Last Day Of June - Happy Saturday

From Altercation To Altar Call By Tracie Miles

"Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. Whoever has ears, let them hear." Matthew 13:8-9 (NIV)

I noticed my 12-year-old son involved in a commotion on the other side of the sanctuary. He was sitting with his youth group, just like he does every Sunday, on the opposite side from where my husband and I do.

I walked over there and motioned for my son to follow me into the lobby. There, we could discuss why an altercation was occurring in the church pew where he sat with his friends.

Apparently someone wanted to sit in the spot where he and another friend were sitting. And so, a middle-school-boy-scuffle ensued. Even though he had tears—due in part to receiving an elbow in the eye, but also hurt by pride and anger—he insisted on returning to sit with the rest of the youth.

Our pastor's sermon was about anger that morning. He shared ways we should respond, according to God's Word and gave a few examples:

A fool is quick-tempered, but a wise person stays calm when insulted. (Proverbs 12:16 NIV)

Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy. (Proverbs 28:13 NLT)

When our pastor ended his sermon, soft music played as the congregation was invited to come to the altar if they felt God leading them to do so.

I noticed a young man at the altar, bent knees, buried face in his arms, praying. He looked familiar, but seemed bigger than my son ... Could it be?

Bending over to look closely, I discovered the young man kneeling at the altar was my son.

My heart pounded as I watched my little man becoming a young man in Christ right before my eyes. His heart had been moved by the Word of God ... straight to the altar.

After church, I asked Michael what he'd prayed about. "Mom, I listened to the pastor talk about anger, and felt bad for getting upset at my friend. So I asked God to forgive me and to help me control my temper."

I was at a loss for words for three reasons: my son was actually paying attention to the sermon! His heart was hurting and he was listening for God's leading. And when God spoke to his heart, scriptures resounded in his mind and compelled him to move.

Three simple steps: pay attention to God's voice, listen when He speaks through His Word, and move when He calls.

I may not have physical altercations with others, as boys often do. But I do have emotional and spiritual altercations as I face the trials, demands, temptations and frustrations that life brings.

My son's boldness to admit his need for forgiveness and strength, and to actually walk down to the altar, has prompted me to view my "altercations" in a new light.

Instead of letting my struggles take me down and make me feel discouraged, I'm following in my son's footsteps. Paying attention to God's voice, listening when He speaks through His Word, and moving when He calls.

Today, let's do the same. Let's respond to God's Word and lay our trials, fears and temptations at the foot of the cross, allowing God to mend our heart. With the faith of a child, we too can let our "altercations" lead us to the altar.

Dear Lord, today I want to pay attention to Your voice and move when You call. Please make my heart soft to forgive my friends and family. Thanks for Your help in this. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Daily Smile:

The drill sergeant making his morning announcements to a group of newcomers in a training camp, stated: "Today, gentlemen, I have some good news and some bad news. First, the good news Private Peters will be setting the pace on our morning run.”

With this the platoon was overjoyed, as Private Peters was overweight and terribly slow. But then the drill sergeant finished his statement: "Now for the bad news. Private Peters will be driving a truck."

Thank Goodness It's Happy Friday

Hoist Up Your Lamps.
Hoist Up Your Lamps. Radical Grace from the Book of Romans (2:3-4)

"So when you, a mere man, pass judgment on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God's judgment? Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, tolerance and patience, not realizing that God's kindness leads you toward repentance?" (Rom 2:3-4 NIV)

Have you ever tried to ask for help, only to be thoroughly criticized?

Have you ever tried to reach out in love, only to be rejected?

But then, who among us never criticized someone else behind their back, or avoided people we don't like . . .

Is this the correct thing to do?

It's so easy to see the mistakes of others, and it's so easy to justify avoiding certain people. But does this make it right?

In the late 19th century in certain areas located in the south of Iceland, it was common to see poles erected in the ground in frequently travelling areas, especially areas where cities were far from each other and where travelers would easily get lost.

It sure would be easy to criticize such travelers. "They should have brought better maps with them, and maybe better equipment, too!" Such ramblings of our thoughts could easily justify the idea that these travelers should have to learn a lesson from their mistakes.

But such criticism was never the case in Iceland. If a traveler in one of these regions got lost and needed help, he or she would seek out one of these poles. There would be an oil lamp under each pole, and the lost person would light this lamp and hoist it up on the pole. The light would then be seen from afar, and anyone in the region that noticed it would come to the immediate rescue of that lost person.

In our modern world, there are literally myriads of people crying out for help. Their lives are far from delightful, and they are totally lost, having no clue how to resolve their dilemmas. I wish they could hoist up a lamp, so we would understand without a doubt that they need our help. Unfortunately, no one notices this fact, and they still hunger for help.

Criticizing these people won't help them. In fact it will only drive them deeper and deeper in complete despair. Only "kindness, tolerance and patience" will open the doors of their hearts, giving us the opportunity to help them, bringing them hope instead of blame.

May our lights shine as brightly as that oil lamp on these southerly poles of Iceland. Maybe these lost souls will be drawn to Jesus' light that shines through us! "You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden." (Matt 5:14 NIV)

Rob Chaffart

Daily Smile:

This what happens when I am totally tired... I really get silly...

Happy Thursday

Building momentum- fighting passivity

"And from the days of John the Baptist until the present time, the kingdom of heaven has endured violent assault, and violent men seize it by force [as a precious prize--a share in the heavenly kingdom is sought with most ardent zeal and intense exertion]." Matthew 11:12, Amplified Bible.

My children received a fantastic toy from their grandmother this year: a balance bike! They have already had many hours of fun with it and I am sure that many more hours will follow. As long as they keep the bike up to speed, maintaining their balance is easy. However, once they start slowing down, the chances of them falling over increases. Once having come to a full stop, maintaining balance becomes an impossibility. Gaining and maintaining momentum is crucial to a successful trip down our corridor.

I have always been intrigued by the classic laws of motion and have found that to some extend they also apply to our spiritual life. If we loose momentum in our walk with God we are more likely to stumble and fall over! Likewise, when we find we are stuck, we must seek to gain momentum until we are up to speed again. In this it is just like the balance bike. The first steps are always the hardest ones to take!

Passivity on our part poses enormous problems if we seek to be moving on with God. Some people seem to be ‘stuck’ in the same place for a very long time. Somehow they wish things would change, but they are not making any significant effort to effect that change. The law of inertia teaches us that once an object has stopped moving, it won’t start moving until force is applied. You might very well be the one that needs to choose to start being forceful in order to move on in your spiritual life! People may say: ‘I am waiting on God to do something.’ That sounds great, except when they expect God, or somebody else, to change their behaviour for them. The truth is this: God could very well be waiting for them! Though He is undeniably almighty, He never does anything without our co-operation. Passivity from our side is a killer to spiritual progress!

