Happy Monday

Today's Discussion - Repentance

I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin – Psalm 32:5

Two things we are clearly meant to take away from this account: sin must be confessed and, when it is, sin will be forgiven.

The psalmist reports that he was brought to the place of acknowledging his sin. He was not trying to hide it, or justify it, or excuse it. He held nothing back during his confession; he admitted to God his every fault and failing.

As he freely admits his sin to the Lord, we should notice, the psalmist also freely acknowledges it as sin (not just a mistake or personality flaw). He confesses his transgressions to the Lord. They are his (no one else is to blame) and they are transgressions (willful offenses against the law of God).

Have you gone to the Lord in confession and owned up to your own willful disobedience and pride? Have you utterly opened your heart to Him, acknowledging the wrongs you have done against his good and just law?

Then—but only then—will we have the same assurance in which the psalmist rejoices, that our sin is forgiven and every transgression pardoned. What a sweet, powerful thing is a clean conscience before our holy God!

Do not delay the repentance that God deserves or the forgiveness that you need.

Daily Smile:

A young man, who was in love with a girl and wanted to marry her, went to his dad and asked: "Daddy, how much does it cost to get married?

His father replied, "I don't know, son. I'm still paying for it."

Happy Sunday & Happy Daylight Savings Time

If you forget to spring forward one hour????? You Are LATE!!!

A Childlike Amazement

By Steve Troxel, God's Daily Word Ministries

Matthew 18:3 "And He (JESUS) said: 'I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.'"

When my daughter was four years old, we read about young Samuel. While discussing this story, my daughter showed me the excited faith God calls us to maintain. Perhaps her faith could teach us all...

As a young boy, Samuel was ministering with an old priest named Eli. One night God called to Samuel, but Samuel thought it was Eli's voice. Eli said he didn't call and told Samuel to go back to bed. After God called a few more times, Samuel realized who was calling and answered: "Speak, for Your servant is listening" (1 Samuel 3:10). God then gave Samuel a message - but the message was all about Eli.

My daughter asked, "Why did God speak to Samuel if the message was really to Eli?" We talked about how we must be ready and willing to hear God. I said Eli may have had some problems or distractions in his life which kept him from hearing God, so God spoke His message through a child. I said little kids (like her) can often hear God better than older people (like me).

"But, I don't hear God talk to me," she said, with a little disappointment in her voice. I explained how God doesn't usually speak so we can hear Him with our ears; rather, His Spirit speaks to our heart and we hear Him as we listen to our heart. Her little eyes widened, "Like today when I was going to sit on one of the baby toys - Jesus told my heart I was too big and shouldn't do it so I listened to what He said."

I encouraged her that this is exactly how God speaks to us, we just need to learn how to listen and then obey. My daughter thought for a moment and then slowly shook her head in amazement: "Wow! That's sooooo cool!!"

Heavenly Father, I pray that Your Word never becomes just an interesting collection of stories. You created us, loved us, and will one day call us Home to be with You for all eternity - and Father, that's sooooo cool!! Help us to come into Your presence with a thankful and loving heart. Strengthen our faith every day and allow us to continually look on You and Your wonders with a childlike amazement.  Amen

Daily Smile:

Steven was invited to an old friend's home for dinner. His buddy preceded every request to his wife by endearing terms, calling her Honey, My Love, Darling, Sweetheart, etc. Steven was impressed, since the couple had been married almost 50 years.

While the wife was off in the kitchen, he said to his buddy: "I think it's wonderful that after all the years you've been married, you still call your wife those pet names."

His buddy hung his head. "To tell you the truth," he said, "I forgot her name about ten years ago."

Happy Saturday

From Daily Living Devotionals:

Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. … How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! --John 1:12-13; 1 John 3:1

You've probably heard about the Battle of the Alamo that took place between the Republic of Mexico and the rebel Texan forces at the Alamo Mission in San Antonio, Texas in 1836.

Today, the slogan used to honor this event is "Remember the Alamo." And the soldiers who fought and died are commemorated throughout the Alamo Mission in San Antonio.

On one wall near the main entrance, there is one portrait with the following inscription:

"James Butler Bonham-no picture of him exists. This portrait is of his nephew, Major James Bonham, deceased, who greatly resembled his uncle. It is placed here by the family that people may know the appearance of the man who died for freedom."

I tell you this story because it reminds me there is no existing picture of Jesus either. But, as children of God, people look at us to see the likeness of the One who makes us free.

I've said it before and I'll say it again-your life is the only Bible some people will ever read. And let me add to that by saying that your life is also the only picture of Jesus that some people will ever see.

So let me ask you, when others look at you, do they see that you resemble your Father in heaven?

It's my prayer that each of us, as followers of Christ, will come to resemble Christ more and more with each passing day as we seek Him!

PRAYER CHALLENGE: Jesus, thank you for dying for me so that I may be free. I pray that I would be a picture of who You are to the world and of the freedom from sin that You offer all people.

