Today's Word [Archive]

dutchgirl1

03-26-2008, 09:18 AM

Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God
Matthew 5:8

Purity is not innocence, it is much more. Purity is the outcome of sustained spiritual sympathy with God. We have to grow in purity. The life with God may be right and the inner purity remain unsullied, and yet every now and again the bloom on the outside may be sullied. God does not shield us from this possibility, because in this way we realize the necessity of maintaining the vision by personal purity. If the spiritual bloom of our life with God is getting impaired in the tiniest degree, we must leave off everything and get it put right. Remember that vision depends on character - the pure in heart see God.
God makes us pure by His sovereign grace, but we have something to look after, this bodily life by which we come in contact with other people and with other points of view, it is these that are apt to sully. Not only must the inner sanctuary be kept right with God, but the outer courts as well are to be brought into perfect accord with the purity God gives us by His grace. The spiritual understanding is blurred immediately the outer court is sullied. If we are going to retain personal contact with the Lord Jesus Christ, it will mean there are some things we must scorn to do or to think, some legitimate things we must scorn to touch. A practical way of keeping personal purity unsullied in relation to other people is to say to yourself - That man, that woman, perfect in Christ Jesus! That friend, that relative, perfect in Christ Jesus!

wendy tyler

03-26-2008, 11:13 AM

We would be lost without our Rock too D'gal.

Wendy

I'm His Mom

03-26-2008, 11:16 AM

Amen, Dutchgirl, amen. Thank you, Thank you for the message.

myboysmom

03-26-2008, 01:15 PM

D'Gal, I too would like to say thank you for all your kind words of wisdom, when you bring us the Lord's Words, its always at the right times, this is what I love about this site. Sometimes I feel like I owe someone money, you guys know we would pay a lot of money for this kind of therapy, but then thats the Lord that has bought us all together.

dutchgirl1

03-26-2008, 01:27 PM

myboysmom... no thanks are necessary. I just want to share the Lord's Words. I just try to do my part in this piece of pie called life. :)

I know how important it is to start your day on the Word. the days I miss, those are hard days for me, so I always try to start the day right.

dutchgirl1

03-27-2008, 08:25 AM

Amazing things happen when we do what Jesus asks us to do! So what is Jesus asking you to do today? What is hindering you from obeying him?

O God, my Abba Father, please give me the courage and the strength to obey what Jesus has asked me to do. Please use my obedience to bring you glory and to bring others to know Jesus' saving love. In his name I pray. Amen.

Growth in grace is measured not by the fact that you have not gone back, but that you have an in sight into where you are spiritually; you have heard God say "Come up higher," not to you personally, but to the insight of your character. "Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do?" God has to hide from us what He does until by personal character we get to the place where He can reveal it.

Dear Father, who drives away all the darkness,
Keep me from passing judgment before the proper time, before the Lord comes, for he will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of every person's heart, including mine. And so everyone will receive appropriate commendation from you. Let me be concerned about "this day" and "that day." Let me do my best to serve you "this day" - today, that I may stand before you on "that day" - your day of reckoning 1Corinthians 4:5

MotherJ

03-27-2008, 11:40 AM

Thanks, D'gal. I either send a prayer or scripture with each letter to Jordan and this is a good posting for me to use today.

dutchgirl1

03-27-2008, 01:14 PM

glad it is helpful.

be Blessed.

dutchgirl1

03-28-2008, 09:06 AM

Matthew 5:44 "But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.
hmm hard words.
I had planned to do something else, but as I drove to work this morning, I believe the Lord laid this one on me to do instead. for many of us, these are tough issues. I mean, all of us here on this forum, we have issues w/ the courts, the docs, etc. a lot of anger. but Christ commands us to pray for our enemies. even if we don't want to. my first enemy to pray for was/is my ex - the man who destroyed my sons life to prison by his abuse in davids early years. but judgement is up to God and God alone.
So, with prayer, maybe that is where prison reform will start. As we pray for the guards and their treatment of prisoners, on up to the courts. As we pray, in His time, their hearts will be softened and changes will occur, maybe slowly in our eyes, but most assuradly this will take place. If God has mercy on us, should we not also pray for mercy for those we don't like.?

justadeb

03-28-2008, 09:27 AM

very fitting dutchgal,
i am trying to teach my son this.... told my son last night, please do not hold anger against the kid who hurt you..hurt for him because he dose not realize it is himself.... he has hurt more then you.

MotherJ

03-28-2008, 12:34 PM

Again, thanks D'gal for the Word for Today. It's in the mail to my son.

dutchgirl1

03-28-2008, 01:36 PM

we have been talking here about how we depend on each other. when one does not know what to say, perphaps another says just what is needed. so that made me think of this scripture. I have said myself something similar I think.

Ephesians 4:4-26 key verses..14-26

14For in fact the body is not one member but many.
15 (http://www.searchgodsword.org/desk/?query=1co+12:15&sr=1&t=nkj)If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body," is it therefore not of the body? 16 (http://www.searchgodsword.org/desk/?query=1co+12:16&sr=1&t=nkj)And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body," is it therefore not of the body? 17 (http://www.searchgodsword.org/desk/?query=1co+12:17&sr=1&t=nkj)If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling? 18 (http://www.searchgodsword.org/desk/?query=1co+12:18&sr=1&t=nkj)But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased. 19 (http://www.searchgodsword.org/desk/?query=1co+12:19&sr=1&t=nkj)And if they were all one member, where would the body be?
20 (http://www.searchgodsword.org/desk/?query=1co+12:20&sr=1&t=nkj)But now indeed there are many members, yet one body. 21 (http://www.searchgodsword.org/desk/?query=1co+12:21&sr=1&t=nkj)And the eye cannot say to the hand, "I have no need of you"; nor again the head to the feet, "I have no need of you." 22 (http://www.searchgodsword.org/desk/?query=1co+12:22&sr=1&t=nkj)No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary. 23 (http://www.searchgodsword.org/desk/?query=1co+12:23&sr=1&t=nkj)And those members of the body which we think to be less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor; and our unpresentable parts have greater modesty, 24 (http://www.searchgodsword.org/desk/?query=1co+12:24&sr=1&t=nkj)but our presentable parts have no need. But God composed the body, having given greater honor to that part which lacks it, 25 (http://www.searchgodsword.org/desk/?query=1co+12:25&sr=1&t=nkj)that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. 26 (http://www.searchgodsword.org/desk/?query=1co+12:26&sr=1&t=nkj)And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.

MotherJ

03-28-2008, 02:49 PM

When I grow up I want to be just like you D'gal. :)

ViCharliesMom

03-29-2008, 12:30 AM

Many times when I pray I wonder is what I'm saying to God what I should be praying for? I know that God hears all prayers and He knows what is in our hearts so I figure as long and I am praying from my heart He is hearing me and understands what I'm trying to say even if the words aren't the right ones. Glod Bless each of You!

perque

03-29-2008, 12:35 AM

Its true, and we must accept His answer, be it yay or nay. Don't think He hasn't answered because we don't see things go as we think they should...and sometimes the answer is wait

dutchgirl1

03-29-2008, 08:38 AM

Well it is early and I haven't even had my coffee yet, and must get busy, but I wondered what today Lord? I think perque, you gave me todays scripture...

Behold, the Lord God will come with strong hand and His arm shall rule for Him:behold, His reward is with Him, and His work before Him. Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary ? there is no searching of His understanding. He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might He increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall; But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. Isaiah 40:10,28-31

so I guess even like the man in Jesus parable about continuing to ask seek and knock, we continue always seeking Him in prayer. His time is perfect and He will answer, and as perque says sometimes it is no sometimes it is wait. sometimes He answers what is best, not always what we think it should be. man is vain and selfish but God always knows what is best for us. hmm sounds just like a parent doesn't He. :)
isn't that how we were with our kids when they were young and wanted to eat candy before dinner ? not now, dear, mommy knows best.
But the great thing is He does know best for each of His children.
God Bless and have a great day.

jancy

03-29-2008, 02:50 PM

Vi, the Bible says something like that we dont even know what we should pray for but the Holy Spirit speaks for us with groanings.

MotherJ

03-29-2008, 09:04 PM

So whenever we are in need,
we should come bravely
before the throne of our merciful God.
There we will be treated with undeserved kindness,
and we will find help.

Hebrews 4:16

davidsmominva

03-30-2008, 06:07 AM

Thank you ladies for sharing. Mother J. I love that one. We do not always deserve kindness, we search for it, we are disappointed when one is not kind to us. Yet, if we go boldly and bravely to our Father He gives us underserved kindness and help. Too cool and very true.
I have a intense few days. I am going to share as I need prayer. My patient's family came from different parts of the country yesterday for one day. They had a "meeting". I put on a luncheon for them. It looked like a banquet in heaven. Yup I can be talented. Anyways...... this family is very wealthy. However, I have found those that have it, hold on to it. I am the least materlistic person. I learned the hard way money doesnot bring happiness.

The meeting went well until I gave them my new contract asking for more money. They could not get out of this house fast enough. I was left with that fear again. I had to remind myself that the Lord does not want us to be treated poorly or taken advantage of. What ever happens I have the complete confidence my next patient is already ahead for me.

Also my brillant daughter Sarah is 17. She has worked so very hard for the past four years in high school. She has taken mostly advanced courses so she could get into the college of her choice. Well..... Sarah has been accepted to Boston University. I don't want her to go, its so far. Its not about what I want its about what Sarah wants.

Too make a long story short. My former husband gambles for a living. Yup you got it. He is a "professional poker player". He is a "joy stealer". Sarah was not excited when she told me the news, she was scared . She won $32,000 in scholarships.... and yet my former husband has her terrified about the remaining $15,000.

I am so sad for Sarah but determined to give her back her joy. Sarah is a stong christian girl who is surrounded by darkness and is attacked daily by demons.

Finally, I have mentioned before my son David is too call on Weds. and Sats. No call Weds. no call Sat. Of course I called the prison. My heart hurts.

Even if ya'll do not post to this. Please keep Sarah in prayer. I should have posted in the prayer forum but got sidetracked with ya'll's scriptures verses.

Thanks. Love, Jill

wendy tyler

03-30-2008, 02:50 PM

I'm certainly praying for Sarah, Jill. My younger, only sibling, was named Sarah, my locked up son, David. We should take a poll of how many Davids we have in there. I haven't heard from my David either, his prison has been on lock down since a week ago Thursday. Sundays are usually his day to call. I'm pretty sure I won't be getting one today.

Wendy

davidsmominva

03-31-2008, 05:26 AM

Good Morning Wendy,

Its a new day. I am so sorry to hear your son is on lockdown. That is scary.

David called yesterday. He did not want to hear what I had to say. I feel this boy has been coddled and spoiled for 2 yrs. Even to the point the co's call him Prince of ________ because of the visits, packages etc...

We have 376 days left.... now its time for tough love and to reprogram him. We all need David to be at his bestest. He has been showered in love and needs to be in a place he can give it back. David has always been the one to hold this family together. We all fell apart when he went in.... now its time to heal.

Romans 12:21
Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

dutchgirl1

03-31-2008, 08:13 AM

Good Morning all. sorry I didn't put anything on here yesterday. I usually turn puter on in mornings while we have coffee and get ready for church. but we got up late, so time was tight.
so, here is what I thought I would share with you today....

Faith is an amazing thing! Jesus said that a mustard seed sized faith could move a mountain. It moved more than that for this woman. All she had was a "hem of the garment" sized faith, but it was more than enough. If you struggle with believing, remember, a little faith is a great start. Now act on it. Don't let it sit there and wither, but reach for the "hem of the garment" and begin there. God will grow it as you go!

Father God, please help the following people that I know are struggling with fully believing in Jesus ... Please, dear God, use me and others in your family of faith to encourage them to step out on what faith they do have and let you grow it from there. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen

dutchgirl1

03-31-2008, 08:14 AM

Jill, praying for you for the Lord to open His storehouse of blessings. and praying for David too.

wendy tyler

03-31-2008, 11:16 AM

I'm saying special prayers today for some of our new moms. Those first days of coming here are so frightening. Lord please give us all the strength we need to do your bidding, and may we help our sisters see the light you have shone our way so many times.

Wendy

ViCharliesMom

03-31-2008, 11:29 AM

There are quit a few new ones coming in each day here. I to pray for each one of you that are new and old that God may lift your spirits today and bring a smile to your face. That He will take care of our sons and daughters and keep them safe! In Jesus Name AMEN!

dutchgirl1

04-01-2008, 08:41 AM

Good Morning :)

Casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. 1 Peter 5:7

I have heard that the French translation of this phrase is "unload your distresses upon God. Have you ever seen a dump truck get rid of its load ? the driver just pushes a botton or pulls a lever and the heavy load is 'let loose' at the prescribed spot. The truck would be no use if it continued to carry its burden forever.
We were never meant to be crushed under the weight of care. We can push the button of faith or pull the lever of trust, and our burden is 'let loose' upon the shoulder of Him who said He would gladly bear it. Unload the anxieties of the present moment upon Him, for He cares for you. If He loved you enough to take away the burden of your sins, can't you trust Him to take away every lesser burden as well ?
(billy graham 'hope for each day')
so what does this mean ? to me it means that there is no reason to continue carrying all my stress each day. I can lay it @ the cross and He will take care of it. yes, I continue to hurt and care and worry some about different things, but I guess the difference would be like carrying a small backpack compared to trying to carry a huge heavy suitcase.

Have a Blessed Day

davidsmominva

04-01-2008, 09:06 AM

Thank you D/G what a confirmation! I have been running around trying to put out 1000 fires. The Lord has been speaking let it go. He already died on the cross for our burdens, diseases etc.

Thanks for sharing this morning

dutchgirl1

04-01-2008, 09:54 AM

don't thank me, whatever I try to share, hopefully is from Him. sometimes if I don't get a confirmation from my devotions, I do add my own scriptures, etc. but most times, everything comes from Him. He always seems to know just what we need and when we need it. I guess it is just a matter of what do we do w/it when we get it.

have a Blessed Day my friend. all my friends.

ViCharliesMom

04-01-2008, 11:22 AM

dutchgirl1

04-02-2008, 08:21 AM

When all seems lost, Jesus says, "Just trust me." In the darkest night, Jesus says, "Just trust me." While most of us know these words and find them easy to believe in church services when things are going well, they are often much tougher to believe when we find circumstances similar to what Jairus was facing. Fear paralyzes us! Fear controls our thoughts! Fear steals away our faith! So Jesus says, "Don't be afraid. Just trust me!" May God give us the strength to do just that when we face fearful times.
How many times have I looked at circumstances and felt there is no hope out of this. especially with my son in prison, the many times I cried out to the Lord, "why ?" His answer.. Trust Me. and peace abounds. the great thing too is, even when we are a bouncing ball, trust - worry trust - anxiety on & on, He is still there Faithful to do what He has promised.

O God, my Abba Father, please help me to trust Jesus and not listen to my fear. I especially need this gracious gift from you when I am struggling with the possible illness and death of a loved one. Come near and fill me, O Holy Spirit. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

davidsmominva

04-02-2008, 11:16 AM

Amen D/C..... I am demand not to let fear get in the way of my life or my children's life. When we think about it, that is where anxiety comes from. So right on..... letting go of the fear and trusting God to move in place of it. I need to get out of God's way. I can only do that if I release my fear and allow and TRUST God to move. He always does.

Here's praying we all get out of God's way. Where there is fear, worry, anxiety and even sadness, may we release it to our Father's hands, and then trust Him to move. Thank you Lord. Let the peace of the Holy Spirit be administered and pour out on all on this site this day. Let healing come through releasing of all fear . Send more of your love, send more of your joy Father I pray . In Jesus name, Amen

dutchgirl1

04-02-2008, 11:22 AM

thank you Jill, I agree.. we all need to GET OUT OF GODS WAY. and let Him work. thank you for that prayer also. :)

ViCharliesMom

04-02-2008, 10:42 PM

Here's praying we all get out of God's way. Where there is fear, worry, anxiety and even sadness, distrust, hate, and all the emotions any of us may be feeling, may we release it to our Father's hands, and then trust Him to move. Thank you Lord. Let the peace of the Holy Spirit be administered and pour out on all on this site this day. Let healing come through releasing of all fear . Send more of your love, send more of your joy Father I pray . In Jesus name, Amen

moma k

04-03-2008, 12:03 AM

Amen Dgal,amen,,im Staying Out Of His Way,,but Im Right There First Hand To See The Outcome,cause Its Going To Be Glorious,

jeffsue1999

04-03-2008, 12:14 AM

Dutchgirl you are always so postive and I think that is your belief in God that allows you to be that way. My son told my parents in his letter to them to have them ask our priest to send him a bible. They have been searching for his bible from 8th grade graduation, but his downfall is disorganization. I think they will just have to get another so he can get it soon. He had a daily prayer book in county, but finished it just before he went from county to DOC and they wouldn't let him take anything anyway. I believe that he does so well because he has always had a very strong faith. Foot prints in the sand.:thumbsup:

dutchgirl1

04-03-2008, 08:20 AM

jeffsue, if you contact Doug @ Innocent Project, (oops they did change the name but I don't have it on me today) he can get Bibles sent to prisoners. or if you want post me his info and I will relay it to Doug. unless you want a specific Bible - don't knnow what Doug has available. He just told me to let people know he has Bibles available to send out to prisoners.

dutchgirl1

04-03-2008, 08:32 AM

Make me go in the path of thy commandments; for therein do I delight. psalm 119:35

Have you ever been out walking, maybe in the woods, and come across two different paths ? do we take the one that looks well traversed or choose "the one less traveled" ? we may ponder what may have happened if we had veered down the road not taken, but ultimately, it's the road taken that molds us into the people we turn out to be - for better or for worse. How blessed we are when we choose the path that leads to God.
just as a footpath through the woods winds its way past jutting roots and low branches, it is the narrow way that leads to God and sometimes, full of obstacles. Someday maybe we will be able to look back and rejoice over the road not taken.

We face choices today that may have lifelong results. With God's help, we can choose the way that leads to life - and Him.

ViCharliesMom

04-03-2008, 02:32 PM

I pray that we will each hear what path God is telling us to take. That seems to be one of my hardest things is hearing what God is trying to tell me to do or where to go. So I pray for each of us to hear what God is telling us. In Jesus name Amen

dutchgirl1

04-03-2008, 03:40 PM

hi vi. I think it is a matter of being still and listening for His small voice. and being aware of things happening around us - noticing when a door opens/closes. it is one of my hardest things to do to. my hubby is a pro at hearing His voice and knowing what He wants him to do, where to go.
it is terrible sometimes, he will tell me something, and if it isn't what I am hoping for, I think... naw it is my hubbys own idea. but I am learning to trust that He is directing our paths.

moma k

04-04-2008, 12:09 AM

thats my sentiments exactly dgal,,I HAVE GOT TO START LISTENING WHEN HE TALKS

davidsmominva

04-04-2008, 06:26 AM

http://bible.cc/clearrectangle.gif

Thanks D/C once again right on it. I have taught my children all their lives its about choices. I have made so many wrong ones, I guess I just want their lives to be easier.

I have been running around all week trying to "fix" my kids problems. Needless to say I have run into brick walls.

I have to get out of God's way.
I have to do less and listen more

Oh this Mama needs help.

Deuteronomy 30:19
"I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. So choose life in order that you may live, you and your descendants,

dutchgirl1

04-04-2008, 09:18 AM

Good Morning all. The Sun Still Shines.

They looked... and behold the glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud. exodus 16:10

Without the clouds we wouldn't be shielded from the burning sun. w/o the clouds there would be lavish sunsets, no beneficial rain, no beautiful landscapes. The same is true with life's clouds. when hard times come, we easily get discouraged. but hehind the clouds, God is still present and can even use them to water our souls with unexpected blessings.
poet Longfellow once wrote, "Be still, sad heart, and cease repining; behind the clouds is the sun still shining."
As God's people wandered in the wilderness, He told them.."Behold I come to you in the thick cloud"
Each of us experiences clouds in life - sometimes slight, but sometimes dark and frightening. *like us here @ this forum, for some of us the things we are going thru are slight, but for others, it seems to be a vicious and dark storm.*
Whatever clouds you face today, ask Jesus, the Light of the world, to help you look behind the cloud to see His glory and His plans for you.
(from Hope for Each Day/billy graham.) *are mine*

my husband wrote this for me when I was having a hard time in the beginning of Davids incarceration...

IN THE STORM

When the storm comes,
do not take down the sail.
But add all the sail you have
and fly with the storm, into
the arms of Jesus.
The storm is a girft,
testing and proving
Love and Faith,
making stronger the resolve
of the heart.

moma k

04-04-2008, 11:44 PM

amen

dutchgirl1

04-05-2008, 03:24 PM

jill, when I click on that link... just a blank page comes up.

dutchgirl1

04-09-2008, 08:34 AM

Morning all. :) sorry I have been lax in doing this. what do I have for today ? hmm. how about a bit of encouragement ? I know I can always use that.

Your future is full of....

JOY because God has a plan for you. "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord.. "plans to give you Hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11

PEACE because God will be with you wherever you go. "I am with you always." Matthew 28:20

HOPE because God is working on your behalf. "All things work together for good to those that love Him. " Romans 8:28

LOVE because God deeply loves you. "How wide and long and deep and high is the love of Christ" Ephesians 3:18

STRENGTH because God gives you everything you need. "I can do all things through Him who gives me strength. " Philippians 4:13

CONFIDENCE because God made you who you are. "God saw all that He had made, and it was very good." Genesis 1:31
"..... I am fearfully and wonderfully made...." Psalm 139:14

COURAGE because God can do more than you can imagine ! "With God all things are possible" Matthew 19:26

be blessed today my dears.

Ovietor

04-09-2008, 08:39 AM

D'Gal, you seem to know just what I need. Always seems like you are talking directly to me. Thanks.

reggie42

04-09-2008, 10:09 AM

Very nice D'Gal thank you. Finally got my Bibles and some other books to study and haven't even done it. Sigh. Pray I don't lose sight now.

Ovietor

04-09-2008, 10:13 AM

Reg, did you get some kind of study guide thing?

reggie42

04-09-2008, 10:19 AM

yea, I got a NKJ, a book called The handbook of Bible Application, and some daily devotionals.........and a cross for my house. :)
Can't wait to go back, so many things I want in that store! Just been faulting in my faith some. I know, not like me, but I am weary and find myself lacking the enthusiasm I once had. :(

dutchgirl1

04-09-2008, 10:30 AM

reggie, dont fret, we all need refreshing now and again in our faith. we are battle scared and we do get weary. that is when we depend on His strength to carry us through. like the Footsteps saying...:)

O thank you but not me. always it (hopefully) is a word from the Lord. never I. I am only His obedient (hopefully - though sometimes amiss servent)

justadeb

04-09-2008, 06:29 PM

And those who know your name put their trust in you,
for you, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek you.
psalm9:10

dutchgirl1

04-09-2008, 07:07 PM

amen justadeb. amen

eeniaLorr

04-09-2008, 08:11 PM

Good evening,

I am always blessed when I read what you all have written here. I placed my husband parole letters on the page of this particular scripture.

Isaiah 42: 6-9

(http://bible.cc/isaiah/42-6.htm)6 (http://bible.cc/isaiah/42-6.htm) I the LORD have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles;
(http://bible.cc/isaiah/42-6.htm)7 (http://bible.cc/isaiah/42-7.htm) To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house.
(http://bible.cc/isaiah/42-6.htm)8 (http://bible.cc/isaiah/42-8.htm) I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images. (http://bible.cc/isaiah/42-6.htm)9 (http://bible.cc/isaiah/42-9.htm) Behold, the former things are come to pass, and new things do I declare: before they spring forth I tell you of them.
(http://bible.cc/isaiah/42-6.htm)
May God continue to bless and keep you all.

Cyn

dutchgirl1

04-10-2008, 06:15 AM

dont you just love Isaiah ? there is a verse in Psalms too about hearing the cry of the prisoner - this isnt it, but have to locate it.. but close to it... Psalm 146:8

davidsmominva

04-10-2008, 07:00 AM

Once again I am battling my ex. I have to turn this over to God. Get out of God's way and He will move.

Lord you have been watching. Do not keep quiet
Lord , do not leave me alone
Wake up! Come and defend me!
My God and Lord, fight for me!
Lord my God, defend me with your justice.
Don't let them laugh at me
Don't let them think, "Aha: We got what we wanted.
Don't let them say,"We destroyed her"
Let them be ashamed and embarrassed
because they were happy when I hurt.
Cover them with shame and disgrace,
because they thought they were better than I was.
May my friends sing and shout for joy.
May they always say, "Praise the greatness of the Lord,
who loves to see his servants do well
I will tell of your goodness
and will praise you every day. Psalm 35:22-28

dutchgirl1

04-10-2008, 08:23 AM

Jill, I am sorry to hear of your continueing battle w/ your ex. but you are right, when we give it to the Lord, and step aside, He can work in us, through us, for us. Have faith that this trial is also part of His plan, for whatever reason only He knows. maybe to strengthen you, or bring salvation to your ex... or ?
am keeping you in prayer my dear.

and loved your scripture. :)

dutchgirl1

04-10-2008, 08:31 AM

The story is told of a man who had been living a terrible burden of guilt for many years. He had done something reprehensible which no one else knew about and he was convinced that he was beyond all hope of forgiveness. Finally, he met a woman who was something of a mystic. She claimed to have visions in which Christ appeared and spoke to her. Seeking to test her claim, the man said to her, "You say that you are able to speak directly with Christ in your visions. I have a secret which no one else on earth knows. The next time you are in conversation with Christ please ask Him what sin I committed years ago that destroyed my peace of soul." The mystic said that she would gladly ask Christ the question. Several days later, the two met as agreed. Immediately the man asked: "Did you visit with Christ in a vision?" "Yes." "And did you ask Him what terrible sin I committed years ago?" "Yes." "Tell me quickly, what did Christ say?" "He said, 'I don't remember.'"

that is our Lord. He says that He will remember our sins no more. as far as the east is from the west, etc etc.
we are clean in His site. washed new - even when we fall and get a mite dirty - He just takes the Blood of Jesus and cleans us up. kinda like taking the garden hose to the car.

dutchgirl1

04-11-2008, 10:14 AM

O Lord, how long will you forget me? Forever? How long will you look the other way?
How long must I struggle with anguish in my soul, with sorrow in my heart every day?
How long will my enemy have the upper hand?
Turn and answer me, O Lord my God! Restore the sparkle to my eyes, or I will die.
Don't let my enemies gloat, saying, 'We have defeated him!' Don't let them rejoice at my downfall. (Psalm 13:1-4 (http://www.searchgodsword.org/desk/?sr=1&t=erv&query=Psalm+13%3A1-4) NLT)

Do these words from David ring true for you today?

Are you feeling forgotten by God? Do you find yourself wondering where He is while you are in the midst of battle and struggle and hurt and disappointment? Are you wishing God would do something to help, but not sure your prayers are getting through?
That's apparently what David was feeling. Alone. Forgotten. Ignored. Weak. Almost defeated. Constantly hassled by his enemies.
Those are not uncommon feelings, even for the strong of faith. Sometimes life is like that. We experience attacks from all sides, and it seems that trouble and distress is around every corner. During those days of anxiety and sorrow, it is easy to fall into the trap of believing that it will always be this way. We settle into the mindset that life will never get any better. When these times continue for long periods there is the potential to lose hope.
Those are dangerous times. Those are times when we must consider our steps very carefully and wisely. Nothing would please our enemy more than for us to lose hope, to give up, to accept defeat, and to lose the joy found in the Lord. Like David, you may be almost there. If so, do what David did.

That's the power of our faith!In verse 4, David is dreading how his enemies will gloat and rejoice over his defeat. Then, suddenly, as the psalmist often does in the Psalms, the tone changes. He looks above his fears and throws himself into the arms of the Lord. But I trust in your unfailing love.
I will rejoice because you have rescued me. I will sing to the Lord because he is good to me. (Psalm 13:5-6 (http://www.searchgodsword.org/desk/?sr=1&t=erv&query=Psalm+13%3A5-6))

We must do the same. When we sink low into the despair and hopelessness of what seems certain defeat, we must look up to the Lord and say: But I trust in your unfailing love. I will rejoice because you have rescued me. I will sing to the Lord because he is good to me.
That's the power of our faith. That's a test of our faith. That's what can happen when we draw near to God. If we bring it all to Him and leave it there, through His grace and mercy He will enable us to sing again. He will rescue us.
Here's another version of David's prayer: Lord, my life is hard right now. Nothing is turning out like I thought it would. Instead of victory, I'm experiencing defeat on every side. It seems like the Enemy is winning all the battles. I feel like a loser and I feel like my enemies see me as a loser. I'm not sure how long I can go on like this. Sometimes, when it gets really bad, I become afraid. I feel like You have left me here all alone. But, I know that's not true, because I trust You. I know You will never leave me. And I believe that one day I will again sing and rejoice because You are good to me. I trust in Your unfailing love.

(taken from heartlight article)

justadeb

04-11-2008, 10:41 AM

thank you dutch girl oh so fitting for me today.my name was placed in the local news paper . i am feeling a bit defeated.my dignity not so intact..guilty befor proven innocent..

dutchgirl1

04-11-2008, 11:17 AM

justadeb... that seems to be the way it has changed. from innocent until proven guilty to guilty. a lot of times not even given the opportunity to prove innocence.

Lord bless you today

reggie42

04-11-2008, 02:09 PM

a good site I found.........

http://www.fathershands.com/

BlessTheInmates

04-13-2008, 09:34 AM

Thank you so much Dutchgirl. We shall overcome, we shall overcome.

dutchgirl1

04-14-2008, 08:54 AM

GOD'S STRENGTH IS ENOUGH

Powerful is your arm! Strong is your hand! Your right hand is lifted high in glorious strength. psalm 89:13

To small children, we adults must look like giants. We tower over them and stoop a long way down to pick them up in our arms. In the instant we do, our intimidating strength blurs into a single gesture of tenderness. my hubby is intimidating in size. he is 6'4" 'a griz' of a man. but the most tenderhearted man I have ever known. years ago, children, especially babies, would have a fit if he got too close. but after coming to the Lord, slowly that changed till this day he is like a magnet for kids.
Sometimes, that is how we see God - vast and mighty and towering in strength, high above us. But the moment He folds us into His arms, we remember that He is, after all, our Daddy.

When we grow weak and afraid, the image of God's strong arms brings a fresh reminder of His nearness. The Lord is quick to save His children when we call on Him, and He promises to keep us in the palm of His hand. There, safe in the grasp of the Almighty, our Dad, we find the courage and strength to do whatever He asks of us.

God delights to show His might power at work in our life. When we trust in His strength, amazing things happen.

xtra verse... psalms 136:12-13

dutchgirl1

04-15-2008, 08:17 AM

A father and son are walking together along the beach. The little boy keeps picking up pebbles of various sizes, shapes, and colors, stuffing them into the pockets of his jeans. After a time, the boy asks his father to carry him. By this time, with many rocks, pebbles, and stones in his jeans, the boy is too heavy for the father's arms. "Son, I am willing to carry you, but first you must take all the pebbles, stones and rocks out of your pockets." Symbolically, this human father represents the Heavenly Father, the Creative Intelligence of the Universe. You and I are that child. We have picked up stones of doubt, rocks of fear, pebbles of resentment. We have placed them in the pockets of our consciousness-and they weigh us down. Then in our pain, our weariness, our despair, we turn to the Father within and we cry out, "Help me!" We shout for help to make it through the night or the day. The Father within us says, "Put down the rocks, My child. I want to carry you through this, but there are too many stones of fear and resentment and disbelief. I will carry you when you take them out of the pockets of your consciousness. Then the burden will be light!" -(Costa, T., "Life! You Wanna Make Something Of It?" (Adapted).

davidsmominva

04-17-2008, 06:54 AM

"......whoever believes in him shall not perish..." John 3:16

Whoever makes it clear; God exports his grace worldwide. For those who attempt to restrict it, Jesus has a word, Whoever.

Whoever acknowledges me before me, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heave. Matthew 10:32

Whoever does God's will is my brother and sister and mother. Mark 3:35

Whoever come to me I will never drive away. John 6:37

Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life. Revelation 22:17

We lose much in life- sobriety, solvency, and sanity. We lose jobs, and chances, freedom and dreams. We lose much, but we never lose our place on God's "Whoever" list.

Whoever- God's wonderful word of welcome.

By; Max Lucado

dutchgirl1

04-17-2008, 08:28 AM

dutchgirl1

04-18-2008, 08:21 AM

today on my way in to work, I was listening to John McArthur of Grace to You. He has been talking about the Prodigal Son. today was the last of that and he was sharing about how at the end when the son comes home, the father RAN to his son. now that doesn't sound like much but as McArthur explained, mid-eastern nobleman back then did not run, and it was against their 'culture' to show thier legs. you know all them rules n regulations about doing nothing on the Sabbath. so this father had to lift his robes to be able to run to his son and gather him into his arms again. He had to sacrifice pride, endure shame by running and showing his legs. but he loved his son enough to do that. Isn't that what God has done for us ? thru Christ.
again, here is that Benny Hester song... maybe hear it in a different way this time....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aWnbXPYUxFY

part 2. All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. Isaiah 53:6

so, doesn't that make us all prodigal sons and daughters ? when you read the story about the prodigal son and his fathers response to his return....
How like God. Can't you just see the Lord, so overjoyed when one of His children come home, no matter the filthy rags we wear, the caked mud, the smell. He gathers us to Himself and enfolds His arms around us, holding us close, and takes His robe sleeves, and wipes our eyes - maybe cleans our face a bit, and He says... Dear Child, don't you know how much I love you. welcome home. they say that when a child of God either first comes into the fold, or one who returns back, the angels rejoice. can't you just hear them singing......