I love our retreats and courses at Ellel Ministries where we see people forgiven, helped, healed, restored, released and equipped. God’s loving kindness truly knows no bounds. But the reality is this: sometimes His help comes in the form of encouraging people to come out of passivity, to take responsibility for their lives, and to actively start participating in that which God wants to do with them!

Today, if we feel convicted of any passivity, apathy or laziness, let’s turn to Him and ask Him to help us to pick up some momentum again!

Prayer: Father, where I have been passive, and have accused You of not doing enough for me, I am truly sorry. Please help me to come out of passivity, and, in Your strength, lay hold of those things which You have laid hold of me for. Thank You, Lord, in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Today's Writer : Peter Brokaar

 

Daily Smile:

 A three-year-old had been told several times to get ready for bed. The last time his mom told him, she was every insistent. His response was, "Yes, Sir!" Since he was talking to his mother (and she is a woman), it was not expected of him to call her "Sir".
"You would say, 'yes sir,' to a man, I am a lady, and you would say 'Yes Ma'am,' to a lady," Mom said. To quiz him on is lesson; she then asked him, "What would you say to Daddy?"

 
"Yes Sir!" was the reply

 
"Then what would you say to Mama?"

 
"Yes, Ma'am!" he proudly answered.

 
"Good boy! Now what would you say to Grandma?"

 
He lit up and said, "Can I have a cookie? 

Happy Wednesday

Let Not Your Heart Be Troubled
Kenneth Copeland   

Let not your heart be troubled. - John 14:1

People everywhere—many believers included—are running around wringing their hands, worrying about what to do. But there’s really no need for it. After all, Jesus has already told us what to do. He said, “Let not your heart be troubled.”

“Yes, but Brother Copeland, He said that thousands of years ago. They didn’t have the kind of trouble back then that we’re facing today.”

Friend, when Jesus said those words to His disciples, they were about to face more trouble than most of us can even imagine. Jesus was about to be crucified before their eyes. Peter was about to deny Him. Who can even imagine how distressing those days must have been?

Yet Jesus said to them, “Let not your heart be troubled.”

But, praise God, He didn’t stop there. He went on to teach us the key to having an untroubled heart even in the most troubling times.

He goes on to say...abide. “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches.... If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you will, and it shall be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit...” (read John 15:4-8).

When you abide in Jesus, He’s not just your Sunday God. He’s not just the One you think about when you get in trouble. No, when you abide in Him, He’s your Monday Lord. He’s your Tuesday Lord. He’s your Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday Lord. He’s your daytime Lord and nighttime Lord. He’s Lord of your life 24 hours a day, seven days a week. He’s involved with you every moment.

When you rest in the Word all day long like that, then the Word begins to abide in you, and it will constantly teach you the ways and wisdom of God. It will keep your heart from being troubled.

Daily Smile:

Is It Happy Tuesday Already???

Better to Ask than Assume

The late Bill Love used to tell the story of a psychiatrist, engineer, and doctor who got lost in the Canadian woods. Stumbling on a trapper's cabin but getting no response at the door, they went inside for shelter and waited for his return.

In the corner, on a crude platform at waist-high level, was a wood-burning stove. It quickly became not only the focus of interest for their half-frozen bodies but the center of their conversation as well.

The psychiatrist explained the stove's unusual position as evidence of psychological problems brought on by isolation. The engineer, on the other hand, saw it as an ingenious form of forced-air heating. The physician surmised the poor fellow had arthritis and found it too painful to bend over to fuel his stove.

When the trapper finally arrived, they could not resist asking about the stove whose warmth had saved them. "Simple," he said. "My stove pipe was too short."

I wasn't along for that hunting trip, but I've been where those guys were that day. I've tried to read someone's mind. I've seen motives that weren't there. I've walked into situations, caught a snippet of what was happening, and made a fool of myself by some badly chosen response. Or I've used a perfectly innocent slip of the tongue as my excuse to take offense. I can be a real jerk at times!

On occasion, the victim has been a stranger. At other times, it was a friend from church or colleague at work. Most often, it has been my wife or child.

Communication is a wonderful thing - when it happens. But there are so many barriers. Each of us brings baggage to every situation. Words can be vague or carry very different nuances for people from different backgrounds. Then there are the prejudices and blind spots all of us have.

Lots of confusion could be eliminated and far more progress made this week by following this simple rule: When something isn't clear, ask. Don't assume. Don't guess. Don't mind-read. Trying swallowing your pride and saying, "I'm not sure I understand. Do you mind explaining that to me?"

This simple strategy could save you embarrassment, time, and money. More important still, it might save one of your life's most important relationships.

Daily Smile:

Happy Monday

A great and noble army of holy women

(J.R. Miller, "Daily Bible Readings in the Life of Christ" 1890)

"And many women were there beholding from afar, who had followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering unto Him" Matthew 27:55

These were the earliest of a great and noble army of holy women--attached to Christ by deep, personal love--following and ministering unto Him. In all the ages since, Christian women have shown similar devotion and constancy to Christ--and similar heroic love in serving Him. The record of women's
ministry to Christ, is one of the brightest in all the world's history!

Women owe an incalculable debt to Christ. He has lifted them up from base thraldom, and from degradation. Women have always been grateful too, and have served Christ with great devotion.

Women are found in every sickroom, bending over the sufferer with unwearying solicitude, with matchless tenderness ministering to bodily comfort, and pouring the warmth of affection upon feverish spirits. They are found in the wards of hospitals, and upon battlefields, moving like God's angels in blessed,  loving ministry.

Faithful Christian mothers are following the Master and doing work which will shine forever in glorious luster!

Faithful Christian Sunday school teachers are doing quiet service in lowly paths--which in God's sight, is nobler than that of many of earth's famous ones!

Everywhere, too, there is an open field for woman's ministry. Christ is no longer here in person to be served--as He was served by these women who followed Him from Galilee; but in His needy and suffering followers--He is ever present; and whoever will, may minister unto Him! For He said that in doing acts
of kindness to the least of His people--we do them unto Him.

Much practical teaching is in this picture, which is here held up before every woman, inspiring her to wholeheartedly follow Christ.

