delivered and made free.

This is what the Lord says: ... "You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you" ... "I have told you all this so that you may find your peace in me" ... You must clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ ...
Jer.29:10,13,14 (NIV); Jn.16:33 (JBP); Rom.13:14 (Bar).

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What kind of a Way Preparer are you?

Luke 3:7-22

Week 1 (January)

"They're without a pastor."
The words fell against me like a lead weight. It was the final Saturday night of a 10-day district missionary tour. And I'd just found out that the small church where I was to be the following morning was between pastors.
That bothered me. For I had the premonition that in a few hours I was to arrive at a church where confusion would be reigning. There might be no one really "in charge." And I was tired. I had been in a different bed every night for 10 days, eating at a different table every day. I didn't relish the thought of having possibly to play pastor for a congregation.
Sure enough. The next morning when I arrived, there was some confusion in the air. Some thought I should speak in Sunday school instead of the worship hour. Others wanted me to show slides, something I prefer not to do on Sunday mornings.
The whole thing was unnerving to me. I inwardly closed my eyes and prayed for a portion of grace, then announced what I thought we ought to do. I then sat down to await the beginning of Sunday school.
We did have a good service that morning and I even wound up teaching a Sunday school class. But later that day the Lord began to work me over.
For, you see, I should have cared a little less about my being tired and homesick. I could have even taken charge a bit more. Perhaps I could have offered to be somewhat flexible in what I had planned to do.
In short, the Lord told me that it looked like I had been more concerned about having my own way prepared than I had been about preparing His way. I hadn't really prepared the way for the Lord that Sunday morning like I should and could have.
John the Baptist's life speaks to us at that point. No doubt John had been under tremendous temptation to take the glory to himself. But he didn't. He talked about Someone even greater -- much greater, he said, whom his listeners should follow. He pointed the way to Jesus.
I've been evaluating my life with the question: Am I preparing the way for the Savior? Would He be pleased to step into the situation I have just helped to create? If He wouldn't be pleased, then am I open to His Spirit's ethical correction and cleansing?
An old novel got us to asking the question: What would Jesus do in this situation? Maybe there's another, even better question we should be asking ourselves: Are we preparing the way for Him?
The best thing we can do in our Christian life is to offer humble and courageous witness to the Saviorhood of Christ. Are we too often talking about ourselves, even our Christian life, when we ought to be pointing the way to Someone greater than us, much greater?
Are we really with our lives and our lips preparing the way for the Savior - as John the Baptist did? Are we as humble, sacrificial, and yet courageous witnesses as He was?

[admin]

Today I will...take advantage of the opportunity God has given me to make right what has been wrong and to obey him.

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Give God Your Best Part2
January 3

For on My holy mountain, on the mountain height of Israel, says the Lord God, . . . There will I require your offerings and the firstfruits and the choicest of your contributions, with all your sacred things.
—Ezekiel 20:40

Ezekiel 20:40 says that we should bring the Lord our first fruits, the choicest selections of all our offerings. To stay in perfect peace, we should give God the best of our time and our goods. We must be honest with ourselves about what our priorities really are and start making changes to keep God in first place. Don't give God your leftovers; don't give Him the part of your day when you're worn out and you can't think straight or hardly keep your eyes open. Give God the first fruits of your attention. Give Him the best part of your day. That's where your real priorities will be found.

God needs to be your priority in everything you do. From getting dressed to setting your schedule, you can ask God for wisdom to make choices that will glorify Him. You can intermingle your time with God into everything you do to such a degree that you can pray without ceasing (pray your way through the day). As you become aware of His presence, it will not be possible to compartmentalize God or separate secular activities from sacred ones. Even ordinary events will become sacred because He is involved in them.

Talk to God as you go about your day, asking Him to direct you in the choices you are making and to empower you for the jobs you need to get done. As you acknowledge that God is always with you, you will keep Him first in everything you set out to do, and He will show you a direct path that will lead you to peace. Following the moment-by-moment leading of the Holy Spirit will cause you to enjoy every day of your life.