Lord, thank you for your unwavering, unconditional love for us, your children. No matter if we stumble, or stray from your path, You are there, waiting to welcome us home. Lord you are so awesome. There is none like You. King of King, Lord of Lords, Almighty God. Praise You Lord.
amen

sonyarod

04-18-2008, 09:45 AM

D'gal I am waiting patiently for my prodigal son...that will be a great day of rejoicing.

dutchgirl1

04-18-2008, 10:57 AM

D'gal I am waiting patiently for my prodigal son...that will be a great day of rejoicing.

yeah I hear that. out of 5 kids.... lets see, my prison boy is now walking w/ the Lord, my oldest daughter is, one daughter *who sings gospel* is struggling to come back to the Lord, one son 1/2 way trying, one son (oldest) still in the belly of jona's whale.

not to mention grandkids who are old enough to know about the choices.

we wait for our kids to come home and the Lord waits on us. thankfully, He has more patience and love and grace and mercy.

dutchgirl1

04-20-2008, 08:39 PM

this is something my hubby wrote, just pure scripture put together. now he does not use periods or commas, so I am writing this just as he has it. you are on your own for puncuation. :)

Water of Life

Behold God is my salvation I will trust and not be afraid for the Lord JEHOVAH is my strength and my song He also is become my salvation Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation. Anhd in that day shall ye say Praise the Lord call upon His name declare His doings among the people amke mention that His name is exalted whosoever drinketh of the water that Jesus shall give him shall never thirst the water that Jesus Chrsit shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life. So come sayeth the Spririt and and bride and let him that heareth say Come and let him that is thirsty come and whosoever will let him take the water of life freely.

Isaiah 12:2-4 John 4:14 Revelation 22:17

moma k

04-20-2008, 11:01 PM

amen

vangee

04-21-2008, 08:08 PM

dutchgirl
thanks, this is the last thing i will read befor i go to bed.
vangee

dutchgirl1

04-22-2008, 11:32 AM

Mark 6:47-50

Where do you most fear being abandoned? Jesus will be there! That's the message here. In the middle of the storm -- in a familiar place in a storm with people you know and love and yet feel so helpless and alone -- Jesus will meet you. If you will call out to Him and trust His desire to come to you and to help you, you will see Him there. Don't fear the storm! Don't be disconsolate because of the fear in the eyes of those around you. Jesus will meet you in the storm and keep you safe.

IN THE STORM
When the storm comes,
do not take down the sail.
But add all the sail you have and
fly with the storm, into the arms
of Jesus.
The storm is a gift, testing and proving
Love and Faith,
making stronger the resolve of the heart.

O Abba Father, help me believe that I will never be abandoned or left alone -- not even in my worst and most fearful times. In Jesus' name I ask for this faith. Amen.

dutchgirl1

04-23-2008, 08:24 AM

Comfort each other and edify one another. 1 Thessalonians 5:11

It is an undeniable fact that usually those who have suffered most are best able to comfort others who are passing through suffering. They know what it is to suffer, and they understand more than others what a suffering person is experiencing - - physically, emotionally, and spiritually. The are able to empathize as well as sympathize with the afflictiona of others because of what they have experienced in their own lives.
Our sufferings may be rough and hard to bear, but they teach us lessons that in turn equip and enable us to help others. OUr attitude toward suffering should not be, "grit your teeth and bear it",hoping it will pass as quickly as possible. Rather, our goal should be to learn all we can from what we are called upon to endure, so that we in turn can "comfort each other and edify one another"

that is why I have said many times past, we are all in this together and we each have something viable to share w/one another that will help someone else.

I posted this song in 'sing for the inmates, but I am now posting here where it should have gone first. Bless each of you.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFrdJ2V3r7Y

dutchgirl1

04-25-2008, 08:15 AM

Isaiah 40:28-31

The eagle is a symbol used many times in Scripture, in fact, it is mentioned 38 times throughout the Bible. We can learn some important lessons from this majestic creation of God. Eagles have a wing span of 2 meters and are around 90 cm. tall. The eagle mates for life and use the same nest for life. This nest is built in a safe place, often on the ledge of a sharp cliff. It is built to last and the largest nest reported is 9 ½ feet wide and 20 feet deep.

When the babies are born, both parents assume responsibility for their care. They are gentle parents, sitting on the eggs for one month. The parents bring food up to the nest and feed them small pieces of meat. Within 45 days they can weigh nearly 40 times their birth weight. At three months they get special feathers for flying and a new learning experience begins. The mother eagle flies into the nest and begins to thrash around causing a great commotion. Eventually one of the babies will fall out of the nest and begin heading for the earth below. Never having used his wings before, he's not really sure what to do, but does do lots of flapping while heading straight down! Just before the baby hits the ground, the mother eagle flies underneath in order to 'catch' the baby on her powerful wings and she flies him safely back to the nest. This continues on day after day until all the babies learn to fly.

There are two verses in scripture that actually mention this routine of the eagle. In Deuteronomy 32:10,11 Moses reminds the children of Israel how God cared for them and guarded them just "like an eagle that stirs up its nest and hovers over its young, that spreads its wings to catch them and carries them on its pinions." Again in Exodus 19:4 God says that "He will carry the children of Israel on eagles' wings".

We can get very comfortable in our 'nest'. Perhaps that could be our way of doing things, our way of thinking, our opinions, our way of living life. Then when God comes and 'stirs up our nest' we get upset. We don't always identify this as a growing experience. Sometimes if we were really honest, we really don't want to grow. We get very complacent and satisfied with where we are and any interruptions are viewed as negative. But God wants us to fly - to become all that He intends us to become. He never stirs up our nest without good reason!

The eagle can see a rabbit two miles away. It can soar up to two miles above the ground and can fly at speeds of up to 100 miles per hour. They have a separate eyelid which slides across the eye sideways in order to keep the eye clean and free from dust as they fly. Their bones are hollow and therefore light of frame. Their frame has cross ribs like steel bars in sky scrapers. The eagle has 7000 feathers. The back feathers are as long as the head feathers. Their beak is black until age of 3 years and then turns golden.

When eagles are about 30 years old they go through a renewal process. They find a secret place high in the mountains and begin to claw at their face and tear out the feathers that have been damaged over the years. As a result, it bleeds badly. But this is necessary for the eagle in order to renew its strength. If it did not do this it would not be able to live to its normal 60 years of age.

Psalms 103:5 says "who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagles." A time of renewal is necessary for every child of God. A time when we get rid of what is weighing us down, holding us back, aging us spiritually. A time to give up the sinful habits, to give in to the Holy Spirit in whatever way He is convicting us. We need to do this even to the point of renewal with pain! Some things we hold on to so tightly that to let go, actually causes us pain. But in order to have the long, powerful, useful spiritual life that God plans for us, we need to do that. It will renew our spiritual youthfulness.

When the eagle is free to soar in God's creation, they are the cleanest of birds. They were created to be free and to soar to great heights. They were not meant to remain close to the earth in the lowlands. They were created to soar. When eagles are held in captivity, they become one of the dirtiest birds.

God has created us to remain pure and holy and conformed to his image. Don't allow the freedom we are to experience in Him, to be compromised by spending too much time in worldly thinking, activities, mindsets. Remain clean!

Eagles do not fly like other birds, they don't flap their wings but rather soar. Flapping their wings would use incredible amounts of their own strength and endurance and they would require so much more food as fuel if they didn't soar. Instead they sit on a high ledge and wait for the right wind currents to come. When the time is right, they take off and soar upward. Effortlessly, because they have waited for the right time. There is a special 'up going' wind, that they ride as it circles higher and higher toward the sky.

What a lesson for God's children to learn. How often do we waste strength by jumping out too soon and 'flapping our wings', instead of waiting for God's timing. Waiting is not a popular concept in these days of instant everything! But when we wait on the Lord - wait for His timing - wait for His answers - wait for His direction, then we can soar to new heights and fly to new places.

"Those who wait on the Lord will renew their strength, they will soar on wings like eagles: they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not faint."

patticake

04-25-2008, 01:26 PM

Oh God in Heaven, sometimes it looks as if You have forsaken this old sin-sick world. It seems that You've gone on vacation and just removed Your hand from us. But in our hearts, we know that's not true. YOu promised never to leave us or forsake us. You cannot lie. When we get out of sorts and begin to doubt Your presence or question Your concern for us, please remind us, as You did me, that YOu are still in control of the universe today. Remind us that You've got the whole world in Your hands and nobody can ;luck it out. And, Lord, thank You that when we have these doubts and fears, You don't fall of Your throne or make us do one thousand push-ups and beat us over the head with our own nonsence. You simply love us anyway and cover us with your grace and mercy. What a mighty God You are, the One who rules earth and Heaven! Amen!

patticake

04-25-2008, 02:27 PM

Ask For Wisdom
Today's Scripture
“If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him” (James 1:5).
Today's Word from Joel and Victoria
Do you need wisdom for something today? Ask God. He loves it when you call upon Him, and He longs to give generously to you. Do you need wisdom to lead your family? Do you need wisdom on your job? Do you need wisdom for a decision you have to make in life? Ask God! The next verse goes on to say that when you ask, you must ask in faith without wavering. That means you have to be absolutely determined to get your answer from Him. You can’t just ask and then decide to do things your own way, or doubt that He will give you the answer. That’s being double-minded. When you’re double-minded, the Bible says you won’t be able to receive anything from the Lord. Don’t let that be you! Have a one-track mind that’s focused on God and His promises. Believe that He is going to generously bless you with His wisdom. As you keep an attitude of faith and expectancy, He’ll cause you to rise higher and higher, and you’ll live the abundant life He has in store for you!
A Prayer for Today
Father in heaven, thank You for being a good and generous God. Thank You for pouring out Your abundant blessing in my life. Keep my heart and mind focused on You always. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
http://www.lakewood.cc/site/PixelServer?j=RudlTTgjnmw074vEUmIK_w..
http://joelosteen.lakewood.cc/images/sp.gif

eeniaLorr

04-25-2008, 02:43 PM

Good afternoon family,

God's blessing on everyone. The word of God is a comfort to us in the time of trouble, Thank you for sharing.

Cyn

I'm His Mom

04-25-2008, 03:10 PM

When you reach the end of your rope you will find the hem of His garment.

I would rather live my life as if there is a God, and die to find out there
isn't, than live my life as if there isn't, and die to find out there is.

I know our Redeemer Lives! I know our God is real!

dutchgirl1

04-25-2008, 04:15 PM

I would rather live my life as if there is a God, and die to find out there
isn't, than live my life as if there isn't, and die to find out there is.

I'm His Mom...... thanks ... I had thought of this a day or two ago but then quickly forgot (:eek: I must be having sometimers disease huh) to post it.

I'm His Mom

04-27-2008, 05:49 AM

I didn't know quite where to put this e-mail someone sent to me this morning; D'Gal, hope you don't mind me putting it in Today's Word as it's something we might think about.

CELL PHONE VS. THE BIBLE

I wonder what would happen if we treated our Bible like we treat our
cell phone?

What if we carried it around in our purses or pockets?

What if we flipped through it several time a day?

What if we turned back to go get it if we forgot it?

What if we used it to receive messages from the text?

What if we treated it like we couldn't live without it?

What if we gave it to Kids as gifts?

What if we used it when we traveled?

What if we used it in case of emergency?

This is something to make you go....hmm...where is my Bible?

Oh, and one more thing. ...Unlike our cell phone, we don't have to worry
about our Bible being disconnected because Jesus already paid the bill.

Makes you stop and think "where are my priorities", doesn't it ?

[At least, that's what I thought . . .]

And no dropped calls!

P.S. DO WHAT YOU THINK GOD WOULD WANT YOU TO DO WITH THIS E-MAIL . . .

treesrblue

04-27-2008, 08:28 AM

I wonder what would happen if we treated our Bible like we treat our
cell phone?

one thing's for sure I'm His Mom, we'd all be better off.

dutchgirl1

04-27-2008, 09:58 AM

I think the answer would be that
1. the Bible - Gods Word - would be well read.
2. we would have knowledge and wisdom and know more about God and His infinite love, grace & mercy.

dutchgirl1

04-29-2008, 08:32 AM

"Every highway of human life dips in the dale now and then. Every man must go through the tunnel of tribulation before he can travel on the elevated road in triumph."

Elias was a man to like passions as we are. James 5:17

Thank God for that ! He got under a juniper tree, as you and I have often done; he complained and murmured, as have often done; was unbelieving, as we have often been. But that was not the case when he really fot into touch w/ God. Though a 'man subject to passions like us', he prayed praying.. he prayed earnestly in prayer. He kept on praying. What is the lesson ? You must keep praying.
Come up to the top of Carrael, and see that parable of faith and sight. It was not the descent of the fire that was necessary, but the descent of the flood; and the man that can command the fire can command the flood by the same means and methods. We are told that he bowed himself to the ground with his face between his knees; that is, shutting out all the sights and sounds. He was putting himself in a position where, beneath his mantle, he could neither see nor hear what was going forward. He told his servant, Go and take an observation. the servant comes back and says one word.. NOTHING. what do we do under such circumstances ? we give up. Elijah continued to send the servant out with continued trust in his prayers. eventually, the servant returns with the words... There is a little cloud like a mans hand.
A mans hand had been raised in supplication, and persently down came the rain. This is a parable of faith and sight - faith shutting itself up w/ God; sight taking observations and seeing nothing; faith going on, and praying in prayer, with utterly hopeless reports from sight.
Continue to pray, even when the reports are discouraging. The living God is still in the heavens and even to delay is part of His goodness.

dutchgirl1

04-29-2008, 02:19 PM

each of three boys gave a definitition of faith which is an illustration of the tenacity of faith.
the first boy said, "it is taking hold of Christ." the second says, "keeping hold", and the third .. "not letting go"

Faith is not working up by willpower a sort of certainty that something is coming to pass, but it is seeing as an actual fact that God has said that this thing shall come to pass, and that it is true, and then rejoicing to know that it is true, and just resting because God has said it.
Faith turns the promise into a prophecy. While it is merely a promise it is contingent upon our cooperation. But when faith claims it, it becomes a prophecy, and we go forth feeling that it is something that must be done because God cannot lie.
Faith doesnt say I see that it is good for me, so God must have sent it, but rather, God sent it, and so it must be good for me.

dutchgirl1

05-01-2008, 08:12 AM

Insight Not Emotion “I have to lead my life in faith, without seeing Him.”
2 Corinthians 5:7 (http://www.searchgodsword.org/desk/?query=2co+5:7&sr=1) 

For a time we are conscious of God's attentions, then, when God begins to use us in His enterprises, we take on a pathetic look and talk of the trials and the difficulties, and all the time God is trying to make us do our duty as obscure people. None of us would be obscure spiritually if we could help it. Can we do our duty when God has shut up heaven? Some of us always want to be illuminated saints with golden babes and the flush of inspiration, and to have the saints of God dealing with us all the time. A gilt-edged saint is no good, he is abnormal, unfit for daily life, and altogether unlike God. We are here as men and women, not as half-fledged angels, to do the work of the world, and to do it with an infinitely greater power to stand the turmoil because we have been born from above. If we try to re-introduce the rare moments of inspiration, it is a sign that it is not God we want. We are making a fetish of the moments when God did come and speak, and insisting that He must do it again; whereas what God wants us to do is to "walk by faith." How many of us have laid ourselves by, as it were, and said - "I cannot do any more until God appears to me." He never will, and without any inspiration, without any sudden touch of God, we will have to get up. Then comes the surprise - "Why, He was there all the time, and I never knew it!" Never live for the rare moments, they are surprises. God will give us touches of inspiration when He sees we are not in danger of being led away by them. We must never make our moments of inspiration our standard; our standard is our duty.
*taken from My Utmost for His Highest.*

pinky.258

05-01-2008, 08:17 AM

I like the verse, don't know where it is but it says:

"Look toward the light and the shadow of your burden will fall behind you"

Everytime I am blue, I look toward the heavens and I have peace. It always seems to help. God bess all of you.

BlessTheInmates

05-01-2008, 08:38 AM

Thank you Dutchgirl! Thank you Everybody!

dutchgirl1

05-02-2008, 06:30 AM

I like the verse, don't know where it is but it says:

"Look toward the light and the shadow of your burden will fall behind you"

do you know what Bible this was in ? KJ American Standard ? NIV ?
only one I can think of is this....

Psalm 121:1
I will lift up my eyes to the hills-- From whence comes my help?

eeniaLorr

05-02-2008, 08:29 AM

Good Morning Family,

This passage is from the Women's Email Devotional:

The LORD of Hosts, the LORD Almighty is your defender and your protector. He is
a mighty warrior, a mighty God. He is mighty in power and mighty in battle.

(Is 42:13; Jr 20:11; Ps 93:4; Ps 147:5; Ps 24:8).

No matter what you face today know with assurance that God can break down walls
and bring victory. His is mighty to save you.

LORD of Hosts,

We bow before You this day with humble hearts contemplating Your greatness and
Your might! We are in awe that You are our defender and our victor. You are LORD
over the whole spiritual and physical realm ... and You are my God. Thank you!

Father God, all around us the needs are so great! Injustice, illness,
discouragement and poverty of body and spirit drag Your children down daily.
Thank you that You are our mighty warrior who goes to battle to bring truth and
justice to our lives. Thank you that You are a wall of fire, a consuming fire,
and You break down gates of bronze and cut through bars of iron. You level
mountains! Thank you for this amazing picture of the power of Your name over me.

Today I stand on the promise of Your name, the great LORD of Hosts, mighty in
battle. I bring to You today the battle that rages around me and even within me.
I bring my affliction and my distress to You with fresh confidence that You will
encase me behind Your wall of fire and You will break through the walls that
loom over me.

Show me today if there is anything in my heart that I need to confess and clean
out as I stand before You and Your mighty power. May my heart be open to turn
from any thing in my life that opposes You as I call on Your power to save me.
In the strong name of Jesus I pray with thanksgiving, amen.

Questions: Can you identify a thought pattern that has been come a stronghold in
your life? What can you do to take that thought captive and allow Jesus to be
the stronghold of your life?

dutchgirl1

05-02-2008, 08:30 AM

Faith is not working up by willpower a sort of certainty that something is coming to pass, but it is seeing an actual fact that God has said that this thing shall come to pass, and believing it is true and rejoicing to know it is true and just resting because God has said it.
Faith turns the promise into a prophecy. While it is merely a promise, it is contingent upon our cooperation. But when Faith claims it, it becomes a prophecy, and we go forward feeling that it is something that must be done because God cannot lie.
men pray for more faith, but listen carefully and get at the real heart of their prayer. very often it is not more faith they want, but a change from faith to sight.
Faith doesnt say I see that it is good for me, so God must have sent it' - but rather 'God sent it so it must be good for me.

eeniaLorr

05-02-2008, 08:33 AM

Dutchgirl1,

Good morning and thanks for that word of prophecy and promise. You have truly blessed my day.

Love
Cyn

dutchgirl1

05-02-2008, 08:37 AM

as have you blessed me, my dear.

Ps 121:8 (http://www.searchgodsword.org/desk/?query=ps+121:8&translation=nkj&st=1&new=1&sr=1&l=en) - The Lord shall preserve your going out and your coming in From this time forth, and even forevermore.

pinky.258

05-02-2008, 01:40 PM

Dutchgirl, on the quote about looking toward the light and the shadow of your burden will fall behind you; I don't know, but I will find out. Actually, it was on a beautiful plaque my sister who is married to a Baptist preacher, gave me years ago. It was hanging just above the kitchen sink and I read it over and over while I was doing those dishes. We have since moved and I don't have that plaque anymore. I will ask my sister if she remembers it. Maybe her or my brother-in-law will know; maybe it wasn't even a Bible verse, maybe someone just wrote it under the picture. But I like that saying anyway. Sorry, I do wish I knew more about it.

pinky.258

05-02-2008, 03:05 PM

Dutchgirl, I am sorry. My sister did a "Bible search" and did something with gateway.com. (I don't much about that) and she said she could not find it. It was such a nice saying, I guess I just assumed it was from the Bible. And yes, I know what "assume" does for someone.........he he I',m really sorry for mis-quoting the Bible.

dutchgirl1

05-02-2008, 03:29 PM

pinky no problem. it is a nice saying though. lovely.

maybe it comes from something from the Bible like the 'golden rule' is always quoted..
it doesn't exactly say that but it does come from one of the Lords teachings.

be blessed. Het Beste

dutchgirl1

05-05-2008, 08:33 AM

And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.
Romans 5:5

The source of our hope is not just in Jesus' prior work on the Cross and in the empty tomb. It isn't dependent just on our own will-power and commitment to hang on to hope. No, God made sure the fire of hope could never run out of fuel in our hearts. He did this by filling us with his Holy Spirit and pouring his love into our hearts. That same Spirit will help raise us up and give us life when Jesus returns

Dear Heavenly Father, thank you so much for the gift of your Holy Spirit who keeps my hope alive and fills me with a sense of your loving presence. May my life today, and everyday, display my confidence in your love by sharing your kindness with others. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

dutchgirl1

05-05-2008, 08:34 AM

http://www.heartlight.org/today/05b.jpg

dutchgirl1

05-06-2008, 11:05 AM

Corinthians 4:8-18
8 We are hard pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; 9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed-- 10 always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. 11 For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus' sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. 12 So then death is working in us, but life in you. 13 And since we have the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, "I believed and therefore I spoke,"* we also believe and therefore speak, 14 knowing that He who raised up the Lord Jesus will also raise us up with Jesus, and will present us with you. 15 For all things are for your sakes, that grace, having spread through the many, may cause thanksgiving to abound to the glory of God. 16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. 17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, 18 while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.

BlessTheInmates

05-06-2008, 12:19 PM

Thank You Dutchgirl. Good to see you feeling better. :)

eeniaLorr

05-06-2008, 12:24 PM

Hi Family,

This passage is again from the Women's Email Devotional. I receive them via email. They are awesome!!

Love,
Cyn

Our Sustainer, Our Judge, Our Lawgiver, Our King, Our Exceedingly Great Reward
Our Stronghold, A Strong Tower, A Tower of refuge Ps 54:4; Is 46:4; Is 33:22; Ge
15:1; Ps 18:2; Ps 61:3; Pr 18:10

Father in Heaven,

What a picture of peace You bring to my heart as I consider You as a shield
around me. Keep that picture alive in my heart and mind today as I walk through
my day. Your name is a strong tower that I can run to and find rest and safety.

Your name is my stronghold. Lord, I usually think in terms of a stronghold in my
life as a negative thing. Yet Your word tells me that a stronghold is any
thought taken captive. Any fear or persistent barb that keeps surfacing in my
mind is a negative stronghold. But Your name and all it represents is to be my
stronghold instead.

Help me to focus on You as my secure Fortress, my Sanctuary, my Sun and Shield.
You are my Very Present Help in trouble. Let my heart steep in the fact that You
are my God of Joy and Freedom; of Mercy and Refuge. You are my God of Rest.

May my heart and mind rest today in all that You are. May I rest assured that
Your might will carry me through all that encompasses me on my pathway today.
You are my stronghold You are the Shield around me. Thank you. In Jesus' name I
pray, amen.

Questions: Do you have a negative stronghold you need to replace today? What
aspect of this name of Jesus today will you embrace and allow to become the new
stronghold of your life?

BlessTheInmates

05-06-2008, 12:27 PM

Hello EeniaLorr! What a sweet message :)

dutchgirl1

05-06-2008, 02:24 PM

The Duck & the Devil

There was a little boy visiting his grandparents on

their farm. He was given a slingshot to play with out

in the woods. He practiced in the woods; but he could

never hit the target. Getting a little discouraged, he

headed back for dinner. As he was walking back he saw

Grandma's pet duck. Just out of impulse, he let the

slingshot fly, hit the duck square in the head and

killed it. He was shocked and grieved!

In a panic, he hid the dead duck in the wood pile;

only to see his sister watching! Sally had seen it

all, but she said nothing.

After lunch the next day Grandma said, "Sally, let's

wash the dishes" But Sally said, "Grandma , Johnny told

me he wanted to help in the kitchen." Then she

whispered to him, "Remember the duck?" So Johnny did

the dishes.

Later that day, Grandpa asked if the children wanted

to go fishing and Grandma said, "I'm sorry but I need

Sally to help make supper." Sally just smiled and

said, "Well that's all right because Johnny told me he

wanted to help" She whispered again, "Remember the

duck?" So Sally went fishing and Johnny stayed to help

After several days of Johnny doing both his chores and

Sally's; he finally couldn't stand it any longer. He came

to Grandma and confessed that he had killed the duck.

Grandma knelt down, gave him a hug and said,

"Sweetheart, I know. You see, I was standing at the

window and I saw the whole thing, but because I love

you, I forgave you. I was just wondering how long you

would let Sally make a slave of you."

Thought for the day and every day thereafter?

Whatever is in your past, whatever you have done...

and the devil keeps throwing it up in your face

(lying, cheating, debt, fear, bad habits, hatred,

anger, bitterness, etc.)...whatever it is ...You need

to know that God was standing at the window and He saw

the whole thing. He has seen your whole life. He wants you to

know that He loves you and that you are forgiven.

He's just wondering how long you will let the devil

make a slave of you. The great thing about God is

that when you ask for forgiveness; He not only

forgives you, but He forgets. It is by God's grace and

mercy that we are saved.

God is at the window!

When Jesus died on the cross; he was thinking of you!

><>Life is God's gift to you The way you live it............is your gift to God <><

BlessTheInmates

05-06-2008, 02:31 PM

Wow Dutchgirl! I Love that one! Thank you!

dutchgirl1

05-07-2008, 08:31 AM

Jeremiah 31:16-21

Thus says the LORD:
"Refrain your voice from weeping,
And your eyes from tears;
For your work shall be rewarded, says the LORD,
And they shall come back from the land of the enemy.
17 (http://www.searchgodsword.org/desk/?query=jer+31:17&sr=1&t=nkj)There is hope in your future, says the LORD,
That your children shall come back to their own border.
18 (http://www.searchgodsword.org/desk/?query=jer+31:18&sr=1&t=nkj)"I have surely heard Emphraim bemoaning himself:
"You have chastised me, and I was chastised,
Like an untrained bull;
Restore me, and I will return,
For You are the LORD my God.

this is the word the Lord gave hubby last night conserning all our children. there is HOPE for us and them. (His name is Jesus Christ)

dutchgirl1

05-08-2008, 08:20 AM

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Romans 5:8 (http://www.searchgodsword.org/desk/?query=Romans+5:8)-13

6 For while we were still helpless, R194 (http://www.searchgodsword.org/desk/?query=ro+5:8&t=nas&st=1&new=1&sr=1&sc=1&l=en#R194) at R195 (http://www.searchgodsword.org/desk/?query=ro+5:8&t=nas&st=1&new=1&sr=1&sc=1&l=en#R195) the right time Christ R196 (http://www.searchgodsword.org/desk/?query=ro+5:8&t=nas&st=1&new=1&sr=1&sc=1&l=en#R196) died for the ungodly. 7 For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though F88 (http://www.searchgodsword.org/desk/?query=ro+5:8&t=nas&st=1&new=1&sr=1&sc=1&l=en#F88) perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. 8 But God demonstrates R197 (http://www.searchgodsword.org/desk/?query=ro+5:8&t=nas&st=1&new=1&sr=1&sc=1&l=en#R197) His R198 (http://www.searchgodsword.org/desk/?query=ro+5:8&t=nas&st=1&new=1&sr=1&sc=1&l=en#R198) own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ R199 (http://www.searchgodsword.org/desk/?query=ro+5:8&t=nas&st=1&new=1&sr=1&sc=1&l=en#R199) died for us. 9 Much more then, having now been justified by F89 (http://www.searchgodsword.org/desk/?query=ro+5:8&t=nas&st=1&new=1&sr=1&sc=1&l=en#F89) R200 (http://www.searchgodsword.org/desk/?query=ro+5:8&t=nas&st=1&new=1&sr=1&sc=1&l=en#R200) His blood, we shall be saved from R201 (http://www.searchgodsword.org/desk/?query=ro+5:8&t=nas&st=1&new=1&sr=1&sc=1&l=en#R201) the wrath {of God} through Him. 10 For if while we were enemies R202 (http://www.searchgodsword.org/desk/?query=ro+5:8&t=nas&st=1&new=1&sr=1&sc=1&l=en#R202) we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by F90 (http://www.searchgodsword.org/desk/?query=ro+5:8&t=nas&st=1&new=1&sr=1&sc=1&l=en#F90) R203 (http://www.searchgodsword.org/desk/?query=ro+5:8&t=nas&st=1&new=1&sr=1&sc=1&l=en#R203) His life. 11 And R204 (http://www.searchgodsword.org/desk/?query=ro+5:8&t=nas&st=1&new=1&sr=1&sc=1&l=en#R204) not only this, but F91 (http://www.searchgodsword.org/desk/?query=ro+5:8&t=nas&st=1&new=1&sr=1&sc=1&l=en#F91) we also exult in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the R205 (http://www.searchgodsword.org/desk/?query=ro+5:8&t=nas&st=1&new=1&sr=1&sc=1&l=en#R205) reconciliation. 12 Therefore, just as through one R206 (http://www.searchgodsword.org/desk/?query=ro+5:8&t=nas&st=1&new=1&sr=1&sc=1&l=en#R206) man sin entered into the world, and death R207 (http://www.searchgodsword.org/desk/?query=ro+5:8&t=nas&st=1&new=1&sr=1&sc=1&l=en#R207) through sin, and so R208 (http://www.searchgodsword.org/desk/?query=ro+5:8&t=nas&st=1&new=1&sr=1&sc=1&l=en#R208) death spread to all men, because all sinned-- 13 for until F92 (http://www.searchgodsword.org/desk/?query=ro+5:8&t=nas&st=1&new=1&sr=1&sc=1&l=en#F92) the Law sin was in the world, but sin R209 (http://www.searchgodsword.org/desk/?query=ro+5:8&t=nas&st=1&new=1&sr=1&sc=1&l=en#R209) is not imputed when there is no law

God didn't wait till we were "good enough" to bring us his salvation. Instead, he came when we were most lost and needed his grace the most. But then, that's what love really means by God's definition. It's more than something declared or felt, it's something radically demonstrated.

Holy and loving Father, thank you for demonstrating your love in such powerful and sacrificial fashion. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

eeniaLorr

05-08-2008, 03:35 PM

Good afternoon everyone,

God has brought us through another day. I will rejoice and be glad.

The following passage is from the Women's Email Devotional.
Ephesians 3:16-20

I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through
his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through
faith.

And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power,
together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is
the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge ? that you
may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine,
according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church
and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

Father God,

How thankful I am today that You are the LORD who provides for me! When my need
is squarely in front of me it is easy for me to forget that You are a God of
wonders and miracles. Open my eyes to see the wonders of Your love and of Your
hand all around me. Help me to see Your abundance and blessing in my life as I
walk through my day today.

You are my Help and my Confidence. May my heart and mind focus on You today and
not center on me and my own inadequacies and need. You are my Portion. You have
all that I need today! What a thought, Lord!

Your word says that You are my Pasture and my Fruitfulness. That picture is
awesome Lord, as I look to You to lead me beside quiet pastures today and to
feed me from Your very storehouse of majesty and wonder.

You are my fruitfulness. Only what I do today with You as the center will bring
increase for Your Kingdom. Only what I do in Your strength and not in my own
will impact eternity today. That is where true fulfillment is, in seeing You
create fruit from my life, fruit that will effect eternity.

Lord, provide my hope today; my right attitude; my strength to walk where You
have placed me. Provide my joy. Provide me with what I need to encourage and
bring life to the people and places I go to today.

Thank you that You are my Provider. What I need today in the physical realm I
lay at Your throne as well and trust You to guide and provide. I will rest in
Your provision today and in the expectation that You will do more than I can
possibly imagine in my life and through my life.

In the strong name of Jesus, I pray, amen.

Questions: What do you need for the Lord to provide for you on the inside of
your life today? What do you need on the outside? Do you trust Him to be Your
all sufficient One? How can you let the joy of the Lord become your strength
today?

vangee

05-08-2008, 07:26 PM

Eenialorr Thanks So Much For This, I Knew When I Came In Here This Evening It Was Going To Be Good. Thank You

dutchgirl1

05-14-2008, 08:20 AM

The Habit Of Enjoying The Disagreeable “That life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh.”
2 Corinthians 4:10 (http://www.searchgodsword.org/desk/?query=2co+4:10&sr=1) 

We have to form habits to express what God's grace has done in us. It is not a question of being saved from hell, but of being saved in order to manifest the life of the Son of God in our mortal flesh, and it is the disagreeable things which make us exhibit whether or not we are manifesting His life. Do I manifest the essential sweetness of the Son of God, or the essential irritation of "myself" apart from Him? The only thing that will enable me to enjoy the disagreeable is the keen enthusiasm of letting the life of the Son of God manifest itself in me. No matter how disagreeable a thing may be, say - "Lord, I am delighted to obey Thee in this matter," and instantly the Son of God will press to the front, and there will be manifested in my human life that which glorifies Jesus.
There must be no debate. The moment you obey the light, the Son of God presses through you in that particular; but if you debate you grieve the Spirit of God. You must keep yourself fit to let the life of the Son of God be manifested, and you cannot keep yourself fit if you give way to self-pity. Our circumstances are the means of manifesting how wonderfully perfect and extraordinarily pure the Son of God is. The thing that ought to make the heart beat is a new way of manifesting the Son of God. It is one thing to choose the disagreeable, and another thing to go into the disagreeable by God's engineering. If God puts you there, He is amply sufficient. Keep your soul fit to manifest the life of the Son of God. Never live on memories; let the word of God be always living and active in you.

from My Utmost for His Highest

justadeb

05-14-2008, 11:03 PM

thank you for shareing..and sends this to the top again

davidsmominva

05-15-2008, 06:11 AM

Jeremiah 31:16-21

Thus says the LORD:

"Refrain your voice from weeping,
And your eyes from tears;
For your work shall be rewarded, says the LORD,
And they shall come back from the land of the enemy.
17 (http://www.searchgodsword.org/desk/?query=jer+31:17&sr=1&t=nkj)There is hope in your future, says the LORD,
That your children shall come back to their own border.
18 (http://www.searchgodsword.org/desk/?query=jer+31:18&sr=1&t=nkj)"I have surely heard Emphraim bemoaning himself:
"You have chastised me, and I was chastised,
Like an untrained bull;
Restore me, and I will return,
For You are the LORD my God.