Why do so many young Christian girls choose a life . . .
of idleness,
of love of pleasure,
of aimless, purposeless existence,
of mere dressing, promenading, and trifling--

Daily Smile:

Every Saturday morning Grandpa Walt found himself babysitting his three grandchildren...all boys. The kids always wanted to play ''war,'' and Grandpa somehow always got coaxed into the game.

His daughter came to pick up the kids early one Saturday and witnessed Grandpa take a fake shot as Jason pointed a toy gun and yelled, "Bang!''

Grandpa slumped to the floor and stayed there motionless. The daughter rushed over to see if he was all right. Grandpa opened one eye and whispered, ''Sh-h-h, I always do this. It's the only chance I get to rest.''

 You can Like it or Better yet, become a follower of this blog by going to the section to the right of where this devotional began... I  also have a facebook account located at https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-StarLight-News/125515754156131

Happy Reading... 

Richard

Happy Saturday

Who Me???

And the Lord said, "Go"
And I said, "Who me?"
And He said, "Yes you."
And I said;
"But I'm not ready yet.
And there's company coming.
And I can't leave the kids.
And you know there is no one
to take my place."
And He smiled, "Are you sure?"

And the Lord said, "Go".
And I said, "But I don't want to."
Aaand He smiled, "I didn't ask you if you wanted to."
And I said;
"Listen, I'm not the kind of person to get involved
in controversies.
Besides, my family won't like it and what will my
neighbors think?"

And He smiled, "I know well."

And yet a third time the Lord said "Go."
And I said, "Do I have to?"
And He smiled, Do you love me?"
And I said;
"Look, I'm scared.
People are going to hate me.
And cut me to pieces.
And I can't take it all by myself."
And He smiled, "Where do you think I'll be?"

And the Lord said, "Go."
And I smiled.

HERE I AM, LORD, SEND ME.

Author Unknown

Daily Smile:

       Two old friends met one day after many years. One attended college, and now was very successful. The other had not attended college and never had much ambition.
      
      The successful one said, "How has everything been going with you?"
      
      "Well, one day I opened the Bible at random, and dropped my finger on a word and it was oil. So, I invested in oil, and boy, did the oil wells gush. Then another day I dropped my finger on another word and it was gold. So, I invested in gold and those mines really produced. Now, I'm as rich as Rockefeller."
      
      The successful friend was so impressed that he rushed to his hotel, grabbed a Gideon Bible, flipped it open, and dropped his finger on a page. He opened his eyes and his finger rested on the words, "Chapter Eleven."

Thank Goodness It's Happy Friday

The ‘Wave’ Prayer

"But when he saw the strong wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink. “Save me, Lord!” he shouted." Matthew 14:30, NLT

It’s probably fair to say that our prayer life goes up a notch when we find ourselves in difficult situations. It’s a desperate problem with the human heart that when all is well we tend to forget about God but when things are tough we quickly turn to Him and pray our hearts out.

The verse above is taken from the amazing passage where Jesus walks on the water. He then invites Peter to join him and, incredibly, he walks on the water too. As Peter ventures towards the Lord, however, it’s as if he suddenly has a reality check and is reminded of the natural environment that he is in and the impossibility of the situation. He sees the huge waves coming towards him and begins to panic. This panic didn’t help him at all! It actually caused him to sink into the water and bring about the very thing he was afraid of. It was at that moment that he called out to Jesus, “Save me, Lord!”

This is a ‘wave’ prayer! A prayer that is birthed in fear and panic. A prayer that can’t see a good outcome from a difficult situation. Amazingly, even though this was the kind of prayer uttered by Peter, Jesus still saved him and pulled him out of the water. Having done this, Jesus responds in an interesting way. Had we just walked on water – even for a moment – it would have been nice to hear Jesus say what a great job we had done and how much more faith we had than all those other disciples who were still in the boat looking on with wide eyes! Instead Jesus confronts Peter with the words, “You have so little faith, why did you doubt me?”

In this statement, Jesus is hitting the nail on the head. He wasn’t criticizing Peter or putting him down, He was simply challenging his faith and trust in the Lord – something which is an evidence of a close intimate relationship. The truth is, had Peter kept his faith in Jesus, he could have walked all the way to shore with Him and would have been oblivious to the size of the waves or the sound of the wind. It all would have meant nothing to him. During his evening stroll on the water with his Lord he would have experienced the amazing peace that comes from a heart that is trusting in the character and nature of God to be faithful in all circumstances. His ‘wave’ prayer would not have been necessary because of the insignificance of the waves compared to the loving kindness of the Lord.

It’s worth considering how much our prayer life is made up of ‘wave’ prayers. Prayers of desperation that are born in fear and lack of trust. Today, the Lord is challenging us too, “You have so little faith, why are you doubting me?” Whatever waves are facing you today, no matter how big they are or how ferocious they appear, God is beckoning you to rest in Him and to trust that He is able in ALL circumstances.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, I know the frailty of my own heart and how often I doubt You during the hard times. Please help me today to take my eyes off the waves and to fix them on You – my refuge, my fortress, my place of safety, in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Today's Writer : Andy Taylor

 

Daily Smile:

Two elderly couples were enjoying friendly conversation when one of the men asked the other,” Fred, how was the memory clinic you went to last month?" 

 

 "Outstanding," Fred replied. "They taught us all the latest psychological techniques: visualization, association, etc. It was great." "That's great! And what was the name of the clinic?" 

 

Fred went blank. He thought and thought, but couldn't remember. Then a smile broke across his face and he asked, "What do you call that flower with the long stem and thorns?"

"You mean a rose?"

"Yes, that's it!" He turned to his wife, "Rose, what was the name of that memory clinic?"

 

Yawn... Happy Thursday

When Worry Makes Me Weary

by Renee Swope

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." Matthew 11:28 (NIV)

As we drove home from a weekend in the mountains, I felt a heavy sense of dread and sadness. Laying my head back on my seat, I told my husband, J.J., "I don't want to go home."

After talking through my reasons with him, I realized the stress and strain of countless commitments - at home and work - were taking a toll on me. I just wanted to go back to the mountains where I could rest.

J.J. encouraged me to make a list of everything on my plate and ask God what I needed to cut back. At first I resented his suggestion. It felt like he'd just added one more thing I "needed to do." Yet I knew J.J. was right and eventually I made the list.

Then I asked God to show me where to make changes. Much to my surprise the changes I sensed Him leading me to make weren't in my schedule - they were in me.

God didn't show me I needed to cut back at work or in ministry. He didn't show me our kids were in too many activities. He didn't lead me to take a sabbatical, although I was kind of hoping He would.