Daily Smile:

A skydiver is enjoying his free-fall, when he realizes that he has reached the altitude where he must open his parachute, he pulls the ripcord, but nothing happens. “No problem,” he says to himself, “I still have my emergency chute.” So he pulls the ripcord on his emergency parachute, and once again, nothing happens. Now the man begins to panic. “What am I going to do?” He thinks. “I’m a goner.”

Just then, he sees a man flying up from the earth toward him. He can’t figure out where this man is coming from or what he’s doing, but he says to himself, “I hope he can help me. If he can’t, then I’m in real trouble.” When the man gets close enough to him, the skydiver cups his hands and shouts, “Hey, do you know anything about parachutes?”

The man coming up cups his hands and yells back, “No! Do you know anything about gas stoves?”

Happy Friday

Faithful prayers develop faithful results

by Annettee Budzban

           “ But they hastily forgot His works; they did not (earnestly) wait for his plans to (develop) regarding them.” — Psalm 106:13 (AMP)

           
             I was running down my morning prayer list when I realized there were a few things that seemed like long-term prayers. One item I had been praying for longer than I could remember, and another has been about 12 years. I stopped and pondered: should I let them go? Should I just scratch them off my list and forget about my desire to see them come about?

            But then I thought I couldn’t do that when my motto is “Never give up!”

            Although, there have been times I have abandoned dreams when I realized they were not the right direction for me, there are many times I have seen things fulfilled with time and patience of waiting on God.

           Right now we are in the midst of planting season. Any garden center you drop by is filled with the hustle and bustle of customers eagerly selecting the items they would like to see grow and beautify their property. There are a multitude of seeds that produce a variety of flowers all shapes, sizes and colors. Bushes and trees bearing blossoms or fruit can be selected as well. We don’t seem to have any trouble  realizing that depending on what we plant, it takes time for growth and development. Our flower seeds may yield quicker results than any young trees we plant. However, we understand regardless of what we plant, we must be patient until we see the harvest.    

           Many of our prayers, dreams and plans take time too. They sprout up at different times, just like the variety of things we plant in our gardens. We must realize some of our prayers will take longer to develop results than others. We can show God that we trust Him when we don’t hastily abandon a prayer request.  We must keep in mind faithful prayers will develop into faithful results. 
 

Daily Smile:

Dieters know this: A waist is a terrible thing to mind!

Happy Thursday

Sorry I missed Thursday... Doctor appointment and Stress Test... Looks like I am going to live a little longer...
                                                           Richard

Happy Wednesday

When We Don't Understand

Devotions taken from the messages of Adrian Rogers.

BIBLE MEDITATION:
“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose.” Romans 8:28
...
DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
I read about a farmer who had a big brush pile of debris he was going to burn. He noticed a little bird had built a nest in that brush pile, so he destroyed the nest. When he came back days later, he found the bird rebuilding the nest. The farmer destroyed the nest again. But the bird built again, and again the farmer destroyed it.

Finally, the little bird gave up. I can just imagine that little bird going home and saying to his family, “I just don’t know why all our good plans of building a home are not working.” Well, there was an unseen hand doing something the bird may have thought was bad, but was really good.

ACTION POINT:
Read Romans 8:28. Notice the verse is not saying that all things are good. All things are not good. There are some terrible things in this world. The point is that God is good!

Daily Smile:

Q: How does an archeologist tell a male skeleton from a female skeleton?
A: He knows it’s a female skeleton if the jawbone is worn down.

Facebook Link

Happy Tuesday

We MUST pray for all in authority!

We pray for Joe's toe, and Jack’s back, and Jane’s pains because they asked us to pray and that is fine. BUT we MUST pray for what God asked us to pray daily not once a year.  Make sense? 

 

God asks us to pray for "all men" that is 7 billion--"that they might be saved" 1 Tim 2:4. To not do so is disobedience to God! Right? PRAY for Kings (that is our President) again "that they might be saved" make sense? Pray for "all in authority" that they might be saved if not already saved. Make sense? With all the anti-Christian decisions and laws being passed we MUST pray for the judges, law makers in Washington etc, or in your country. YOU and I must pray like God told us or we are sinning and won’t get our others prayers answered, make sense? All bible believing preachers and people right now feel this is the most critical time of our lives and must call on god till intervene. 2 Chron 7:13,14.15. please, Please, PLEASE take this seriously for yours AND your children's sake if nothing else. MAKE SENSE? 

 

Oh I love you dear people and pray for YOU daily and for what you ask. NOW pray for what God asks us. "Pray without ceasing" ABC Sumner

 

Daily Smile:

A farm boy accidentally overturned his wagonload of corn. The farmer who lived nearby heard the noise and yelled over to the boy, "Hey Willis forget your troubles. Come in and visit with us. I'll help you get the wagon up later." 