YES D/G I RECEIVE THIS. The Lord gave me the same scripture shortly after David went in!

dutchgirl1

05-15-2008, 08:26 AM

Jill, love that scripture. have hung on to that one for a long time concerning my kids. God is Faithful.

dutchgirl1

05-15-2008, 08:27 AM

Ephesians 1:15-23 15 Therefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, 16 do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers: 17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, 18 the eyes of your understanding F3 (http://www.searchgodsword.org/desk/?query=eph+1:18&t=nkj&st=1&new=1&sr=1&sc=1&l=en#F3) being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power 20 which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come. 22 And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, 23 which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.

dutchgirl1

05-16-2008, 08:19 AM

Grow in Christian Character 2 Peter 1:1-4 1 Simon Peter, a bondservant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who have obtained like precious faith with us by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ: 2 Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, 3 as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, 4 by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

dutchgirl1

05-16-2008, 08:21 AM

from charles spurgeon Morning

Who giveth us richly all things to enjoy."
1 Timothy 6:17 (http://www.searchgodsword.org/desk/?query=1ti+6:17&sr=1&t=nlt)

Our Lord Jesus is ever giving, and does not for a solitary instant withdraw his hand. As long as there is a vessel of grace not yet full to the brim, the oil shall not be stayed. He is a sun ever-shining; he is manna always falling round the camp; he is a rock in the desert, ever sending out streams of life from his smitten side; the rain of his grace is always dropping; the river of his bounty is ever-flowing, and the well-spring of his love is constantly overflowing. As the King can never die, so his grace can never fail. Daily we pluck his fruit, and daily his branches bend down to our hand with a fresh store of mercy. There are seven feast-days in his weeks, and as many as are the days, so many are the banquets in his years. Who has ever returned from his door unblessed? Who has ever risen from his table unsatisfied, or from his bosom un-emparadised? His mercies are new every morning and fresh every evening. Who can know the number of his benefits, or recount the list of his bounties? Every sand which drops from the glass of time is but the tardy follower of a myriad of mercies. The wings of our hours are covered with the silver of his kindness, and with the yellow gold of his affection. The river of time bears from the mountains of eternity the golden sands of his favour. The countless stars are but as the standard bearers of a more innumerable host of blessings. Who can count the dust of the benefits which he bestows on Jacob, or tell the number of the fourth part of his mercies towards Israel? How shall my soul extol him who daily loadeth us with benefits, and who crowneth us with loving-kindness? O that my praise could be as ceaseless as his bounty! O miserable tongue, how canst thou be silent? Wake up, I pray thee, lest I call thee no more my glory, but my shame. "Awake, psaltery and harp: I myself will awake right early."

dutchgirl1

05-19-2008, 08:20 AM

"Out Of The Wreck I Rise" “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?”
Romans 8:35 (http://www.searchgodsword.org/desk/?query=ro+8:35&sr=1)

God does not keep a man immune from trouble; He says - "I will be with him in trouble." It does not matter what actual troubles in the most extreme form get hold of a man's life, not one of them can separate him from his relationship to God. We are "more than conquerors in all these things." Paul is not talking of imaginary things, but of things that are desperately actual; and he says we are super-victors in the midst of them, not by our ingenuity, or by our courage, or by anything other than the fact that not one of them affects our relationship to God in Jesus Christ. Rightly or wrongly, we are where we are, exactly in the condition we are in. I am sorry for the Christian who has not something in his circumstances he wishes was not there.
"Shall tribulation…?" Tribulation is never a noble thing; but let tribulation be what it may - exhausting, galling, fatiguing, it is not able to separate us from the love of God. Never let cares or tribulations separate you from the fact that God loves you.
"Shall anguish…?" - can God's love hold when everything says that His love is a lie, and that there is no such thing as justice?
"Shall famine…?" - can we not only believe in the love of God but be more than conquerors, even while we are being starved? Either Jesus Christ is a deceiver and Paul is deluded, or some extraordinary thing happens to a man who holds on to the love of God when the odds are all against God's character. Logic is silenced in the face of every one of these things. Only one thing can account for it - the love of God in Christ Jesus. "Out of the wreck I rise" every time.
(from Spurgeon in the Morning.)

dutchgirl1

05-19-2008, 08:22 AM

Please Open His Eyes! - Mark 8:22

Jesus and his followers came to Bethsaida. Some people brought a blind man to Jesus. They begged Jesus to touch the man.

Key Thought
Who do you know that faces great difficulty in his or her life and who needs friends like the ones we find in today's verse? The test of our Christianity is not our feelings of pity; instead, it is the action we take to bless them. Let's get off our backsides and into the lives of those who truly need to experience Jesus' love!

Today's Prayer
Father, help me to use my actions to show my empathy and your Son's love to those in need. Help me show this empathy and love by my actions and not just by my talk. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Today's Verses in Context

Jesus and his followers came to Bethsaida. Some people brought a blind man to Jesus. They begged Jesus to touch the man. So Jesus held the blind man's hand and led him out of the village. Then Jesus spit on the man's eyes. Jesus put his hands on the blind man and asked him, "Can you see now?" The blind man looked up and said, "Yes, I see people. They look like trees walking around." Again Jesus put his hands on the blind man's eyes. Then the man opened his eyes wide. His eyes were healed, and he was able to see everything clearly. Jesus told him to go home. Jesus said, "Don't go into the town." — Mark 8:22-26 (http://www.searchgodsword.org/desk/?query=Mark+8:22-26&sr=1&t=erv)

Meowth84

05-19-2008, 08:50 AM

Good Morning All - I believe we could all use a little Empowerment for a Monday morning to get the week started. Hope everyone has a beautiful Day.:)
His Always,
Julie

From Purpose Driven Life Daily Devotional

Empowered For Rebuilding Lives
by Jon Walker

“This is what the Lord Almighty says: Judge fairly and honestly, and show mercy and kindness to one another. Do not oppress widows, orphans, foreigners, and poor people. And do not make evil plans to harm each other.” Zechariah 7:9-10 (NLT)

You have the power, by God’s Spirit within you, to help people rebuild their lives, to give hope to people in despair, to offer others a fresh start when it seems they have nothing left.
God empowers us to:
· Judge with an even-hand – We show compassion when we act as a voice for those who have no voice. Our compassion can help the powerless, the ignored, the forgotten, the defeated, and the falsely accused.
· Show mercy – When we show mercy to those in the wrong, it doesn’t mean we’re letting someone “off the hook”; rather, it means we recognize he/she is a flawed human, just like us, in need of salvation.
· Be kind – In the graceless age, we can show kindness, even to those with whom we disagree. We can model civility and respect.
· Use your advantages to help – Instead of focusing on getting the advantage, we can use what advantages and privileges we do have to help others. We can willingly put ourselves at a disadvantage in order to serve someone else, such as when Jesus, the leader and the Messiah, washed the feet of his disciples.
· Protect others – Our compassion compels us to look out for the interests of others, in particular, those in volatile or vulnerable situations.
God says when we do this, our light will shine out from the darkness, and the darkness around us will be as bright as day: “The Lord will guide you continually, watering your life when you are dry and keeping you healthy, too. You will be like a well-watered garden, like an ever-flowing spring. Your children will rebuild the deserted ruins of your cities. Then you will be known as the people who rebuild their walls and cities.” (Isaiah 58:11-12 NLT)

Here we see the cycle of compassion: God gives compassion to us; we give compassion to others; then we receive compassion from God and others in our time of need.“The one who blesses others is abundantly blessed; those who help others are helped.” (Proverbs 11:25 MSG)

This is the essence of a Christ-community – living together, serving together, and loving together.
What does this mean?
· What would biblical compassion look like if you judged with an even hand in your home? At work? In the community? What can you do to be a voice for those who have no voice?
· What would biblical compassion look like if you showed mercy in your home? At work? In the community? What are ways you can express compassion and mercy to those who’ve failed, done things wrong, or simply disappointed you?
· What would biblical compassion look like if you exhibited civility and respect, even for those who show little civility or respect for you?
· What would biblical compassion look like if you used your advantages and privileges to help those who are disadvantaged or those who have no privileges?

Meowth84

05-20-2008, 09:13 AM

I hope everyone doesn't mind. I get these devotionals through my email and I save them for when needed. This one I've printed out and am sending to my son Corey to remind him when he is making some decisions in the next 7 months. I think that we all could use it. Hope everyone has a good day.:)
His Always,
Julie

The “God-Chip” Empowerment
by Jon Walker

“I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will give you mighty inner strength through his Holy Spirit.” Ephesians 3:16 (NLT)

*** *** *** ***
God empowers you to successfully do everything he asks to do. He gives you abilities to use in service to others, and he transforms you inwardly with a growing desire to serve others.
The Holy Spirit within gives you the ability to tune into God, to hear him, to listen to him – and to talk with him. Please hear this: he didn’t create you for failure; he created you to succeed with the Holy Spirit energizing your abilities and empowering your efforts.
Perhaps you’ve noticed the small stickers on many computers that say, “Powered by [‘this-brand-of’ chip].” In a sense, you have the “God-chip” powering your life as a follower of Christ; you are empowered by the one and only, Holy God, who’s placed his Holy Spirit within you.
God designed you to succeed, but only when you’re dependent upon him. Without him, you simply will not succeed in the things God calls important and calls you to do. With him, you’re guaranteed to succeed in all he’s called you to complete.
What does this mean?
· Trust God and succeed – In order to succeed at your God-mission, you need to trust God; in other words, believe in faith that he will empower you to succeed. Tell God your fears and ask him to replace them with faith.
· Inner strength comes from God – “I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will give you mighty inner strength through his Holy Spirit.” (Ephesians 3:16, NLT)

Meowth84

05-21-2008, 08:52 AM

Good Morning Everyone :D
It's Wednesday and we've almost made it through half the week. :clap: Have a great day and try to keep up the Faith.

His Always,
Julie

The Waiting Is The Hardest Part
by Jon Walker

But Sarai, Abram's wife, had no children. So Sarai took her servant, an Egyptian woman named Hagar, and gave her to Abram so she could bear his children. “The LORD has kept me from having any children,” Sarai said to Abram. “Go and sleep with my servant. Perhaps I can have children through her.” And Abram agreed. (Genesis 16:1-2 NLT)

*** *** *** ***
And so Sarai took it upon herself to solve God’s problem. After all, God told Sarai’s husband, Abram, that he’d have a huge family, more descendants than there are stars in the sky. (Genesis 15)
Sarai waited and waited for God to provide their first descendant, but the baby didn’t come. She waited week after week, hopeful that God would answer her prayers, that God would make good on his promise. Every day, the tension and the frustration mounted. As the musician, Tom Petty, sings: “The waiting is the hardest part.”
Like me – perhaps like you – Sarai began to wonder if God would ever answer her prayers. She wondered if God had forgotten about her, as if God’s promise had been mis-filed or improperly prioritized in the perceived bureaucracy of heaven. Perhaps – like you, like me – Sarai questioned whether God really knew what he was doing.
It appears Sarai’s thoughts walked as far as her faith would carry her, and then she stood looking at the mountains of her fear. Did God understand how important this was to her? How could God deny her the greatest desire of her heart? Was God even on her side?
Even as Sarai acknowledged God’s ability to fulfill the promise – “The LORD has kept me from having any children …” – yet she denied God’s sovereignty to decide when the promise would be fulfilled.
And so Sarai took it upon herself to fulfill the promise, no longer trusting God to do his job. The waiting is the hardest part, and Sarai was tired of the wait.
Sitting in a humid tent, she hears the support poles creak; she hears, through the open flaps, a camel snort; and she hears … was that a voice, like the hiss of a serpent, saying, "Really? Did God really say your husband would be the father of a family so vast it would surpass the number of stars in the sky?" (Consider Genesis 3.)
Sarai said, “God can, but he won’t." Or maybe she said, "God can’t figure this out.” Looking through the tent’s door, she saw her servant Hagar, and in that moment she saw the solution, though she didn’t see the Pandora’s Box she would soon open. Perhaps she even though, "Of course! This is probably the answer God meant for me to see all along."
Her faith was collapsing, but so was Abram’s, for when Sarai suggested the solution was through Hagar, Abram agreed.

So what does this mean?

Waiting for God is hard – God is not surprised when we’re honest about our frustrations and fears. Often God requires us to wait because he’s trying to show us the end of our faith, stretching our faith, not condemning us for the lack of it. In these moments, seek God and not the answer.

Whose side are you on? –Sarai believed her assumptions more than God’s promise. She wonders why God was no longer on her side – "Why is the LORD keeping this from me?" – instead of confessing that she was no longer on God’s side.Ask God to help you identify the places in your life where you’re saying, "The LORD is keeping this from me!" What will you do with what he reveals to you?

God opens and closes doors – Even as Sarai took matters into her own hands, she acknowledged God had the power to provide more heirs than there were stars in the sky. If we could ask Sarai, "Can God?" she probably would answer yes. If we then asked Sarai, "Will God?" her honest answer would appear to have been no. When faced with a delayed answer, do you break with God? What does manipulating an answer to your prayer say about your belief in the character of God? What does "giving up on God" say about the depth of your faith?

dutchgirl1

05-21-2008, 04:15 PM

yay jcsott saves the day for me again. :D

wendy tyler

05-21-2008, 08:20 PM

They wouldn't let me

Ovietor

05-21-2008, 10:14 PM

http://www.inspiringthots.net/movie/st-francis.php

I really liked this one.

Ovietor

05-21-2008, 10:17 PM

http://www.inspiringthots.net/movie/the-final-analysis.php

This one too.

Ovietor

05-21-2008, 10:30 PM

http://www.inspiringthots.net/movie/every-tear.php

I'm really liking these things.

MrsKS

05-21-2008, 11:49 PM

I'M HIS MOM---I too had received that email some years ago but I truly must say that I have a small Bible that has the Old and New Testament that fits in my purse. Not too small to where you can't read it and not too big either. It's perfect. Most small Bibles only have the New Testament you never seem to find them the perfect size for your purse with both new and old; but I did plus I leave one in the car too just in case for some strange reason I don't have mine in my purse. I carry it wherever I go can't leave home without my Word. If you have to stand in a long line need something to read hey pull out the Bible. If you're waiting around say at your child's school and there is time before they get out hey why not read the Bible. Waiting in the market instead of reading magazines...yep my Bible...My Best Friend!

dutchgirl1

05-22-2008, 01:25 PM

Life’s Trials Explained

by Dr. Charles Stanley
I. Introduction: In every person’s life there will be struggles, hard times and pain. While the purpose of these difficulties may not be immediately seen, God has a plan and purpose with every one.
II. Scripture: 1 Peter 1:3-9
We are promised that though we may have struggles and hardships in this life, we have an eternity free of all pain waiting for us.
III. What blurs our understanding of His purpose in our hardships?
A. The nature of what we’re dealing with
· Sometimes we get so distracted by the events going on around us that we lose sight of what may be God’s purpose in our struggle.
B. The timing of our hardship
· God’s timing and our timing don’t always match up and that can distract us from His plan.
You and I have the privilege to ask God “why?” and He has the right and the privilege not to tell us.
IV. Why does God allow bad things to happen to us?
A. Purity
· To show us things in our lives that ought not be there
B. Testing our Faith
· “Untried faith is unreliable faith.” Without testing, how can we truly know the depth of our faith?
· When a person says “I was just devastated,” it means they’re weak in an area of faith.
C. To bring us closer to Him in our relationship
D. To give God the opportunity to demonstrate His love for us
E. To conform us to Jesus’ likeness
· The more we face our struggles and hardships, the more we begin to resemble Jesus’ character and personality.
V. What process is God using in our lives during our trials?
A. He limits trials.
· No matter how big our how small the situation may seem, God is completely in control over every aspect of it.
B. He designs it for each individual.
· God tailor-makes every situation we deal with to suit us, our knowledge, our experience, and the time in our life when it’s occurring.
C. He allows trials to be progressive.
· God uses trials to help us grow. When we begin to look at and understand His ways more, we stop worrying and are able to live up to our potential.
VI. Closing: In times of trials and struggles, we have a choice to make. How will we respond to our hardships––by moping and whining or by saying, God, thank You that You love me enough to trust me with this situation? Remember: “God causes all things to work together for good to those who love Him, to those who are called according to His purpose” (Rom. 8:28).

sonyarod

05-22-2008, 03:35 PM

I hit the thanks button but I had to post because it only allows me to thank you once.....thanks:thumbsup:, thanks:thumbsup:, thanks:thumbsup:, thanks:thumbsup: and a big THANKS:thumbsup:.

dutchgirl1

05-23-2008, 08:23 AM

justadeb

05-23-2008, 10:28 AM

and that was beautiful...thank you....i have seen eagles on a couple of occasions on my way to visit my son..also and allot of rainbows...so i have no doubt...i am at peace at this point..that all of this is just my son's and my lessons to growth....
and that also goes into the explanation a to why the native Americans put so much spiritual worth in the eagle.
and may i add all of you gals have given me so much growth beyond what you will ever know...

MrsKS

05-23-2008, 02:05 PM

I found this thread two days ago though there are many this one I can't stop coming to. It was no accident that I got here and continue to return Praise Be To God. My fiance is locked up and sends messages through the phone meaning we have certain days that he'll call collect. But he calls throughout the day to leave messages instead of saying his name he'll say a verse and I'll go to my Bible and read it. Today he said he was in class and they had a break and while he was sitting there he said the Lord spoke to him and said Isaiah 41;10 he said he didn't know what it was but he felt that he needed to leave that message but when he left that message I felt I needed to accept that call so I did and when I did thats when he told me that the Lord gave him that verse so I read it to him and it was comforting. Just wanted to share.

Isaiah 41;10
Do not be afraid I am with you!
I am your God let nothing terrify you!
I will make you strong and help you;
I will protect you and save you.

These time are trying times and though we fall we will get up again. Sometimes fear creeps up on me but I know it's satan with his evil tricks God did not give me the spirit of fear what he gave me was power. Power of love,joy, peace and happiness!

dutchgirl1

05-23-2008, 03:16 PM

MrsKs... what is interesting is that that verse is similar to Joshua 1:9...

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go."

be blessed.

Meowth84

05-25-2008, 09:50 AM

Good Morning to All - Hope everyone is having a good Holiday weekend. Since it is Sunday I thought I would find a good devotional on rest. We have to remember (yes I'm listening as well) to rest, and to take care of ourselves. God wants us to do this. We are no good to our loved ones if we aren't good to ourselves.
Have a Blessed Day. Love to all.
His Always,
Julie

Do Your Best to Rest
by Jon Walker

“…There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God's rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from his. Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest ….” (Hebrews 4:8b-11 NIV)

Most of us think of the Sabbath as a day of rest, originating from the day of rest God took after he created the universe, as recorded in Genesis. And that view is correct; that is the basis for us taking a Sabbath, a day of rest, within our own week.
Yet there is a larger sense of God’s Sabbath: an invitation to rest in God’s healing grace, trusting in his power and his purpose for your life. We rest in our Father’s arms, knowing he goes before and he goes behind, knowing that his plans for us are good and not evil (Jeremiah 29:11).
We enter this “let go and let God” rest through faith, where we cease to work and live independent of God (“… anyone who enters God's rest also rests from his own work …”). Instead, we’re to focus our efforts toward entering this Sabbath-trust in God, a restful certainty that God’s got a handle on it all, and that he’s got our best interests in mind.
If I recall correctly, Ian Thomas illustrates this point by telling the story of a man walking down a dusty rural road on a hot, humid day. The man is loaded down with a heavy backpack and carries a duffle bag in each hand. A pick-up truck comes along, and the driver offers the walking man a ride, telling him to hop in the back.
The driver heads down the road, but when he looks in the rear-view mirror he sees that his new passenger is standing in the bed of the truck – still holding both duffle bags, still wearing the over-packed backpack on his back.
The thing is: We stand in the truck of faith, still carrying our burdens, thinking they are independent of the ride we’re taking. Perhaps we think God can carry us, but not our burdens, that we have to keep bearing them ourselves.
What now?

· Rest in God – Rest in God’s power and grace, and work toward confidence (faith) that he is looking out for your best interests. “I believe; Lord, help my unbelief.”
· Rest requires dependence – If you’re working independently of God, then you’re not at rest in God. Possible signs that you’re working independently: worry, a need to control, a crammed-full schedule.
· Our Father’s heart encourages rest – Next time you feel overwhelmed by life, settle in a chair and “be still and know that he is God.” Give him your burdens – your backpack and your duffels.
· Faith leads to rest – Then they asked him, “What must we do to do the works God requires?” Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.” (John 6:28-29 NIV)

dutchgirl1

05-27-2008, 08:32 AM

A page from the diary of an unknown Christian: I've spent so many days when I haven't lived the kind of Christian life I'd like to, so last night when I said my prayers, I asked God to help me live a really Christian life today. This morning when I woke up, I thought of it again, but even before I got out of bed, the telephone rang. It was my next-door neighbor. She'd had a terrible toothache all night, and when she called the dentist this morning, he told her to come right down. She had just one slight problem: her little boy Billy was in bed with the measles. Of course I said that I'd be right over. So I gave Billy his breakfast and took care of him. There went my morning. But I still had the rest of the day. As I was finishing up the lunch dishes at noon and thinking of what I could do in the afternoon that would really be of service to God, there was a knock at the door. It was a friend who has been in and out of a mental hospital for the last few years. She had a couple of dresses over her arm, and she asked if I would help her shorten them. I got out my pins and we went to work. The time passed quickly as we drank coffee and visited while we sewed. There went my afternoon. It was supper time before I had a chance to think of my resolve again--to live today the kind of Christian life I've always wanted to live. As I peeled potatoes, I tried to think of some big, important thing I could do in the evening that would really be serving God. But before I could think of anything, my husband George came in the back door and said, "We're having company this evening! I met a fellow named Carl today who just moved into town--down the street a few blocks. He's had a lot of trouble finding a job because he has a prison record. He has excellent recommendations from the last place he worked--he'd worked there ten years since his time in prison, but he can't find anybody who'll take him on with his prison record. Automation tossed him out of his job. "I thought we could get acquainted with Carl and his wife tonight, and maybe I can find a place for him down at the plant. I hope it's o.k. with you that I invited them." "Sure," I said. "Sure, it's fine." They came, and I did enjoy the evening. George had phoned the man's former employer earlier in the day and was pleased with what he heard. I was glad when George offered him a job. But now it's bedtime. Another day has passed--another day in which I haven't lived the kind of Christian life I'd like to be living. I want so much to serve you, God. But how can I with all these interruptions? --Jurgensen, B., "You're Out of Date, God?" (Adapted).

God's Treasure Revealed 2 Corinthians 4:7-12 (http://www.searchgodsword.org/desk/?query=2+Corinthians+4:7-12&t=NAS&sr=1)

Dear Father, powerful sustainer,
Thank you for putting your treasure in a cracked clay pot like me so that it will be evident that the treasure is from you, the transcendent and powerful God, and not from me, the container.
Thank you for upholding all who serve you. When I am afflicted in every way, I am not crushed; when perplexed, I am not driven to despair; when persecuted, I am not forsaken; when struck down, I am not destroyed.
Reveal your immortality through my mortal body. May unbelievers see the glorious work you are doing in my life. I come as your humble servant, in the name of your only Son. Amen.

dutchgirl1

05-27-2008, 11:14 AM

Escaping the Stress Trap Count on Grace

Todays Truth
"I waited patiently for the Lord; He turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; He set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the Lord" psalm 40:2-3

Friend to Friend.
In this world, there are few certainties. God is one. His promises are true and we can wholly trust Him to keep His Word, to do exactly what He promises to do. In the key passage, God promises to free us from the pits of life , to direct us - restore us - give us joy and invites us to join Him in Kingdom work. In other words, He promises grace for every step of our journey.

Ah, that work again - grace. I am amazed when I think about the price tag dangling from the gift of grace. Grace cost God His son and Jesus His very life. When Jesus came to earth as a man, He came as a living, fleshed -out illustration of grace. Grace allows us to take a 'long look; at life, keeping our glance on circumstances and our gaze on the Lord of the circumstances. Grace pursues us and loves us, even when we run and reject God's love. Grace heals the wounded heart and saves the broken soul. God is drawn to brokenness.

What an amazing truth, that God turns first to the broken. Psalm 40:1 says " He turned to me" Notice this passage does not say that David, the author, turned to God. I dont think David could turn to God. Knowing the desire of Davids heart and understanding hsi weakness, God heard his cry and turned to David just like God will hear your cry and turn to you.

During the darkest hours, I question God continually. I fling my anger at Him like a spear. My heart and sould are filled with fear and confusion instead of faith and trust. Yet He has never turned away. He knows every tear that we cry. OUt of those tears and brokenness, comes the most effective and powerful changes in our life. I am discovering that the more we are broken, the more we are used - because of grace.

You can count on God. You can credit His grace to your account. We are trophies of God's grace and we can count on Him.

taken from Mary Southerland devotional from Crosswalks

dutchgirl1

05-28-2008, 06:26 AM

Pick Up Your Cross - Mark 8:34
Then Jesus called the people to him. His followers were also there. Then Jesus said, "If any person wants to follow me, he must say 'No' to the things he wants. That person must accept the cross (suffering) that is given to him, and he must follow me.

For Jesus' true followers, the Cross is not a piece of jewelry or even a symbol; it is a lifestyle. It is the willingness to follow Jesus in every way -- including the way of the Cross. For us to do that, we must surrender our selfishness and lay down our lives for the needs of others. We must have unflinching loyalty to God no matter the cost. More than just a burden to bear, "our cross to bear" is a total "buy-in" to the life, character, and way of Jesus.

Today's Verses in Context

Then Jesus called the people to him. His followers were also there. Then Jesus said, "If any person wants to follow me, he must say 'No' to the things he wants. That person must accept the cross (suffering) that is given to him, and he must follow me. The person that wants to save his life will lose it. And every person that gives his life for me and for the Good News will save his life forever. It is worth nothing for a person to have the whole world, if he loses his soul {in hell}. A person could never pay enough to buy back his soul. The people that live now are living in a sinful and evil time. If any person is ashamed of me and my teaching, then I will be ashamed of that person. I will be ashamed of that person at the time I come with the glory of my Father and the holy angels." Mark 8:34-38

In your lives you must think and act like Christ Jesus. Christ himself was like God in everything. Christ was equal with God. But Christ did not think that being equal with God was something that he must keep. He gave up his place with God and agreed to be like a servant. He was born to be a man and became like a servant. And when he was living as a man, he humbled himself by being fully obedient to God. He obeyed even when that caused him to die. And he died on a cross. Christ obeyed God, so God raised Christ to the most important place. God made the name of Christ greater than every other name. God did this because he wants every person to bow for the name of Jesus. Every person in heaven, on the earth, and under the earth will bow. Every person will confess (say), "Jesus Christ is Lord (Master)." When they say this, it will bring glory to God the Father.
Philippians 2:5-11 (ERV)

I loved you like the Father loved me. Now continue in my love. I have obeyed my Father's commands, and I continue in his love. In the same way, if you obey my commands, you will continue in my love. I have told you these things so that you can have the true happiness that I have. I want you to be completely happy. This is what I command you: Love each other like I have loved you. The greatest love a person can show is to die for his friends.
John 15:9-13 (ERV)

This is how God showed his love to us: God sent his only Son into the world to give us life through him. True love is God's love for us, not our love for God. God sent his Son to be the way that God takes away our sins.
1 John 4:9-10 (ERV)

dutchgirl1

05-29-2008, 08:25 AM

On your Face

Ovietor

05-29-2008, 08:42 AM

On your Face

:confused::confused::confused:

Meowth84

05-29-2008, 09:02 AM

Good Morning All - I've noticed a few new moms have joined us lately. I wish I had found this place to come when I was new to this. When Corey went in I asked God "why is this happening to us" and "why do we have to go through this". Through my church, friends and now PWCIP moms I've learned to turn to God. Now that I'm hopefully seeing the end of this tunnel I know that God never turned away he was walking with me or carrying me the whole time. I now know God has something special planned for Corey and I'm very excited to see what it is. This devotion spoke very loudly to me and hope that it does for all of you. Please always remember that God is only a prayer away and he ALWAYS answers. Especially when your angry with him for what you are going through.
Have a great day.
Love to all.
His Always,
Julie

God’s Purpose In Suffering
2008/05/06

For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son …. Romans 8:29 (NIV)
*** *** *** ***
Did Jesus suffer? Was Jesus sometimes lonely? Was he tempted to be discouraged? Was he misunderstood, maligned, and criticized unjustly?
As you read through the Gospels, you’ll quickly see that the answer to all these questions is: YES. So, what makes any of us think we’ll be exempted from suffering or loneliness or discouragement or unjust criticism?
The truth is, God is developing within you the character of Christ, and in order to do this, he must take you through all of the circumstances in life that he took Christ through. This means God is more interested in your character than your comfort, and he’s more concerned about your holiness than your happiness. So, the question is not if you’ll go through dark times in life, rather it’s when you’ll go through them.
Does God cause these tragedies? No. God is good, and he cannot cause evil, nor do evil. But God can use these dark and stressful times for good; he’ll use them to build a Christlike character within us.
So, what should you do when you go through difficult times?
Refuse to be discouraged – David said, “I will fear no evil” (Psalm 23:4 NIV). This implies a choice, an act of decision. As Jesus faced the cross, he made a choice to follow God’s will; he made a choice to face down fear; he made a choice to ignore despair.
Remember God is with you – David said, “For you are with me” (Psalm 23:4 NIV). God not only promises his power, he promises his presence. We will never go through a dark day alone. Jesus knew he wasn’t alone as he walked out his passion.
Rely on God’s protection and guidance – David said in Psalm 23:4 that God’s rod and staff comforted him. The rod and staff were basic tools a shepherd used to protect and guide the sheep. God will be with you, and he’ll protect and guide you. Jesus could have called down 10,000 angels; he could have called his disciples to arms; instead he relied on God to protect and guide him.

dutchgirl1

05-29-2008, 11:21 AM

:confused::confused::confused:

sorry. what I went to post, this is what I got. so I typed it out by hand rather than copy/paste. guess it went to cyber space and left this on the post. sorry :(

redo later when I have a couple minutes.

dutchgirl1

05-29-2008, 11:34 AM

Julie, thank you for that post.

yesterday I spent some time on the phone w/ my youngest daughter. God gave her quite a testimony and singing voice (as a few of you have heard). right now she is running from the Lord and Nineva and is living in the belly of the whale (alaska). she was talking about in ministry how we pour ourselves out and give and give of ourselves yet dont get refreshed. I told her, when I get emptied out, I turn to the Lord and His Word for refreshing. She didnt accept that. she still thinks that we should be given back by others. made me do some thinking...... hmmmmmmmmm
No, I still get my refreshment from Him.

about your post... when I prayed for the Lord to do something w/ david, and prison and a false murder charge were Gods answer I thought 'wait a minute God, that is not what I meant.' But God does know best. He knows what we each need and how much pressure of life is needed before we bow our knee to Him. We are nothing w/o Him. we can do nothing w/o Him. even every breath we take, is given by Him.
God has a plan and purpose for each of us. for my son it was prison and accepting Christ into his life. for me it was learning more faith and trust than I had ever known. He gave me a ministry of helping others. I try to do my best. you can only help someone if you have 'been in that situation'. yep. I guess I qualify there.

To trust God in everything takes more faith than just speaking the words. it is total commitment, even if you dont see the evidence of things happening, or the answers to prayers when/how you want. God is working nonstop in our lives and for our good. we may not see the results instantaniously. but that is where trust comes in. GOD SAID IT - THEREFORE - THAT SETTLES IT. FAITH.

justadeb

05-29-2008, 01:05 PM

ok so she still thinks she should be given out by others....maybe she isn't looking hard enough...at what she has been given...and that is YOU her MOTHER....please tell her that alone is a blessing many would see......because you ...my dear woman...give alot to her... how dare she not see what she WAS given..

dutchgirl1

05-29-2008, 01:52 PM

oh I dont really mean to make excuses for her. she is like a lost little girl. she was raped @ 12, went thru alcohol abuse, suicide attempt. marriage, another rape,divorce :( and now living in alaska w/ someone who drinks and doesnt support her endevor to quit the alcohol. she has some real emotional problems. I know that one day she is gonna run so hard and fast, she will run right into the Lord Himself. I just hope it is while I am still around.
but thanks for your words. :)

dutchgirl1

05-29-2008, 02:04 PM

Greg Laurie
Senior Pastor
Harvest Christian Fellowship
Riverside, Ca

"Let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily hinders our progress. And let us run with endurance the race that God has set before us." —Hebrews 12:1 (http://bible.gospelcom.net/cgi-bin/bible?passage=Hebrews+12:1&language=english&version=NLT)

I am the kind of a person who likes to drag a lot of stuff with me when I travel. I have been traveling for many years, yet I still overpack. I want to bring everything I own. But excess baggage makes traveling more complicated.