From the book New Day, New You

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Burnout Symptoms

Psalm 42:9-11: “I say to God…’Why have you forgotten me?…My bones suffer…” (vv.9-10).

“I’m working harder than ever, yet accomplishing far less,” a busy executive said. “Just the thought of getting out of bed in the morning, dressing, and going to face people makes me gag. I used to enjoy being with others, but lately people irritate me. Everyone blames me for everything. I want to run away and never come back. I hate the person I’ve become. Everything just keeps getting worse. Why won’t God help me?”

These words reveal classic burnout symptoms. Unless steps are taken to reverse the debilitating process, this person will become another charred statistic. Although there are no simple solutions to burnout, the first step to becoming mentally strong again is to accept responsibility for one’s own life and health. Accepting responsibility means making decisions to reverse self-destructive thoughts and behaviors.

A person facing severe burnout cringes at the mere thought of doing something. Doing is what propelled him to this devastation. However, this time the doing is not in the name of accomplishment, success, or service. This doing is to regain life. I know. I remember. This burnout victim was me.

Lord, my mind hurts,
my heart hurts,
and my body hurts.
Don’t abandon me now. I need help.

2009 Joan C. Webb

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Fishers of Men
January 3rd, 2009

By Alec Niemi

I took Christy our daughter fishing when she was about three. We were jigging for cod and got our hook caught on the bottom. Yarding on the line I felt it let loose from the bottom but it had snagged something that came up with the hook. It was round, long and soft sea cucumber. When I pulled it into the boat Christy had this radiant glow of excitement on her face. I told her we had caught and that they grew on the ocean floor. When we got home she ran into the house hollering, “Mom! Mom!” and then she stopped and turned to me and with an inquisitive voice asked…”Dad, what kind of a pickle was it we caught?”

Luke chapter five tells about how some fishermen were out fishing but were not catching anything. When Jesus told them to cast their nets out the other side of the boat they were skeptical but did it and then were surprised at the fish they caught. These fishermen then became disciples of Jesus and He told them they would become Fishers of men.

There is no greater joy than to see the radiant glow of excitement on a person’s face when they are ‘caught‘ by the reality of the Gospel and submit to the call of Jesus.

Anticipating a great year for ‘Fishers of Men,’ I trust that you have all your fishing gear in order so that 2009 will be a great year for fishing.
My prayer for you this week (and year).

“Lord I pray that when You speak, we will listen, leaving whatever we have to, in order to set our nets where you tell us to set them. And then Lord, that You would fill these nets so full that we will have to call our partners to help us bring in the catch. Amen.” Luke 5:4-10

Have a great week and a great year.

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1 Minute Daily Devotions

January 3, 2009
The Real Beauty of a Rainbow

"As the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness round about. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. And when I saw it, I fell upon my face, and I heard a voice of one that spake." - Ezekiel 1:28

Most of the rain falling in Palestine comes in the form of brief, but heavy, showers followed by a brilliant sun - a perfect formula for rainbows. In fact, these conditions often treat us to double rainbows; occasionally the moon is so bright that it will generate one. The sight of the rainbow is so beautiful and powerful, that it is often used in the Bible as a reminder of God's covenant with us and of our reconciliation and peace through Jesus.

We can, indeed, find prominent use of the rainbow in the beginning, middle, and end of scripture. Near the beginning in Genesis, God sends a rainbow as His covenant that He will never again flood all the earth as punishment for human sin. In the middle, in Ezekiel, the rainbow symbolizes the coming of Christ, as well as to declare the glory of God. And in Revelation, at the end of God's Word, John described Christ as "clothed with a cloud and a rainbow on His head," a symbol of peace and reconciliation with God.

God never intended the rainbow to be a symbol of diversity, or a symbol to represent the goodness of what God calls evil. God gave us the rainbow as a symbol of the trustworthiness of His promises - as a symbol of hope in Him.