"That's mighty nice of you," Willis answered, "but I don't think Pa would like me to." 

"Aw come on boy," the farmer insisted. 

"Well okay," the boy finally agreed, and added, "but Pa won't like it." 

After a hearty dinner, Willis thanked his host. "I feel a lot better now, but I know Pa is going to be real upset." 

"Don't be foolish!" the neighbor said with a smile. "By the way, where is he?" 

"Under the wagon."

Happy Monday

The Full Gospel

The full gospel is given in 1 Corinthians 15:1-8. The Bible strongly emphasizes in Galatians 1, don’t add to or take away from what is said. “Christ died for our sins.” In sermons and by people suffered and died for our SINS. That is essential or we all will be separated from God for eternity. He paid the eternal debt for our SINS in full “for the wages of sin is death” Romans 6:23. That is the problem and that is the good news, that is the gospel. Some say, Christ died on the cross. So did those two thieves die on the cross. The difference is Christ DIED FOR OUR SINS on that cross. One thing that I have found very effective is to tell “Christ suffered and died for our sins”. God states “Christ has once suffered for sins” 1 Peter 3:18. “He was buried”, proof that He was dead. “He rose again”. And he was seen alive. Almost never do you hear it said aloud that Jesus “was seen” alive. Then I noticed He was seen over and over and once by over 500 people at one time. No one saw any of the so called gods of the world alive from the dead. There is a world of difference when you think about it that way

When I witness or preach and give the full gospel, over and over I have people tell me, “I never heard it like that before.” It is wonderful the difference it makes to give the full gospel and say it just like the Bible gives it. I see much more and greater results. These people then were not just church members but were born again Christians and changed inside out. We must see more of this to change the world and populate heaven. Make sense?

Daily Smile:

If a man is in the forest, talking to himself, with no woman around is he still wrong?

Happy Sunday

Facing Temptation

Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation - Matthew 26:41

What a wonderfully concise directive Jesus gives us for fighting temptation! This world affords a thousand enticements to a thousand different sins. And our sinful nature assaults us from the inside with a complex and varied array of lusts, fears, ambitions, and doubts.

Yet Jesus' simple, balanced admonition is an effective weapon against every one of these temptations to sin: watch and pray. 

Lest we expect God to do all our fighting for us, we are told to watch. It is our responsibility to keep our spiritual eyes open (which sometimes means keeping our physical eyes closed or averted) for any avenue by which sin might gain entrance into our soul. We are to guard our heart from disloyalty, and our testimony from indiscretion, by actively engaging ourselves in the relentless pursuit of purity and goodness. 

On the other hand, we cannot possibly expect to overcome our ever-present inclination toward sin, or the age-old cunning of Satan, in our own strength. And so we must pray. We must rely on the sustaining grace and purifying power of the Holy Spirit's work within us.

Because our flesh is so weak, no matter how willing our spirit may be it is imperative that we be in a constant posture of watchfulness and prayer. In fact, there is a direct correlation, Jesus tells us, between our prayerful watchfulness and our ability to withstand or avoid temptation.

Daily Smile:

There were three rats, well spoiled eating government grain. Once they were sitting and talking bragging about their bravery and toughness.

The first rat: "I'm so tough, once I ate a bagful of rat poison!"

The second rat: "Well I'm so tough, once I was caught in a rat trap and I bit it apart!"

The third rat: "Later guys. It's my time to harass the cat."

Happy Saturday

The Dark Cloud

2 Chronicles 6:1 (NCV) 
1 Then Solomon said, “The LORD said he would live in the dark cloud.

Psalm 18:11 (NASB95)
11 He made darkness His hiding place, His canopy around Him, Darkness of waters, thick clouds of the skies.

Many people, even Christians, go through what they feel like are dark clouds sometimes. Trouble seems to come from all sides. WE might feel lonely, depressed, in despair, in agony or one of many different feelings. We don’t know why we are going through these circumstances and may want to give up but we can take comfort that God will be there in our dark clouds. Just because we are in a cloud doesn’t necessarily mean that God has left us even though we may feel like He has at the time. Jesus himself told those of us who belong to Him that He will never forsake us. Take heart, the clouds will vanish in God’s time. Until that happens, let God refresh your soul through prayer, Bible study and meditation. We need these more in these times in the clouds than when we have blue skies.