In the same way, when you are running the race of life, you need to run light. Sometimes, we drag along a lot of excess weight. But notice that the Bible tells us to "strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily hinders our progress."

Sin is sin, and there are certain non-negotiables to which we must hold fast. Then there might be something that is a weight in your life that may not necessarily be a weight in another's life. By that I mean, there may be something you are doing that is impeding your spiritual progress.

Periodically, I need to take stock of my life as a Christian and look at the things I am doing with my time. I need to ask myself the question, "Is it a wing or a weight? Is it speeding me on my way spiritually, or is it slowing me down? Is it increasing my spiritual appetite, or is it dulling it?"

So often we are busy doing a lot of things that aren't really all that important, but they seem important at the time. We need to ask ourselves if we need to do all of those things. Are they slowing you down? Lay aside the weight and the sin that hinders your progress.

dutchgirl1

05-30-2008, 06:06 AM

this takes 5-10 minutes but it is worth it. check it out.

http://www.godtube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=152b5103d741aca61093

dutchgirl1

05-30-2008, 08:16 AM

"Yes - But . . . !" “Lord, I will follow Thee; but …”
Luke 9:61 (http://www.searchgodsword.org/desk/?query=lu+9:61&sr=1) 

Supposing God tells you to do something which is an enormous test to your common sense, what are you going to do? Hang back? If you get into the habit of doing a thing in the physical domain, you will do it every time until you break the habit determinedly; and the same is true spiritually. Again and again you will get up to what Jesus Christ wants, and every time you will turn back when it comes to the point, until you abandon resolutely. "Yes, but - supposing I do obey God in this matter, what about . . . ?" "Yes, I will obey God if He will let me use my common sense, but don't ask me to take a step in the dark." Jesus Christ demands of the man who trusts Him the same reckless sporting spirit that the natural man exhibits. If a man is going to do anything worth while, there are times when he has to risk everything on his leap, and in the spiritual domain Jesus Christ demands that you risk everything you hold by common sense and leap into what He says, and immediately you do, you find that what He says fits on as solidly as common sense. At the bar of common sense Jesus Christ's statements may seem mad; but bring them to the bar of faith, and you begin to find with awestruck spirit that they are the words of God. Trust entirely in God, and when He brings you to the venture, see that you take it. We act like pagans in a crisis, only one out of a crowd is daring enough to bank his faith in the character of God.

from My Utmost for His Highest

vangee

05-31-2008, 09:00 PM

dUTCHGIRL THANK YOU
I HAVE AN ISSUE I HAVING BEEN TRYING TO TRUST GOD FOR, BUT I COULD NEVER DO IT. ANYWAY EVERY TIME I TURNED AROUND MY ISSUE WAS IN MY FACE, I EVEN WENT TO GET MY TAXES DONE AND THE PREPARER SAID YOU DON'T TITHE? I SLID OUT OF THE CHAIR, I SAID OK GOD I GOT YOUR MESAGE.
I TELL YOU, IT IS THE STRANGEST THING LEARNING HOW TO TRUST GOD AND ALL THIS OTHER STUFF IS GOING ON, BUT TRUSTING IN HIM AND LEANING ON HIM IS WHAT I WAS CREATED FOR, TO WORSHIP GOS IN ALL OF HIS SPLENDOR AND ALL OF HIS HOLINESS, I WILL WORSHIP HIM.
NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS, HE IS STILL IN CHARGE.
ROMANS ? FOR OF HIM AND THROUGH HIM AND TO HIM ARE ALL THINGS TO WHOM BE THE GLORY FOREVER AMEN.
THANKS FOR THE POST.
VANGEE

moma k

06-01-2008, 10:51 PM

thank you dgal,for all

dutchgirl1

06-02-2008, 06:30 AM

Ro 11:36 (http://www.searchgodsword.org/desk/?query=ro+11:36&translation=nkj&st=1&new=1&sr=1&l=en) - For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen.

it never ceases to amaze me how one day we may be thinking something or looking for an answer to something, and then we read something or talk w/someone and that person doesnt even know what is going on and they will say something that fits to what we are searching for. God is so amazing. He always takes time for each one individually. sometimes we dont think so, but yes He is there. all we have to do is to take our eyes off ourselves or our problems and start looking around us to see that God is still here with us. we may find an answer in the smallest way. a birdsong, or flower, or a childs laughter. He doesnt always speak directly to us in a loud booming voice. sometimes He uses day to day life around us. we just need to start opening our hearts (ha thought I was gonna say eyes didnt you) and listen and look.

Bless you all every day. as we share things with each other, we are helping each other to build strength and find out how much God loves us, by giving us each other.
He wants to be thought of first, but also knows how much we need that 'human conection' too.

dutchgirl1

06-02-2008, 08:25 AM

June 2, 2008

Ovietor

06-02-2008, 08:38 AM

June 2, 2008

:confused::confused::confused: again. hehe

dutchgirl1

06-02-2008, 09:59 AM

oh great. now I gotta remember what it was so I can repost.

sorry about that. again.

dutchgirl1

06-02-2008, 11:26 AM

ok. here it is.. typed out rather than copy/paste....

Snatched from Danger
"Because he loves me, says the Lord, I will rescue him, I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name". Matthew 17:27
Devotion..

"She's choking!" Juli's precious little girl could not cathc her breath, so with stealth-like maneuvering, July pulled her grom the hight chair, and retrieved the goldfish cracker that was lodged in her throat. For the first 11 mos of life this child had only known gentleness from her mother, bit todays crisis called for swift, if not exactly gentle action. Juli spend the next 45 min consoling her quivering baby, all the while she trembled herself realizing how close she'd come to losing her.

Sometimes, the Lord treats us the same way. He rescues us from certain danger and yet we see it as the most painful even of our lives!. I look back on my life and see moments I deemed devasting, only to discover later they were actually life-giving.

Have you ever broken down and cried until there were no more tears ? I have.
Have you ever wondered why this tragedy is happening to you ? I have. Have you ever questioned if God really cares about your circumstances ? I have. Have you sat quivering like Juli or her little girl, wondering if you would ever see the sun shine in your life again ? You are not alone.

In 2 Corinthians 11:26-28 Paul said, "I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my own countrymen, in danger from Gentiles (unbelievers); in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea and in danger from false brothers. I have labored and toiled and have often gone w/o sleep. I have known hunger and thrist and have often gone w/.o food. I have been cold and naked. Besides everything else, I face the pressure of my concern for all the churches."

Now her was a guy who had every reason to throw his hands up and say "I quit - If you loved me God you wouldnt put me through this" . However, God revealed to Paul..."My grace is sufficient for you , for my power is made perfect in weakness".

The trial that you are facing today is not too big for God to handle. As a matter of fact, being the loving parent that He is, He may be rescuing you from certain death. Believe Him.... Trust Him.... Love Him despite your circumstances. Someday you will look back on this time and see His hand was there all along.

Dear Lord, help us to rely on You completely during the good times, but especially Father when we cant se past our struggle. Teach us to be more like Paul who discovered that when we are weak, You are strong in us. In Jesus' Name. amen.

Power verses: 2nd Tim 4:18 James 1:2 1 Thess 2:4

*taken from Encouragement for Today, from Proverbs 31 Ministries. todays message by Luann Prater.

dutchgirl1

06-02-2008, 02:19 PM

deb saw your thanks on my video post. did you watch all of it ? what do you think ?

dutchgirl1

06-03-2008, 11:20 AM

Don’t Look Back
“But this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal. . . .” (Philippians 3:13–14)

If you want to run the race of life successfully, then don’t look back. If you ever have run a race and looked over your shoulder to see what your competitor was doing, then you know that looking back can break your stride and ultimately cause you to lose the race.
Paul, along the same lines, says in Philippians 3:13, “Forgetting those things which are behind. . . . ” If you are going to walk with the Lord, then you must forget the things that are behind. Here, the word “forget” doesn’t mean a failure to remember as much as it means no longer being influenced or affected by the past.
Here is what you need to do: Forget the things that are behind. While you may not be able erase them from your memory, you don’t need to let them influence you. Sometimes we dredge up the things God has forgiven and forgotten. The Lord says, “I will remember their sins no more” (Jeremiah 31:34). Yet many times we will bring past sins up, forgetting the fact that our God has a big eraser. If God has forgiven my sins and forgotten them, then I need to leave them behind, learn from my mistakes, not do the same thing again, and move forward. Why should we choose to remember what God has chosen to forget?

greg laurie daily devotions for personal growth/harvest.org

dutchgirl1

06-05-2008, 08:31 AM

God's Say-So “He hath said … so that we may boldly say …”
Hebrews 8:5-6 (http://www.searchgodsword.org/desk/?query=heb+8:5-6&sr=1) 

My say-so is to be built on God's say-so. God says - "I will never leave thee," then I can with good courage say - "The Lord is my helper, I will not fear - " I will not be haunted by apprehension. This does not mean that I will not be tempted to fear, but I will remember God's say-so. I will be full of courage, like a child "bucking himself up" to reach the standard his father wants. Faith in many a one falters when the apprehensions come, they forget the meaning of God's say-so, forget to take a deep breath spiritually. The only way to get the dread taken out of us is to listen to God's say-so.
What are you dreading? You are not a coward about it, you are going to face it, but there is a feeling of dread. When there is nothing and no one to help you, say - "But the Lord is my Helper, this second, in my present outlook." Are you learning to say things after listening to God, or are you saying things and trying to make God's word fit in? Get hold of the Father's say-so, and then say with good courage - "I will not fear." It does not matter what evil or wrong may be in the way, He has said - "I will never leave thee." Frailty is another thing that gets in between God's say-so and ours. When we realize how feeble we are in facing difficulties, the difficulties become like giants, we become like grasshoppers, and God becomes a nonentity. Remember God's say-so - "I will in no wise fail you." Have we learned to sing after hearing God's key-note? Are we always possessed with the courage to say - "The Lord is my helper," or are we succumbing?
from My Utmost for His Highest

dutchgirl1

06-09-2008, 08:33 AM

The Whole Armor of God

Ephesians 6.....

10 (http://www.searchgodsword.org/desk/?query=eph+6:10&sr=1&t=nkj)Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. 11 (http://www.searchgodsword.org/desk/?query=eph+6:11&sr=1&t=nkj)Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 (http://www.searchgodsword.org/desk/?query=eph+6:12&sr=1&t=nkj)For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, F20 (http://www.searchgodsword.org/desk/?query=eph+6&t=nkj&sr=0&l=en#F20) against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 (http://www.searchgodsword.org/desk/?query=eph+6:13&sr=1&t=nkj)Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
14 (http://www.searchgodsword.org/desk/?query=eph+6:14&sr=1&t=nkj)Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 (http://www.searchgodsword.org/desk/?query=eph+6:15&sr=1&t=nkj)and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 (http://www.searchgodsword.org/desk/?query=eph+6:16&sr=1&t=nkj)above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. 17 (http://www.searchgodsword.org/desk/?query=eph+6:17&sr=1&t=nkj)And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; 18 (http://www.searchgodsword.org/desk/?query=eph+6:18&sr=1&t=nkj)praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints............

Putting on our armour EVERYDAY first thing in the morning is so necessary in todays life. putting it on daily will help you get thru the day w/less turmoil and stress and battles.

dutchgirl1

06-10-2008, 11:50 AM

The Weight of Waiting

dutchgirl1

06-10-2008, 12:07 PM

The Weight of Waiting.
"Why doesn't the Almighty bring the wicked to judgment ? Why must the godly wait for Him in vain?" job 24:1

My must-have-in-order-to-survive-todays-busy-lifestyle-high-tech equipment doesnt function right. After dialing tech support and listening to instructions, I press one button and then another. Finally the phone rings. and rings. Relieved when I hear a voice, I anticipate a rapid resolution. Instead I get a recording...Please WAIT for the next available agent. !!!!
Arghhhh ! I dont like having to wait. It can bring out the worst in me. Once after a long holding session, I actually threw my phone across the room, fell in a heap on the floor and sobbed.
God knows me. He is well aware of my weaknesses. So He calls me to His workout room where my weights are actually waits. "Here lift these. When you have completed this exercise, you will emerge a stronger woman."
So I begin to strength train with the waits in my life.

Daily I encounter light waits that serve as a warm up for the heavier waits. How I behave as I wait in line at the post office or grocery store, for example, becomes a testimony to my growing strength and maturity. Sure I sometimes drop the load rather than handle the wait well... I occassionally give in to impatient eye rolling, snide under-my-breath comments, or quick steps to assure my place in line.
Thankfully, God believes in me as a savvy coach believes in his well-chosen atheletes.He hasnt given up on me. He continues to assign me to His wait room where I am learning daily "wait training" strengthens me for the larger times of waiting. (like our kids in prison?) In Gods' good timiing He opens the doors to the perfect answer. We can emerge from Gods wait room wrapped in our Fathers comfort, having learned to trust Him.
Ive discovered that waiting isnt a waste of time, but an opportunity to grow my character. When the wait feels impossible I try to focus on building patience and my relationship w/ Jesus, rather than fretting. I spend a lot of time in Gods wait room. Next time you find yourself there, remember that God provides the ability to endure when we willingly yeild to His strength training process.

Father God, please forgive me for my impatient behavior when having to wait on You. Help me to use time of waiting to grow stronger in You.

Pwer verses... Psalm 5:3 Isaiah 49:23b Romans 15:4

justadeb

06-10-2008, 10:45 PM

puts on top

moma k

06-10-2008, 11:53 PM

Thank You

dutchgirl1

06-11-2008, 11:24 AM

“You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everybody…written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts” (2 Corinthians 3:2-3 NIV)

dutchgirl1

06-11-2008, 11:39 AM

"You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everybody...written not w/ink, but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts." 2 Cor 3:2-3

I received a letter the other day. Oh it didnt have a stamp in the right-hand corner or even a return address sticker, but I knew exactly where it came from and there was no doubt about who had sent it. The letter was wearing jeans and a sweatshirt with brown should lenth hair, and she was sent by God.

In the Bible, Paul described Christians as living letters known and read by everybody, not written with ink, but with the Spirit of God on human hearts. God has sent many love letters my way...hand delivered, special delivery, postage paid. Admittedly some of the letters seem to have gotten marred in transit and I suspect a few of the words were not quite what the Author intended. But they were letters none the less.

God did not write His letters on fragile sheets of paper or on tablets of stone. He wrote His letters on human hearts for the entire world to read. There are some letters that I have received and wanted to mark RETURN TO SENDER across the top. I didnt want the letter and honestly I wasnt sure where it came from. It couldnt possibly be from God. The words were harsh and I suspected they were counterfeit. not really from God at all...even though the letter said they were.

There are other beautifully scripted letters that I take out and read repeatedly. they are treasures that I hold dear. I read them often, clutch them to my heart, and even place a kiss upon the seal from time to time. these are my favorite letter. They come in all shapes and sizes, but the return address is always evident, even if it has faded w/years or rubbed off w/ ear. I love these letters. God has sent me so many over the years.

Dear friend, here is a daunting thought. YOU are a letter. I am a letter. God has written His message on our hearts and mailed us out to the world. People read His letters inour actions. They read His letters in our words. What will they read in your letter? will they welcome the words like a soldier hungry for news from home, or view it a junk mail to be tossed in the trash. will they dread the words like a bill that needs to be paid, or will they see it as God intended...a love letter wooing them to Christ.

what does your letter say today ?

Dear Heavenly Father, I want to represent You well today. Help me to use my words as a well trained ambasador. I pray that I will be a living love letter to those I meet every day.
In Jesus name. amen.

taken from girlfreinds devotions

dutchgirl1

06-12-2008, 08:17 AM

Getting There “Master, where dwellest Thou? . . Come and see.”
John 1:39 (http://www.searchgodsword.org/desk/?query=joh+1:39&sr=1) 

"They abode with Him that day." That is about all some of us ever do, then we wake up to actualities, self-interest arises and the abiding is passed. There is no condition of life in which we cannot abide in Jesus.
"Thou art Simon, thou shalt be called Cephas." God writes the new name on those places only in our lives where He has erased the pride and self-sufficiency and self-interest. Some of us have the new name in spots only, like spiritual measles. In sections we look all right. When we have our best spiritual mood on, you would think we were very high-toned saints; but don't look at us when we are not in that mood. The disciple is one who has the new name written all over him; self-interest and pride and self-sufficiency have been completely erased. Pride is the deification of self, and this to-day in some of us is not of the order of the Pharisee, but of the publican. To say "Oh, I'm no saint," is acceptable to human pride, but it is unconscious blasphemy against God. It literally means that you defy God to make you a saint, "I am much too weak and hopeless, I am outside the reach of the Atonement." Humility before men may be unconscious blasphemy before God. Why are you not a saint? It is either that you do not want to be a saint, or that you do not believe God can make you one. It would be all right, you say, if God saved you and took you straight to heaven. That is just what He will do! "We will come unto him, and make our abode with him." Make no conditions, let Jesus be everything, and He will take you home with Him not only for a day, but for ever.

taken from My Utmost for His Highest/oswald chambers

dutchgirl1

06-13-2008, 08:34 AM

All Things are Possible! - Mark 9:23

Jesus said to the father, "You said, 'Help him if you can.' All things are possible for the person that believes."

Today's Verses in Context
Then Jesus, Peter, James, and John went to the other followers. They saw many people around them. The teachers of the law were arguing with the followers. When the people saw Jesus, they were very surprised. They ran to him to welcome him. Jesus asked, "What are you arguing with the teachers of the law about?" A man answered, "Teacher, I brought my son to you. My son has a spirit {from the devil} inside him. This spirit stops my son from talking. The spirit attacks my son and throws him on the ground. My son foams from his mouth, grinds his teeth, and becomes very stiff. I asked your followers to force the evil spirit out, but they could not." Jesus answered, "You people don't believe! How long must I stay with you? How long must I continue to be patient with you? Bring the boy to me!" So the followers brought the boy to Jesus. When the {evil} spirit saw Jesus, the spirit attacked the boy. The boy fell down and rolled on the ground. He was foaming from his mouth. Jesus asked the boy's father, "How long has this been happening to the boy?" The father answered, "Since he was very young. The spirit often throws him into a fire or into water to kill him. If you can do anything for him, please have pity on us and help us." Jesus said to the father, "You said, 'Help him if you can.' All things are possible for the person that believes." The father became very excited. He said, "I do believe. Help me to believe more!" Jesus saw that all the people were running there to see what was happening. So Jesus spoke to the evil spirit. Jesus said, "You evil spirit that makes this boy deaf and stops him from talking--I command you to come out of this boy and never enter him again!" The {evil} spirit screamed. The spirit caused the boy to fall on the ground again, and then the spirit came out. The boy looked like he was dead. Many people said, "He is dead!" But Jesus held the boy's hand and helped him stand. Jesus went into the house. His followers were alone with him there. Theysaid, "We could not force that evil spirit out. Why?" Jesus answered, "That kind of spirit can only be forced out by using prayer." — Mark 9:14-29 (http://www.searchgodsword.org/desk/?query=Mark+9:14-29&sr=1&t=erv)

{But I say}, "Can a woman forget her baby? No! Can a woman forget the child that came from her body? No! A woman can't forget her children. And I (the Lord) can't forget you.
Isaiah 49:15 (http://www.searchgodsword.org/desk/?query=Isaiah+49:15&sr=1&t=erv) (ERV)
He will suffer many things in his soul, but he will see the good things that happen. He will be satisfied with the things he learns. My Good Servant will make many people not guilty; he will carry away their guilt.
Isaiah 53:11 (http://www.searchgodsword.org/desk/?query=Isaiah+53:11&sr=1&t=erv) (ERV)
It is God that has made you part of Christ Jesus. Christ has become wisdom for us from God. Christ is the reason we are right with God and have freedom from sin; Christ is the reason we are holy.
1 Corinthians 1:30 (http://www.searchgodsword.org/desk/?query=1+Corinthians+1:30&sr=1&t=erv)

dutchgirl1

06-16-2008, 11:54 AM

"And I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish."
John 10:28 (http://www.searchgodsword.org/desk/?query=joh+10:28&sr=1&t=nlt)

The Christian should never think or speak lightly of unbelief. For a child of God to mistrust his love, his truth, his faithfulness, must be greatly displeasing to him. How can we ever grieve him by doubting his upholding grace? Christian! it is contrary to every promise of God's precious Word that thou shouldst ever be forgotten or left to perish. If it could be so, how could he be true who has said, "Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? Yea, they may forget, yet will I never forget thee." What were the value of that promise-"The mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee." Where were the truth of Christ's words-"I give unto my sheep eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand." Where were the doctrines of grace? They would be all disproved if one child of God should perish. Where were the veracity of God, his honour, his power, his grace, his covenant, his oath, if any of those for whom Christ has died, and who have put their trust in him, should nevertheless be cast away? Banish those unbelieving fears which so dishonour God. Arise, shake thyself from the dust, and put on thy beautiful garments. Remember it is sinful to doubt his Word wherein he has promised thee that thou shalt never perish. Let the eternal life within thee express itself in confident rejoicing. "The gospel bears my spirit up:
A faithful and unchanging God
Lays the foundation for my hope,
In oaths, and promises, and blood."

Meowth84

06-17-2008, 09:10 AM

Good Morning Everyone. I'd like to share. It's not a bible verse but I received it in an email and feel it is very appropriate here. Hope everyone has a great day.

His Always,:D
Julie

"To get something you never had, you have to do something you never did". When God takes something from your grasp; He's not punishing you, but merely opening your hands to receive something better.
Concentrate on this sentence.....
"The will of God will never take you where the Grace of God will not protect you."

dutchgirl1

06-17-2008, 11:15 AM

thanks Julie. that is kewl. here is something I heard this morning......

"you cant climb the mountain if the sides are smooth" something like that. meaning of course that we need the rocky places and crags in our life to be able to find footing to climb the mountain. if the sides were smooth we could never climb (unless you got sunction cup feet :)

dutchgirl1

06-20-2008, 08:24 AM

"For, lo, I will command, and I will sift the house of Israel among all nations, like as corn is sifted in a sieve, yet shall not the least grain fall upon the earth."
Amos 9:9 (http://www.searchgodsword.org/desk/?query=am+9:9&sr=1&t=nlt)

Every sifting comes by divine command and permission. Satan must ask leave before he can lay a finger upon Job. Nay, more, in some sense our siftings are directly the work of heaven, for the text says, "I will sift the house of Israel." Satan, like a drudge, may hold the sieve, hoping to destroy the corn; but the overruling hand of the Master is accomplishing the purity of the grain by the very process which the enemy intended to be destructive. Precious, but much sifted corn of the Lord's floor, be comforted by the blessed fact that the Lord directeth both flail and sieve to his own glory, and to thine eternal profit.
The Lord Jesus will surely use the fan which is in his hand, and will divide the precious from the vile. All are not Israel that are of Israel; the heap on the barn floor is not clean provender, and hence the winnowing process must be performed. In the sieve true weight alone has power. Husks and chaff being devoid of substance must fly before the wind, and only solid corn will remain. Observe the complete safety of the Lord's wheat; even the least grain has a promise of preservation. God himself sifts, and therefore it is stern and terrible work; he sifts them in all places, "among all nations"; he sifts them in the most effectual manner, "like as corn is sifted in a sieve"; and yet for all this, not the smallest, lightest, or most shrivelled grain, is permitted to fall to the ground. Every individual believer is precious in the sight of the Lord, a shepherd would not lose one sheep, nor a jeweller one diamond, nor a mother one child, nor a man one limb of his body, nor will the Lord lose one of his redeemed people. However little we may be, if we are the Lord's, we may rejoice that we are preserved in Christ Jesus.

from charles spurgeon

dutchgirl1

06-20-2008, 08:26 AM

Don’t Lean on Your Own Understanding

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths." Proverbs 3:5-6
I bet that a lot of people would say that Proverbs 3:5-6 is their life verse. Is it yours? Do you have it underlined in your Bible? Let’s spend a couple minutes digging into this gold mine of truth for an even better understanding of God’s promise to us.
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart” is obviously an exhortation not to doubt. Doubt is so destructive. It eats away at your soul. When you trust in the Lord “with all your heart”—with your total commitment, with everything you have, you’re making a tangible choice not to doubt.
But are you trusting with all your heart? This will help you to know— “…And do not lean on your own understanding.” You can’t trust in the Lord with all your heart if you’re leaning on your own understanding. Maybe you know some things. The problem is, are you leaning on those things when you hit a crisis? Are you confident in your own ability to get out of tight spots? “I know how to fix this.” Yeah, that’s not so great.
Well, what then? “In all your ways acknowledge Him…” In every choice, acknowledge God. Everything is about God—His reputation, His fame. You might be able to handle that situation by yourself, but you don’t just want to get out of it, you want to honor God in it.
Let’s say you’ve run into financial problems. Or you lose your job. Or you lose the big sale you were depending on. Not to mention the cost of gas! Things are getting so tight you don’t know how you’re going to pay the bills.
Humanly speaking, the first thing I do is lean on my own understanding. We’re going to tighten the belt around here, baby. No more money to charity. We can’t help our little Compassion Child anymore; she’s going to have to take care of herself. We’re not giving any more money over at that church; they seem to be doing fine.
Now, it’s not wrong to be wise in how you spend, but if you think you’re going to just gut it out, you’re leaning on your own understanding. That might be how you got in this situation, but that’s not how you’re going to get out of it. Instead say, we’re going to honor God as first in our life. We’re going to trust Him to keep His promises. We’re going to keep our commitments and tithe and give.
Don’t you think God sees you? Maybe He has allowed this very thing to teach you what it means to trust Him.

dutchgirl1

06-20-2008, 08:01 PM

mahkenna

06-22-2008, 11:01 PM

Thanks Dgal...I needed that one!!!!! What a great confirmation!

I was feeling like God did not hear my prayers to bring new girls to my jail ministry to share the gospel with. If truth be told I was upset that God had "taken" my jail ministry and left me empty handed! :mad:

I didn't realize that he was taking HIS ministry back to further it for all eternity. I had done the work he called me for. I just said goodbye to my last inmate from county about a week ago...she went home. I am glad she is now home, but I was bewildered at what God was doing. What happened to my "calling"?

All of my other girls...all 7 of them...(God's perfect number) were shipped to various state prisons and some about 6 and 1/2 hours away. So no more regular weekend visits.:( I miss them terribly!!!! We write and talk on the phone, but I miss their smiling faces and our time together. I am slowly getting approved to visit them in prison.

Divinely enough after being scattered across the state, they ALL got shipped out again and ended up at CCWF, Chowchilla, CA...including my daughter! All of them...God is at work.

6 of them attend Sunday service together, my daughter and her sector (who is in overflow) gets sent to breakfast during church service. Soooo she reads the bible to the other inmates instead....and the girls love it. She has organized morning prayer groups and invites all the girls in her sector. She said they all will going home soon (all short timers) and they will need to take the love of Jesus with them to start new lives!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So Father I apologize for being such a brat!!!! I look forward to what you have planned for me. I am letting go of my grasp and stand before you with open hands so YOU can hand me something amazing that I can do for YOUR glory! In the name of Jesus, Amen.:bow:

God bless you Dgal!! You are a God send!:thumbsup:

mahkenna

06-22-2008, 11:06 PM

'To get something you never had, you have to do something you never
did' When God takes something from your grasp, He's not punishing you,
but merely opening your hands to receive something better.

..... 'The will of God will never take you where the
Grace of God will not protect you.'
PS ...I have gone back and read this like 800 times!!!!! Thanks again!:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D :D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D
I'm sending it to my girls too.

dutchgirl1

06-23-2008, 06:42 AM

hi mak. thank you for all that you said. there are days that I just find something that 'sounds' good, and throw it in here, but I always pray, Lord use it for you" funny thing about doing this as ministry. first, this is Not what I ever thought of for my life. (God are you sure) why would He take someone who doesnt get into His word as much as she should, pray as much, etc etc. and use this lowly person to minister to others. I am a very introverted person. I disappear in a crowd of 5 ! And then, too, doing this keeps my pain of my son in prison alive. it hurts a lot. all the time. and yet.... by doing this very thing, it causes me to go to His word in search of some answer.. I find myself praying for everyone here more. and the pain of my son... it helps to remember why I am here, helps me to identify w/others so I can say better things to help. at least all this is what I think. no I am not a great witness to the world in the fact that verbally, I dont think I can say things.. my mind goes blank so to speak. but here, and in my life, I can live by my testimony and my daily living. at work. at the supermarket, in traffic. whereever I am how I act publicly, is a witness. that is what that verse means... Let your light shine before men. it is how we interact. our pastor said something yesterday.... people in the world say... dont tell me... show me. yep. that is what we should be doing. our actions speak louder than words. showing our love.
God will open new doors for you mak, of that I am sure. He has something great in store for you. and ya know what. one day even though we may feel we havent done a lot... He will give us a crown with gems in it. and best of all He will say... Enter into My kingdom, well done good and faithful servant.

ok. gotta stop this and start getting ready for work.

be blessed today. one and all.

d'gal

dutchgirl1

06-23-2008, 02:27 PM

This is one of the best explanations of why God allows pain and suffering that I have seen...

A man went to a barbershop to have
his hair cut and his beard trimmed.

As the barber began to work, they began to have a good conversation.

They talked about so many things and various subjects.

When they eventually touched on the subject of God, the barber said:

"I don't believe that God exists."

"Why do you say that?" asked the customer. "Well, you just have to go out in the street to realize that God doesn't exist.

Tell me, if God exists, would there be so many sick people?

Would there be abandoned children?

If God existed, there would be neither
suffering nor pain.

I can't imagine a loving God who would allow all of these things."

The customer thought for a moment,
but didn't respond because he didn't want to start an argument.

The barber finished his job and the customer left the shop.

Just after he left the barbershop, he saw a man in the street with long, stringy, dirty hair and an untrimmed beard.

He looked dirty and unkempt. The customer turned back and entered the barber shop again and he said to the barber:

"You know what? Barbers do not exist."

"How can you say that?" asked the surprised barber. "I am here, and I am a barber. And I just worked on you!"

"No!" the customer exclaimed. "Barbers don't exist because if they did, there would be no people with dirty long hair and untrimmed beards, like that man outside."

"Ah, but barbers DO exist! That's what happens when people do not come to me."

"Exactly!" affirmed the customer. "That's the point! God, too, DOES exist!

That's what happens when people do not go to Him and don't look to Him for help.

That's why there's so much pain and suffering in the world."

mahkenna

06-23-2008, 05:12 PM

Awesome! Thanks again Dgal...I will be using that one. That is a PERFECT analogy for the nay sayers. I love the kind of stories that are not preachy but are just the plain truth. They understand it better.... helps the light go off!!!!:idea:

dutchgirl1

06-24-2008, 06:15 AM

I dont do sugar-coated warm-fuzzys kind of preaching. sorry for any who like him and I dont mean to offend.,, joel osteen is ok to a point but he is also a warm fuzzy preacher. sorry but as much as God does/will bless us, He also told us that for HIM we will suffer persecution etc. He did promis us a rose garden, uh... didnt you know that roses have Thorns ?

dutchgirl1

06-24-2008, 02:19 PM

WISDOM FOR YOUR WALK

A Way of Escape

http://www.walkintheword.com/images/article_image131.jpg

1 Corinthians 10:13 - No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.
One of the great promises in God’s Word is that God is watching your life and He won’t let you go through any more than you can handle. First Corinthians 10:13 assures us that “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.”
A key word in that promise is “temptation.” In Greek, that can also be translated “trial.” God in His mercy watches you in the trial you face today. His hand is on the thermostat. If it gets too hard, 1 Corinthians 10:13 says, “He will provide a way of escape.”

Do you need an exit ramp right now? He’ll provide it if you need it. How?
1. He might end the trial right now.
He can pull you right out of the fire. “That’s enough. You’ve learned it. I’m glorified in it. It’s over.” Have you ever had that happen? I have.
2. He might give you encouragement to persevere.
God will send some people along to encourage you so you know you’re not alone. He will put you on people’s hearts so they know to pray for you—and they do it.
3. He gives you wisdom to act.
“I didn’t know what to do, but God gave me insight into the situation. I would have never done that, but He showed me how. That one decision changed everything.”
4. He gives you strength to persevere.
“I thought I couldn’t take it anymore, but I can’t believe how God has energized me for a new season of faithfulness.”
5. He gives you someone to share the burden.
“I felt so alone until God brought a friend back into my life. I turned a corner. We’re walking together.”
6. He gives you a few days of relief.
“I just got away. God gave me an oasis in the middle of the desert. It renewed my strength.”
I could go on and on with these, but suffice it to say God will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you’re able. He will make a way of escape for you. No trial needs to overtake you. God will provide an exit ramp--just take it.

dutchgirl1

06-25-2008, 06:16 AM

Receiving One's Self In The Fires Of Sorrow “What shall I say? Father, save me, from this hour? But for this cause came I unto this hour. Father, glorify Thy name.”
John 12:27-29 (http://www.searchgodsword.org/desk/?query=joh+12:27-29&sr=1) 

My attitude as a saint to sorrow and difficulty is not to ask that they may be prevented, but to ask that I may preserve the self God created me to be through every fire of sorrow. Our Lord received Himself in the fire of sorrow, He was saved not from the hour, but out of the hour.
We say that there ought to be no sorrow, but there is sorrow, and we have to receive ourselves in its fires. If we try and evade sorrow, refuse to lay our account with it, we are foolish. Sorrow is one of the biggest facts in life; it is no use saying sorrow ought not to be. Sin and sorrow and suffering are, and it is not for us to say that God has made a mistake in allowing them. Sorrow burns up a great amount of shallowness, but it does not always make a man better. Suffering either gives me my self or it destroys my self. You cannot receive your self in success, you lose your head; you cannot receive your self in monotony, you grouse. The way to find yourself is in the fires of sorrow. Why it should be so is another matter, but that it is so is true in the Scriptures and in human experience. You always know the man who has been through the fires of sorrow and received himself, you are certain you can go to him in trouble and find that he has ample leisure for you. If a man has not been through the fires of sorrow, he is apt to be contemptuous, he has no time for you. If you receive yourself in the fires of sorrow, God will make you nourishment for other people.

from Oswald Chambers.

mahkenna

06-25-2008, 01:14 PM

I love Oswald Chambers book "My Utmost for His Highest". My friend and I just started working out together and afterward we read the writing for the day. Since each day has a short unique writing it has been fun to see what the days subject is. It ends up, more than not the subject is about something we had talked about while working out!