Instead, I sensed it was worry - not my workload - that was making me weary.

I thought about the months leading up to this point and realized I'd spent almost as much time thinking and worrying about deadlines as I spent working on them. Some days my concerns about commitments and meeting people's expectations had consumed me.

I had let my mind dwell on the possible outcome of several different decisions - all at the same time - and it left me depleted mentally, emotionally and physically.

Honestly though, until I stopped and talked to God about it, I didn't recognize my mental mayhem as worry.

My mind is wired to think a lot so I'd gotten used to the constant flurry of motion in my brain. Yet anxiety had crept in slowly, causing tangles in my thoughts, a tightening in my chest, and tension in my neck. Some days I couldn't stop thinking about ALL I needed to do.

Instead of going back to the mountains to rest, I sensed God wanted me to find a resting place in His presence right in the middle of my busy life. Through today's key verse from Matthew 11:28, He invited me to come to Him with the worries that were making me weary.

Do you sense Him inviting you to come to Him today?

He promises a place to quiet your thoughts in His presence. "Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, 'He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.'" (Ps. 91:1-2 NIV)

He offers freedom from the captivity of your concerns when you bring them to Him: "'Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. And I will lead you back from captivity.'" (Jeremiah 29:13-14 NIV)

Today, instead of letting our worries make us weary, let's respond to God's invitation and come to Him - asking, seeking and finding a resting place for our restless thoughts.

Dear Lord, when my concerns consume me, help me remember You are there inviting me to come to You and talk about all I'm thinking and doing. Show me if my workload or my worries are making me weary and help me trust You with both. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Daily Smile:

"The car won't start," said a wife to her husband. "I think there's water in the carburetor."

"How do you know?" said the husband scornfully. "You don't even know what the carburetor is."

"I'm telling you," repeated the wife, "I'm sure there's water in the carburetor."

"We'll see," mocked the husband. "Let me check it out. Where's the car?"

"In the swimming pool."

Is It Wednesday Already??? Happy Wednesday

Is Anything Too Hard for God? 

TGIF Today God Is First Volume 1 by Os Hillman

"So Sarah laughed to herself as she thought, 'After I am worn out and my master is old, will I now have this pleasure?'" - Genesis 18:12 

God had promised Abraham and Sarah a son who would be the seed of a whole nation. Sarah was now beyond childbearing years. So when some angels from God paid Abraham and Sarah a visit to inform them that Sarah was going to have a child, she happened to be listening outside the tent and erupted with laughter. The thought seemed preposterous to her. The angels reminded her that nothing is impossible with God. "Is anything too hard for the Lord? I will return to you at the appointed time next year and Sarah will have a son" (Gen. 18:14). Sarah gave birth to Isaac as foretold. 

Recently, I was considering putting on another workplace-leader summit for ministry leaders who minister to those in the workplace. I had been involved in such an event a year earlier. My friend Gunnar Olson, who is the founder of the International Christian Chamber of Commerce of Sweden, had been involved with me in putting on the first event, so I inquired whether he would be willing to participate in the second event. He wrote me an e-mail letter informing me that an international gathering of Christian workplace leaders would be taking place on the island of Cyprus in March and asked if I could postpone my event and instead participate in an event in Cyprus and invite other leaders. My initial response was laughter due to my current financial condition. In fact, I had to go to a map to see just where this place was. 

The following day I received a call from a man I had met only 30 days earlier. We had not discussed this event in March. "What are you doing tomorrow? I would like you to go to the airport with me to pick up a missionary whom I want you to meet. We'd like to propose an idea to you. Can you come?"
"Sure," I said. 

The next day he picked me up and informed me that we were picking up a missionary who was flying in from Cyprus. "We are planning to take 25 workplace believers to Cyprus for an event that Gunnar Olson is involved in and would like you to come and teach your Esau-to-Joseph workshop the day before. We will cover your expenses. Would you be interested in doing this?" Again, I had to laugh as I saw the hand of God orchestrate in such a miraculous way and in such a timely manner to assure me of His involvement in the new directions in my life. 

Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God" (Mark 10:27). 

Are there things that make you laugh when you think of the miracle that would be required for it to take place? Ask God for the miracle you need today.

Daily Smile:

There was a student who was desirous of taking admission for a study course.

He was smart enough to get through the written test, a GD and was to appear for the personal interview. Later, as the interview progressed, the interviewer found this boy to be bright since he could answer all the questions correctly. The interviewer got impatient and decided to corner the boy.

"Tell me your choice;" said he to the boy, "What's your choice: I shall either ask you ten easy questions or ONE real difficult. Think well before you make up your mind."

The boy thought for a while and said, "My choice is ONE real difficult question."

"Well, good luck to you, you have made your own choice!" said the man on the opposite side. Tell me: What comes first, Day or Night?"

The boy was jolted first but he waited for a while and said: "It's the DAY, sir."

"How???????" the interviewer was smiling ("At last, I got you!" he said to himself.)

"Sorry sir, you promised me that you will not ask me a SECOND difficult question!"

Admission for the course was thus secured.
 

Happy Monday & Tuesday

Faith in Times of Sorrow

Genesis 35:18

To every matter there is a bright as well as a dark side. Rachel was overwhelmed with the sorrow of her own travail and death; Jacob, while mourning the loss of his wife, could see the mercy of the child's birth. It is good for us if, while the flesh mourns over trials, our faith triumphs in divine faithfulness. Samson's lion yielded honey, and so will our adversities, if rightly considered. The stormy sea feeds multitudes with its fish; the wild wood blooms with beautiful flowers; the stormy wind sweeps away disease, and the biting frost loosens the soil. Dark clouds distill bright drops, and black earth grows lovely flowers. A vein of good is to be found in every mine of evil. Sad hearts have peculiar skill in discovering the most disadvantageous point of view from which to gaze upon a trial; if there were only one swamp in the world, they would soon be up to their necks in it, and if there were only one lion in the desert they would hear it roar.

About us all there is a tinge of this wretched folly, and we are apt, at times, like Jacob, to cry, "All these things are against me." Faith's way of walking is to cast all care upon the Lord, and then to anticipate good results from the worst calamities. Like Gideon's men, she does not fret over the broken pitcher but rejoices that the lamp shines with even more brilliance. Out of the rough oyster-shell of difficulty she extracts the rare pearl of honor, and from the deep ocean-caves of distress she discovers the priceless coral of experience. When her flood of prosperity ebbs, she finds treasures hidden in the sands; and when her sun of delight goes down, she turns her telescope of hope to the starry promises of heaven. When death itself appears, faith points to the light of resurrection beyond the grave, thus making our dying Ben-oni to be our living Benjamin.