When we are in the dark cloud we may not know why we are there but, like Spurgeon, we may find out later how this time can be used by God:

Spurgeon once tells of how he was utterly depressed in spirit and soul, discouraged, and failing in health. Just before leaving for a recuperation, he preached on “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” The experience was so sad that he wished it would never happen again. Afterwards, a man come to see him. Spurgeon described him later as “one step away from the insane asylum,” his head bulging, his hands nervous and his spirit totally depressed. The man told Spurgeon that after hearing his sermon, he felt that Spurgeon was the only one who could understand him and so he had come. Spurgeon comforted him as best he knew how from his own sad experience. For five years, Spurgeon did not see the man. But “just last night” (he was delivering the above lecture to students at the College), “I saw him: it was like night and day. He was completely changed.” Spurgeon concluded that he was willing to undergo hundreds of such experiences now that he knew God permitted it to happen so that he could know and sympathize with people under similar predicament. - -taken from Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations

by Dean W. Masters

Daily Smile:

Maggie, a dog who had worked with police investigation team, applied for vacancy in the FBI. He went and met the HR. The HR said, "You'll have to meet some strict requirements. First, you must type at least 60 words per minute." Maggie sat on the typewriter and typed 80 words per minute. Then HR asked "you must pass a physical test and complete the obstacle course." Again, Maggie did well in the round. Then HR asked, there's one last requirement," "you must be bilingual." With confidence, the dog looks up at him and says, "Meow!"

Happy Friday

Good for Evil Is God's Way
A gentleman who had held many important positions in public life went to a friend in great anger over a real injury he had received from a prominent politician. He was considering how to react resentfully in the most effective manner. After relating the particulars to his friend, he asked if it would be manly to resent it. "Yes," replied his friend, "it would doubtless be manly to resent it, but it would be godlike to forget it."

David chose to let God be his example. When Saul entered a cave to attend to his needs, he didn't know that David and his 400 men were hiding in the recesses of that cavern. David had him at a severe disadvantage and his men urged him to seize the opportunity to take revenge on his enemy. But David refused. Rather than seeking to repay Saul for the evil he had done him, he secretly cut off a piece of Saul's robe (as proof of what he could have done) and allowed the king to leave without knowing how close he had been to death. Only later did Saul realize the mercy David had shown. God's way is to show mercy rather than extract vengeance. Romans 5:8 says, "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Even while we were God's enemies, He had compassion for us and provided a way of salvation.

Cowardice asks, Is it safe? Expediency asks, Is it politic? Vanity asks, Is it popular? But conscience asks, Is it right? - William Morley Punshon. Are you thinking about getting even with someone? Don't do it. Try God's way instead. Return good for evil. Someday you'll be glad you did. Evil for evil is man's way; good for evil is God's way.

AGAPE LOVE DIVINE MINISTRIES

Daily Smile:

A preacher went to buy a parrot and asked - "Are you sure it doesn't scream, yell, or swear?"

The salesman said, "Oh no, it's a religious parrot," "Do you see those strings on his legs? When you pull the right one, he recites the Lord's Prayer, and when you pull on the left, he recites the 23rd Psalm."

"Wonderful!" says the preacher, "What happens if you pull both strings?"

"I fall!" answered the parrot

Happy Thursday

Worship Replaces Worry

by Linda Fode

"And Mary said: ‘My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour.’" Luke 1:46-47, NIV

As we usually reflect on Luke 1:46-55 as part of the Christmas story I believe that we miss the significance of Mary’s Song (Magnificat) for us in dealing with the worries, fear and anxieties of daily life.

Mary was a teenager probably thirteen or fourteen at most. She was engaged and pregnant but not by her fiancé, Joseph. She was telling a ‘wild story’ about an angel and a baby who was conceived by the Holy Spirit and would be the Son of God. At the time of the ‘song’ she had traveled through the dangerous hills of Judea to visit the one person who would really believe her.

How did she find the inner strength and peace to face the birth of this child, the potential rejection by Joseph and then the exile to Egypt to escape the murdering armies of King Herod? Her soul magnified (glorified) the Lord and her spirit rejoiced in God her Saviour.

To magnify is to hold in greater esteem or respect; to enlarge; to colour or elaborate. Glorify means to bestow honour or praise; to light up brilliantly; to cause to be seen better then before. Our soul is that part of us that thinks, has emotion, interprets events and responds with choices good or bad. Our spirit is the core of our being that gives and sustains life. It is the place where God’s Spirit dwells and where He communicates with us; the place where He reveals who He truly is; the place where He brings comfort and gives direction for the day to day of life.

Mary made an active choice to reflect on (think about) and express out loud who God is and what He had done for her people (Israel) and for her personally. Out of those acts of praise and thanksgiving she experienced a peace and a joy that overcame rejection, fear, worry and anxiety throughout her life, even on the day she saw her Son, who was also her Saviour, die on a Cross.

How do we find peace in troubling times? How do we overcome fear, worry and the anxious choices that result? ‘Do not be anxious about anything but in everything by prayer and petition with thanksgiving present your requests to God. And the peace of God which transcends understanding will guard your mind and your spirit in Christ Jesus’ (Philippians 4:6-7). We need to be daily writing our own Magnificat. We intensify our image of God; we enlarge our understanding of Him; we light Him up brilliantly. In doing so the worries seem small in comparison and there will be a deeper level of peace and joy in the midst of our circumstances.