Since I am new to this book...I can tell you it has spoken to me and my friend and I would encourage everyone to get it!

Thanks D'gal you sure know how to pick um! :thumbsup:

justadeb

06-25-2008, 01:19 PM

thank you L if it is inspiring you there ...has to be substance to it ....i will have to look for it..

sonyarod

06-25-2008, 01:29 PM

sonyarod

06-25-2008, 01:35 PM

goofygretch

06-25-2008, 04:47 PM

d'girl....you are so wise beyond all. Thank you for the word of God. Sometimes I don't think I need it, that is until I hear or read it. Then I realize just how much I actually do need it, so I thank you from the bottom of my heart.
May God continue to bless you and keep you wise to minister to all who need it, yes, I am talking about me and anyone else in our shoes. I need all the faith builders I can get.
Thanks ever so much
Gretch

dutchgirl1

06-25-2008, 05:01 PM

Gretch. it is not I - thank God for giving ministry to all of us. we all have something of Him to share. most of what I post here is not my words, but others that I copy/paste in. their devotions. if the Lord is in it, and it blesses someone, all the better. I am in no way more wise or spiritual than anyone else.
thank you though for the support and encouragement that I am doing Gods work.

be blessed

dutchgirl1

06-30-2008, 10:50 AM

O come, let us sing unto the Lord; let us make a joyful noise to the Rock of our salvation. Psalm 95:1

A believing Christian nourishes himself daily with the bread of life, the Word of God, that has such miraculous virtue to sustain and invigorate the inner man for his growth in eternal life. In all the gifts a believing Christian receives, he recognizes the loving-kindness of God to His creatures, the grace and mercy of God toward sinners, and the most tender and benevolent love of God to His children. He also knows that it is well pleasing to God to receive our thanks. We cannot render unto Him anything that we have not received from Him; we can only acknowledge and magnify His goodness and mercy in humility of heart and cheerfulness of spirit. True, He permits us, yes He commands us, to place our earthly possissions at His disposal. He looks upon that which we give in His service, or do to the least of His brethren, as if we had done it unto Him. Such spiritual gifts as we have, we have received out of His fulness, they are His, and we are accountable to HIm for them. We ourselves belong to Him; our souls, which He hath purchased with His blood, are His. Our whole life should be consecrated to Him. such consecration is the only full and proper expression of gratitude for His unspeakable mercy. nor should it be expressed with groans and sighs, but with a cheerful heart, singing unto the Lord, and making a joyful noise to the Rock of our salavation. Such praise is well-pleasing to HIm.

from Our Daily Bread 1890 edition

dutchgirl1

07-01-2008, 11:28 AM

Good Morning. well most everything I have put in here has been from others. today I am attempting to bring you something from me. :eek: we shall see how this turns out.
You know, sometimes things happen in our day to days that the Lord uses to teach us something. that happened to me yesterday, so here we go......

oh no where is it ? I cant find it" it's gone."

we had a great weekend. We picked up Julie and headed to Florence to visit our son and for the G2G with others. It was a really nice weekend. well, Sunday after visit, we headed home. dropped Julie off, then went into Glendale to visit some other friends. On our way home, we stopped in Deer Valley to feed our gas gauge. :)
Monday morning I had plans to have lunch with a friend. As I was getting ready to leave... putting stuff together in my purse.. that is when I noticed it. "I can't find my wallet! where is it ? Lord please, I need it - where is it ?" I was in a panic. I search my purse some more, I run out to the car.. maybe I left it out there. I search to no avail. the trunk ? nope not there either. I run back inside and search our bag we used for our clothes. nothing.! Could I have left it at the gas station? I go online trying to find the place we had stopped at so I could call them. I finally locate the #, no nothing turned in. If I had lost in the trash when I threw a couple water bottles away, I would have to go back there and search the dumpster myself. ugh.
hubby suggests I should call bank and cancel debit card just in case. As I am on the phone just starting to talk to the bank.... my hubby walks outside and to the car, opens the door and picks up my wallet. what ? where? how did he know?
It seems I cried out in despair to the Lord for help. but I didnt slow down to LISTEN for Him to answer. So he literally told my hubby exactly where it was. hubby just opened the door & picked it up - no looking or searching. that simple.

So, here is the lesson I have learned from this. When we ask the Lord for something, an answer we need right away perhaps, do we stop and give Him a chance to answer ? do we trust that He will. Are we listening to His small still voice in our ear.? Or perhaps we cry out in despair, not really expecting anything from Him.
He says if we ask Him He will hear us and answer us. We say the words that we Trust Him, but are we really trusting Him enough for even the small things ? are we listening to or for His voice ? He cares even in the small things in our daily lives. Everything. Trusting and listening. hmmm. seems I have been lacking there. time to readjust myself. We cant get so pent up with something that we dont slow down and wait on Him to answer. He is there waiting. and if we dont'.. well He will just use someone else.
and - my hubby while in the act of obeying Gods voice, is utterly astounded. Why?
We know that God is interested in us, we ask then are surprised when He answers us.

Proverbs 18:13 says... He who answers before listening - that is his folly and his shame. that is what I did. the dialogue inside myself, giving myself my own versions of where my wallet was, etc,,, I wasnt giving God time to talk. I needed to quiet my mind and give Him the time to answer.
Psalm 46:10a Be still and know that I am God. be still... stop running around trying to find the answer yourself. wait on Him quietly.

well I guess that is most of it. hope this helps someone who is seeking answers to something. Ask Him, then quietly wait on Him for an answer. with the assurance that He will answer. dont grow impatient. if it isnt coming directly, go about your daily life, waiting expectantly and watching for His answer when it comes.

be blessed my friends.

d'gal

mahkenna

07-01-2008, 10:13 PM

That was an excellent message D'Gal...my hubby and I were just talking about this very same subject last night!!! Oh to slow down....I will have to work on that but I know it will pay off in the end! :D

moma k

07-01-2008, 11:39 PM

Thank you,dgal!amen amen.

dutchgirl1

07-02-2008, 05:51 AM

thanks for the encouragement. that was a first for me. I know there were more/better scriptures to use but well........

my daughter encourages me a lot too. she is such a dear.

well. enjoy this one, cause who knows when I will have another 'life lesson' to write about. haha isnt my life filled daily with something. I guess I need to 'slow down' and ponder some of this to see how to put to words.

talk at ya all later.

sonyarod

07-05-2008, 09:46 AM

Meowth84

07-07-2008, 09:32 AM

Good Morning everyone. Hope everyone had a good weekend. I'd like to share an email I received from my sister. It is short but it is to the point.

"Let it go..."
Judgment is God's Job
Wait for the Lord, and He will make things right. Proverbs 20:22
So many try and do God's job. For you, I have this question: Who made you God? I don't mean to be cocky, but why are you doing His work for Him?
"Vengeance is Mine," God declared.

"I will repay" (Hebrews 10:30)
Judgment is God's job. To assume otherwise is to assume God can't do it.

My prayer today:
Lord please help me to handle what you want me to handle and to not handle what you are supposed to take care of and please show me the difference. You will take care of me ALWAYS if I just let you. Thank you God for all you've done, are doing and will do in the future. In your name I pray.
Amen.

dutchgirl1

07-07-2008, 11:10 AM

Hey Julie, thanks this fits right in with what I was going to put - well at least part of it.

as I might have mentioned in something prior, my daughter married a guy the Lord had told her no about. well, she did marry him and thier life has been literal h____.
he was an alcoholic and drugs, and she thought she could/would help the Lord to save him. well, it took some time, and even though God doesnt need help, He is faithful. even in our disobedience. My daughter did all she could to correct her mistake by sticking by him and praying dilegently for him. to keep this short.... here are Sunday and Monday headlines from where she lives.....

Car driven into Yellowstone River
Initial search doesn't turn up automobile or driver

Man survives drive into river

yes this is my son in law. But even in all his pain, his goal was to see if God existed.
what did he discover...? ..... that the enemy (satan) wanted to kill him. God saved him. when he went into the river, he paniced and couldnt bust the window... but he found the window thing and put window down and got out. uhh I think I will mention that the truck is under water and the window was ELECTRIC. Only God could have made that work when by all rights it shouldnt have underwater.
Needless to say... I have a new son in law who is washed clean and now serves a mighty God.

John 6:37 All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me, I will by no means cast out.

mahkenna

07-07-2008, 11:30 AM

Wow D'gal that is tremendous!!!!!! Too bad he had to go through such extremes to find out what we have been telling the world for centuries!!!!!!

I am so glad he finally found the Lord!!! I will be praying he goes back home to his wife and makes things right! :thumbsup:

dutchgirl1

07-07-2008, 11:43 AM

hey mak. well actually here is how that part happened. after all this happened and before knowing if he was dead or alive... well, he was on cell phone w/D when he went into river. she was in soooo much anguish now knowing ..... satuday night, I was praying for the Lord to give her something to help / a bit of news or confirmation, something... immediate scripture that came to me... I am the Resurrection and the Life, he that believes in Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live. 2 min later D called and said he is alive. Sunday morning, they went to church and he gave his heart to the Lord, he is now having phsyc evaluation done but D is standing by him and he is learning to trust God.

mahkenna

07-07-2008, 02:50 PM

Praise God...they are in my prayers!!!

dutchgirl1

07-08-2008, 11:42 AM

Psalms 40:1-4 1. I waited patiently for the Lord; And He inclined to me, And heard my cry. 2 He also brought me up out of a horrible pit, Out of the miry clay, And set my feet upon a rock, And established my steps. 3 He has put a new song in my mouth-- Praise to our God; Many will see it and fear, And will trust in the Lord. 4 Blessed is that man who makes the Lord his trust, And does not respect the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies.

this is the scripture my son in law got from the Lord. it is so awesome - he is already giving his testimony to whomever will listen. even some who wont. he told my daughter... I was dead but God saved me and gave me life. :) :)

Meowth84

07-09-2008, 09:31 AM

Good Morning Everyone - God gave us PTO for a purpose. To help each of us get through each day. We have each other to lean on in good times and bad. I found this devotion and thought I'd share it with you.

Thank you God for PTO and everyone here to pray for ; to pray with, to cry for; to cry with, and to make laugh; to laugh with. Help us all be your hands and your heart to each other so that we can help each other get through all the difficult times because we all know we can't do it alone and you don't want us to. In your name we all pray.
AMEN

We Need Each Other: To Wait and Weep With

Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble. 1 Peter 3:8 (NIV)
*** *** *** ***
As a pastor, I see situations daily that nobody should ever have to go through alone. Nobody should ever have to wait in the hospital while a loved one is in life-or-death surgery. No woman should ever have to wait alone for the lab report on a problem pregnancy. Nobody should ever have to wait for news from a battlefield alone. Nobody should ever have to stand at the edge of an open grave alone. Nobody should ever have to spend the first night alone when their spouse has just walked out.
Life’s tough times and tragedies are inevitable – each of us will face them. But we don’t need to go through them alone. We need God’s safety net to help hold us up through these difficult times.
What is God’s safety net? It is a group of other believers – a handful of people who are really committed to you. We call this kind of group a community. Here’s God’s plan for community: “If one part suffers, every part suffers with it” (1 Corinthians 12:26 NIV). Community is God’s answer to despair.
Romans 12:15 expresses a similar idea: “Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn” (NIV).
The first part of that verse is easy. When something good happens to someone, it’s often easy to join in on the party.
But when someone is having a tough time, it can seem more difficult. But, really, it’s simple. When you’re going through a crisis, you don’t want advice; you just want somebody to be there – to sit with you, hold your hand, put an arm around your shoulder, or cry with you.
As Paul tells us, “Therefore encourage one another and build each other up” (1 Thessalonians 5:11 NIV). Encouraging someone else doesn’t always mean giving a pep talk or words of wisdom. Sometimes the best kind of encouragement is just sitting in silence – waiting and weeping with a friend.
Do you have a safety net – a group of fellow Christians you know you can count on in life’s toughest times? If not, go out today and begin building those friendships. The hard times in life are inevitable, and only a fool would go into them unprepared.

dutchgirl1

07-10-2008, 06:42 AM

okay another d'gal post strictly own words...

The LORD the Shepherd of His People
A Psalm of David.
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the LORD Forever.

so hubby and I go to wednesday church last night. sitting there and one of our
guys walks in with a beautiful young black lady. I guess she came to speak. And how awesome it was. She spoke on Psalm 23. but what she said....that is what touched your heart. She grew up in Rwanda. she was there during the genocide in I think 1994. she saw her whole family wiped away. she alone survived. then 3 weeks in the wilderness to escape. She literally went thru the 'valley of the shadow of death'. she was beaten, shot 3 different times. the last time she was injured, her jaw was dislocated and as she lay there barely conscious, the only words she could utter was JEsus. Jesus.
when she came to America, she was amazed at what this land had to offer. but with that, sitting there listening to her, I started thinking about us. Americans have become so complacent about this great country. We have so much that we take for granted. yet we complain and murmur about how hard life is for us. Hello. we need to wake up and thank God for what He has given us. Oh some of us have real issues.. we have some real things in our lives that hurt beyond measure. Reggie, Ovie are just two of those who suffer immeasureably. but I am not even talking about our heart pains of life. Are we suffering for Christ.? America is all about 'bless me lord'. what about the scripture that calls us to suffer with Him? it isnt all bless bless bless. Yes He gave us a rose garden, but we need to walk among the thorns to get to that. raats.. wish I could remember the scripture for this.
anyhow. what a blessing this lady was. all she went thru, she now uses to help others. she knows the pain and scares of the things that the enemy means to harm/kill/destroy us with. and the HOPE and peace of Christ.
thank you Lord for bringing agnes to us. thank you for her beautiful words.
Lord continue to use agnes to minister YOU thru her, to others. those hurting, those lost. we give you praise and glory. in Jesus name.

well this isnt the way I thought about it last night on the way home, but if it touched you I am thankful to the Lord for the correct words.

dutchgirl1

07-15-2008, 11:28 AM

The Weekly Walk Archives

Eat Up!
By Dr. James MacDonald
God's Word

This might be a new concept to you but I promise it’s not some mystical, weird thing.
Jeremiah 15:16 says, “[God’s] words were found and I ate them, and Your words became for me a joy and the delight of my heart.”
God refers to His Word as consumable, i.e., milk (1 Peter 2:2) meat (Hebrews 5:12-14) and bread (John 6:33). So the idea of eating God’s Word is not really that strange. What food is to our bodies, Scripture is to our souls. So here’s the thing you need to do if you want to feed your soul with God’s Word: You need to read it.
“But it has hundreds of pages. Where should I start?”
I hear that so often that I decided to check the page count on the Bibles I own. They average around 1,400 pages. So think of the Bible as two big books or four to five regular-sized books. Studies indicate that the Bible takes about seventy hours to read out loud. Most people read a little faster than that, but the Bible is not a book you want to read quickly anyway.
In keeping with the food thing, think of your Bible as your favorite dessert—take a bite or two and put the spoon down—a good way to make sure you are comprehending the power of what you are reading. If you read it for twelve minutes a day, or one and a half hours per week, you would have no problem finishing the Bible in a year, and you would be so incredibly blessed you would want to start all over again the next year. Reading the Bible is really not as intimidating as most people make it.
As for where to start, I have always recommended that people begin in the Gospel of John—the fourth book in the New Testament and the fourth eyewitness account of Jesus’ life. As you read slowly through this Gospel, stop to underline the word believe every time you see it and ask yourself: believe what? Or believe whom?
After you get done reading the Gospel of John, go to the small books of 1, 2, and 3 John almost at the end of the New Testament. Then look at another Gospel—Matthew, Mark, or Luke. You’ll get some of the same information, but from a different perspective. That’ll keep you busy for a while.
Before you begin your reading each day, pray. Ask the Lord to open your mind and heart to His truth and then believe that He will. Don’t lie down when you read the Bible—it’s not a magazine or a dime-store novel. If you use a serious posture, you’ll get a serious result. Remember, God wrote this book and if you give it the respect it deserves, it will rock your world in an incredible way.
I know you’ve got fifteen minutes. Pull yourself up to the dinner table and feed your soul.

mahkenna

08-10-2008, 11:02 PM

Hey...where's my daily word?????

dutchgirl1

08-11-2008, 06:36 AM

wow, cant believe all the last posts here are gone. boo hoo. oh well, as they say... ONWARD> ok will be posting in a while. patience is a virtue ya know. :)

dutchgirl1

08-11-2008, 08:24 AM

I Choose to Trust

"Fear not, for I am with you; / be not dismayed, for I am your God; / I will strengthen you, I will help you, / I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." Isaiah 41:10
Trust is the antidote to anxiety; it's the resolution of worry and the destruction of fear. Trust is the act of my will to give my burdens to God. It's like a muscle--as you exercise it, trust gets stronger.
Trust is walking forward moment by moment, having rolled your burden onto God. You've no doubt said, "I gave it to God once, but here it is again in my grip." When you sense that you've taken it back again, get back on your knees, get the burden back on God, get on your feet again, and continue to trust.
When you off-load your burden on God, you can pick up a promise from His Word. Second Peter 1:4 tells us that "he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world." There are literally hundreds of promises that apply to your specific burden. God's Word is filled with treasure.
I'm claiming Isaiah 41:10 right now for a burden I leaving at God's feet. "Fear not, for I am with you; / be not dismayed, for I am your God; / I will strengthen you, I will help you, / I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." There it is! God is doing this whole thing with one hand tied behind His back. He's not stressed or strained. He's not worried about what to do. He has absolutely no capacity limits!
Isaiah continues, "Behold, all who are incensed against you / shall be put to shame and confounded; / those who strive against you / shall be as nothing and shall perish. / You shall seek those who contend with you, / but you shall not find them; / those who war against you / shall be as nothing at all. / For I, the Lord your God, / hold your right hand; / it is I who say to you, ‘Fear not, / I am the one who helps you'" (vv. 11-13).
Take a moment to read that awesome promise again. Trust means you anchor your heart in the reality of God's awareness of your situation. He sees more than you can ever see. God, who loves you and is committed to you, will not disappoint you now or in the future if you put your weight fully on Him.

taken from james macdonald devotions

dutchgirl1

08-12-2008, 08:26 AM

Why God Allows Christians to Suffer

Never forget that God is in control of all the circumstances that surround a believer’s life. God is in control of your life, and involved in all the details.
Your suffering has not escaped His notice. Your situation has not somehow been buried in His inbox. He is intimately aware of everything going on in your world, and no detail is too small to escape His attention. The word “oops” is not in God’s vocabulary.
And as we can so clearly see from the book of Job, the devil can do nothing in the life of the believer without the express permission of God.
Okay, you say, but if He’s in control, why does He allow these hurtful things to happen to me and to people I love?
1. Suffering makes us strong
The apostle James tells us:
“When all kinds of trials and temptations crowd into your lives, my brothers, don’t treat them as intruders, but as friends. Realize that they come to test your faith and to produce in you the quality of endurance. . . . you will find you have become men of mature character, men of integrity, with no weak spots.” (James 1:2-4 phillips)
God allows hardship in our life so that our beliefs will become more real to us, and less theory. We can start living out our faith-life in the real world.
I’m reminded of all the people you see driving SUVs. Most of these fancy rigs have 4x4 capabilities. Some guys take it a notch above that, putting lifts in their rigs, buying those big gnarly tires, and mounting huge lights on top.
And what do they do with these powerful vehicles? They brag to their buddies, and say, “Yeah, just look at this thing. Look at what it can do. I could drive this baby up the side of a building.”
“Well,” someone might ask, “do you want to go out in the dirt?”
“Are you kidding? Do you know how much I paid for this thing? No way! In fact, I was just on the way to the car wash.”
So they never want to actually use that vehicle for its intended purposeâ€”what it was actually designed to do.
We can be that way with our beliefs. I can imagine God saying, “You know, you have a lot of really great beliefs. You talk about them all the time. I think it’s time you started putting some of them into practice. You talk about how you trust Me. You talk about how you believe I can provide for your every need. Let Me put you in a situation where you have no other resources and really have to trust Me for that provision.”
You see, God can allow these hardships and trials and shortfalls in our lives so that we will exercise our faith muscles, and step out on trust alone. We need to transfer our faith from the realm of theory to reality.
2. Suffering can bring God glory
Any fool can be happy and peaceful when the sun shines down from a blue and cloudless sky. But when those qualities shine out from the midst of a dark and destructive storm, that’s another matter entirely.
That, in essence, was the challenge Satan laid before God. “Job follows You because You have blessed him in every way, but if those things were taken away, it would be a different story. He would curse You.”
In order to show the falsehood of Satan’s argumentâ€”and to strengthen Job’s faith at the same timeâ€”God allowed these multiple tragedies to crash into Job’s life.
The result? Job not only refused to curse God, he actually blessed Him. What a rebuke to the enemy! What a witness to the world.
It is a powerful testimony when a believer can praise God while suffering. Remember the story of Paul and Silas, arrested for preaching the gospel in the city of Philippi? The Bible tells us that the jailer had them stripped and flogged. Then they were put in a dungeon, where their feet were fastened in stocks.
How did they respond? Here’s what the Bible says:
“But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.” (Acts 16:25 nkjv)
That word “listened” could be translated as listened with great interest. Why? Because they had never heard anybody sing praises to God in such a place. And that’s about the time the Lord sent an earthquake:
“At once the prison doors flew open, and everybody’s chains came loose. The jailer woke up, and when he saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped. But Paul shouted, “Don’t harm yourself! We are all here!” (Acts 16:26-28 niv)
The jailer responded by saying, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” In effect, he was saying, “I’ve been watching you guys. I’ve seen how you have taken such terrible punishment without cursing. I’ve seen how you can worship in the worst circumstances, and how you could have escaped but didn’t. All I can say is, whatever you have, I want it.”
Your circumstances may not be as dire as those of Paul and Silas. But people are watching you. If you’re in the midst of a hardship or a difficulty, they’re watching to see if you will really practice what you preach, and live out what you proclaim. The way you handle suffering in your life can bring great glory to God.
Paul the apostle also suffered from an unnamed “thorn in the flesh.” No one really knows what it was, but he spoke of it in his letter to the Corinthian church, and said that he had asked the Lord on three separate occasions to remove it.
But God said no. Even though God had done miracles through Paul, bringing healing to others, He chose not to bring that healing in the life of His loyal servant in this particular situation.
When Paul asked why, God gave him this answer: “My gracious favor is all you need. My power works best in your weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9 nlt).
Was Paul discouraged by this answer? It sure doesn’t sound like it! He goes on to say, “So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may work through me. Since I know it is all for Christ’s good, I am quite content with my weaknesses and with insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong” (vv. 9-10).
So God can be glorified through your weakness. His light and power can shine through the chips, cracks, and cracks in your life, drawing others to Himself.

I posted this from Greg Laurie devotions. his son recently died in a car wreck as he was on his way to work. please keep this family in prayer. even thru this tragedy, God will do miracles.

d'gal

dutchgirl1

08-14-2008, 08:23 AM

Great Sermons are Not Preached, They’re Lived

"When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus." Acts 4:13 (NIV)

Devotion:
What if someone followed me around with a video camera all day documenting my every move? Catching on camera all of my words, facial expressions, actions, and reactions. And then what if someone packaged it all together and played it on some sort of reality TV show for all the world to see. What would be the glaring message of my life?

I am convicted thinking about this.

You see, if someone were to ask me, what are you all about? I would have some nice sounding answers. But what actually happens during the strains of everyday life can sometimes betray my best intentions.

I want to be a loving wife. Yet I can sometimes be found in a grumpy, selfish mood and view my husband as a business partner that better hold up his end of helping out.

I want to be a wise and patient mom. But my kids know the exact buttons to push that send me into a tailspin of emotion and exhaustion.

I want to be a strong witness for Christ. So why is it that I can read my Bible first thing in the morning and then find myself honking at the person that cuts me off in traffic just an hour later?

I realize there is a place for God’s tender mercies for me in all this. But I also know that while no TV cameras are following me around, my life is speaking a message about what I really believe and I want that message to honor Jesus. I once heard, “Great sermons are not preached, they are lived.” Oh how I long to live a message that speaks loud and clear, “Jesus is true and the principles found in His teachings work!”

Let’s just be honest, it’s tough being a sold out soul for Christ stuck in a flesh-filled body. That’s why it is essential that I view my time with God each morning as a preparation and an invitation. Every verse, devotion and prayer is all part of God’s preparation for me that day. Instead of just using it to quiet my soul for the few minutes of devotion time, I must with allow it His teachings to seep into my heart and mind. Then I must ask God to interrupt my natural flesh response throughout the day the truths He taught me that morning. That’s the preparation part.

The next essential view of my quiet time each morning is the invitation part. Spending time with God first thing invites His presence into my life and acknowledges, “Not my will God, but Yours be done.” So if my husband forgets to do something he promised, or my kids push my buttons, or a person cuts me off in traffic, or one of the other one million things happens that causes my flesh to want to rear up and act ugly… I can say, “Not my will God, but yours be done.”

This slight pause and acknowledgement of God redirects my frustration and replaces it with grace. Then and only then will my life speak to the fact that I have spent time with Jesus.

Dear Lord, please teach me how to reveal more and more of You through the way I live my life. I want to tell the whole world about You using words only when necessary. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Power Verses:
Hebrews 6:1,3, “Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity… and God permitting, we will do so.”(NIV)

Romans 7:21-24, “So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God's law; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!” (NIV)

Who is someone today that might have the propensity to push your buttons? What are some Bible verses that you could think on and pray through today to prepare your heart to respond with grace?

What is your typical response when something in life happens that frustrates you? What is a more God honoring response?

Reflections:
Are you having a daily quiet time first thing in the morning?

taken from Encouragement for Today and done by Lysa TerKeurst

mahkenna

08-14-2008, 11:36 AM

Thanks Dutch for getting this up and running again! As I type away I can see those in the background....come on you guys jump on in and say hello!!!

Dutch I have been convicted by today's word!!!! My hubby and I were just talking about this subject and we wondered how we appeared to the world. If we truly reflected Christ or the world. Thanks for the conformation that "I" need to work on myself a lot harder! :thumbsup:

The second thing I want to say....I think your post on "Why God Allows Christians to suffer" should be posted more often. We can all relate since we have all suffered having a loved one incarcerated!!!!

As I look back on the journey my family has taken in this world we call "incarceration". I realize that in many ways God has shaped me into a better human being. He has given me purpose and significance as I have traveled down this path. I can clearly see what the Lord has chosen for me to do and I find great pleasure in following his call. My life has changed forever and I am thankful that in my darkest days he has spoken to me and pulled me out of the pit to take me on the biggest adventure of my "self centered, unproductive, quasi-Christian life.

He has given me a passion for ministry that I have never had or dreamed of before. I wake every day with purpose, hope, and joy and I find deep satisfaction and significance in serving the prison community.

Yes it has been a hard road and at times I have wanted to give up. But God has restored me and my family and has called us into a greater purpose. Like diamonds in the rough, we have been ground, and cut, shaped and smoothed in to God's beautiful plan. The polishing is still in progress and one day when we stand before him I pray that we will glisten bright and sparkle for his delight. Thank you LORD for all the good work you have done in me, I can only pray that I sparkle and reflect you every moment I breathe.

dutchgirl1

08-14-2008, 11:43 AM

thanks london. yeah I think that is how many of us either truly find where we walk and/or learn about growth thru crisis. it is all a matter of living your faith. one of my favorite sayings is .... you can talk the talk, but do you walk the walk. I need to search my heart a lot somedays. that is why it is great to do this page, it causes me to search God's word more.

d'gal

mahkenna

08-14-2008, 04:04 PM

Right on :rock:my friend....right on!

dutchgirl1

08-15-2008, 12:11 PM

Our Dependency on Christ

"We are troubled on every side" (2 Cor. 7:5).

Why should God have to lead us thus, and allow the pressure to be so hard and constant? Well, in the first place, it shows His all-sufficient strength and grace much better than if we were exempt from pressure and trial. "The treasure is in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us."
It makes us more conscious of our dependence upon Him. God is constantly trying to teach us our dependence, and to hold us absolutely in His hand and hanging upon His care.
This was the place where Jesus Himself stood and where He wants us to stand, not with self-constituted strength, but with a hand ever leaning upon His, and a trust that dare not take one step alone. It teaches us trust.
There is no way of learning faith except by trial. It is God's school of faith, and it is far better for us to learn to trust God than to enjoy life.
The lesson of faith once learned, is an everlasting acquisition and an eternal fortune made; and without trust even riches will leave us poor. --from Days of Heaven upon Earth.

"Why must I weep when others sing?
'To test the deeps of suffering.'
Why must I work while others rest?
'To spend my strength at God's request.'
Why must I lose while others gain?
'To understand defeat's sharp pain.'
Why must this lot of life be mine
When that which fairer seems is thine?
'Because God knows what plans for me
Shall blossom in eternity.'"

taken from Streams in the Desert

laralove

08-15-2008, 12:30 PM

That was beautiful - thank you

sassiegrammy

08-15-2008, 01:25 PM

Thank You I Thought It Was Beautiful Also

mahkenna

08-16-2008, 06:44 PM

Beautiful DGal....is that a longer poem ?? Really liked it.

dutchgirl1

08-20-2008, 11:18 AM

God Believes in You
by Max Lucado

The tale involves a wealthy father and a willful son. The boy prematurely takes his inheritance and moves to Las Vegas and there wastes the money on slot machines and call girls. As fast as you can say “blackjack,” he is broke. Too proud to go home, he gets a job sweeping horse stables at the racetrack. When he finds himself tasting some of their oats and thinking, H’m, a dash of salt and this wouldn’t be too bad, he realizes enough is enough. It’s time to go home. The gardener at his father’s house does better than this. So off he goes, rehearsing his repentance speech every step of the way.
But the father has other ideas. He “had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him.”
We don’t expect such a response. We expect crossed arms and a furrowed brow. At best a guarded handshake. At least a stern lecture. But the father gives none of these. Instead he gives gifts. “Bring out the best robe … a ring … sandals.… And bring the fatted calf … and let us eat and be merry” (Luke 15:11–23 NKJV). Robe, sandals, calf, and … Did you see it? A ring.
Before the boy has a chance to wash his hands, he has a ring to put on his finger. In Christ’s day rings were more than gifts; they were symbols of delegated sovereignty. The bearer of the ring could speak on behalf of the giver. It was used to press a seal into soft wax to validate a transaction. The one who wore the ring conducted business in the name of the one who gave it.
Would you have done this? Would you have given this prodigal son power-of-attorney privileges over your affairs? Would you have entrusted him with a credit card? Would you have given him this ring?
Before you start questioning the wisdom of the father, remember, in this story you are the boy. When you came home to God, you were given authority to conduct business in your heavenly Father’s name.
When you speak truth, you are God’s ambassador.
As you steward the money he gives, you are his business manager.
When you declare forgiveness, you are his priest.
As you stir the healing of the body or the soul, you are his physician.
And when you pray, he listens to you as a father listens to a son. You have a voice in the household of God. He has given you his ring.
God believes in you. And, I wonder, could you take some of the belief that he has in you and share it with someone else?
You and I have the privilege to do for others what God does for us. How do we show people that we believe in them?
Do not withhold encouragement from the discouraged. Do not keep affirmation from the beaten down! Speak words that make people stronger. Believe in them as God has believed in you.

dutchgirl1

08-21-2008, 06:35 AM

Psalm 105: 5
Remember his marvelous works that he hath done; his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth.

The old pastor was only a few months out of the church, and it seemed like everyone took glee in recalling his faults and shortcomings. The problems of the church were all attributed in some form to the inadequacies of the pastor just past. It was the rare individual who stopped to recall all the wonderful qualities the former pastor had possessed. In his time he had served with love and affection, and the glories of his love far exceeded any shortcomings he displayed. Do we spend much time glorying in all that the Lord has done for us, or do we lament over what has yet to occur? So often we can find ourselves blaming God when things don't go right. The Hebrew people did it. The kings did it. Even early Christians did it. We should be careful to learn from their mistakes and fill our hearts and mouths with the praise that God surely deserves.

Prayer: Remove from m y mouth any curse, Lord. Fill me with praise and thanksgiving for all that I have and all that I am. Amen.

mahkenna

08-21-2008, 11:11 AM

Thanks DGal....there is enough negativity in the world!!!! Don't we all know this to be true. If everyone would just hand out a word or two of encouragement per day what a world this would be!

The PTO family is an example of that, we spend everyday encouraging one another....we are the (outcasts) because of the sigma of incarceration.
The rest of the world has something to learn from us!!!!!!