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Daily Word — Saturday, January 3, 2009

Harmony
We blend our unique qualities, fulfilling a vision of harmony.
What a difference a drop of one color can make when it's added to another liquid color. Primary shades are distinct, yet when combined with one another, they create additional hues. Stirring in more droplets creates still more shades--blended tints that shimmer like liquid jewels--rubies, sapphires, and emeralds.
What a difference one person's thought or action can make for a group of people. Like primary colors, each person's God-given qualities shimmer with uniqueness. And in connecting our personal qualities one with another, we create a blessed variety in the human experience.
With intuition and interaction, we blend distinct feelings and abilities. Blessings of understanding emerge. With eager participation, we support a vision of peace and harmony.
"Little children, let us love, not in word or speech, but in truth and action."--1 John 3:18

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Taking Out the Garbage

Read Psalm 51:1-12

Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me.
-Psalm 51:10 (NRSV)

WHEN I walked into the kitchen, I saw a bag of garbage waiting to be taken out. As I performed the task, I considered how life can become cluttered with a lot of "garbage" - selfish desires, resentments, uncontrolled anger, wrong attitudes, unbecoming actions, harbored guilt - that troubles and hurts us and others deeply. At that point, the garbage within us needs to be taken out.

There is an appropriate time and a proper way to dispose of spiritual garbage that collects in our lives. Many centuries ago, the psalmist wrote about the messiness in his life and heart. He acknowledged its presence and the need to rid himself of it. From the depths of his heart, he cried out, "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me." That prayer still works for us.

When garbage accumulates in the heart, God offers us a way to dispose of it so that serious consequences do not follow.

Howard Coop (Kentucky, USA)
Prayer
Loving God, remove the garbage from our lives and cleanse our hearts. Through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Thought for the Day
Each day, God offers us a clean, new heart.

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Today's Eagle's Wings: Saturday, January 03, 2009

Strong in Faith

He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God.
ROMANS 4:20

Faith is ever engaged in a war. There are enemies which daily oppose this grace in a Christians life. Now the two greatest enemies with which our faith must contend are feelings and human reasoning. Indulging in either of these is dangerous for the believer. They will attack the very vitals of our hope and confidence in the Lord. Is it not true that when the Lord tests your faith with respect to some promise, your feelings tell you that His Word will not be fulfilled to you? And does not your human reasoning tell you that the promise cannot be fulfilled?

But consider Abraham. Paul said, He staggered not at the promise. It literally reads, He was not in strife with himself. In other words, there was no battle going on in Abrahams heart as to whether or not God would fulfil His promise of a son. Furthermore, we read that he considered not his own body now dead (v. 19). Again, human reasoning told him that this promise could not be fulfilled to a man ninety-nine years old. But this man against hope believed in hope (v. 18).

The question is, how did he do it? The answer is found in verse 21. You see, Abraham was fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform. In other words, Abraham looked to the character of God. He knew that the God who made such a promise was no liar, and that He had the power to fulfil His Word.

Tell me, dear child of God, how fares your faith? Do you feel the Lords Word will not hold good for you? Have you reasoned yourself into a dungeon of depression? Then look away from yourself. Look to Him who cannot lie and hence must fulfil His own Word by the sheer arm of omnipotence!

Where reason cannot wade there faith may swim.
Thomas Watson

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January 3rd:

John recognizes Jesus, from the Light that descended from Heaven,
and invites the disciples - and us - to recognize Jesus. He's the one who takes away our sins.

May we continue to welcome him,
more deeply into our hearts this week. May we continue to celebrate the gift we have in Jesus, now, and where we need it.

Lord of Light,
how many times do I walk by you
and not see you?

You have come onto this earth
to live in my life and embrace the humanity of us all.
I ask that you give me the light to see you and to recognize your presence in others.

Take away my sins:
my sins of blindness and ignorance
and of indifference.

Help me to share in your great and compassionate heart and the loving vision with which you see each one of us.

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Co-Creators

Bible Reading: Genesis 1:27; Ephesians 2:10; 4:22-24; Colossians 3:9-10.