Daily Smile:

Editor's Note:
     A little slow this week... Working on the July '12 Edition of The StarLight News... I should have it posted by Friday... 
Happy Reading...
Richard

Happy Father's Day Happy Sunday

TWO UNSUPPORTABLE ASSUMPTIONS
By late Pastor Win Johnson

In his reading recently, this writer came across the following pungent statement by one of America's foremost Bible teachers of the past generation: "When turning thus to experience it is often recounted that some individual has first been a Christian and then later, become unsaved; but in every such instance, TWO UNSUPPORTABLE ASSUMPTIONS appear. It could not be demonstrated finally that the person named was saved in the first place, nor could it be established that he was unsaved in the second place." We agree wholeheartedly.

Having been raised in an Arminian background, well do we recall hearing of certain individuals who at one time were active in the Lord's work but who had forsaken their former profession and were now unsaved. Their experience was used to warn the rest of us of the danger of losing our salvation. Little did we know in those days of the obvious fact that salvation which can be earned by doing can also be lost by doing, while salvation which is entirely God's doing, man can never undo.

Those who teach a "lose your salvation" doctrine find very few Scriptures which even seem to support their view. Certainly, taking Matthew 24:13 out of it's Tribulation context, cannot be made to teach that salvation in this age depends upon our "enduring." Nor can John 15:2 which speaks of fruitless branches in the vine being "taken away," substantiate the teaching that salvation may be taken from those who are not "fruitful."

On the other hand, the Word of God is crystal clear when it says: "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" (Ephesians 2:8, 9). 

Daily Smile:

Helping your father

A clergyman walking down a country lane and sees a young farmer struggling to load hay back onto a cart after it had fallen off.

"You look hot, my son," said the cleric. "why don't you rest a moment, and I'll give you a hand."

"No thanks," said the young man.

"My father wouldn't like it."

"Don't be silly," the minister said.

"Everyone is entitled to a break. Come and have a drink of water."

Again the young man protested that his father would be upset. Losing his patience, the clergyman said, "Your father must be a real slave driver. Tell me where I can find him and I'll give him a piece of my mind!"

"Well," replied the young farmer, "he's under the load of hay."

Happy Saturday

SOW IN TEARS - REAP IN JOY
By ROBERT E. HANNA, Pastor

"Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution" (II Timothy 3:12). As we labor for God, we shall inevitably suffer. It is our lot as servants in the ministry of His gospel. The Apostle Paul, our instructor and our example, testifies of his own suffering as he "goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed": "Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day have I been in the deep; in journeyings often, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness" (II Corinthians 11:24-27).

However, like the Psalmist, one may well conclude that the sower "shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him." Paul declares, "I will not glory, but in mine infirmities .. .I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake ... " (II Corinthians 12:5b, 10a). To the saints under his ministry, the apostle affirms, "For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing'? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming'? For ye are our glory and joy" (I Thessalonians 2:19, 20). Paul bore his precious seed to the hearers of his gospel, the gospel of the grace of God. And the seed bore fruit to the glory of God. Thus he could boldly declare, "I have finished my course, I have kept the faith" (11 Timothy 4:7b). 




Daily Smile: 
Top Ten Things You'll Never Hear a Dad Say

10. Well, how 'bout that?... I'm lost! Looks like we'll have to stop and ask for directions.

9. You know Pumpkin, now that you're thirteen, you'll be ready for unchaperoned car dates. Won't that be fun?

8. I noticed that all your friends have a certain "up yours" attitude ... I like that.

7. Here's a credit card and the keys to my new car -- GO CRAZY.

6. What do you mean you wanna play football? Figure skating not good enough for you, son?

5. Your Mother and I are going away for the weekend ... you might want to consider throwing a party.

4. Well, I don't know what's wrong with your car. Probably one of those doo-hickey thingies -- you know -- that makes it run or something. Just have it towed to a mechanic and pay whatever he asks.

3. No son of mine is going to live under this roof without an earring -- now quit your belly-aching, and let's go to the mall.

2. Whaddya wanna go and get a job for? I make plenty of money for you to spend.

1. Father's Day? aahh -- don't worry about that -- it's no big deal.
 

Happy Friday

the gift of God

2 Timothy 1:6 Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands.

What or who is “the gift of God” that we can “stir up”? I know that God “gave His only begotten son”. Jesus is a gift of God. The Holy Spirit is a gift in the sense He was sent to help believers. Christians also have talents and abilities that are given, by God, to help in their individual ministries. 
 

In today’s world we need to stir up any and all gifts we might have. The battles Christians face today are varied and intense and they all come from the Devil and his minions.

Christian friends, be ready to be used by the Lord at any time. The key words are “be ready”. We never know when we might be thrust into a battle. This battle can be some temptation or trial we never suspect. I need to “stir up” myself most of the time.

This “gift”, in this verse, could have been a position in a church that had been neglected. 

I can not believe any supernatural gift from God can be bestowed upon a person by the laying on of hands by another person. God is not respectful of persons. He gives to all who is able to receive. What do you think?      

God Bless;

Walter D. Hill D. Min.

Daily Smile:

Three guys from Jersey drove into the same Manhattan office each day via the Lincoln Tunnel. With gas prices rising, they decided to commute together, each one taking a turn driving in. One of them had to drop out though, because his eyes were bothering him. The optometrist told him he had developed carpool tunnel vision.

Happy Thursday

I Choose NOT to be Offended 

Wendy Blight

"A man's wisdom gives him patience; it is to his glory to overlook an offense." Proverbs 19:11
(NIV)

What did she mean by that? Why does she always hurt my feelings? Why does she treat me that way?

I didn't realize these words played through my head on a continual basis until my daughter pointed it out. She ended many of our conversations with, "Why do you get your feelings hurt so easily?" Or, "Mom, you're so sensitive."

At first, her words angered me. But over time, I began to hear what she was saying. For years, I allowed people's words to hurt my feelings. In turn, I harbored anger for those words. The anger took root. Satan fed the words to me over and over again. I re-played them in my mind. Each time the anger grew deeper roots.

Listening to a sermon in church, I would think, "I wish ______ was here. They really need to hear this!" Of course, the sermon by-passed my heart all together. The words of others consumed my thoughts and focus, and stole my time.

About this time, God called me to teach a Bible study on the book of Proverbs. I spent days and weeks absorbed in this amazing book of wisdom. One afternoon, this verse leapt off the page and into my heart, "A man's wisdom gives him patience; it is to his glory to overlook an offense" ( Proverbs 18:11).