Prayer: Father, I give You my thoughts, my emotions and my choices. Today I choose to thank and praise You for who You are and all You have done for me. May the light of Your glory overcome the darkness of fear and worry in my life. I choose to worship You. Amen.

Daily Smile:

A little boy forgot his lines in a Sunday School presentation.
His mother, sitting in the front row to prompt him, gestured and formed the words silently with her lips, but it didn't help. Her son's memory was blank.

Finally she leaned forward and whispered the cue, "I am the light of the world."

The child beamed and with great feeling and a loud, clear voice said, "My mother is the light of the world."

Happy Wednesday

No Different 

T. Suzanne Eller

“The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.” 1 Corinthians 10:13 (NLT)

“I’m just having a good time,” she said. “What’s wrong with it?”

I wish I could have put a movie in her hands, one that would reveal one week, one month, five years down the road.

Somehow my friend couldn’t see what others noticed so easily. That the intentional choices she was making were going to lead her on a path of destruction. She said it felt good. She said it made her feel things she hadn’t felt in a long time.

But it was also making her ordinary life, the life that she would miss one day when it was no longer hers, feel like a burden. Things she once treasured were overshadowed, and eventually shattered.

Have you ever been tempted and felt justified in giving way to it?

To flirt. What is the harm?

To share private thoughts. No one listens to me at home.

To take a risk. No one will find out.

I remember a time that I lay beside my husband. He was unhappy at work and the unhappiness had changed him. Joy had slipped away and left a silent partner in its place.

I was tempted.

To anger.

To dismay.

To frustration over what I could not fix.

My negative emotions simmered. But I knew, if left to themselves, they could take my heart to a place of discontentment. I’d seen the results of allowing temptation to grow, and I knew something had to change. That night I wrapped my arms around my sleeping husband and prayed for him. Then I prayed for me. “Father, change my heart. Give me compassion. Help me to love him through this difficult time. Show me what to do.”

Maybe, like me, you might look at a friend who has given in to temptation and say, “That would never happen to me.”

But we are no different. No one is immune from temptation. To think that way is to forget who tempts us, and why.

Satan desires to harm not just us, but those we love. It is often only after we sit in devastation that we recognize the enemy was leading us away from all that matters most.

The good news is – we are offered a way out.

The night I lay beside my husband, God led me to Himself. To prayer. And that prayer led to hope. Eventually my husband and I took a step. . .together. In the process the man I loved, had always loved, returned and our marriage re-ignited.

Are you in the crossroads of temptation today?

Stop. There’s a different choice and a different path you can take.

Daily Smile:

Two men went to fishing. They purchase everything required for fishing - reels, rods, wading suits, rowboat, and even a cabin in the woods, spending a good amount of money.

The first day they go fishing, but don't catch anything. The same thing happens on the second day, on the third day, and so on. Finally, on the last day of their vacation, one of the men catches a fish.

As they're driving home, depressed... one guy turns to the other and asks, "Do you realize that this one lousy fish we caught cost us $2000?"

The other guy says, "Wow! It's a good thing we didn't catch any more!"

Happy Tuesday

The Father's Plan

by Rev. Herman Tranter

Luke 24:21 "But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel : and beside all this, to day is the third day since these things were done."

When the right time came, God sent forth His Son from Heaven in His pre-existent state, into the world. He was born of a woman (virgin birth) and was made subject to the requirements of the law. Jesus was sent at a specific time. The entrance of Jesus into the physical realm was not a random thing occurring at a haphazard time. There were developments that had to take place before Christ could come to earth and redeem man. The Father sent His Son to the earth at the earliest possible time. Anytime prior to the time Jesus was born of the virgin Mary, would have been premature.
 
His purpose for coming into the world was twofold. First, He came to "redeem them that were under the law." He did this by perfectly keeping the law, fulfilling it, and paying its curse… Matthew 5:17; Galatians 3:13. Thus, Christ delivered us from the entire system of the law. The Greek word for redeem means "to buy OUT OF the slave market."
 
Secondly, Christ gave us the status of sonship with all its privileges. Not only were we redeemed from the bondage of the law, but we were redeemed unto sonship. Many people stop short, only realizing what they were delivered from, not what they inherit. Sure, we need to rejoice that we are redeemed, but we also need to move on, and realize the full benefits of our inheritance.
 
God created us for Himself but we sold ourselves into slavery to the devil. God bought us back through the precious blood of Jesus Christ. No amount of effort, human works, or man's own righteousness could bring the divine favor that we needed. It was the actual life of God… Leviticus 17:11, that purchased our redemption.

Daily Smile:

YOU KNOW YOU'VE HAD TOO MUCH COFFEE WHEN...
~ You can type sixty words a minute...with your feet.

~ Instant coffee takes too long.

~ You chew on other people's fingernails.

~ You answer the door...before people knock.

~ You sleep with your eyes open.

~ You go to sleep, just so you can wake up and smell the coffee.

~ You don't even wait for the water to boil anymore.