I often have people tell me: "I can't draw. I'm not creative. I'm no good at creative things." Being creative doesn't depend on whether you can draw a straight line or not. Our Father, the Creator, made us in His image. God intended for us to be creators, too. You might find a new solution for a domestic problem, or create a new way to deal with poverty. The world is crying for the creative solutions that you can bring to its problems. Get to know the Creator, and become a co-creator with Him.

Moment of Meditation: The Creator of the universe can show you how to solve any problem He places in your hands.

A Talk with Jesus: Lord, free me from bondage to fears of inadequacy so that I can be a co-creator with You. Amen.

For Further Study: Exodus 28:15; 31:1-11; Proverbs 8:12,22-31; 2 Corinthians 5:17.

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Behold the Lamb of God… . I saw the Spirit come like a dove down from the sky. (John 1:32)

What do you think? Did John actually see a lamb? A dove? A man with an amazing sense of integrity, holiness, and dignity about him? How many of us would be deeply grateful to have the spiritual awareness of Jesus that John described—even if we didn’t have the excitement of seeing visions and getting instantaneous revelations!

Whatever it was that John actually saw, we can be clear that the Holy Spirit allowed him to perceive Jesus’ holiness and deep connection with the Father. Whether or not he saw a real dove is not as important as recognizing what it was that moved John to testify so boldly about Jesus. He had spent his life preparing himself and his fellow Jews for the coming of God’s Messiah and the age of salvation. So when Jesus came to him, his heart was ready.

Just as John was able to perceive the wonder of Jesus, we too can “see” the Lord in a powerful way as we open ourselves to the Holy Spirit. During this day of Sabbath blessing, we have an extraordinary opportunity to sense Jesus’ holiness, love, and grace: in the Scripture readings at Mass, in the brothers and sisters who join us to celebrate the Lord’s passion, and most powerfully in the body and blood of Christ offered to us in the Eucharist. As we gather to worship the Lord and receive him as the source of all life, we can encounter a God who will never abandon us, a God whose heart is filled with grace and power to meet all of our needs.

John the Baptist saw Jesus in a new way, and his joy was complete (John 3:29). The same can happen in us today at Mass as we ask the Holy Spirit to open our eyes. Then, as we see Jesus in this new and life-giving way, we will be compelled to bring this vision into our world every day. Like John, we too will cry out, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away our sins!”

“Holy Spirit, open my eyes to see Jesus today. Come, Lord, and reveal your presence to me.”

1 John 2:29–3:6; Psalm 98:1,3-6

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Today's Prayer
Dear God, Thank you for the privilege of being able to commune with you through prayer. Thank you for speaking to me through your Word and teaching me through life's circumstances. Thank you for the beautiful birds that sing such a lovely song, for the sun that shines, for the rain that cools and replenishes the thirsty earth...and provides water for us to drink. I pray for those in lands where there is famine or flood; that you would balance the weather and provide their needs. Please reveal your power, your love, your presence to them in a mighty way; that they would know that you are God. With love and happiness that comes from the peace you give, Lord. Amen.

The 9-5 Window
TGIF Today God Is First Volume 2, by Os Hillman
01-03-2009

Then Moses said to him, "If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here. How will anyone know that you are pleased with me and with your people unless you go with us? What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?" (Ex 33:15-16).

A few years ago, the "AD 2000" movement was a major emphasis in the church and had a goal of reaching the "10/40" window. This reference was related to the 10th parallel and the 40th parallel of the globe. It was determined that this was where the most people resided who had never heard the message of the gospel.

Today, there is a new move of God that is focused on the "9-5" window. This represents those who work—whether they are homemakers, construction workers, nurses, executives, Fortune 500 CEOs or pastors and vocational ministers. The one thing many of us have in common is that we work. However, the one thing most workers have failed to do is bring Jesus into their work lives. But, God is changing this.

God is helping workplace believers today understand the importance of bringing the presence of Jesus into their work lives so that He may be shared with those who have yet to receive salvation. God is calling us to move past "principle-based" living to "presence-based" living. It is only when we bring God's presence into our work lives that we see real transformation in us and others. It is the mission field of the 21st century—the "9-5" window. It is where more unsaved people live than the 10/40 window.