I had a choice. Up until now, I heard people's words, jumped to a conclusion, and chose to be offended. But through His Word, God spoke and said, "Wendy, you can choose to look past their words and not receive them with an offended heart."

I discovered that I needed to LISTEN objectively and ask: What is driving their words? Do they have a valid point? Do they have a deep hurt? Do they need something I am not giving? Are they generally just plain mean and negative?

The responsibility was on me to stop the words from entering my heart and taking root. I discovered in this process that I WANTED the approval of others. Yet, God's Word clearly says that He is the only One whose approval I need. When I accepted this, my heart changed.

Yes, it took time, and I am a work in progress. But, now when someone speaks a hurtful word, I check it at the door of my heart. I hear the words, I recognize my issue, and I speak Truth over my heart. I literally say, "It is to my glory to not receive this as an offense."

It is a win-win for everyone because I do not ruin the rest of the day by pouting and making it all about me or soaking in self-pity. And, each time, I sense God is pleased as I honor Him by choosing NOT to be offended.

Heavenly Father, thank You that I am created in Your image. Thank You I find my identity in You. Thank You that it is only Your Word and Your opinion that matter. Lord, give me Your ears to hear. Help me not to be easily offended and easily angered. Help me lay down any offenses to which I am currently holding. Let me live in the freedom of Your love and forgiveness. Help me live not in my flesh, but supernaturally in the fullness and freshness of Your Spirit. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Related Resources: Hidden Joy in a Dark Corner: The Transforming Power of God's Story by Wendy Blight

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."

Happy Wednesday

More Than Lip Service

"Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him." - John 14:21

The commander of any military base in the United States is given a number of privileges reserved for people of his rank and responsibilities. He and his family are provided with comfortable quarters. There are men assigned to drive his car and cut the grass. He has a reserved parking space, and so on.

Now let's say that one morning he and his family are awakened by the sound of every man and woman on base gathered under his bedroom window to sing a declaration of their undying allegiance and love to him. And what if they did this once a week, yet the commander noticed that although they gathered to sing his praises and declare their love, they didn't carry out his orders?

I'm sure he'd say, "Look, it's nice that you've provided me with a special parking space and people to mow the grass. It's wonderful that you meet once a week to wake me up with your songs of devotion. But what I really want is for you to help me carry out the mission of this base by obeying my orders."

That's what Jesus wants from us--a high degree of fidelity to His mission here on earth. Revelation 17:14 says that Jesus Christ is "Lord of lords and King of kings--and with Him will be His called, chosen and faithful followers."

It isn't wrong to build houses of worship that honor God and to gather to sing songs of devotion to Him. But it grieves the heart of God when we do that and then walk out the door and ignore the commission He has given us. Christian, let's make sure that along with our hymns of devotion, we carry out His orders.

Prayer
Lord, by Your power, I want to do more than give You lip service. Help me to carry out the work You've assigned me and gifted me to do. Amen.

Jesus said, "If you love me, you will obey what I command" (John 14:15).

Daily Smile:

"Honey," said this husband to his wife, "I invited a friend home for supper." 

"What? Are you crazy? The house is a mess, I didn't go shopping, all the dishes are dirty, and I don't feel like cooking a fancy meal!" 

"I know all that." 

"Then, why did you invite a friend for supper?"

"Because the poor guy is thinking about getting married."

Happy Tuesday

No Pain, No Gain

Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. - James 1:2-4

I have a friend who says that physical conditioning is simply a matter of how much pain you're willing to endure. And I believe it. But all those people who voluntarily exercise and abstain from hot fudge sundaes are convinced that their ultimate gain is worth their present pain.

I wonder if we have that same attitude toward our life of daily discipleship. Are we willing to endure pain when it comes to growing in our lives as Christians? In Romans 5:2, the apostle Paul wrote, "And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God." But he doesn't stop there. Notice the next words: "Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope." The hope spoken of in Romans 5 is much more than keeping our fingers crossed and wishing for the best. It's a confident, joyful expectation.

While all of us want this God-given hope, very few of us get excited about the process by which it is produced. There is a definite progression here: suffering, when taken in the right spirit, will produce patient endurance. Over a period of time this persistent obedience to God produces character. And out of integrity of spirit emerges hope.

We can't skip over any part of the process. One of the clearest teachings in the New Testament is that God wants His children to grow up to be strong disciples and not remain spiritual babies. He wants us to be mature, godly people with staying power in our walk with Him.

Prayer
Lord, as You shape me into a fit vessel for Your use, help me to realize that the pressure You put on me will make me strong. Amen.

When a clay pot emerges from the fire, it has beauty, strength, and color not possible without the heat.

Daily Smile:

A man at the airline counter tells the rep. “I’d like this bag to go to Berlin, this one to California, and this one to London.

The rep says, “I’m sorry sir. We can’t do that.”

The man replied: Nonsense. That is what you did last time I flew with you.

Happy Monday

GUARDED AND GUIDED By Miles Stanford

"My God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus" (Phil. 4:19).

How difficult it is for the hungry heart to adjust to the Father's pace. He is so deliberate and thorough, while our need is so pressing and paramount. Apart from never being behind time, our Father is an eternity ahead of time! We have but to see in the Word what He has accomplished on our behalf in the Lord Jesus, and then quietly rely upon Him, "according as His divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness" (2 Pet. 1:3).

"God will perfect that which concerneth His own; and even where there are mistakes and failures, as alas! there are in abundance with all of us, the Lord's rich grace abounds over all, and actually takes occasion from our very mistakes to shine out all the more brightly---- though, assuredly, the mistakes and failures must produce their own painful and humiliating results.

"It is the remembrance of this which alone can give calm repose in the midst of the most discouraging circumstances. If we take the eye of faith off God, our souls must soon be overwhelmed. It is our privilege to be able, in our little measure, to thank God in view of everything, and take refuge in His eternal counsels, which must be made good despite all the unbelief of man, and all the malice of Satan." -C.H.M.

"May God give us to increasingly know Him! If we had only to learn what we are, we should surely be cast down, and sink into despondency; but His object in giving us a knowledge of ourselves and of His grace, is to give us an expected end."

"Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life" (Ps. 23:6).

Daily Smile:

Peter was telling a friend that he had just lost his job. “

Why did the foreman fire you?” the friend asked in surprise.

“Oh,” Peter said, “you know how foreman are. They stand around with their hands in their pockets watching everybody else work.”