~ You're the employee of the month at Starbucks and you don't even work there.

~ You lick your coffeepot clean.

~ You go to AA meetings just for the free coffee.

~ You're so wired you pick up FM radio.

~ You have a picture of your coffee mug, on your coffee mug

Happy Monday

DO YOU STILL BELIEVE? 

by David Wilkerson

Recently I had an unusual experience while in meditation with the Lord. His still small voice asked of me, "Do you still believe?"

"Do you believe I still love you unconditionally-that you are right now being led by the Holy Spirit-that every tear you shed I bottle-that you are right now in this place, in this very hour, in the perfect will of God?

"Do you believe all things still work together for good to them that love me-that I hear your prayers, even when you have no audible words to express them, when all seems dark and you are overwhelmed-when fear lays hold on your mind and soul-when it seems I have shut the heavens to you?

"David, do you still believe I feed all living things: the fish of the sea, the cattle, the fowls, all creeping things? Do you still believe I count every hair on your head-that I take note of every fallen bird on the face of the earth? Do you truly believe that?

"Do you still believe-when death comes to your loved ones? Do you still believe what you have testified, that I give comfort and strength to face even the grave?

"Do you still believe I love you-I forgive you all your past sins, your present sins-and I will forgive all future sins if you rest and trust me? Do you believe I understand when Satan sends his messengers against you to implant lies, doubts, blasphemies, fears, despair?

"Do you still believe you are in the palm of my hand-that you are more precious than gold to your Savior-that eternal life is your future-that there is no power that can pluck you out of my hand-that I still am touched by every infirmity and affliction you endure? Do you still believe these things are true?"

My answer is emphatically YES! Yes, Lord, I still believe it all and more-much more!

Read all of Psalm 103 and ask yourself, "Do I still believe it? All of it?"

Daily Smile:

After years in the work force, someone finally concluded that an employer is someone who’s late when you’re early and early when you’re late.

Happy Saturday

Have You Been Using Fig Leaves? 

by Rev. Eric McGrath

The story of the fall in the Garden of Eden is pretty well known by most people. Most people know how Satan tempted Eve and she and Adam sinned by disobeying God.

There is one little portion of the story that is often overlooked and it is unfortunate because it is really very important.

Genesis 3:8-21, we read of how Adam and Eve hid from God initially, but then later appeared before God when He called for them. They had sewn fig leaves together to try make themselves acceptable before God.

In the end, God provided them with coats of skin for them to wear.

Now what is the significance of these verses? This is very important because it sets a standard that is consistent all the way through the Bible. The leaves sewn together were Adam and Eve's attempt to appear acceptable before God - in other words to appear righteous before God. They thought they could do something to be made acceptable in God's sight.

But God established the principle that is carried all the way through the Bible at this point. That principle is this "Without the shedding of blood, there is no remission of sin". Man tried to make himself acceptable with fig leaves, but they needed to be made acceptable through the provision that God gave them, which involved the shedding of blood - the animal's blood in this case.

In verse 15 of Genesis 3, we are first introduced to the fact that God was going to provide a Saviour through the seed of the woman - that was the first reference to Jesus Christ. The big word for this is protoevangelium. Jesus Christ would come to earth and shed His blood and he would once and for all be the sacrifice for man's sin. Only through personal and explicit faith in Jesus Christ as our Saviour, will we find right standing or righteousness before God.

And yet today men still try and appear acceptable to God by putting together their fig leaves. They try through the fig leaves of being religious - fig leaves of being moral - fig leaves of being a good person - fig leaves of "church-ianity" - fig leaves of denominationalism, and so on. All of these amount to fig leaves of self-righteousness.

It is interesting that in Isaiah 64:6, God says that all of these "fig leaves" that we can produce, thinking they will be found acceptable with God - are seen only as "dirty rags" by God.

And all they end of doing is seeking to cover sinful hearts - hearts, like Adam and Eve's which would not and will not submit to and be obedient to God's will.

"Garments of righteousness" (Isaiah 61:10) can only be provided by God Himself, just as He provided coats of skins for Adam and Eve.

And this He has accomplished through Jesus Christ and His death at Calvary, where He shed His blood for us.

What kinds of "fig leaves" are you sewing together to cover your sinful heart?

Why not accept the "clothing of righteousness" that God makes available to you in His Son the Lord Jesus Christ?

"The wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord." (Romans 6:23).

Our "fig leaves" fall short of the righteousness required by God. Jesus Christ is the only sufficient "skin" we can wear. When we accept Him as our Saviour, His righteousness is transferred to us and then we are found acceptable in God's sight.

Are you accepted in the beloved, my friend? You can be with certainty.

Daily Smile:

A kindergarten teacher handed out a coloring page to her class. On it was a picture of a duck holding an umbrella. The teacher told her class to color the duck in yellow and the umbrella green, however, Bobby, the class rebel, colored the duck in a bright fire truck red. After seeing this, the teacher asked him: "Bobby, how many times have you see a red duck?" 