God is calling us to establish "church plants" into this new frontier that the church has failed to focus upon. The "Church" is a Church when two believers come together in the name of Jesus. It is not a building. It is a people. So today, bring the Church to the workplace by focusing your mission activity on the greatest mission field of the 21st century—the 9-5 window.

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Who May Know God?

Canst thou by searching find out God? canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection? Job 11:7.

We cannot by searching find out God, but He has revealed Himself in His Son, who is the brightness of the Father's glory and the express image of His person. If we desire a knowledge of God we must be Christlike. . . . Living a pure life through faith in Christ as a personal Saviour will bring to the believer a clearer, higher conception of God. . . .

Eternal life is the reward that will be given to all who obey the two great principles of God's law--love to God and love to man. The first four commandments define and enjoin love to God; the last six, love to our fellow men. Obedience to these commands is the only evidence man can give that he possesses a genuine, saving knowledge of God. Love for God is demonstrated by love for those for whom Christ has died. While enshrouded in the pillar of cloud, Christ gave directions regarding this love. Distinctly and clearly He laid down the principles of heaven as rules that His chosen people were to observe in their dealings one with another. These principles Christ lived out in His life of humanity. In His teaching He presented the motives that should govern the lives of His followers. . . .

Those who partake of God's love through a reception of the truth will give evidence of this by making earnest, self-sacrificing efforts to give the message of God's love to others. Thus they become laborers together with Christ. Love for God and for one another unites them to Christ by golden links. Their life is bound up with His life in sanctified, elevated union. . . . This union causes rich currents of Christ's love to flow continually into the heart, and then flow forth again in love for others.

The qualities that it is essential for all to possess in order to know God are those that mark the completeness of Christ's character--His love, His patience, His unselfishness. These attributes are cultivated by doing kind actions with a kindly heart.
From That I May Know Him - Page 9

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WEEK 52 DAY 7

“Be still and know that I am God…the Lord of hosts is with us: the God of Jacob is our refuge.”
Selah
Psalm 46: 10, 11
King James Version
Exploration - A daily religious path of exploration, inspirations, and affirmations about Jesus and the lives of women who love him.

“Our Quiet Refuge”
“Be still and cool in thy own mind and spirit.”
George Fox
Do I take time in my week to be still and know God?

“Stillness has to do with seeing…the opening our eyes to another dimension, to the mystery of God that lies all about us.”
M. Mayne
Inspiration - A daily religious path of exploration, inspirations, and affirmations about Jesus and the lives of women who love him.

“In the rush and noise of life, as you have intervals, step within yourselves and be still. Wait upon God and feel His good presence; this will carry you through your day’s business.”
William Penn

I’ve always been a person who liked my “quiet time.” I think a lot of my desire for times of peacefulness has to do with the busyness that surrounded our family household when I was growing up. My parents had many friends and had lives filled with caring for others and so our home became a “pit-stop” for anyone who needed a shoulder to lean on.
However, I always tried to find some spot where I could retreat from the activity and just be quiet.
Thankfully, I married someone who also enjoys the bliss of quiet moments. Living where we do, Jim and I frequently take time to sit outside in the early morning or at dusk to rest our hearts and minds. It is during those special slivers of time, when I am quietly reflecting, that I seem to find clarity of thought and clearness of vision.
Sadly, we often overlook God’s weekly cycle that calls us to rest and stillness. We’ve decided, that our human wisdom knows more than heaven’s and so we cram every minute of every day with activities that we think will make us feel like we are doing something useful with our lives.
The other day, I found a little book that focused on incorporating stillness and peace into our lives. The author noted that sometimes just lying in a hammock and “doing nothing” opens our mind to ideas that, when we are rushing about, would be crowded out by the hustle and bustle we seem to feel is so necessary.
The Psalmist David, who found out first hand as a shepherd the value in times of quiet reflection, penned the words to Psalms 46: 10, 11, our text for today. He advises us to “Be still and know that I am God.” Isn’t it interesting that David found it is in stillness, when we get to really know our Father in heaven.
While church duties and religious activities have their place in a spiritual life, it is in the times of quiet reflection when we get to “know” who God is.
I love the words of one of my favorite poets, John Greenleaf Whittier, whose prayer only underscores the Psalm of David:
“Dear Lord and Father of mankind,
Forgive our foolish ways!
Reclothe us in our rightful mind;
In purer lives Your service find,
In deeper reverence, praise.
Drop Your still dews of quietness
Till all our strivings cease;
Take from our lives the strain and stress,
And let our ordered lives confess,
the beauty of Your peace.”