Hummmm that would make a good magazine article......:thumbsup:

dutchgirl1

08-22-2008, 05:55 AM

Take Every Thought Captive
by Max Lucado
Today’s thoughts are tomorrow’s actions.
Today’s jealousy is tomorrow’s temper tantrum.
Today’s bigotry is tomorrow’s hate crime.
Today’s anger is tomorrow’s abuse.
Today’s lust is tomorrow’s adultery.
Today’s greed is tomorrow’s embezzlement.
Today’s guilt is tomorrow’s fear.
Could that be why Paul writes, “Love … keeps no record of wrongs” (1 Cor. 13:5 NIV)?
Some folks don’t know we have an option.
Paul says we do: “We capture every thought and make it give up and obey Christ” (2 Cor. 10:5 (http://beta.biblestudytools.com/OnlineStudyBible/bible.cgi?passage=2co+10:5&version=nas)).
Do you hear some battlefield jargon in that passage—“capture every thought,” “make it give up” and “obey Christ”? You get the impression that we are the soldiers and the thoughts are the enemies.
It was for Jesus. Remember the thoughts that came his way courtesy of the mouth of Peter? Jesus had just prophesied his death, burial, and resurrection, but Peter couldn’t bear the thought of it. “Peter took Jesus aside and told him not to talk like that.… Jesus said to Peter, ‘Go away from me, Satan! You are not helping me! You don’t care about the things of God, but only about the things people think are important’” (Matt. 16:22–23).
See the decisiveness of Jesus?
What if you did that? What if you took every thought captive? What if you took the counsel of Solomon: “Be careful what you think, because your thoughts run your life” (Prov. 4:23).
You are not a victim of your thoughts. You have a vote. You have a voice. You can exercise thought prevention. You can also exercise thought permission.
Change the thoughts, and you change the person. If today’s thoughts are tomorrow’s actions, what happens when we fill our minds with thoughts of God’s love? Will standing beneath the downpour of his grace change the way we feel about others?
Paul says absolutely! It’s not enough to keep the bad stuff out. We’ve got to let the good stuff in. It’s not enough to keep no list of wrongs. We have to cultivate a list of blessings. The same verb Paul uses for keeps in the phrase “keeps no list of wrongs” is used for think in Philippians 4:8: “Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things” (RSV). Thinking conveys the idea of pondering—studying and focusing, allowing what is viewed to have an impact on us.
Rather than store up the sour, store up the sweet.

emotionsickness

08-23-2008, 02:52 AM

dutchgirl1

08-24-2008, 09:31 AM

"Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? . . . But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
Matthew 6: 25-27, 33

How often do you wake up in the middle of the night with burdens on your heart that keep you from going back to sleep?
It happened to me last night. The clock said, 4:10 a.m. and I was wide awake.
Baggage from yesterday and worries about tomorrow weighed heavily on my mind. What Jesus said in Matthew 6:34 is true. “Therefore, do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”
Do you start the day thinking, “I don’t have enough on my mind today. I’m going to borrow trouble from tomorrow and make up some new problems”? Yeah, me neither. The word trouble means adverse circumstances, problems, hardship. And for certain, each day has enough of its own.
Jesus says in effect, “Let’s compartmentalize here. You can’t carry the weight of the past—that’s what forgiveness is for. You can’t carry all the uncertainties of the future—that’s what faith is for; you must focus on today. Let’s deal with what we can.”
We weren’t made for anxiety. The manufacturer’s specifications do not allow for worry. It’s no different than if someone poured sugar in your gas tank or introduced a virus to your computer. Worry does that to the human spirit. When you gather up in your mind on a regular basis a list of all the unknowns of the future and repeatedly review and extrapolate, the uncertainties become so large that it will crush you. Everything gets sideways when you’re on the anxiety program.
You were not fashioned for fear.
You were not wired for worry.
You were made to live today—“Sufficient for the day is its own trouble”—to focus on the things that you can affect, to work on the things that you can improve that are right in front of you.
You and I have limited capacity. We can’t carry yesterday or our imagined tomorrow. We’ve got to trust the Lord today, from one day’s 4 a.m. to the next.

from james mcarthur devotions.

dutchgirl1

08-25-2008, 05:59 AM

Micah 7

Micah laments the degradation of his fellow men, but hopes in the Lord.

INSIGHT

Micah sets his narrative in an imaginary courtroom where he pours out scathing rebuke on the injustice he sees in the fellow men around him. The evidence is brought forth and the children of Israel are found guilty. Sins swarm from Micah’s pen, filling the first third of his book. The second portion of this book addresses sin. Jerusalem will be destroyed, and the people will be banished to captivity in Babylon. Typical of the prophets of God, the third part of the book tells of hope. A divine Deliverer will appear, and once again justice and righteousness will reign.

PRAYER Thank the Lord that He heals our emotional pain, and praise Him because He restores our hope and joy:
The Lord looks from heaven;
He sees all the sons of men.
From the place of His dwelling He looks
On all the inhabitants of the earth;
He fashions their hearts individually;
He considers all their works. . .
Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him,
On those who hope in His mercy,
To deliver their soul from death,
And to keep them alive in famine
(Psalm 33:13-15, 18-19).

dutchgirl1

08-25-2008, 02:12 PM

Outward Appearances

But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by any human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself . . . It is the Lord who judges me. Therefore do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart. Then each one will receive his commendation from God” (1 Corinthians 4: 3–5).

I grew up in a good church with good people. But one issue I noticed even as a young person was a constant struggle with an outward focus. Folks were obsessive about appearances. The external was put under the microscope. The outward appearances were scrutinized. You couldn’t walk in the church foyer without everyone inspecting everyone else. It took me a long time to shake that in ministry.
I’ve felt the pressure of looking the part. In 1987, I went on the game show The $25,000 Pyramid (you can watch a clip of it at www.jamesmacdonald.com/classics_gameshow.aspx (http://www.jamesmacdonald.com/classics_gameshow.aspx)). You remember how the game goes; I partnered with a celebrity in getting through a list of words. In this specific case, I had to get the celebrity to say the word revolution.
Now, if I had been brought up in the States, I would have given the clue, “In 1776 we fought a war called the American ____________.” But under pressure, all I could think to give as a clue was the Beatles’ song, “Revolution” (You say you want a rev-o-lution . . .). My game partner didn’t get my clue, and so we moved on. At the end of that round, Dick Clark looked at me, a young pastor, and said, “You must be a real Beatles fan, huh?”
First came the authentic response—I pumped my fist in the air, implying “Yes!” But then I remembered all the people in my church who would watch the show, and I quickly changed my expression and shook my head, “Nah.”
To me this is such a portrait of a person struggling to be authentic but then giving in to the immense pressure to perform for people’s expectations. What an awful way to live your life. If it’s wrong, it’s wrong. If it’s not wrong, it’s not wrong. It’s one or the other. But it’s crucial for you and me to recognize we feel the constant pressure to measure up to people’s scrutiny based on the little list of things they’ve labeled appropriate. When that shows up in the body of Christ, it is death to authenticity. The pressure to conform and to look the part kills sincerity, and so much of it comes from the trap of trying to please other people.
I preached a message a few years ago called, “Freedom from People-Pleasing.” Every time it airs on Walk in the Word, the response is off the chart—a clear indication that a lot of us have lived our lives on the exhaustive treadmill of trying to please others. We need an exit ramp off this endless highway. The message is based on 1 Corinthians 4, in which Paul said, “But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by any human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself . . . It is the Lord who judges me. Therefore do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart. Then each one will receive his commendation from God” (vv. 3–5). Notice that Paul said, “I do not even judge myself”: I can’t even trust myself to assess my own sincerity, let alone you who don’t know what I’m thinking or feeling.
I cannot please everyone. You can’t either. The attempt on our part to keep trying leads first to a crease, then a crevice, then a canyon of distance between who we are and who we try to appear to be. Let’s be done right now with people-pleasing. I dream a better dream for us than allowing petty people, majoring on silly things about which the Bible does not even explicitly speak, to control our hearts and lives. Let’s not allow even our brothers and sisters in Christ who have such strong opinions to pressure us into external conformity that doesn’t reflect our hearts and doesn’t please or satisfy God. No doubt about it, hypocrisy has to go. It’s destructive to us and despised by God.

from james mcdonald 'walk in the word'

dutchgirl1

08-26-2008, 06:05 AM

Are You Ever Disturbed? “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you.”

John 14:27 (http://www.searchgodsword.org/desk/?query=joh+14:27&sr=1)

There are times when our peace is based upon ignorance, but when we awaken to the facts of life, inner peace is impossible unless it is received from Jesus. When Our Lord speaks peace, He makes peace, His words are ever "spirit and life." Have I ever received what Jesus speaks? "My peace I give unto you" - it is a peace which comes from looking into His face and realizing His undisturbedness.
Are you painfully disturbed just now, distracted by the waves and billows of God's providential permission, and having, as it were, turned over the boulders of your belief, are you still finding no well of peace or joy or comfort; is all barren? Then look up and receive the undisturbedness of the Lord Jesus. Reflected peace is the proof that you are right with God because you are at liberty to turn your mind to Him. If you are not right with God, you can never turn your mind anywhere but on yourself. If you allow anything to hide the face of Jesus Christ from you, you are either disturbed or you have a false security. Are you looking unto Jesus now, in the immediate matter that is pressing and receiving from Him peace? If so, He will be a gracious benediction of peace in and through you. But if you try to worry it out, you obliterate Him and deserve all you get. We get disturbed because we have not been considering Him. When one confers with Jesus Christ the perplexity goes, because He has no perplexity, and our only concern is to abide in Him. Lay it all out before Him, and in the face of difficulty, bereavement and sorrow, hear Him say, "Let not your heart be troubled."
from Oswald Chambers - My Utmost for His Highest

justadeb

08-26-2008, 05:01 PM

thank you again d-gal for share inspiring words

dutchgirl1

08-27-2008, 10:52 AM

STREAMS IN THE DESERT

"Beloved, do not be surprised at the ordeal that
has come to test you…you are sharing what Christ
suffered; so rejoice in it" (1 Peter 4:12).

Many a waiting hour was needful to enrich the
harp of David, and many a waiting hour in the
wilderness will gather for us a psalm of
"thanksgiving, and the voice of melody," to cheer
the hearts of fainting ones here below, and to
make glad our Father's house on high.

What was the preparation of the son of Jesse for
the songs like unto which none other have ever
sounded on this earth?

The outrage of the wicked, which brought forth
cries for God's help. Then the faint hope in
God's goodness blossomed into a song of rejoicing
for His mighty deliverances and manifold mercies.
Every sorrow was another string to his harp;
every deliverance another theme for praise.

One thrill of anguish spared, one blessing
unmarked or unprized, one difficulty or danger
evaded, how great would have been our loss in
that thrilling Psalmody in which God's people
today find the expression of their grief or
praise!

To wait for God, and to suffer His will, is to
know Him in the fellowship of His sufferings, and
to be conformed to the likeness of His Son. So
now, if the vessel is to be enlarged for
spiritual understanding, be not affrighted at the
wider sphere of suffering that awaits you. The
Divine capacity of sympathy will have a more
extended sphere, for the breathing of the Holy
Ghost in the new creation never made a stoic, but
left the heart's affection tender and true.

dutchgirl1

08-27-2008, 02:31 PM

“Walk while ye have the light lest darkness come upon you.”
John 12:35 (http://www.searchgodsword.org/desk/?query=joh+12:35&sr=1) 

Beware of not acting upon what you see in your moments on the mount with God. If you do not obey the light, it will turn into darkness. "If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!" The second you waive the question of sanctification or any other thing upon which God gave you light, you begin to get dry rot in your spiritual life. Continually bring the truth out into actuality; work it out in every domain, or the very light you have will prove a curse.
The most difficult person to deal with is the one who has the smug satisfaction of an experience to which he can refer back, but who is not working it out in practical life. If you say you are sanctified, show it. The experience must be so genuine that it is shown in the life. Beware of any belief that makes you self-indulgent; it came from the pit, no matter how beautiful it sounds. Theology must work itself out in the most practical relationships. "Except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees . . ." said Our Lord, i.e., you must be more moral than the most moral being you know. You may know all about the doctrine of sanctification, but are you running it out into the practical issues of your life? Every bit of your life, physical, moral and spiritual, is to be judged by the standard of the Atonement.

dutchgirl1

08-28-2008, 05:54 AM

To Know His Will

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. (Romans 12:1–2)

We find in Romans 12:1–2 what we call a conditional promise. The promise is that you can know what the perfect will of God is for your life. The conditions are that you must present yourself to God and that you must not be conformed to this world.
Notice the order. First, you offer yourself as a living sacrifice, and then you will know the will of God. We tend to want to know God’s will first and then decide whether we want to give ourselves to it.

Often we will sometimes say, “Lord, what is your will? Before I am going to surrender to it, I would like to know what I am getting myself into.” But God may tell you something that you don’t want to hear. The question is, are you going to do what He says?
It has been said that the condition of an enlightened mind is a surrendered heart. If you want to know the will of God, then you must have a heart that is surrendered. Present yourself to Him. Then accept His will, no matter what.

from Greg Laurie ministry

I'm His Mom

08-28-2008, 07:15 AM

Good morning, D'Gal, I've got a few moments to pop in and want to thank you for today's Word. I have little time on the Pc until all these storms go away, and appreciate the Word of God to begin my day. God Bless!

mahkenna

08-29-2008, 02:21 AM

Thanks my dear friend! I LOVE Romans...that book in particular feeds my soul more than any other.

Thanks for your diligence in bringing us the word for today! God will honor you for being a faithful servant!!! :angel:

Take care and I will talk to you soon! :lovestruck:

dutchgirl1

08-29-2008, 11:18 AM

Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?" ”
John 11:40 (http://www.searchgodsword.org/desk/?query=joh+11:40&sr=1) 

Every time you venture out in the life of faith, you will find something in your common-sense circumstances that flatly contradicts your faith. Common sense is not faith, and faith is not common sense; they stand in the relation of the natural and the spiritual. Can you trust Jesus Christ where your common sense cannot trust Him? Can you venture heroically on Jesus Christ's statements when the facts of your common-sense life shout - "It's a lie?" On the mount it is easy to say - 'Oh, yes, I believe God can do it'; but you have to come down into the demon-possessed valley and meet with facts that laugh ironically at the whole of your mount-of-transfiguration belief. Every time my programme of, belief is clear to my own mind, I come across something that contradicts it. Let me say I believe God will supply all my need, and then let me run dry, with no outlook, and see whether I will go through the trial of faith, or whether I will sink back to something lower. Faith must be tested, because it can be turned into a personal possession only through conflict. What is your faith up against just now? The test will either prove that your faith is right, or it will kill it. "Blessed is he whosoever shall not be offended in Me." The final thing is confidence in Jesus. Believe steadfastly on Him and all you come up against will develop your faith. There is continual testing in the life of faith, and the last great test is death. May God keep us in fighting trim! Faith is unutterable trust in God, trust which never dreams that He will not stand by us

mahkenna

08-29-2008, 05:58 PM

Oswald Chambers.....good stuff!:D

dutchgirl1

08-30-2008, 10:37 PM

God Glorified in the Nobodies

John MacArthur

Grace to You

part 1
Stained-Glass Saints?

If you've ever visited the great cathedrals in Europe, you'd think the apostles were larger-than-life stained-glass saints with shining halos who represented an exalted degree of spirituality. But actually, they were very, very common men.
It's a shame they have so often been put on pedestals as magnificent marble figures, or portrayed in paintings like some kind of Roman gods. That dehumanizes them. They were just twelve completely ordinary men — human in every way — and we shouldn't lose touch with who they really were.
So what qualified those men to be apostles? The truth is, it wasn't any intrinsic ability or outstanding talent of their own. They were Galileans. They were not the elite. Galileans were considered low-class, rural, uneducated, people. They were commoners, nobodies. But those nobodies would become the preeminent leaders of the fledgling church — its very foundation!
Now when it comes to church leadership, there are some rather clear moral and spiritual qualifications that men must meet. The Bible sets the standard extremely high (see 1 Timothy 3:2-7 (http://beta.biblestudytools.com/OnlineStudyBible/bible.cgi?passage=1ti+3:2-7&version=niv); Titus 1:6-9 (http://beta.biblestudytools.com/OnlineStudyBible/bible.cgi?passage=tit+1:6-9&version=niv); Hebrews 13:7 (http://beta.biblestudytools.com/OnlineStudyBible/bible.cgi?passage=heb+13:7&version=niv)).
But you know something? The standard isn't any lower for the rest of the church. Leaders are to be examples for all others who strive to meet the same standard. There is no such thing as an acceptable "lower" standard for rank-and-file church members. In fact, in Matthew 5:48, Jesus said to all believers, "Be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect."
That's a tall order! Frankly, no one meets such a standard. Humanly speaking, no one "qualifies" when the standard is utter perfection. What joy there is in knowing that it is God Himself who must save sinners, sanctify them, and then transform the unqualified into instruments He can use.
The twelve were like the rest of us; they were selected from the unworthy and the unqualified. They were, like Elijah, men "with a nature like ours" (James 5:17). They did not rise to the highest usefulness because they were somehow different from us. Rather, their transformation into vessels of honor was a divine work and their incredible influence is a result of the divine message they preached.

dutchgirl1

08-30-2008, 10:39 PM

part 2

Why God Chooses Us

Do you ever become discouraged and disheartened when your spiritual life and witness suffer because of personal sin or failure? We tend to think we're worthless nobodies — and left to ourselves, that would be true! But be encouraged — worthless nobodies are just the kind of people God uses. If you think about it, that's all He has to work with!
But have you ever stopped to consider why that's true? Listen to this: God chooses the humble, the lowly, the meek, and the weak so that there's never any question about the source of power when their lives change the world. It's not the man; it's the truth of God and the power of God in the man. Next time you're reading through the gospels or the book of Acts, take a few minutes to consider the work of God in the apostles. They were slow to believe, slow to understand, and had horrendous memories! Sound familiar?
Don't worry — that is perfectly consistent with the way the Lord always works. 1 Corinthians 1:20-21 says, "Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe." That is the very reason there were no philosophers, no brilliant writers, no famous debaters, no distinguished teachers, and no men who had ever distinguished themselves as great orators among the twelve Christ chose. They became great spiritual leaders and great preachers under the power of the Holy Spirit, but it was not because of any innate oratorical skill, leadership abilities, or academic qualifications they had. Their influence is owing to one thing and one thing only: the power of the message they preached.
On a human level, the gospel was considered a foolish message and the apostles were deemed unsophisticated preachers. Their teaching was beneath the elite. They were mere fishermen and working-class nobodies. Peons. Rabble. That was the assessment of their contemporaries and that has been the majority opinion of the genuine church of Christ throughout history and to this very day! "For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called" (v. 26).
But think about this: "God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence" (vv. 27-29). God's favorite instruments are nobodies, so that no man can boast before God. In other words, God chooses whom He chooses so He might receive the glory. He chooses weak instruments so no one will attribute the power to the instruments but rather to the God who wields the instruments. Those who pursue their own glory will sadly find God's strategy unacceptable — and they'll miss out on true glory and true joy.
With the notable exception of Judas, the apostles were not like that. They certainly struggled with pride and arrogance like every fallen human being. But the driving passion of their lives became the glory of Christ. And it was that passion, subjected to the influence of the Holy Spirit — not any innate skill or human talent — that explains why they left such an indelible impact on the world.

Adapted from Twelve Ordinary Men, by John MacArthur.

dutchgirl1

09-01-2008, 12:17 PM

James 1:2-12 2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. 4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. 6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. 9 Let the lowly brother glory in his exaltation, 10 but the rich in his humiliation, because as a flower of the field he will pass away. 11 For no sooner has the sun risen with a burning heat than it withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beautiful appearance perishes. So the rich man also will fade away in his pursuits. 12 Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.

dutchgirl1

09-02-2008, 08:24 AM

I Cannot Please Everyone

So for the sake of your tradition you have made void the word of God. You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, when he said: "This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me." in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men. Matthew 15:6-9

I become like a circus juggler when I try to keep everyone’s opinions of me high in the air. One person thinks I should be like this; another scrutinizes me for something else. Do you get it too? Before long, all the expectations of other people come crashing down around our feet. Playing to the demands of others runs in opposition to authenticity.
Jesus lived with that kind of pressure. In His Sermon on the Mount, He focused primarily on the Pharisees, the Bible-thumpers of His day. On the positive side, the Pharisees took the Bible very seriously. They confronted error, they separated themselves from the world, they were hypersensitive to the application of God’s Word. So what’s wrong with that? Nothing—that’s all fine. But Jesus identified their acute internal problem in Matthew 15:8, "This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me." Ouch! Furthermore, Jesus was simply quoting His Father, recorded back in Isaiah centuries before, when He gave the same spiritual diagnosis to the people of his time.
The Pharisees put on a good show, but Jesus saw right through it. They wanted to look like they had it all together with God, but hadn’t privately done the heart business with Him. Looking the part was all they cared about. As Jesus said, "Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them . . ." When Jesus used the term righteousness here, He was talking about practical righteousness, the things you do as a believer to outwardly express your heart before God—read your Bible, pray, share your faith, be in a small group, work for the Lord, give to the poor. Don’t do these to impress others, He warns. Pay attention, be on guard, He cautions. Play to an audience of One.
Notice He didn’t say you should hide your spiritual disciplines from people or enter a monastery. Some people have misunderstood His point. The issue isn’t location, it’s motive. People are going to see you live your life; that’s not the problem. You don’t have to keep secret the fact that you go to church, raise your hands in worship, and get on your knees to pray. You don’t have to shield your Bible when you open it because you have written personal notes all through it. But when you do all those things so that people will see you—that’s the problem. Doing spiritual things so other people notice goes right to motive. If you’re acting godly with the desire to get attention, affirmation, or strokes from folks—you just got all the reward you deserve and lost God’s approval in the process. When you get that pat on the back from your neighbor, then God is like, If that’s what you were going for, man, you got it! There’s your reward, buddy.
We are called to be living for a higher reward—a reward from the Lord Himself.

from James McDonald Walk in the Word

dutchgirl1

09-03-2008, 06:13 AM

Hand Delivered Bouquets
by Max Lucado

Through Christ, God has accepted you. Think about what this means. You cannot keep people from rejecting you. But you can keep rejections from enraging you.
Rejections are like speed bumps on the road. They come with the journey. You’re going to get cut, dished, dropped, and kicked around. You cannot keep people from rejecting you. But you can keep rejections from enraging you. How? By letting his acceptance compensate for their rejection.
Think of it this way. Suppose you dwell in a high-rise apartment. On the window sill of your room is a solitary daisy. This morning you picked the daisy and pinned it on your lapel. Since you have only one plant, this is a big event and a special daisy.
But as soon as you’re out the door, people start picking petals off your daisy. Someone snags your subway seat. Petal picked. You’re blamed for the bad report of a coworker. Three petals. The promotion is given to someone with less experience but USC water polo looks. More petals. By the end of the day, you’re down to one. Woe be to the soul who dares to draw near it. You’re only one petal-snatching away from a blowup.
What if the scenario was altered slightly? Let’s add one character. The kind man in the apartment next door runs a flower shop on the corner. Every night on the way home he stops at your place with a fresh, undeserved, yet irresistible bouquet. These are not leftover flowers. They are top-of-the-line arrangements. You don’t know why he thinks so highly of you, but you aren’t complaining. Because of him, your apartment has a sweet fragrance, and your step has a happy bounce. Let someone mess with your flower, and you’ve got a basketful to replace it!
The difference is huge. And the interpretation is obvious.
God will load your world with flowers. He hand-delivers a bouquet to your door every day. Open it! Take them! Then, when rejections come, you won’t be left short-petaled.
God can help you get rid of your anger. He made galaxies no one has ever seen and dug canyons we have yet to find. “The LORD … heals all your diseases” (Ps. 103:2–3 NIV). Do you think among those diseases might be the affliction of anger?
Do you think God could heal your angry heart?
Do you want him to? This is not a trick question. He asks the same question of you that he asked of the invalid: “Do you want to be well?” (John 5:6). Not everyone does. You may be addicted to anger. You may be a rage junkie. Anger may be part of your identity. But if you want him to, he can change your identity. Do you want him to do so?
Do you have a better option? Like moving to a rejection-free zone? If so, enjoy your life on your desert island.
Take the flowers. Receive from him so you can love or at least put up with others.

BlessTheInmates

09-04-2008, 11:47 PM

:wave:Hello Dutchgirl! Hello Everybody! It's good to see this thread is still going nice and strong! I promise not to do 50 questions in this thread this time. hehe!

dutchgirl1

09-05-2008, 05:47 AM

Morning Bless. didnt say thanks because '50' questions is still part of putting out Gods Word so .................... ask away.

dutchgirl1

09-05-2008, 05:50 AM

scripture from Psalm 120:5

As a Christian you have to live in the midst of an ungodly world, and it is of little use for you to cry "Woe is me." Jesus did not pray that you should be taken out of the world, and what he did not pray for, you need not desire. Better far in the Lord's strength to meet the difficulty, and glorify him in it. The enemy is ever on the watch to detect inconsistency in your conduct; be therefore very holy. Remember that the eyes of all are upon you, and that more is expected from you than from other men. Strive to give no occasion for blame. Let your goodness be the only fault they can discover in you. Like Daniel, compel them to say of you, "We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, except we find it against him concerning the law of his God." Seek to be useful as well as consistent. Perhaps you think, "If I were in a more favourable position I might serve the Lord's cause, but I cannot do any good where I am"; but the worse the people are among whom you live, the more need have they of your exertions; if they be crooked, the more necessity that you should set them straight; and if they be perverse, the more need have you to turn their proud hearts to the truth. Where should the physician be but where there are many sick? Where is honour to be won by the soldier but in the hottest fire of the battle? And when weary of the strife and sin that meets you on every hand, consider that all the saints have endured the same trial. They were not carried on beds of down to heaven, and you must not expect to travel more easily than they. They had to hazard their lives unto the death in the high places of the field, and you will not be crowned till you also have endured hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. Therefore, "stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong."

taken from Charles Spurgeon devotions

Meowth84

09-05-2008, 09:18 AM

Good Morning Everyone
I saw this devotion today and immediately thought of all of you - my family. This place and all of you are my "communion". We don't just communicate with each other we share our lives, feelings and our souls with each other. This is what God meant for all of us to do. So God answers our prayers daily when we open up our PTO to see our PWCIP family. Love to all of you and hope you all have a great day.
His Always,
Julie

Until We’re Fully Known
2008/09/05

Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. 1 Corinthians 13:12 (NIV)
*** *** *** ***
Today’s guest devotional is provided by Jon Walker –
In relationships the failure to communicate can be extremely frustrating. But, the failure to commune leads us to despair.
Communication is usually about sharing information – at its most basic level, the transmitting and receiving of meanings.
Communion, however, is about sharing life. It’s about knowing and being known, caring and being cared for on a deep and personal basis.
Perhaps the most pressing need each of us has is to know that we are fully known and yet still deeply loved; that, despite our failures and weaknesses, regardless of our successes and strengths, we are still unconditionally loved.
Some of our families did a fairly good job of this while others failed miserably.
But God, the Father, is perfect in his love, and we are already fully known by him. He created us with a desire for that “fully known” love and so he draws us to himself, where we are face-to-face with him, where one day we will know fully even as we are now fully known (1 Corinthians 13:12 NIV).
And our objective-in-Jesus is to carry this fully known love into our relationships, modeling for others a Christlike communion that emerges in a place where it is safe to be fully known and still be loved.

dutchgirl1

09-06-2008, 11:06 AM

Follow the Blueprint

Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain. Psalm 127:1

In the construction world, nothing good is built without a blueprint. The necessity of a plan is a universally accepted assertion that you’d have to be nutty not to follow. Any time there is a problem or question, builders examine the blueprints. Every time there’s an uncertainty or a perplexity, every time there’s a question about what to do next, they go back to the blueprints.
Interestingly, though, the principle is not just true in the construction world, but also in life. You can’t build your finances without a blueprint. You can’t build your family or your future or your faith without a blueprint.
It’s amazing to me how professionals in the construction trades would never try to build anything of value without a blueprint, but people are always trying to slap together life without a pattern or plan. They reach for materials, cut without measuring, hurriedly nail a bunch of stuff together and up goes all kinds of craziness in their lives. Even as the horror at what they’re building grows before their eyes, most never stop and say, “I’ve got to get a clear plan for my life. I’ve got to consult the blueprints.”
Sadly, even a lot of Christians don’t get the importance of operating from God’s blueprint. God Himself authored all the manufacturer’s specifications for our happiness. He knows how we’re each put together; He knows how we work. He knows what will make us each happy and/or miserable. He knows what will satisfy and give us joy. He wrote the blueprint for our complete happiness.
Just in case you’re wondering, it’s not too late to follow God’s blueprint. Your life could be better. Some of the things you’ve dreamed about can still be yours. You don’t have to be trapped in this cycle of failing and falling and fumbling all the time. You can rise up and be who God wants you to be.
Get alone, open God’s Word, and start to read, the Scripture will wash over your mind. It will clean up your faulty thinking, set your feet on a rock, and send you out in a good direction. When I get disappointed with people, disillusioned about the way situations unfold, and frustrated with my own failures and weaknesses, I go back to God’s Word.
God’s Word washes my mind.
God’s Word renews my spirit.
God’s Word cleanses my heart.
God’s Word is the blueprint for my life’s direction.

from J. MacDonald walk in the word

dutchgirl1

09-08-2008, 01:19 PM

Treasure Hunt

"Lay up for yourselves treasure in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also" -- Matthew 6:20–21

Only two things are going to heaven with you. Jesus said, "Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away" (Luke 21:33). God’s Word is going to heaven and God’s people (by God’s grace) are going to heaven. Just those two things are going to last forever.
Your heart is with your treasure. Your treasure is with your heart. What you love most becomes treasure to you. What you treasure most becomes what you love. Those two are inseparable.
If your treasure is your career, your heart will be at work. Your treasure absorbs most of your time. If your treasure is your reputation, you come out of your seat when someone says something negative about you. Your reputation is your first love.
Perhaps you treasure your possessions. You could see one of your kids run off into the world and might lose some sleep about it, but if a hundred dollars flew out the window of your car, you would cry about it for a year. Your priorities are wrong.
If your treasure is your hidden pleasure, your private-whatever, your heart will be captive to that secret. Your treasure will be the focus of our imagination. If any of the above pursuits are your treasure, they are receiving from you your best resources—time and energy.
When the chips are down, you’re going to go with your treasure. Your treasure serves as your default mind-set. When the sun goes down and you’ve come to the end of another day and you lay your head on a pillow, you think, I’ve got my treasure taken care of, because it’s got my heart.
I wonder if any of this hits home. Are your greatest joys family joys? Are the things that delight your heart the successes of your family, the arrival of your children, and the key milestones in their lives? We all have different family makeups, but whatever your family is, aren’t they your greatest joy?
What are your greatest burdens? My greatest burdens are those of my family. Why? Because I treasure them. Everything is on the line when my family is hurting.
Most people would agree that their family is their treasure. So why the gap? Why aren’t their hearts always there? Some might say, "I couldn’t agree with you more, James. God forgive me, but I really do spend my time on stuff that is not my priority. I say I love my wife and kids, but spend most of my time with them on cell phone calls for work. I plan an evening home with the family and then sit for hours in front of a TV or computer screen, downloading useless entertainment or information. I just get sucked into it. How can I change? How can I make my family my treasure? I really want them to be my number one human priority."
Well, you’ve got the first step down: admit it’s true—they are the treasure but you’re not treating them that way. I’m not a super-smart guy, but here are two other things I know for sure will help: Be passionate about them and tell them so. Study them as the most fascinating people you know. Show them you are becoming an expert in all things them. Make your time with them the subject of your greatest prayers and planning. Make your understanding of them your highest ambition and your greatest goal. When you do that, you will begin to experience your greatest joys being with your treasured family. Then, express your commitment to them. At the center of a family-first priority is commitment. Sure, you’re going to have conflict and challenges but underneath it all is your total, unswerving, unalterable, lifetime choice to do life together under God.

from J. MacDonald walk in the word

dutchgirl1

09-10-2008, 05:52 AM

“When thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee.”
John 1:48 (http://www.searchgodsword.org/desk/?query=joh+1:48&sr=1) 

We imagine we would be all right if a big crisis arose; but the big crisis will only reveal the stuff we are made of, it will not put anything into us. "If God gives the call, of course I will rise to the occasion." You will not unless you have risen to the occasion in the workshop, unless you have been the real thing before God there. If you are not doing the thing that lies nearest, because God has engineered it; when the crisis comes instead of being revealed as fit, you will be revealed as unfit. Crises always reveal character.
The private relationship of worshipping God is the great essential of fitness. The time comes when there is no more "fig-tree" life possible, when it is out into the open, out into the glare and into the work, and you will find yourself of no value there if you have not been worshipping as occasion serves you in your home. Worship aright in your private relationships, then when God sets you free you will be ready, because in the unseen life which no one saw but God you have become perfectly fit, and when the strain comes you can be relied upon by God.
"I can't be expected to live the sanctified life in the circumstances I am in; I have no time for praying just now, no time for Bible reading, my opportunity hasn't come yet; when it does, of course I shall be all right." No, you will not. If you have not been worshipping as occasion serves, when you get into work you will not only be useless yourself, but a tremendous hindrance to those who are associated with you. The workshop of missionary munitions is the hidden, personal, worshipping life of the saint.

mahkenna

09-11-2008, 01:15 AM

Oswald Chambers.....love it! I had to re-read this one :hmm: I didn't get it at first. I have always thought (and read) that if we read the word, there is a renewing of the mind. Therefore we are seeking after God's own heart and changing into his "image" in a spiritual sense. So if I read the scriptures and pray it should be enough.