“We all know that,” replied his friend. “But why did he let you go?”

“Jealousy,” answered Pete. “All the other workers thought I was the foreman.” 

Happy Sunday

"And work with a smile on your face, always keeping in mind that no matter who happens to be giving the orders, you're really serving God." (Eph 6:7) Mirrors Several years ago I noticed something strange: people seemed to be smiling at me more often. During my young adult years people had never smiled at me that much. Most of the people I saw seemed to have grim, tense faces. They would look at me for only a second or avert their eyes altogether. Sometimes they would nod or say "hi" but more often said nothing at all. All that seemed to change, though, as I got older. For some surprising reason people were suddenly greeting me with a warm smile when I passed them. Their eyes seemed to sparkle when they said, "hello" and many times they would even stop to chat happily with me for a few minutes. At first I didn't know what to make of this. Had the whole world suddenly gotten kinder without telling me? Had the hearts and souls of everyone I met suddenly grown more loving and joyful for some reason? Then one day when I was walking alone in a store the answer came to me. I was thinking to myself of how much God loved me and of all the blessings I had been given in this life. At that moment I walked by a display of mirrors and saw that I had the happiest expression on my face. I had been smiling without even knowing it. Then suddenly I realized that I was the one who had changed. I had grown so much in love, joy, and oneness with God. And it was the light shining from my own soul that others were reflecting back to me. We are all mirrors in this life. We all reflect each other's love. We all share each other's light. We all help each other to become the image of God that we were meant to be. May you always mirror every bit of goodness, kindness, and joy that you see in this world. May your own soul always shine bright as well. And may you make your whole life here a reflection of the light of Heaven and the love of God. Joseph J. Mazzella Daily Smile:

Happy Saturday

Swimming With Sharks

"Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, 'He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.'"
Psalm 91:1-2, NIV

Recently our family was enjoying a holiday during a spring break in Florida. We were blessed to find a private spot along the east coast to enjoy the ocean. After spending much of our time jumping the waves and enjoying the sun it was getting time to pack up and go home.

Our youngest daughter, not wanting to leave, asked if I would go back in the water one last time before we left. As we entered into the water this time I felt uneasy and had a sense to pray for protection against sharks and any kind of attack. I wrestled with my thoughts and began to push aside my prayer as silly and fearful. We continued to enjoy ourselves when a man who was fishing next to us yelled over the roar of the ocean to get out! At first we didn’t understand what he was saying until he communicated with his hands SHARK! We ran out of the water to the shore where we were told by many onlookers that two sharks swam about 6ft. away from my daughter and I in-between us and the shore. When asked how big these sharks were, the approximate size was six feet long.

While in a state of shock and relief I immediately remembered I felt led to pray protection about sharks. God was warning me and He protected us. Because the water was murky we had no idea there were sharks swimming with us. But God did.

What a great reminder to listen to the voice of the Lord when He prompts us. Psalm 91 reminds us that if we dwell in the shadow of the Almighty that He will protect us. Dwelling doesn’t happen only in a crisis, but through every moment of our day.

How often in our daily walk with Jesus are we ‘swimming with sharks’? Knowing the voice of our Father is imperative in our relationship with Him so that we can follow His warnings. I’m so glad for this recent reminder that He sees me and that He dwells within me.

Prayer: Father, Thank You that when I dwell in the shadow of the almighty I am invited into a relationship where I can hear Your voice and see Your hand at work in my life. I’m sorry for the times that I doubt Your voice. May my confidence in Your love for me grow as I dwell in You!

Today's Writer : Karen Bandy

 

Daily Smile:

 

 

Happy Friday

THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT ... IS JOY

By IVAN L. BURGENER, Pastor

Scripture Reading: Galatians 5:22

"But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law."

"Joy" is the second of these nine manifestations of the "fruit of the spirit." These are to be virtues characteristic of the believer's life. These are "fruit" of the spirit, but of what "spirit"? Perhaps your translation seems to indicate God's "Holy Spirit" is meant because of the capitalized "S." But many translations, including the 1611 Edition of the King James Version, had no such capital here. And since the Greek language offers no help by any such rules of capitalization, we are left to the internal evidence of the text and the context to determine just what "spirit" is meant.

Help is not far to seek if we notice that the "fruit of the spirit" is in sharp contrast with the "works of the flesh" mentioned in verse 19 above. These sixteen listed works are just the start of a seemingly endless list of manifestations of the flesh, that is the "old Adamic nature." Paul cannot say of these, "against such there is no law"! The Law of Moses clearly condemned them all in its ministry of pointing out sin for what it really was. No wonder "the law was not made for a righteous man .. ,"

Our text clearly contrasts the old and new natures and calls them by the names "flesh" and "spirit" respectively. And while the law clearly condemned the "works of the flesh, that same law had nothing to say about the "fruit of the spirit" or the new nature in which the Galatian believers were to "walk." Thus will joy be one of the spiritual virtues filling our lives as we walk manifesting our new natures, being subject to God and His Word!

Daily Smile:

Martin had just received his brand new driver's license.
The family troops out to the driveway, and climbs in the car, where he is going to take them for a ride for the first time. Dad immediately heads for the back seat, directly behind the newly minted driver.

"I'll bet you're back there to get a change of scenery after all those months of sitting in the front passenger seat teaching me how to drive," says the beaming boy to his father.

"Nope," comes dad's reply, "I'm gonna sit here and kick the back of your seat as you drive, just like you've been doing to me all these years."

  

Spread The Word!!!


The June '12 Edition of The StarLight News can be read on line at 
http://the-starlight-news.blogspot.com/... 
Devotionals, Recipes, Jokes, Full Color Hurricane Map and More... 

Deadline for the July '12 Edition is June 15th... 

Happy Reading

"Spreading GOD'S WORD, One Paper At A Time"

Happy Thursday

THE ONENESS OF PRAYER

By M. Stanford

"And we have an assured confidence that whenever we ask anything in accordance with His will, He listens to us" (1 John 5:14, Wey.).

The Christian life is the expression of the Lord Jesus Christ through the believer to men in the world, and in the church. The prayer life is the expression of the Spirit of Christ through the believer to the Father in Heaven. As there is growth in Christ, there will increasingly be prayer in the Spirit (Rom. 8:26).

"Through the Lord Jesus every true believer is united to God in Heaven by a life-link. We are not praying down here on earth to One who is a long way off in Heaven. We are one with Him there and He is one with us here! The devil is all the time trying to create a sense of distance between us and the Lord: but there is no distance between if we abide in Christ, for no one can be closer to the Father than the Son, and we are in Him!" - T.L.M.