May we all take time every week to get to “know” God during moments of sacred serenity. As David wrote in Psalm 62: 1, “My soul waits in silence for God.” In the beautiful words penned by Angela Ashwin, this is my prayer and I know it is yours, too: “In the silence I receive once more this gift of my life from You. Hold me in Your stillness, simplify me, and take possession of me, my God.”
“O make my heart so still, so still,
When I am deep in prayer,
That I might hear the white mist-wreaths
Losing themselves in air.”
Utsonomya San
Japan

Affirmations - A daily religious path of exploration, inspirations, and affirmations about Jesus and the lives of women who love him.

“To be there before You, Lord, that’s all.
To shut the eyes of my body,
To shut the eyes of my soul,
And be still and silent.
To expose myself to You
who are there, exposed to me.
To be there before You,
The Eternal Presence."
Michel Quoist

Your friend,
Dorothy Valcarcel, Author

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The Rainbow

Read Genesis 8:1 through 11:32

Sometimes life and its pressures cause us to miss the reminders of God’s presence. We may have lost the awe we felt as children when we saw a rainbow because science has been able to explain what seemed unexplainable. After all, an Internet search will tell us what causes rainbows and makes the colors. But did you know that the colors of the rainbow go beyond the visible spectrum, to colors we cannot see with our eyes?

God’s creation is beyond what we can comprehend, as are His thoughts and actions. Although He knows that “every inclination of [man’s] heart is evil from childhood” (Genesis 8:21), He gave us the rainbow as a reminder of His promise that He would never again send a flood to destroy all life. In addition to this everlasting covenant He made with Noah and his sons, He chose to bless them. “Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the earth,” He said (Genesis 9:1).

As descendants of Noah, we have inherited God’s promise and blessing. Like Noah, we must bring God our offerings and remember to say thank you.

Prayer Suggestion: Ask God how He would have you share His blessing with others today.

Quicklook:Genesis 8:20 through 9:1 God's Word For Today

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Meeting Life's Demands
January 3rd
READ: Mark 1:16-39

Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed (Mark 1:35).

After this full day—and what a full day it was, what a heavy ministry our Lord had that day with all the healing He did in the evening!—Mark records that early in the morning, before it was daylight, Jesus went out on the mountainside, and there, by Himself, He prayed. But even there He was not safe. His disciples interrupted this communion, told Him that everyone was looking for Him. And Jesus reveals the heart and substance of His prayer in what He says in reply: "Let us go somewhere else—to the nearby villages—so I can preach there also." This is what He was praying about—that God would lead Him, doors would be opened, and hearts prepared in the cities to which He would go next.

Why did Jesus seek the Father's face like this, in these hours of pressure? The only answer we can come to is that He wants to make clear that the authority He had was not coming from Him. This is what our Lord is trying to get across to us so continually in the Scriptures—that it was not His authority by which He acted; He had to receive it from the Father.

I do not know any more confusing doctrine in Christendom today—one that has robbed the Scriptures of their authority and power in the minds and hearts of countless people—than the idea that Jesus acted by virtue of the fact that He was the Son of God, that the authority and power He demonstrated were due to His own deity. Yet He Himself takes great pains to tell us this is not the case. "The Son can do nothing by himself" (John 5:19). Why do we ignore His explanation and insist that it is He, acting as the Son of God? He tells us that "it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work"(John 14:10). And all the power that Jesus manifested had to come to Him constantly from the one who dwelt within Him.