Young Bobby replied with "The same number of times I've seen a duck holding an umbrella."

Happy Friday

Seeing Beyond the Dent

Glynnis Whitwer

    “Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.” 1 Thessalonians 5:11 (NIV)

A close call with a truck on the freeway left rubbery black smears on my oldest son’s car. Unfortunately, Josh’s younger brother had borrowed it and caused the accident. Relief and annoyance mixed together in Josh’s heart.

Even though apologies and assurances to pay were offered, Josh knew his brother didn’t have the money to repair the damage. And since the cost of the repair was probably less than the insurance deductible, Josh decided to barter babysitting services for a friend’s detailing services. It was a smart and gracious solution.

His friend worked for eight hours painstakingly removing the black streaks, and we all thought the car looked great. Josh was proud of his decision to not charge his brother and find a creative way to repair the car.

At least, until he showed his car to some friends. Rather than see the good, all one person said was: “You can still see the dent!”

Later that day, Josh complained in private, “All that work, and she only saw the dent!”

I reaffirmed his generous choices and tried to bring back his joy in the repair. But the damage was done. My son left me standing in the kitchen pondering the careless comment. And wondering how many times I’ve only seen the dents.

There was a time when I could have made that comment. Too often I had neglected the efforts my children made and only seen the negative. Too often I had failed to acknowledge progress in others and only seen what remained to be done. Even in my own life I tend to focus on what isn’t instead of celebrating what is.

The critical spirit displayed in a careless comment flourished in me at one time. Yet I knew that disapproving attitude wasn’t compatible with the Jesus-follower I wanted to be. It was opposite to scriptures I’d read, like today’s verse in 1 Thessalonians which tells us to encourage and build each other up.

So years ago I asked God to remove any remnant of unhealthy pride from my heart. I begged His forgiveness for judgmental, critical thoughts and words, and asked for His spirit of love and mercy to fill all those unkind places. I wanted to stop looking at the “dents” and instead see the beauty of effort.

It took lots of honesty and confession to deal with my ingrained habit of seeing the problem. Even after I reined in my words, my heart still needed attention. Yet each time I faced the ugly truth about what was going on inside, criticism loosened its grip, allowing me to celebrate imperfect progress – in others and myself.

Do those critical thoughts still pop up? Yes they do. I’ll be honest, I saw the dent that remained on my son’s car too. But I immediately redirected my thoughts towards the generosity of a brother who forgave. I chose to focus on his creative solution and the kindness of his friend. And I thanked God my response that time had been to see the positive and to celebrate with my son.

Repairs are happening all around me. God is working in the lives of those I love; He is working in mine too. My prayer is to get to the place where I don’t even see the dents. Instead, I want eyes and a heart that rejoice with the smallest improvement, that praise potential and acknowledge effort. As I seek to live out Jesus’ request to love others, a critical spirit needs to die, and a loving one needs to take its place.

    Dear Lord, thank You for seeing the good in me. Your thoughts are not critical and condemning, instead You celebrate every little bit of progress I make. Your belief in me makes me want to do better. Help me to give that gift to others and myself. In Jesus name, Amen.

Daily Smile:

A boy was teaching a girl arithmetic, he said it was his mission. He kissed her once; he kissed her twice and said, "Now that's addition." In silent satisfaction, she sweetly gave the kisses back and said, "Now that's subtraction." Then he kissed her, she kissed him, without an explanation. And both together smiled and said, "That's multiplication." Then her Dad appeared upon the scene and made a quick decision. He kicked that boy three blocks away and said, "That's long division!"

Happy Thursday

Concerns of The Heart

Literally, I had no agenda. Many things had been on my mind, though. Several situations I’d been mulling over. A few people that had been especially on my heart. Some unresolved issues stewing in the back corners of my brain.

So, I had no agenda when we went to this church for an evening service of refreshing and renewing. I just know that there would be a time to be quiet and be still before the Lord.

With beautiful music in the background, I began to zone out, let my mind wander. As I was still, sitting there, I felt so thankful to be in the presence of the Lord.  God began to whisper softly to me, not in an audible voice, but ever so gently. He began addressing one by one the concerns of my heart. Gradually I began to be aware that He was sharing with me direction and answers to these unspoken concerns.

Later, I thought about how amazing God is.  Amazing God! Amazing grace! How good to remember that God knows our deepest needs and desires before they are even fully formed in our minds, or on our lips. And, that in His time, the perfect time, He will answer the concerns of our hearts. Even if we have ‘no agenda’.

Thank you, Holy Spirit, for sharing the Word, the wisdom, the love of our heavenly Father with us. In the name of Jesus!  Amen.

Inspirational messages by Sally I. Kennedy

Daily Smile:

There was a little old lady who was nearly blind. She had three sons and they wanted to prove which one was the best son to her.