"Efficacious prayer is to the glory of the Father (John 14:13), in the Name of the Son (John 14:14), and in the enabling power of the Holy Spirit (Rom. 8:26, 27). Compliance with these conditions insures that the human will is in agreement with the divine will. Transforming things, mighty indeed, are wrought by prayer, but only such things as comport with the will and purpose of God." - L.S.C.

"If we want our own way we will find that everything is against us; but if we have chosen that God shall be sovereign in our lives then everything is for us."

"And since we know that He listens to us, then whatever we ask, we know that we have the things which we have asked from Him" (1 John 5:15, Wey.).

Daily Smile:

One day, a Mechanical Engineer, Electrical Engineer, Chemical Engineer and Computer Engineer were driving down the street in the same car. All of a sudden, the car broke down. 

The Mechanical Engineer said, "I think a rod broke." 

The Chemical Engineer said, "The way it sputtered at the end, I don't think it's getting gas." 

The Electrical Engineer said, "I think there was a spark and something is wrong with the electrical system." 

All three turned to the computer engineer and said, "What do you think?" 

The Computer Engineer said, "I think we should all get out and get back in."

  

Spread The Word!!!


The June '12 Edition of The StarLight News can be read on line at 
http://the-starlight-news.blogspot.com/... 
Devotionals, Recipes, Jokes, Full Color Hurricane Map and More... 

Deadline for the July '12 Edition is June 15th... 

Happy Reading

"Spreading GOD'S WORD, One Paper At A Time"

Happy Wednesday

UNWARRANTED DISAPPOINTMENT

By Miles Stanford

"Oh, wretched man that I am!" (Rom. 7:24).

The result of, and penalty for, reliance upon the flesh, is Romans Seven. The result of, and reward for, dependence upon the Holy Spirit, is Romans Eight.

"Self-disappointment is a very different thing from self-judgment. Indeed, if there were true self-judgment there would never have to be self-disappointment. If in honesty and sobriety of heart I have judged 'that in me, that is, in my flesh, dwelleth no good thing,' I shall certainly not expect anything from myself, and it has been well said that where there is no expectation there can be no disappointment.

"But I feel sure that many young believers, and I dare say some old ones too, are very familiar with the wretched and depressing experience of self-disappointment. They have made many fresh starts; they have often been stirred up, and have made up their minds to be more for Christ; they have thought, 'I shall do better now; I am more earnest about it than I was before'; but it has all ended in disappointment.

"They have no idea that they are trying to improve themselves; they would repudiate such a thought; they suppose that they know better than to look for good in themselves. And yet their disappointment is the plain proof that, in spite of all their knowledge of Scripture, they have expected to make themselves different, for they are disappointed because they have not succeeded in doing so." --C.A.C.

"The soul that turns back upon itself to learn God's judgment about it, and what His dealings with it are likely to be, is not leaning upon what the Father is - is not standing in grace. Neither our joy nor our peace is dependent on what we are to Him, but on what He is to us - and this is grace." --J.N.D.

"My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from Him" (Ps. 62:5).

Daily Smile:

You Might Be A Redneck If

You trim your beard and find a French fry.

You use a piece of bread as a napkin.

Your birth announcements included the words "rug rat".

Your car alarm eats dog food.

Your car burns more oil than gas.


Your flashlight holds more than four batteries.

Your horse can count higher than you.

  

Spread The Word!!!


The June '12 Edition of The StarLight News can be read on line at 
http://the-starlight-news.blogspot.com/... 
Devotionals, Recipes, Jokes, Full Color Hurricane Map and More... 

Deadline for the July '12 Edition is June 15th... 

Happy Reading

"Spreading GOD'S WORD, One Paper At A Time"

Happy Tuesday

BE, TO DO
By Miles Stanford

"The Spirit of truth takes of what is Mine and will make it known to you" (John 16:15, Wey.).

Fruitful service results from growth, not works. All sharing must be motivated and governed by life: "the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus" (Rom. 8:2).

"The Holy Spirit came to reproduce the Lord Jesus in the lives of men and women. The Church is that or it is nothing; the teaching relates to that, or it has no meaning. Any movement of the Spirit is in that direction, or we have entirely misunderstood. He came to conform us to the image of the Son; everything has to be tested by that.

"All our activities and efforts and energies and expenditures; all our sacrifices, our movements and our teaching: everything that has become a part of 'Christianity' has to be measured by the one rule - is it resulting in the reproduction of the Lord Jesus Christ in the lives of men and women, so that it is demonstrated from heaven that He is as truly here in this world now as ever He was in history?" T.A-S.

"It is a mistake to measure spiritual maturity merely by the presence of gifts. They may be present and they may be valuable, but the Spirit's object is something far greater - to form the Lord Jesus Christ in us through the work of the Cross. It is not merely that a man does certain things or speaks certain words, but that he is a certain kind of man. In the long run it is what we are, and not simply what we say or do - and the difference lies in the formation of the Lord Jesus within."

"The Father first uses the active talents of His servants; then He polishes the other side of the stone, making the passive graces shine - patience, meekness, etc."

"My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you" (Gal. 4:19).

Daily Smile:

To My Loving Wife

A couple from Minneapolis decided to go to Florida for a long weekend to thaw out during one particularly icy winter. Because both had jobs, they had difficulty coordinating their travel schedules. It was decided that the husband would fly to Florida on a Thursday, and his wife would follow him the next day. Upon arriving as planned, the husband checked into the hotel. There he decided to open his laptop and send his wife an e-mail back in Minneapolis. However, he accidentally left off one letter in her address, and sent the e-mail without realizing his error.

In Houston, a widow had just returned from her husband's funeral. He was a minister of many years who had been 'called home to glory' following a heart attack. The widow checked her e-mail, expecting messages from relatives and friends. Upon reading the first message, she fainted and fell to the floor. The widow's son rushed into the room, found his mother on the floor, and saw the computer screen which read:

To: My Loving Wife
From: Your Departed Husband 
Subject: I've Arrived!

I've just arrived and have checked in. I see that everything has been prepared for your arrival tomorrow. Looking forward to seeing you then! Hope your journey is as uneventful as mine was.

(P.S. Sure is hot down here!)
Shelly

  

Spread The Word!!!


The June '12 Edition of The StarLight News can be read on line at 
http://the-starlight-news.blogspot.com/... 
Devotionals, Recipes, Jokes, Full Color Hurricane Map and More...

Happy Reading

"Spreading GOD'S WORD, One Paper At A Time"