But I guess I never thought about the "spiritual implication" meaning the holy spirit, which is part of the trinity. Worship is what brought the holy spirit down in (Acts 10:44) which washed the first church with the spirit of the Lord. Even though we have a worship service at church I never though about worship as a way to strengthen my spiritual power, it was more as an act of reverence to God.

I guess it makes sense but I never looked at it that way....Thanks Helen for giving us this reading. It really made me think!!

brokenheart

09-11-2008, 03:37 AM

This is really nice to come and communicate with our fellow believers...... thanks for taking the time to post here Dutchgirl1 I enjoy the devotional.

dutchgirl1

09-14-2008, 01:25 AM

you are welcome cindy. so good to hear from you after your long absence. hope all is going well. we need to talk girl.

dutchgirl1

09-15-2008, 08:32 AM

Treasure Hunt (part 2)

Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
-- 1 Corinthians 8-13

In the last sentence of the Bible's well known "love" chapter, 1 Corinthians 13 is a beautiful profile of love itself: "Love never fails" (v.8, NKJV). Have you ever asked the obvious question—Love never fails what? Here it is in summary: Love never fails to win.
Let me point out two ways love can conquer what might be ailing your relationships.

1: Love never fails to conquer selfishness. I am selfish and so are you. We never have to work at putting ourselves first—we've got that one down. But notice how:
"Love is patient and kind"(v. 4) Selfishness is mean and demanding but love overflows with kindness.
"Love does not envy or boast" (v. 4c). Love is not arrogant because it's not selfish.
"Love is not . . . rude" (v. 5a). Selfishness insists on the spotlight but love is not demanding or unreasonable.
"It does not insist on its own way" (v. 5b), because it's not selfish.
"It is not irritable or resentful" (v. 5c) because it's not selfish.
So love conquers the biggest obstacle in me, selfishness.
2: Love never fails to conquer skepticism.
Over time, it's easy to doubt that anyone is ever going to change. Your family disappoints you and you want to bail but love holds on. Like no one else, our family members can hurt and disappoint us. They do foolish things, and say wicked or hurtful words. In those moments, you want to run. But love does not sell out in the crisis. Love still believes the best; it doesn't keep score. Love trusts again. Love finds a way to give an opportunity for God to work. Love waits for God's agenda to be accomplished in their life. Love is being used by God to transform that person.
When I choose not to love, I'm in God's way but when I choose to love, God's helping me, and I'm part of the solution. In our wounded moments we think, we sometimes forget how desperately we hope others will give us another chance when we fail them.
Love never fails? Yes, love is part of the solution. Love is a tool in God's hands to work through you and transform your relationships.
Lord, thank You for manifested Your love among us by sending Your only Son into the world, so that I might live through him. Thank you that I can know love, not because I love You, but because You first loved me and sent Your Son to be the payment for my sin. Father, help me to love others as the best evidence that Your love has captured me. Amen.
Read 1 John 3:11-24. Insert your own name and your loved ones' name into these verse.
Think of someone in your family or close circle of friends. What would be the best way for me to communicate love to them today?

from james mcdonald 'walk in the word'

dutchgirl1

09-16-2008, 11:31 AM

God’s Fellow Workers

Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor. (1 Corinthians 3:8)

In 1 Samuel 30, we find the story of David leading his men to a successful battle. As they were returning home, those who had stayed behind and watched the camp and the supplies met them. But some of the troublemakers who had fought in the battle didn’t want to give any of the spoils of the battle to those who stayed by the camp.
I love what David said: “But as his part is who goes down to the battle, so shall his part be who stays by the supplies; they shall share alike” (verse 24).
Whether God has called you to serve Him in such a way that people see you, or whether He has called you to serve Him by supporting others who are seen, God will bless you and reward you in that final day.
Maybe you feel as though your life isn’t really making a difference or that what you have to offer God doesn’t mean all that much. You will be in for some surprises in heaven, because what may not seem very valuable on earth will be of great value in heaven.
I read a story about a man who found an old, blue-and-white vase while he was cleaning his attic. He took it to the auction to sell it, thinking he would probably get $20, $30, or maybe even $100 for it. To his utter amazement, the vase sold for $324,000. It was an original, 15th-century vase from the Ming dynasty.
What may not seem that valuable now will be later. Until then, we need to be faithful with what God has given us to do.

from Greg Laurie devotions

brokenheart

09-16-2008, 01:24 PM

Thanks for the word of the day I will faithfully come and read the daily devotion of the day.

dutchgirl1

09-16-2008, 01:39 PM

Hi Cindy. we need to talk lady. got some catching up to do. :)

dutchgirl1

09-18-2008, 02:25 PM

The Mother Who Prayed
Then Jesus answered and said to her, “O woman, great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed from that very hour. (Matthew 15:28)
When we are praying for something that we believe is the will of God, we should not give up. Keep asking, keep seeking, and keep knocking—that is what Jesus told us to do.
In fact, when Jesus saw the great faith of a mother from Canaan who was doing this very thing, He gave her carte blanche, so to speak: “Let it be to you as you desire.”
This mother believed that what she was asking was the will of God, and she would not give up.
Maybe you, like this mother, have a child who is under the devil’s influence today. He or she has rejected your influence, at least for now. It is tough, because you have raised this child in the ways of the Lord. The very thing you have prepared your child for—to become independent—has happened. My advice is, hold on. You will come through it.
That thing you may believe is the worst-case scenario might be the step toward bringing your child to a true, heartfelt faith. The rebellion may be difficult to endure right now. But it also may be short-term, and it may be what it takes to bring your child to a place of realizing his or her own need for Jesus Christ.
Our kids need to get these convictions in their hearts as their convictions, not just as Mom or Dad’s convictions. It may mean a detour into the land of the prodigals. It may mean hitting bottom. But don’t give up. Keep praying. Our children can escape our presence, but they cannot escape our prayers.

from Greg Laurie devotions

wendy tyler

09-18-2008, 02:28 PM

I needed that today D'gal. Thanks.

dutchgirl1

09-18-2008, 04:01 PM

you are very welcome wendy girl

everymom

09-18-2008, 06:58 PM

Words of wisdom D'gal.
Thank you

dutchgirl1

09-20-2008, 08:58 AM

Be Careful What You Ask For

And He gave them their request, but sent leanness into their soul. (Psalm 106:15)

I sometimes hear people say, “I have been wrestling with God in prayer!” My first thought always is, “I hope you lost.”
If you have been trying to bend God your way, then that is a problem. Prayer is not trying to move God your way; it is moving yourself His way.
In fact, I’m glad that God hasn’t said yes to every prayer I have ever prayed. When I look back on some things I’ve prayed for, I realize that if the Lord would have allowed them, they could have destroyed me. They were not the right things or the right situations. So God graciously and lovingly said no.
In John 15:7, Jesus gave an incredible promise regarding answered prayer. He said, “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.” From the original language, this verse could be translated, “If you maintain a living communion with Me, and My word is at home with you, I command you to ask at once for yourself whatever your heart desires, and it will be yours.”
When I read a promise like that, I gravitate immediately toward the part that says I can ask whatever my heart desires and it will be mine. But before that, Jesus said, “If you maintain a living communion with Me, and My word is at home with you. . . .”
If this is happening in your life, then you are going to want what God wants. If you maintain a living communion with God and His words are at home in your heart, then your outlook, your desires?and in time, your prayers?will change.

from Greg Laurie devotions

dutchgirl1

09-21-2008, 09:09 AM

Romans 3

The world stands guilty before God, and can only be forgiven through Christ.

INSIGHT
There are several commonly held misconceptions about how God evaluates the deeds of men. One idea is that as long as we don't do anything "terrible," God will overlook our "little" sins. Another is that God weighs all our good works on one side of a scale and all our bad works on the other. If the good outweighs the bad, we're okay. A third incorrect notion is that God lines up all the people who have ever lived from the best to the worst and then divides them in half. If you make the cut, you're okay. The truth the Bible teaches is that God demands sinlessness. And since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, all people are condemned. There is only one way out: Receive Jesus as your personal Savior. Through Him, all your sins can be forgiven.

PRAYER
Offer your praise to the Lord for His grace and salvation:
It is good to give thanks to the Lord,
And to sing praises to Your name, O Most High;
To declare Your lovingkindness in the morning,
And Your faithfulness every night . . .
To declare that the Lord is upright;
He is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him.
(Psalm 92:1-2, 15)

Pray this confession to the Lord as you seek to keep your life free from sin:
You have forgotten the exhortation
which speaks to you as to sons:
"My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord,
Nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him;
For whom the Lord loves He chastens,
And scourges every son whom He receives."
(Hebrews 12:5-6).

Confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to your mind, and pray this affirmation to the Lord:
Jesus spoke to them again, saying, "I am the light of the world.
He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life" (John 8:12).

As you make your requests known to the Lord, include:

A stronger desire to be like Christ
Churches across the nation
Your activities for the day
Finally, offer this prayer to the Lord:
To Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ . . . to God, alone wise, be glory through Jesus Christ forever. Amen. (Romans 16:25, 27)

taken from Quiet Moments devotional

dutchgirl1

09-22-2008, 08:34 AM

Romans 4 (http://beta.biblestudytools.com/OnlineStudyBible/bible.cgi?passage=ro+4&version=nkj)

Justification by faith is illustrated in the Old Testament through the lives of Abraham and David.

INSIGHT
To impute something means "to apply something to your account." The Bible teaches that no one can earn salvation. However, God will give it to us freely if we have faith in Him. God honors the attitude of our hearts and imputes righteousness to our accounts. To be able to impute righteousness to those living during Old Testament times, God looked ahead to the work of Christ on the cross. Now He looks back to the Cross. But in both cases, God´s people have been saved by grace through faith.

PRAYER
Offer praise to God for His righteous works:
I will praise the name of God with a song,
And will magnify Him with thanksgiving.
This also shall please the Lord better than an ox or bull,
Which has horns and hooves.
The humble shall see this and be glad;
And you who seek God, your hearts shall live.
(Psalm 69:30-32)

Pause for praise and thanksgiving.

Now pray this confession to the Lord as you seek to keep your life free from sin:
Have we not all one Father?
Has not one God created us?
Why do we deal treacherously with one another
By profaning the covenant of the fathers?
(Malachi 2:10)

Confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to mind, and pray this affirmation to the Lord:
Your name, O Lord, endures forever,
Your fame, O Lord, throughout all generations.
For the Lord will judge His people,
And He will have compassion on His servants.
(Psalm 135:13-14).

As you make your requests known to the Lord, include:

A humble spirit
Evangelism in Russia
Your activities for the day
Finally, offer this prayer to the Lord:
To Him who alone does great wonders,
For His mercy endures forever;
To Him who by wisdom made the heavens,
For His mercy endures forever;
To Him who laid out the earth above the waters,
For His mercy endures forever;
To Him who made great lights,
For His mercy endures forever
The sun to rule by day,
For His mercy endures forever;
The moon and stars to rule by night,
For His mercy endures forever.
(Psalm 136:4-9)

justadeb

09-22-2008, 11:45 AM

ok once again ....i look forward to the words each day.

mahkenna

09-22-2008, 03:06 PM

Yes DGal...we all look forward to this thread! Great stuff as always....I really liked the "wrestling with God...and I hope you lose...trying to bend God into what we want"....

That is so true! It really struck a chord with me! If truth be told I have spent a lot of my prayer life praying for what I thought God wanted or should do. I have to be careful to remember that HE knows what is best for us and I have to trust HIM! It's his will...not mine...

dutchgirl1

09-23-2008, 06:27 AM

you are so right london. often times, we put God in a box and try to shape Him into what we want. we take things out of His word that fit us rather than all of what He says. sometimes that is so hard to just trust fully on Him. it hurts sometimes, but instead of lookiing to the 'right now' we should give all to Him, and look to the reward. a runner of a race does not get his ribbon or trophy until the race is complete.

d'gal

dutchgirl1

09-23-2008, 08:11 AM

Romans 5 (http://beta.biblestudytools.com/OnlineStudyBible/bible.cgi?passage=ro+5&version=nkj)

"Having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ" (v. 1).

INSIGHT
Paul spells out in specific terms how our salvation is accomplished. We learn that "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23).

We also discover that "God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8).

"Sin entered the world" through Adam "and death through sin," for all sinned (5:12). But salvation is offered to all through the God-Man, Jesus Christ. We can escape death by trusting in Christ as our Redeemer.

PRAYER
Praise the Son for His glorious sacrifice on the cross:
Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. (Philippians 2:5-8)

Pray this confession to the Lord as you seek to keep your life free from sin:
Have mercy upon me, O God,
According to Your lovingkindness;
According to the multitude of Your tender mercies,
Blot out my transgressions. . .
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit,
A broken and a contrite heart
These, O God, You will not despise. (Psalm 51:1, 17)

Confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to your mind, and pray this affirmation to the Lord:
The love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died; and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.
(2 Corinthians 5:14-15)

As you make your requests known to the Lord, include:

An attitude of gratefulness
Unsaved family members
Your activities for the day
Offer this closing prayer to the Lord:
Therefore God also has highly exalted [Jesus] and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
(Philippians 2:9-11)

from the Quiet Walk devotional

dutchgirl1

09-24-2008, 05:28 AM

Romans 6 (http://beta.biblestudytools.com/OnlineStudyBible/bible.cgi?passage=ro+6&version=nas)

We are to present our bodies to God as instruments of righteousness.

INSIGHT
Micky Cohen, a noted gangster of a past generation, said that after he embraced Christianity, he felt betrayed. No one had explained that God would require a change in his behavior. "There are Christian athletes and Christian businessmen. Why not Christian gangsters?" he reasoned. But when we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior, we are no longer free to continue living as we did in the world. Our affections and activities must change to reflect the God whom we serve. The term "Christian gangster" contradicts itself because the activities of a gangster generally oppose the character of Christ.

PRAYER
Use the following psalm to offer the Lord your praise for all He has done for you:
Oh, sing to the Lord a new song!
Sing to the Lord, all the earth.
Sing to the Lord, bless His name;
Proclaim the good news of His salvation from day to day.
Declare His glory among the nations,
His wonders among all peoples.
For the Lord is great and greatly to be praised;
He is to be feared above all gods. (Psalm 96:1-4)

Pause for praise and thanksgiving, and pray this confession to the Lord as you seek to keep your life free from sin:
O God, You know my foolishness;
And my sins are not hidden from You.
Let not those who wait for You, O Lord God
of hosts, be ashamed because of me;
Let not those who seek You be confounded
because of me, O God of Israel. (Psalm 69:5-6)

Confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to your mind.

Now pray this affirmation to the Lord:
"All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out."
(John 6:37)

As you make your requests known to the Lord, include:

Greater love for others
The work of missions worldwide
Whatever else is on your heart
Finally, offer this closing prayer to the Lord:
To Him who is able to keep you from stumbling,
And to present you faultless
Before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy,
To God our Savior,
Who alone is wise,
Be glory and majesty,
Dominion and power,
Both now and forever. Amen. (Jude 24-25).

dutchgirl1

09-25-2008, 08:27 AM

September 25

Romans 7 (http://beta.biblestudytools.com/OnlineStudyBible/bible.cgi?passage=ro+7&version=nkj)

A civil war rages in the life of every Christian.

INSIGHT
The "inward man" (v. 22) is created in righteousness and holiness (Ephesians 4:24), wills to do good (v. 21), joyfully delights in the law of God (v. 22), and serves "the law of God" (v. 25). However, the "flesh" (v. 18) practices the thing the inward man hates (v. 15). "Nothing good" dwells in the flesh (v. 18). It wars against the law of the mind (v. 23) and serves "the law of sin" (v. 25). As a result of this civil war, our lives do not run smoothly. We do things we don't want to do, and we fail to do things we want to do. Who can deliver us from "this body of death" (v. 24)? Only Jesus. When we receive Him as our personal Savior, the spiritual forces are put into place to free us from the bondage of sin. Then we must begin the process of dying to sin on a daily basis.

PRAYER
Offer your praise to the Lord because He frees you from the bondage of sin and gives you glorious, eternal life:
All the gods of the peoples are idols,
But the Lord made the heavens.
Honor and majesty are before Him;
Strength and beauty are in His sanctuary.
Give to the Lord, O families of the peoples,
Give to the Lord glory and strength.
Give to the Lord the glory due His name;
Bring an offering, and come into His courts. . . .
Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad;
Let the sea roar, and all its fullness. (Psalm 96:5-8, 11)

Pause to express your praise and thankfulness.

Pray this confession to the Lord as you seek to keep your life free from sin:
Of the Rock who begot you, you are unmindful,
And have forgotten the God who fathered you.
(Deuteronomy 32:18)

Confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to your mind.

Now pray this affirmation to the Lord:
"You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free" (John 8:32).

As you make your requests known to the Lord, include:

Faithfulness in sharing Christ
The Lord´s work in world affairs
Whatever else is on your heart
Finally, offer this prayer to the Lord:
May our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and our God and Father, who has loved us and given us everlasting consolation and good hope by grace, comfort your hearts and establish you in every good word and work.
(2 Thessalonians 2:16-17)

dutchgirl1

09-26-2008, 06:06 AM

September 26

Romans 8 (http://beta.biblestudytools.com/OnlineStudyBible/bible.cgi?passage=ro+8&version=nkj)

What the Law cannot do in delivering us from sin, God does through Christ.

INSIGHT
In Greece, a little boy might run into the kitchen and call "Mama, Mama!" when he wants to find his mother. And late in the afternoon as he hears familiar masculine footsteps approaching the house, he may run out to his father and cry "Abba, Abba!" "Mama" and "Abba" are terms of close family endearment. God loves the whole world, but He loves His spiritual children in a different, special way. With respect and joy, we can express our love back to Him with the tender name, "Abba, Abba." It's a term of endearment in the spiritual family.

PRAYER
Because the Lord has made us a part of such a loving entity as the body of Christ, offer your praise to Him:
Make a joyful shout to the Lord, all you lands!
Serve the Lord with gladness;
Come before His presence with singing.
Know that the Lord, He is God;
It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves;
We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.
Enter into His gates with thanksgiving,
And into His courts with praise.
Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.
For the Lord is good;
His mercy is everlasting,
And His truth endures to all generations.
(Psalm 100:1-5)

Pause for praise and thanksgiving, and pray this confession to the Lord as you seek to keep your life free from sin:
Achan answered Joshua and said,
"Indeed I have sinned against the Lord God of Israel."
(Joshua 7:20).

Show me Your ways, O Lord;
Teach me Your paths.
Lead me in Your truth and teach me,
For You are the God of my salvation;
On You I wait all the day. (Psalm 25:4-5)

Confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to your mind, and pray this affirmation to the Lord:
You did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, "Abba, Father." (Romans 8:15)

As you make your requests known to the Lord, include:

Health and strength to serve Him
His will to be done on earth
Today's activities
Finally, offer this prayer to the Lord:
"I know that You can do everything, and that no purpose of Yours can be withheld from You. . . . I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees You." (Job 42:2, 5)

justadeb

09-26-2008, 09:57 AM

amen

dutchgirl1

09-27-2008, 04:21 PM

September 27

Romans 12 (http://beta.biblestudytools.com/OnlineStudyBible/bible.cgi?passage=ro+12&version=nkj)

The Christian life is a life of total dedication and service to others.

INSIGHT
To better understand the implications of the first two verses of chapter 12, it is helpful to read them backwards. We all want to be a living demonstration of the fact that the will of God is "good and acceptable and perfect." In order to do that, we must have our minds transformed and renewed. In order to have our minds transformed and renewed, we must make our bodies "a living sacrifice" to God. We all want the will of God in our lives. We can experience it if we present ourselves as a living sacrifice to Him.

PRAYER
Praise the Lord for the bond of love that binds us to Him and to other Christians:
Bless the Lord, O my soul!
O Lord my God, You are very great:
You are clothed with honor and majesty,
Who cover Yourself with light as with a garment,
Who stretch out the heavens like a curtain. . .
May the glory of the Lord endure forever;
May the Lord rejoice in His works. . .
May sinners be consumed from the earth,
And the wicked be no more.
Bless the Lord, O my soul!
Praise the Lord! (Psalm 104:1-2, 31, 35)

Pause for praise and thanksgiving.

Pray this confession to the Lord as you seek to keep your life free from sin:
"For a mere moment I have forsaken you,
But with great mercies I will gather you.
With a little wrath I hid My face from you for a moment;
But with everlasting kindness I will have mercy on you,"
Says the Lord, your Redeemer. (Isaiah 54:7-8)

Confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to your mind, and pray this affirmation to the Lord:
"If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love." (John 15:10)

As you make your requests known to the Lord, include:

That others will see Christ in you
That the Lord of the harvest will send forth laborers
Your activities for the day
Finally, offer this closing prayer to the Lord:
May the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you. To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen. (1 Peter 5:10-11)

mahkenna

09-28-2008, 12:38 AM

I love Romans...it has been my favorite book for 20 some years! It is so profound and deep and I keep uncovering new treasures in it each time I read it!!!

Those are great passages...I love Romans 8 : 28-39 (here are the highlights)

28...And we know that all things work together for the good to them that love God, to them who are called according to His purpose.

31...What shall we say unto these things? If God be for us who can be against us?

35...Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, nor distress, nor persecution, nor famine, nor nakedness, nor peril, nor sword?

37...No in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us, for neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, or things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

WE have the victory!:D

dutchgirl1

09-28-2008, 10:41 AM

Hey Mahkenna. yes I love Romans too, and Hebrews and James, and and oh gee love all of Gods Word. :)

dutchgirl1

09-28-2008, 10:44 AM

September 28

Romans 13 (http://beta.biblestudytools.com/OnlineStudyBible/bible.cgi?passage=ro+13&version=nkj)

The Christian is to obey the government and love his fellow man.

INSIGHT
Love is the central characteristic of the Christian. In Matthew 22:37-40, a lawyer asks Jesus which is the greatest commandment. Jesus says: "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind." Then the Lord gives the second greatest commandment: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets." In 1 Corinthians 13, Paul writes that love is the greatest characteristic–even greater than faith or hope. Now in Romans this theme is picked up again. Love does no wrong to a neighbor; love, therefore, is the fulfillment of the Law. God is love. If we are to be like Him, we also must love.

PRAYER
Thank the Lord that He loves you, and praise Him that through Him you can love others:
You who love the Lord, hate evil!
He preserves the souls of His saints;
He delivers them out of the hand of the wicked.
Light is sown for the righteous,
And gladness for the upright in heart.
Rejoice in the Lord, you righteous,
And give thanks at the remembrance of His holy name.
(Psalm 97:10-12)

Pause for praise and thanksgiving.

Pray this confession to the Lord as you seek to keep your life free from sin and in fellowship with Him:
He is despised and rejected by men,
A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.
And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him;
He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. . . .
All we like sheep have gone astray;
We have turned, every one, to his own way;
And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.
(Isaiah 53:3, 6)

Confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to your mind, and pray this affirmation to the Lord:
To me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. (Philippians 1:21)

As you make your requests known to the Lord, include:

Greater sensitivity to sin
Your role in the ministry of your church
Your activities for the day
Whatever else is on your heart
Finally, offer this prayer to the Lord:
May the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Thessalonians 5:23)

dutchgirl1

09-29-2008, 07:50 AM

[/URL]
September 29

[URL="http://beta.biblestudytools.com/OnlineStudyBible/bible.cgi?passage=ro+14&version=nkj"]Romans 14 (http://www.walkthru.org/site/PageServer)

Christians should not exercise personal liberty if it destroys another Christian.

INSIGHT
We are a part of others; what we say and what we do affects others. This is especially true of Christians. We are a part of the body of Christ; we are a part of one another. Not only does God not want us to live isolated lives but He has made it so that we cannot make it alone. Therefore, we must always be alert to how our actions affect others. If something we do harms another person, we must take that into account. If our freedom causes hurt to a brother or sister in Christ, then love dictates that we limit our freedom.

PRAYER
Praise your heavenly Father for your brothers and sisters in Christ:
Behold, how good and how pleasant it is
For brethren to dwell together in unity! . . .
It is like the dew of Hermon,
Descending upon the mountains of Zion;
For there the Lord commanded the blessing–
Life forevermore. (Psalm 133:1, 3)

Pause for praise and thanksgiving, and as you seek to keep your life free from sin, pray this confession to the Lord:
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
Be acceptable in Your sight,
O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer. (Psalm 19:14)

Confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to your mind.

Now pray this affirmation to the Lord:
I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to have a walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. (Ephesians 4:1-6)

As you make your requests known to the Lord, include:

Kindness in your dealings with others
Encouragement for missionaries in Europe
Your activities for the day
Finally, offer this closing prayer to the Lord:
Behold, God is my salvation,
I will trust and not be afraid;
"For Yah, the Lord, is my strength and song;
He also has become my salvation." (Isaiah 12:2)

dutchgirl1

09-30-2008, 06:24 AM

September 30

Romans 15 (http://beta.biblestudytools.com/OnlineStudyBible/bible.cgi?passage=ro+15&version=nkj)

We are to conduct our lives in a way that glorifies God.

INSIGHT
When we become Christians, we exchange our citizenship on earth for citizenship in heaven. Therefore, we live according to the value system in heaven, not the value system on earth. On earth we look out for ourselves, and we satisfy our own wants and desires. In heaven we look out for the welfare of others. This does not mean that we neglect ourselves and our families. Other passages in Scripture indicate that we are to love our spouses, children, and parents and care for their needs, which brings this teaching into balance with other truths.

PRAYER
Praise God for His love that we can pass on to others:
"Praise the Lord, call upon His name;
Declare His deeds among the peoples,
Make mention that His name is exalted.
Sing to the Lord,
For He has done excellent things;
This is known in all the earth.
Cry out and shout, O inhabitant of Zion,
For great is the Holy One of Israel in your midst!" (Isaiah 12:4-6)

Having offered Him your praise, pray this confession to the Lord as you seek to keep your life free from sin:
The fool has said in his heart,
"There is no God."
They are corrupt, and have done abominable iniquity;
There is none who does good.
God looks down from heaven upon the children of men,
To see if there are any who understand, who seek God.
Every one of them has turned aside;
They have together become corrupt;
There is none who does good,
No, not one. (Psalm 53:1-3)

Pray this affirmation to the Lord:
I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:38-39)

As you make your requests known to the Lord, include:

Greater peace and trust
Guidance for your church leaders
Finally, offer this prayer to the Lord:
As we have heard,
So we have seen
In the city of the Lord of hosts,
In the city of our God:
God will establish it forever. Selah.
(Psalm 48:8)

dutchgirl1

10-01-2008, 06:24 AM

October 1
The Trial of Your Faith
“That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ.” 1 Peter 1:7
And James 1:13 tells us, “Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth He any man.”
Now, some people get confused between temptations and trials, and the difference between the two is this. Trials are sent by God to cause us to stand. Temptation to sin is sent by the devil to cause us to stumble.
One is meant for our maturity. The other is meant for our misery.
James used this word interchangeably. While God does not cause both kinds, God allows both kinds, and He will use both to make us more like Jesus.
Are you in the furnace of affliction? Do you feel you’re being tempted? Trust in God to see you through.

from Adrian Rogers devotional

dutchgirl1

10-02-2008, 08:25 AM

October 2

Ready to Face Trials & Temptations

“There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.” 1 Corinthians 10:13
Winston Churchill was speaking to the House of Commons one day when he gave this advice, “We must always be ready to meet at our average moment, the thing that any possible enemy could hurl against us at his selected moment.”
Satan could hurl a deadly temptation at you at any given moment. The phone could ring with terrible news about a friend. A police officer could knock on your door to inform you of a tragedy in your family.
Trials can come with such a force that they blow you off course. Temptation can strike at your backside and almost give you whiplash!
It is not God’s will that you have a vacancy of temptation or trials but that you have victory in temptation and trials.

Are you ready at this moment to meet what the devil may throw at you or what God may allow to come your way? Get ready by spending time in His precious word today

dutchgirl1

10-03-2008, 05:36 AM

Week of October 3
He Can Heal the Hurt
by Max Lucado

Grudge is one of those words that defines itself. Its very sound betrays its meaning.
Say it slowly: “Grr-uuuud-ge.”
It starts with a growl. “Grr …” Like a bear with bad breath coming out of hibernation or a mangy mongrel defending his bone in an alley. “Grrr …”
Remove a GR from the word grudge and replace it with SL and you have the junk that grudge bearers trudge through. Sludge. Black, thick, ankle-deep resentment that steals the bounce from the step. No joyful skips through the meadows. No healthy hikes up the mountain. Just day after day of walking into the storm, shoulders bent against the wind, and feet dragging through all the muck life has delivered.
Is this the way you are coping with your hurts? Are you allowing your hurts to turn into hates? If so, ask yourself: Is it working? Has your hatred done you any good? Has your resentment brought you any relief, any peace? Has it granted you any joy?
Let’s say you get even. Let’s say you get him back. Let’s say she gets what she deserves. Let’s say your fantasy of fury runs its ferocious course and you return all your pain with interest. Imagine yourself standing over the corpse of the one you have hated. Will you now be free?
The writer of the following letter thought she would be. She thought her revenge would bring release. But she learned otherwise.
I caught my husband making love to another woman. He swore it would never happen again. He begged me to forgive him, but I could not—would not. I was so bitter and so incapable of swallowing my pride that I could think of nothing but revenge. I was going to make him pay and pay dearly. I’d have my pound of flesh.

I filed for divorce, even though my children begged me not to.

Even after the divorce, my husband tried for two years to win me back. I refused to have anything to do with him. He had struck first; now I was striking back. All I wanted was to make him pay.

Finally he gave up and married a lovely young widow with a couple of small children. He began rebuilding his life—without me.

I see them occasionally, and he looks so happy. They all do. And here I am—a lonely, old, miserable woman who allowed her selfish pride and foolish stubbornness to ruin her life.
Unfaithfulness is wrong. Revenge is bad. But the worst part of all is that, without forgiveness, bitterness is all that is left.
The state of your heart dictates whether you harbor a grudge or give grace, seek self-pity or seek Christ, drink human misery or taste God’s mercy.
No wonder, then, the wise man begs, “Above all else, guard your heart.”
David’s prayer should be ours: “Create in me a pure heart, O God.”

dutchgirl1

10-04-2008, 10:29 AM

In Touch - Oct. 4-5, 2008

Weekend: October 4-5, 2008

God’s Saving Pursuit

Revelation 3:20 (http://beta.biblestudytools.com/OnlineStudyBible/bible.cgi?passage=re+3:20&version=nas)
Revelation 3:20 is a fantastic key passage that truly sets the Christian faith apart from the other religions of the world. Here, we have a beautiful picture of Jesus Christ, the Savior of mankind, patiently knocking on the door of our hearts. What a fabulous illustration of God’s saving pursuit.
You see, in most other religions, the scene would be reversed. The picture would be of you or me knocking on the door of heaven, trying to get in. But here, we understand that Jesus is the one who pursues. When you look at the passage in its original Greek language, you notice that the Lord doesn’t just walk up and knock once or twice. The verb form denotes continual action. He stands there knocking, and He just keeps on standing there and knocking.
We see this active pursuit all through the Scriptures. In the Garden of Eden, after Adam and Eve sinned, did they sorrowfully seek out the Lord and ask forgiveness? No, it was the Lord God who called out to them, actively seeking the first couple and giving them a chance to confess their sin (Gen. 3:8-9).
And think about the apostle Paul. Did he come to know the Savior by searching for Christ? No! Instead, Jesus sought out the then-persecutor of the church, meeting up with him on the Damascus Road and calling him into repentance (Acts 9:1-6).
The Savior has allowed us the honor of participating in His pursuit of man. Are you living out that calling? Jesus is at work all around you; join Him today in spreading the Good News everyone needs to hear.

dutchgirl1

10-06-2008, 11:55 AM

Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!” --Mark 1:14-15
There was once a ranger in the Yellowstone National Park that led a group of hikers to a fire lookout. The ranger was so intent on telling the hikers about the various flowers and animals in the park, that he ignored the messages coming through his two-way radio.
They soon became distracting while he was talking, so he just switched his radio off. But as the group neared the tower at the top of the mountain, they were met by a nearly breathless lookout. He asked why the ranger hadn’t responded to any of the messages on his radio.
A grizzly bear had been seen stalking the group, and the authorities were frantically trying to warn them of the danger that followed. When we ignore the message God sends, we put ourselves, our loved ones, and those around us in danger. It is so important to keep constant communication with the Lord.
Are there those around you who don’t know of the danger that lies ahead if they aren’t believers in Jesus? Do they know that Satan stalks them day and night looking to devour them? As believers, it is our responsibility to make sure others know of the most important message in the world—the saving knowledge of Jesus!
The message is clear and should be passed along with urgency. Warn those you love of what awaits them if they don’t answer the call of Jesus. Open the lines of communication and seek to be a witness to others toward the path of righteousness.