Jesus stresses this because this is what He wants us to learn. We are to operate on the same basis. Our response to the normal, ordinary demands of life and the power to cope with those demands must come from our reliance upon Him at work within us. This is the secret: All power to live the Christian life comes not from us, doing our dead-level best to serve God, but from Him, granted to us moment by moment as the demand is made upon us. Power is given to those who follow, who obey. The Father is at work in the Son; the Son is at work in us. As we learn this, then we are given power to meet the demands and the needs that are waiting for us in the ministry yet to come.

Thank You, Father, that the same power is available to me today, making me ready so be your instrument in any and every situation in which demand is laid upon me.

This daily devotion was inspired by one of Ray's sermons.

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Conversational Prayer-Sonnets and Scriptures

January 3 ~

And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He who has the Son has life; he who has not the Son of God has not life ... bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ ...
1 Jn.5:11-12 (RSV); 2 Cor.10:5 (KJV)

Heaven Here

Then I can enter into heaven now
- this moment! - e'en while in this fleshly frame
if I'll but spurn, eschew, firm disavow
each troubled thought, regardless of its claim,
its logic justifying fear, concern,
dislike, unlove. If I refuse to heed,
identify with each such thought, and turn
at once to Thee, Lord, looking to be freed
completely from it, looking unto Thee
to give me refuge in Thy warmth, in Thine
Own Presence ... seeking Thee, then ... suddenly
I find I am in heaven's peace of mind.
I'm there (though here): immersed, O Lord, in Thee:
from Self's dark cell delivered and made free.

This is what the Lord says: ... "You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you" ... "I have told you all this so that you may find your peace in me" ... You must clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ ...
Jer.29:10,13,14 (NIV); Jn.16:33 (JBP); Rom.13:14 (Bar).

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What kind of a Way Preparer are you?

Luke 3:7-22

Week 1 (January)

"They're without a pastor."
The words fell against me like a lead weight. It was the final Saturday night of a 10-day district missionary tour. And I'd just found out that the small church where I was to be the following morning was between pastors.
That bothered me. For I had the premonition that in a few hours I was to arrive at a church where confusion would be reigning. There might be no one really "in charge." And I was tired. I had been in a different bed every night for 10 days, eating at a different table every day. I didn't relish the thought of having possibly to play pastor for a congregation.
Sure enough. The next morning when I arrived, there was some confusion in the air. Some thought I should speak in Sunday school instead of the worship hour. Others wanted me to show slides, something I prefer not to do on Sunday mornings.
The whole thing was unnerving to me. I inwardly closed my eyes and prayed for a portion of grace, then announced what I thought we ought to do. I then sat down to await the beginning of Sunday school.
We did have a good service that morning and I even wound up teaching a Sunday school class. But later that day the Lord began to work me over.
For, you see, I should have cared a little less about my being tired and homesick. I could have even taken charge a bit more. Perhaps I could have offered to be somewhat flexible in what I had planned to do.
In short, the Lord told me that it looked like I had been more concerned about having my own way prepared than I had been about preparing His way. I hadn't really prepared the way for the Lord that Sunday morning like I should and could have.
John the Baptist's life speaks to us at that point. No doubt John had been under tremendous temptation to take the glory to himself. But he didn't. He talked about Someone even greater -- much greater, he said, whom his listeners should follow. He pointed the way to Jesus.
I've been evaluating my life with the question: Am I preparing the way for the Savior? Would He be pleased to step into the situation I have just helped to create? If He wouldn't be pleased, then am I open to His Spirit's ethical correction and cleansing?
An old novel got us to asking the question: What would Jesus do in this situation? Maybe there's another, even better question we should be asking ourselves: Are we preparing the way for Him?
The best thing we can do in our Christian life is to offer humble and courageous witness to the Saviorhood of Christ. Are we too often talking about ourselves, even our Christian life, when we ought to be pointing the way to Someone greater than us, much greater?
Are we really with our lives and our lips preparing the way for the Savior - as John the Baptist did? Are we as humble, sacrificial, and yet courageous witnesses as He was?