So son #1 bought her a 15-room mansion thinking this would surely be the best any of them could offer her.
Son #2 bought her a beautiful Mercedes with a chauffeur included thinking he would surely win her approval.
Son #3 had to do something even better than these so he bought her a trained parrot. This parrot had been trained for 15 years to memorize the entire Bible. You could mention any verse in the Bible and the parrot could quote it word for word. How useful his nearly blind mother would find that!

Well, the old lady went to the first son and said, "Son, the house is just gorgeous but it's really much too big for me. I only live in one room, and it's much too large for me to clean and take care of. I really don't need the house, but thank you anyway."

Then she explained to her second son, "Son, the car is beautiful, it has everything you could ever want on it, but I don't drive and I really don't like that driver, so please return the car."

Next, she went to son number three and said, "Son, I just want to thank you for that thoughtful gift. The chicken was small, but delicious."

Happy Wednesday

IF HOME IS WHERE YOUR HEART IS
(By list member Debbie Preuss, December 18, 2005)
 
If home is where your heart is, then heaven is my home
For one I loved is gone, I'm left here all alone
Memories flood my mind, now Christmas time is here
I'm longing for my loved one, I want to hold them near
How can life go on, when there's a void within my soul
An emptiness that feels, like I'll never be made whole
I know they're up in heaven, we'll meet again one day
But I am so lonely, ever since they went away
There will be no tears in heaven, but my heart weeps here
How I miss my precious one, to me you were so dear
God reached down and called you home, now you're gone from me
I look forward to the day, when we're together for eternity
Enjoy your first Christmas in heaven, sing God's praises strong
For it won't be too long now, until I come along
But I have work here to do, as I sing God's praise
You are in my heart, all throughout my days
My time is not yet finished here, so I carry on
Memories flood my mind and heart, as for you I long
Dear Lord this request I make, as to You I pray
Be my source of hope and strength, each and every day
For one I loved has gone, I'm left here all alone
If home is where your heart is, then heaven is my home 

Daily Smile:

 A kindergarten teacher was observing her classroom of children while they were drawing. She would occasionally walk around to see each child's work. As she got to one little girl who was working diligently, she asked what the drawing was.

The girl replied, "I'm drawing God."

The teacher paused and said, "But no one knows what God looks like."

Without missing a beat, or looking up from her drawing, the girl replied, "They will in a minute."

Happy Tuesday

The Little Man on the Cross

By Skip Heitzig

Have you ever looked up churches in the phone book? Or searched for “church” on the Internet? There are literally hundreds of thousands of listings between the two. There are Baha’i churches, Mormon churches, Unitarian churches, and Religious Science churches mixed in with traditional Christian churches. The word “church” does not necessarily refer to a place where believers in Jesus Christ gather. It now refers to a place where any religious body gathers—be it Buddhist, New Age or Christian.

We live in a post-Christian America. All sorts of groups and cults spewing out false doctrine are lumped underneath the umbrella of Christendom. It is hard to find the truth in the spiritual smorgasbord of religion.

I heard a story about a woman who walked into a jewelry store looking for a cross. She told the clerk what she wanted, and as he pulled out a tray of jewelry he asked, “Do you want a plain one, or do you want the one with the little man on it?”

Not only are people looking for truth in all the wrong places, many of them have never even heard the truth. Jesus has been relegated to no more than a little man on a cross.

People are searching for truth in any form. You have what they are looking for—the truth—Jesus Christ. You can tell them who the little man on the cross is, and what He did for them by dying on it. As a pastor, I have the privilege of doing this every week. You have the same privilege. God has given you a specific circle of influence—the people you work with, the grocery store clerk who always helps you, your family, etc. Many of these people never see the inside of a church. Others are involved in New Age mysticism and cults. They are spiritually dead and they are looking for life.

In Mark 16:15 Jesus says: “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.” We have the truth, and we have the command. Everyone has a God-shaped vacuum in their soul. Let’s fill it with the truth—Jesus Christ—today.

Daily Smile:

Three men are in a hot-air balloon. Soon, they find themselves lost in a canyon somewhere. 

One of the three men says, "I have an idea. We can call for help in this canyon and the echo will carry our voices far enough for someone to hear us."

So he leans over the basket and yells out, "Helllloooooo! Where are we?" (They hear the echo several times). 

15 minutes later, the men in the balloon hear an echoing voice: "Helllloooooo! You're lost!!" 

One of the men says, "That must be a Microsoft service tech!" 

Puzzled, one of the other men asks, "Why do you say that?" 

The man replies: "For three reasons:
(1) he took a long time to answer,
(2) he was absolutely correct, and
(3) his answer was absolutely useless."

Editor's Note:

     Less than 48 hours to complete the March '12 StarLight News paper layout and get it to the printer... Read it online at http://the-starlight-news.blogspot.com/ before the paper is delivered... Planned To be posted Feb. 23...

Thanks,

Richard