PRAYER CHALLENGE: Ask the Lord to open the right opportunities for you to share Christ with those in your life that aren’t believers. Pray that He will give you the words to say and the answers to give as you share the message of hope and truth.

from crosswalk devotionals

dutchgirl1

10-07-2008, 09:56 AM

Jesus said... "If anyone wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me."
Matthew 16:24 (http://beta.biblestudytools.com/OnlineStudyBible/bible.cgi?passage=mt+16:24&version=nas)

You remember how to play Simon-Says, don't you? It's probably been a few years. It's the children's game where a leader gives verbal commands that are to be followed if and only if they are preceded by an explicit statement of permission bearing the warrant of mighty Simon himself. Non-"Simon-Says" commands are worthless, and following them only gets you in trouble.
Aside from being fun (for a few minutes anyway), the game also helps kids work on motor skills, coordination, listening skills, manners, and respecting authority. But shhhh... don't tell them that.
I'm not convinced the game's so popular these days, as everyone's more interested in raising leaders than followers anymore, but I digress.
Let's just look closely at the three actions in the verse above, which begins not with "Simon Says," but rather "Then Jesus said..."
1) Turn Around ("let him deny himself..."). This is what denying one's self is all about. Repentance. Seeing things God's way. Going from darkness to light. Playing the fool for God. Even the notion of playing a child's game is apropos here, as we must not use our own adult human knowledge and wisdom to accomplish this step, but instead we die to self and come willingly in faith like a child.
2) Bend Over, Stand Up ("take up his cross..."). When you pick up the cross, you have to set down other burdens, the other things that you tend to think define "you." Taking up your cross does not equal the burden of being you, your identity. You are indeed unique, but each day you should take on something new from Christ that makes you more like Him.
3) Go Forward ("...and follow Me"). Following = sacrificial living. It's advancement toward a Kingdom goal. In Matthew 8:1 we find that when Jesus "had come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed Him." He had just finished teaching them; they had received instruction from one who had no place to lay his head and was feeding thousands on mere loaves and fishes. Moving forward in the Kingdom can only involve putting others in front of self. Is it really all that foreign to us? People sacrifice all the time to climb ladders in their career and for other personal goals. Why not sacrifice without the ladders?
Intersecting Faith & Life: Is this verse, are these three instructions, hard, or easy? The answer depends on perspective. Quitting smoking looks easy to the non-smoker, but the smoker must take it one minute, one day, one step at a time. Losing weight is a manageable goal for most, but if the focus is on losing 60 pounds in the first day the dieter is fighting a losing battle. Make it your goal to Turn Around, Bend Over/Stand Up, and Go Forward one day this week and see where playing "Jesus Said" takes you.

dutchgirl1

10-10-2008, 09:14 AM

(http://www.maxlucado.com/)
(http://www.maxlucado.com/)Week of October 10

He is Waiting in the Midst of the Storm
by Max Lucado

Peter knows he is in trouble.
The winds roar down onto the Sea of Galilee like a hawk on a rat. Lightning zigzags across the black sky. The clouds vibrate with thunder. The rain taps, then pops, then slaps against the deck of the boat until everyone aboard is soaked and shaking. Ten-foot waves pick them up and slam them down again with bonejarring force.
These drenched men don’t look like a team of apostles who are only a decade away from changing the world. And you can be sure of one thing. The one with the widest eyes is the one with the biggest biceps—Peter. He’s seen these storms before. He’s seen the wreckage and bloated bodies float to shore. He knows what the fury of wind and wave can do. And he knows that times like this are not times to make a name for yourself; they’re times to get some help.
That is why, when he sees Jesus walking on the water toward the boat, he is the first to say, “Lord, if it’s you … tell me to come to you on the water.” (Matthew 14:28 (http://beta.biblestudytools.com/OnlineStudyBible/bible.cgi?passage=mt+14:28&version=nlt))
He is aware of two facts: He’s going down, and Jesus is staying up. And it doesn’t take him too long to decide where he would rather be.
Perhaps a better interpretation of his request would be, “Jeeeeeeeesus. If that is you, then get me out of here!”
“Come on” is the invitation.
And Peter doesn’t have to be told twice. It’s not every day that you walk on water through waves that are taller than you are. But when faced with the alternative of sure death or possible life, Peter knows which one he wants.
The first few steps go well. But a few strides out onto the water, and he forgets to look to the One who got him there in the first place, and down he plunges.
Peter’s response may lack class—it probably wouldn’t get him on the cover of Gentleman’s Quarterly or even Sports Illustrated—but it gets him out of some deep water:
“Help me!”
And since Peter would rather swallow pride than water, a hand comes through the rain and pulls him up.
The message is clear.
As long as Jesus is one of many options, he is no option. As long as you can carry your burdens alone, you don’t need a burden bearer. As long as your situation brings you no grief, you will receive no comfort. And as long as you can take him or leave him, you might as well leave him, because he won’t be taken half-heartedly.
But when you mourn, when you get to the point of sorrow for your sins, when you admit that you have no other option but to cast all your cares on him, and when there is truly no other name that you can call, then cast all your cares on him, for he is waiting in the midst of the storm.

dutchgirl1

10-12-2008, 10:02 AM

SKIMMING THE SURFACE
by Charles R. Swindoll
Read Job 11:1--20 (http://beta.biblestudytools.com/OnlineStudyBible/bible.cgi?passage=job+11&version=nas)
Are you seeking to know the depths of God, or are you just skimming the surface?
Can you discover the depths of God?
Can you discover the limits of the Almighty?
They are high as the heavens, what can you do?
Deeper than Sheol, what can you know? (Job 11:7--8)
Let me repeat the question: Are you seeking to know the depths of God, or are you just skimming the surface? Only you know the answer. Our current culture is so busy we can become proficient at faking it. We can look like we're going to the depths when, in fact, we're just skating. So you must answer for yourself. Are you seeking to know the depths of God? Or do you find that you're just attending a lot of religious meetings, reading a few religious books, and learning all the religious-sounding language.
One of Larry Crabb's books is titled The Pressure's Off. In it he writes,
As a culture, present-day Christianity has redefined spiritual maturity. The reformers knew we were saved to glorify God. We moderns live to be blessed. The mature among us are now thought to be the successful, the happy, the effective people on top of things and doing well . . . We're more attracted to sermons, books, and conferences that reveal the secrets to fulfillment . . . than to spiritual direction that leads us through affliction into the presence of the Father.¹
We seem more interested in managing life into a comfortable existence than in letting God spiritually transform us through life's hardships.
That cuts to the quick, doesn't it? Don't run from the hardship. Don't seek a friend who'll help you get out from under it quickly. Stay there. Stay in it. The Lord God will get you through it. As a result you'll stop skating.
This question is for you to answer: personally, introspectively, truly. Are you seeking to know the depths of God, or are you just skimming the surface?

dutchgirl1

10-13-2008, 09:46 AM

October 13, 2008

Dressed for Battle
Ephesians 6:10-18 (http://beta.biblestudytools.com/OnlineStudyBible/bible.cgi?passage=eph+6:10-18&version=nas)

When you wake up in the morning and get dressed for the day, you’re probably not thinking about stepping onto a battlefield. But the enemy is all around us, constantly assaulting our hearts and minds with temptations, adversities, emotional attacks, and more. And some days, it feels as though we are standing on the front lines of combat with no protection whatsoever.
Therein lies our misunderstanding. You see, we do have protection. The Lord made a provision for our nakedness in battle. He hasn’t sent us to war unprotected; instead, He’s given us a suit of armor that the enemy can’t penetrate—the armor of God.
In Ephesians 6:10-18, the apostle Paul tells us step by step how to prepare for our daily warfare, and yet most Christians don’t pay much attention to the instruction. We may say, “Well, that’s a nice metaphor, but we shouldn’t take it literally. After all, the armor isn’t real.” Yes, it is. It is as real as the clothes on our backs.
Do you want to see a dramatic change in your life? Do you want to stand strong in the face of adversity? Do you want to overcome temptation? Then you need to dress for battle.
I challenge you to intentionally put on your spiritual armor every day for the next seven days. Put it on one piece at a time—the helmet of salvation, the breastplate of righteousness, the belt of truth, the sandals of peace, the shield of faith, and the sword of God. Just try it as you meditate daily on Ephesians 6:10-18, and watch what God will do.

dutchgirl1

10-14-2008, 10:52 AM

God's Will: So Simple it's Hard
by Shawn McEvoy, Crosswalk, Faith Editor

Rejoice always;
pray without ceasing;
in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (http://beta.biblestudytools.com/OnlineStudyBible/bible.cgi?passage=1th+5:16-18&version=nas)

"God's will for my life"... how often have you pondered that notion? Studied it? Read untold books about it? Know people who torture themselves trying to locate it?
Well, here we have an obvious chunk of it, even compact and useful just as we like things to be, tucked away at the close of Paul's first letter to the church at Thessalonica. "This is God's will for you...," it says.
Well, yes, it says that, and it sure is pretty - almost poetic - but is it deep enough? Shouldn't there be more? Is it practical?
Okay. Then let's go Old Testament. Prophetic. Action-oriented. Micah 6:8 says, "He has told you, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?"
It's still simple, still bunched in a group of three, still indicating that there's no big mystery way far out there which must be solved before we know how to act or decide, or how God wants us to act or decide.
So why do we seek for more?
I think it's because the ridiculously simple, paradoxically enough, is ridiculously hard, and we know it. G.K. Chesterton famously said, "The Christian ideal has not been tried and found wanting. It has been found difficult and left untried."
We could spend a lot of time discussing the ins-and-outs of how easy or hard God's will is, and where else in His Word we can find snippets of it. One woman from my Bible fellowship class is fond of asking during our lessons, "What does that look like?" Let's ponder on that for a minute here.
The situation is this: you've been sent on a missionary journey via a clear calling from God. The resources were there, the people willing. You are leading your group through a city when you encounter a psychic who keeps taunting you. After a while, through calling on the name of Jesus you cast out the evil spirit within her. Hooray! Score one for the Lord, and your group! But alas, there is no praise here, because those who had been making some cash off the now-set-free woman's powers aren't happy with you. They drag your group before local law enforcement, have you beaten, and thrown into prison. Hey now!
At this point, I am saying, "God, this is NOT your will. YOU made it very clear we were to come on this trip, and we even did a miracle for you! Now we're injured, in jail... I don't even know how I'm going to get home much less continue to be effective for you from here! I want a telephone, I want a lawyer, and I want you to reveal your ACTUAL will, right now, and suffer no more discomfort while doing what you sent us to do!"
And with that, my missionary journey would come to a close. But not the Apostle Paul's, not as we have it recorded in Acts 16:16-40, which is one of my all-time favorite passages. Paul, who knew God's will better than I, and practiced it, knew to "rejoice always." And so, bloodied and with his feet in stocks, he sings. Seriously, he sings hymns of praise. He also knew to "pray without ceasing," and so, in verse 25, that's exactly what you find - Paul and Silas praying... at midnight, even.
The missionaries on this journey got out of God's way by doing the simple things that God had willed for them to do, so that God was free to let fly with His own big, complex, miraculous will for everyone else. An earthquake shakes open the prison, snapping chains in the process. Prisoners, however, stay where they are. A jailer, about to kill himself, holds his sword, and moments later accepts Jesus into his heart. Then his family joins the flock, all because those he had persecuted chose to "love kindness."
At every step of the journey, Paul, Silas, and their companions chose to walk humbly, give thanks, and do what was just (speaking of which, once officially released, Paul did have some words of justice regarding their citizenship and treatment for the magistrates).
It's absolutely amazing to me the ways that God plans to accomplish His Will (big "W") on earth. His will in my life has already been decided. It is my job to walk humbly, get out of the way, always be in prayer, always rejoicing no matter what situation I'm in. But how often do we come back to the same situation, sitting in my car, simple traffic jam, me needing to be somewhere, telling God, "Did you not ordain that I should do such and such today? Or get this amount of work done so I can spend this amount of time with my family? Then this is on you unless you make such-and-such happen now!"
Sigh... how many miracles have I missed?
No, God's will for my life isn't difficult to know. It's just frustratingly hard to do if self is at the center. And that's the crux of the very question itself, "What is God's will for MY life?"
Perhaps when we get out of the way, we shall see better.
Intersecting Faith & Life: How long will it take to learn the lesson that even if I know I am doing God's will it doesn't mean everything will appear to go smoothly along the way? That there are purposes I either don't know or am unwilling to consider could be a part of inconvenience? If you're like me, start learning today by making note of every story in the Bible that suffers a delay, interruption, inconvenience or other problem before the payoff. (Hint: start with guys like Joseph, and Abraham...)
Further Reading
Acts 16 (http://beta.biblestudytools.com/OnlineStudyBible/bible.cgi?passage=ac+16&version=niv)
Micah 6:8 (http://beta.biblestudytools.com/OnlineStudyBible/bible.cgi?passage=mic+6:8&version=nas)
Stop Wrestling, Start Serving: The Non-Mystery of God's Will (http://www.crosswalk.com/spirituallife/11570568/)

dutchgirl1

10-15-2008, 08:36 AM

October 15

2 Corinthians 12 (http://beta.biblestudytools.com/OnlineStudyBible/bible.cgi?passage=2co+12&version=nkj)

Paul was given a vision of heaven and then "a thorn in the flesh" to keep him humble.

INSIGHT
The Bible gives us a number of reasons why Christians suffer adversity. One reason is to strengthen and mature us. Another is that it is the natural consequence of our own foolishness from which God does not necessarily protect us. And another reason Paul gives us in today's chapter is to keep us humble. If things always went well for us, if life was always "coming up roses," we would tend to become conceited, to think more highly of ourselves than we ought and perhaps think less of others. Notice that Paul only prayed three times for the removal of his "thorn in the flesh" (vv. 7-8). When it was clear that God was not going to remove it, Paul accepted it.

PRAYER
Because the Lord always has a reason for allowing adversity, we can praise Him for all things:
Men shall speak of the might of Your awesome acts,
And I will declare Your greatness.
They shall utter the memory of Your great goodness,
And shall sing of Your righteousness.
The Lord is gracious and full of compassion,
Slow to anger and great in mercy.
The Lord is good to all,
And His tender mercies are over all His works.
(Psalm 145:6-9)

Pause for praise and thanksgiving.

Pray this confession to the Lord as you seek to keep your life free from sin and in fellowship with Him:
Show me Your ways, O Lord;
Teach me Your paths.
Lead me in Your truth and teach me,
For You are the God of my salvation;
On You I wait all the day. (Psalm 25:4-5)

Confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to your mind, and pray this affirmation to the Lord:
God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. (2 Timothy 1:7)

As you make your requests known to the Lord, include:

Patience in difficult circumstances
The work of missions in South America
Whatever else is on your heart
Finally, close with this prayer to the Lord:
Let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us,
And establish the work of our hands for us;
Yes, establish the work of our hands. (Psalm 90:17)

dutchgirl1

10-16-2008, 08:38 AM

Thursday, October 16, 2008

Fearing God

“They have no fear of God to restrain them.” (Romans 3:18)

I think there was a time in history when God was misrepresented as a divine being who threw lightning bolts down from heaven on people who displeased Him. We’ve heard derogatory references to fire-and-brimstone preaching.
But I don’t think this is the problem today. We don’t hear that much about preachers delivering fire-and-brimstone messages anymore.
What we do hear are messages about how we can be successful. We hear messages about how God will prosper us. But it is more rare to hear about a holy God who wants us to repent of our sins and walk with Him. That is not very popular anymore.
In a way, I think many people have come to develop a new God, an all-loving, benign being who is hovering up there in the universe.
If that is your God, then I’m sorry to tell you this is not the God of the Bible. That is a god of your own making.
Without question, the real God is a God of love who loves you deeply. But the real God is holy. Not only should we love God, but we should also fear Him.
What I mean by “fearing God” is not necessarily to be afraid of Him. It is to have a respect for God, a reverence for Him. One of the best translations of the term I have heard is, “A wholesome dread of displeasing Him.” I think this is lacking in lives of many people today, and sadly, even in the lives of people in the church.
While it is true we will stand before a God of love one day, it is also true that we will stand before a holy God. So we need the fear of God.

from Greg Laurie ministries

reggie42

10-17-2008, 07:10 AM

Thank you for this thread D'Gal.............:)

dutchgirl1

10-17-2008, 08:28 AM

hey Reg. no problem we need the Word everyday. it is like a new breath everyday. it is our Daily Bread. I know I cant survive even one day w/o something of the Word. my whole day goes awry if I dont 'breakfast' on His Word.

love ya.

everymom

10-17-2008, 09:08 AM

Thanks d'gal,
I send many of these to my son. This is a sender =]

dutchgirl1

10-17-2008, 11:21 AM

BUT IT IS SO DARK IN HERE!
Give me light in the darkness lest I die.
Psalm 13:3 (http://beta.biblestudytools.com/OnlineStudyBible/bible.cgi?passage=ps+13:3&version=nas)
David was in a dark time in his life. His beloved son, Absalom, had turned on him. He had stolen away David's kingdom, turned the people against him, and now sought his father's very life. David was on the run, hiding from his Absalom's hatred and Absalom's henchmen.
Without question, this was the darkest time in David's life. He had no one to blame but himself. His sin with Bathsheba... his failure to properly deal with family problems (Absalom's sister was raped by a half-brother, Amnon; Absalom ended up killing Amnon in response)... and his reluctance to discipline and mentor Absalom all contributed to this horrible time in his life.
WHAT TO DO IN THE DARKNESS?
What do you do when you are in a dark time in life? What do you do when that dark time is due, perhaps in large part, to your own failures? Can you have victory even in the darkness? YES!! But you must do three things that David did in Psalm 3.
1. BELIEVE THE TRUTH (Psalm 3:1-4). There is help for you in God. He will be your shield and the One who will lift your head. He will answer your prayers as you call out to Him. Don't call once and quit just because He does not answer on the first ring. Call and keep calling. He will answer at the proper time. He promised!!
Remember, the devil is a liar. Do not believe his lies. God is for you, not against you. Get your heart right with Him. Confess your sins and seek His face. He will help you and bring light to your darkness.
2. REST IN THE LORD (Psalm 3:5-6). Big problems often steal away our peace. We tend to walk in fear when our enemies and our problems are increasing and surrounding us. Yet in the midst of terrible trouble, David slept peacefully. How? He turned his problems over to the Lord. He cast his burdens on Him.
Peace is your birthright as a child of God. You experience supernatural peace when you get your mind and heart off your troubles and onto the Lord. Isaiah 26:3 says, "And You will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You." Fix your mind on Jesus in the midst of your problems. Lean hard on Him. Think only on that which is true and honorable and right (Phil. 4:8). Put your life in His hands, and trust Him with the results.
3. RELY ON HIS DELIVERANCE (Psalm 3:7-8). Salvation belongs to God. He will deliver you from the darkness as you trust in Him. Wait on His timing. In the last letter Paul ever wrote, he said, "The Lord will deliver me from every evil deed, and will bring me safely to His heavenly kingdom; to Him be the glory forever and ever" (2 Tim. 4:18).
I know when you are in the darkness, time moves slowly. A day is like a thousand years.
But take courage, my friend. Your life is not over. God will arise at the proper time... and your enemies will scatter (Ps. 68:1). You can and will have victory in the darkness as you cling to God and His word. David was delivered from Absalom... and you will be delivered too if you simply trust Him.
How do I know? Because He promised... and He cannot lie!!

from His Heart, pastor jeff schreve

reggie42

10-17-2008, 02:45 PM

BUT IT IS SO DARK IN HERE!

Give me light in the darkness lest I die.
Psalm 13:3 (http://beta.biblestudytools.com/OnlineStudyBible/bible.cgi?passage=ps+13:3&version=nas)
David was in a dark time in his life. His beloved son, Absalom, had turned on him. He had stolen away David's kingdom, turned the people against him, and now sought his father's very life. David was on the run, hiding from his Absalom's hatred and Absalom's henchmen.
Without question, this was the darkest time in David's life. He had no one to blame but himself. His sin with Bathsheba... his failure to properly deal with family problems (Absalom's sister was raped by a half-brother, Amnon; Absalom ended up killing Amnon in response)... and his reluctance to discipline and mentor Absalom all contributed to this horrible time in his life.
WHAT TO DO IN THE DARKNESS?
What do you do when you are in a dark time in life? What do you do when that dark time is due, perhaps in large part, to your own failures? Can you have victory even in the darkness? YES!! But you must do three things that David did in Psalm 3.
1. BELIEVE THE TRUTH (Psalm 3:1-4). There is help for you in God. He will be your shield and the One who will lift your head. He will answer your prayers as you call out to Him. Don't call once and quit just because He does not answer on the first ring. Call and keep calling. He will answer at the proper time. He promised!!
Remember, the devil is a liar. Do not believe his lies. God is for you, not against you. Get your heart right with Him. Confess your sins and seek His face. He will help you and bring light to your darkness.
2. REST IN THE LORD (Psalm 3:5-6). Big problems often steal away our peace. We tend to walk in fear when our enemies and our problems are increasing and surrounding us. Yet in the midst of terrible trouble, David slept peacefully. How? He turned his problems over to the Lord. He cast his burdens on Him.
Peace is your birthright as a child of God. You experience supernatural peace when you get your mind and heart off your troubles and onto the Lord. Isaiah 26:3 says, "And You will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You." Fix your mind on Jesus in the midst of your problems. Lean hard on Him. Think only on that which is true and honorable and right (Phil. 4:8). Put your life in His hands, and trust Him with the results.
3. RELY ON HIS DELIVERANCE (Psalm 3:7-8). Salvation belongs to God. He will deliver you from the darkness as you trust in Him. Wait on His timing. In the last letter Paul ever wrote, he said, "The Lord will deliver me from every evil deed, and will bring me safely to His heavenly kingdom; to Him be the glory forever and ever" (2 Tim. 4:18).
I know when you are in the darkness, time moves slowly. A day is like a thousand years.
But take courage, my friend. Your life is not over. God will arise at the proper time... and your enemies will scatter (Ps. 68:1). You can and will have victory in the darkness as you cling to God and His word. David was delivered from Absalom... and you will be delivered too if you simply trust Him.
How do I know? Because He promised... and He cannot lie!!

from His Heart, pastor jeff schreve
Thank you D'Gal....:thumbsup:

dutchgirl1

10-20-2008, 06:37 AM

Psalm 91's Tremendous Promise

Cinde Lucas

Overflow Ministries

Psalm 91 (http://beta.biblestudytools.com/OnlineStudyBible/bible.cgi?passage=ps+91&version=niv) carries with it a tremendous promise for those who choose to make God their dwelling place and choose to put their entire trust in Him (vs1). This psalm is a declaration of God's protection and deliverance for those who proclaim and declare God's faithfulness (vs 2). Even though the enemy plots and schemes against us (vs 3) we are assured that God will guard and watch over us (vs4) and that no evil will come near us (vs5-7). You shall be empowered to tread down the enemy and be victorious against his plans against you (vs13-15).

WOW! All this in one psalm! I don't know about you, but I sure needed to be reminded of this today. There are so many pressures in today's world and without God's assurance of deliverance and protection, I don't know how we would survive. I find strength in knowing that God is on my side, watching over and protecting me and my family. The word deliver in verse 4 actually means to block or screen. As I read this meaning, I thought about watching my grandson, Hunter, playing football this past Saturday. Those guys on the line in front of the quarter back block the defense so that the offense can move the ball down the field. I can just see God's angels surrounding us and blocking the enemy's attacks so that we can progress the Kingdom here on earth.

We just have to remember that God is for us and no matter how rough and tough the enemy may seem at times, in the end we win! So take a few minutes to meditate on Psalm 91 and ask the Lord to teach you how to make Him your dwelling place. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal the love of God to you in such way that you will know and experience His presence every moment of every day. The Lord is with you, surrounding you and blocking for you today. So take heart, God is on your side and He will be with you always!
PSALM 91
Safety of Abiding in the Presence of God
He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, "He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust."Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the perilous pestilence. He shall cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you shall take refuge; His truth shall be your shield and buckler. You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, nor of the arrow that flies by day, Nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness, Nor of the destruction that lays only with your eyes shall you look, And see the reward of the wicked. Because you have made the Lord, who is my refuge, Even the Most High, your dwelling place, No evil shall befall you, nor shall any plague come near your dwelling; For He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways. In their hands they shall bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone. You shall tread upon the lion and the cobra, the young lion and the serpent you shall trample underfoot. "Because he has set his love upon me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him on high, because he has known my name. He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him, and show him My salvation.

dutchgirl1

10-20-2008, 08:17 AM

What It Means To Trust

I bet that a lot of people would say that Proverbs 3:5-6 is their life verse. Is it yours? Do you have it underlined in your Bible? You probably have it memorized:
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.
Proverbs 3:5-6 is a promise that you've just got to know. Let's take it a phrase at a time.
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart" is obviously an exhortation not to doubt. When you trust in the Lord with all your heart, you're making a tangible choice not to let unbelief eat away at your soul. You're confident in Jesus and jumping in with both feet.
The next phrase will help you know: "…Do not lean on your own understanding." You can't trust in the Lord with all your heart if you're leaning on your own understanding.
I'd like to think I trust the Lord like that right now, James, but how can I be sure I do?
Maybe you know some things. You've been around the block, you know how things work, you know how to get it done. There's nothing wrong with that. It's good, in fact. The problem is, are you leaning on those things when you hit a crisis? Are you confident in your own ability to get out of tight spots? Do you say anything like, "I know how to fix this. I've been through this before. I'm going to get on this right now." Yeah, that's not great. Don't lean on your own understanding.
Well, what then? "In all your ways acknowledge Him…" In every choice, acknowledge God. You might be able to handle that situation by yourself, but if you're like me, you don't just want to get out of it, you want to please God in it. So in all your ways, you're going to put Him first.
Let's put in practice. Suppose you run into financial problems. Or you lose your job. Or you lose the big account. The current price of gas and the crazy volatility on Wall Street don't look too promising, either. Your budget is so tight you don't know how you're going to pay the bills.
Humanly speaking, if you were leaning on your own understanding you'd be like, We're going to tighten the belt around here, baby. No more money to charity. We can't help our little Compassion Child anymore; she's going to have to take care of herself. We're not giving at church either; they seem to be doing fine.
Now, it's not wrong to be wise in how you spend your money, but if you think you're going to just gut it out, you're leaning on your own understanding. Instead say, we're going to keep our commitments, including our tithe, and we're going to trust in the Lord with all our hearts. We're going to believe that the 90 percent we're left with—with God's help—is more than 100 percent on our own without God. That's what we are when we leave God out: we're on our own. That might be how we got in this spot, but that's not how we're going to get out of it. We're going to put God first in our life and trust Him to keep His promises.
Don't you think God knows how much you have? Don't you think God sees your situation? Wasn't it God Himself who said through the prophet in Malachi 3:10, "Bring the full tithes into the storehouse. . . . And thereby put me to the test . . . if will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need." "Just try Me on that one," God says. "Test Me and see if I'm not faithful." Here's your chance to discover the amazing promise God gives to those who totally trust Him.

from James McDonald.. Walk in the Word

reggie42

10-20-2008, 05:02 PM

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.

Thank you D'GAl...you are such an inspiration. :)
This post is right on...let go and let God.

sonyarod

10-21-2008, 02:27 PM

Thank you D'GAl...you are such an inspiration. :)
This post is right on...let go and let God.

Look at God...this is the scripture that I kept repeating on my way to work and now I see it again. Thank you D'gal for posting and thank you Reggie for pointing it out.

dutchgirl1

10-22-2008, 08:19 AM

considering a few of the threads going on about discourse among some of us, I thought this fit perfectly.... from Quiet Walk devotions.

Ephesians 5

We are to walk in love just as Christ did.

INSIGHT
The wrath of God is coming on the sons of disobedience (the unsaved). Therefore, we are not to partake of their deeds. For we were formerly darkness, but now we are light in the Lord. If this is so, do you as a Christian need to alter any of your present habits? What about your television viewing habits? If it is disgraceful even to speak of the things that are done by the children of darkness, how much more disgraceful is it to sit in our living rooms and watch it? What about movies, books, magazines, or conversations with friends? Do your habits reflect the light of God?

PRAYER
Praise the Lord that He has transferred us out of the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light:
Mary said:
"My soul magnifies the Lord,
And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.
For He has regarded the lowly state of His maidservant;
For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed.
For He who is mighty has done great things for me,
And holy is His name.
And His mercy is on those who fear Him
From generation to generation"(Luke 1:46-50).

Pause for praise and thanksgiving as you pray this confession to the Lord:
Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven,
Whose sin is covered.
Blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity,
And in whose spirit there is no deceit
(Psalm 32:1-2).

Confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to your mind, and pray this affirmation to the Lord:
The Lord God is my strength;
He will make my feet like deer's feet,
And He will make me walk on my high hills (Habakkuk 3:19).

As you make your requests known to the Lord, include:
greater love for your family,
the work of missions in South America.

Finally, close with this prayer:
To Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery kept secret since the world began but now made manifest, and by the prophetic Scriptures made known to all nations, . . . to God, alone wise, be glory through Jesus Christ forever. Amen.
(Romans 16:25-27)

Meowth84

10-22-2008, 04:03 PM

Thanks D'gal. Here's another one I found that is very appropriate right now.

Give Life With Your Words
by Jon Walker

Words kill, words give life; they’re either poison or fruit – you choose. (Proverbs 18:21 MSG)
You have the power to kill or give life.
Yes, you, gentle reader – a follower of Christ – are capable of murder, and so am I. We can speak death with our words, or we can speak life.
Perhaps you’ve been on the other side of the killing kind of messages: “You’re not smart enough. You’re not thin enough. You’re not fast enough. You’re not good enough. A real Christian wouldn’t think such a thing.”
In a world where people are beat up and put down, God gives you superhero power to punch through the negativity. You speak life to others when you say: “You matter to me. I like you just the way you are. You’re human, anyone could think that. Your life counts. You were created for a purpose. God loves you, and you’re incredibly valuable to him.”
Your words may be the only encouraging thing some people hear in a day, or a week, or a month. You – yes, you –can become the voice of God’s grace in the lives of others, supporting, loving, helping, and encouraging with the words that flow from your mouth. (Romans 14:19b)
In the New Testament, the word ‘encouragement’ often means “to come alongside.” We’re to come alongside one another, “building each other up,” just as the Holy Encourager comes alongside us to teach us and remind us of the way of Jesus. (John 14:26)
We become encouragers when we stop looking down and start looking up (Colossians 3:2) – the need and opportunity for encouragement is everywhere. “Each one of us needs to look after the good of the people around us,” (Romans 15:2a MSG) and this “will build them up.” (Romans 15:2b NLT)
So, how about it? Will you become today a consistent source of encouragement to those around you? It’s a choice on your part. You can lift a person’s spirit, change the atmosphere of your office, or lighten the burden of someone in your small group. The Bible says we should “look for the best in each other, and always do your best to bring it out.” (1 Thessalonians 5:15b MSG)
What does this mean?
· Commit to encouragement – Make a choice to build up the people around you. Fill your conversations with phrases like: “I believe in you,” “I’m grateful for you,” “I see God using you,” “I appreciate you,” and “I’m glad you’re in my life.” The Bible says we should “encourage one another and build each other up.” (1 Thessalonians 5:11 NIV)
· Value others – An encourager works hard at bringing the best out in others. Value people by understanding they are valuable to God. He encourages you in spite of the failings in your past; he believes in you in spite of those annoying, little things you excuse in yourself but criticize in others. J (Quite honestly, this thought compels me to give grace to others.)
· Be encouraged – Encourage yourself, for “there is good news of great joy for all people, and his name is Christ the Lord.” (Luke 2:8-10)

dutchgirl1

10-22-2008, 04:24 PM

great Julie. thanks for the addition. :)

reggie42

10-22-2008, 09:51 PM

dutchgirl1

10-23-2008, 08:19 AM

October 23, 2008
Engraved in His Hand

"Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you! See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands…"
Isaiah 49:15-16 (http://beta.biblestudytools.com/OnlineStudyBible/bible.cgi?passage=isa+49:15-16&version=niv)

Sometimes we find ourselves in harsh circumstances. We feel isolated from the Lord and begin to ask ourselves, "Is He really there? Has He forgotten me?" Today's passage is a stark reminder that there is no way our Lord will forget us or forsake us.
Being the father of five children I have been blessed to witness the blessed scene of a mother feeding her baby. I've seen both mother and child relax and share that bond that comes through breastfeeding. It is that beautiful analogy that is drawn in Isaiah. A mother does not forget the child she is nursing, she and the baby are in a deep bond that is difficult to be ignored. Likewise, our Father in heaven is in no way going to forget His love for us. But even if a mother were to forget, the Lord proclaims that even if a mother were to forget, He never will.
Dear child of God, you will never be forgotten!
In the midst of losing your house to foreclosure, you will not be forgotten.
When worrying how you are going to deal with the high gas prices, you will not be forgotten.
When struggling to budget the grocery bill, you will not be forgotten.
God will never forget you.
Why not?
This brings us to the second half of our passage.
"See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands…"
As we were reading this in church one Sunday my wife was quick to point out an interesting observation. She felt, and I agree, that this was a messianic prophecy.
Our names were written into the palms that would bear the nails that hung our Lord on the cross at Calvary.
Your name, my name, and that of every other believer in Christ Jesus has had our names engraved by the nails that bore our Lord to a cruel tree.
You will not be forgotten because He loves you so much that He was willing to die for you. 1 Cor. 6:20 says, "…you were bought at a price."
That price was paid on a cross between two thieves.
That price was endured until the last breath when Jesus said, "It is finished."
With that proclamation, let's turn to 1 Cor. 1:7-11 which says this:
"… We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life. Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us, as you help us by your prayers."
Friend, it is our hardships which cause us to turn and rely on God. Set your hope on Him and pray for those who are in distress.
He has engraved you on His hand and He will deliver.
Intersecting Faith & Life: Do a study of the different names of the Lord and write each name on the palm of your hand. As you go throughout the day take time to pray for those who are in distress. See someone in a grocery store with a stern look? Pray for that person. See another person standing at the pumps with a furrowed brow? Pray for that person. Pray for them as the recipients in Paul's letter prayed for him.

from crosswalk devotions

dutchgirl1

10-24-2008, 09:11 AM

Friday, October 24, 2008

When Storms Come
Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. (Hebrews 12:11)

At the conclusion of Matthew 7, Jesus told the story of two men who built two types of houses. One house was built on a good foundation of rock, while the other house was built on a faulty foundation of sand.
Then Jesus described a storm that came and beat against both houses. The house that was built on sand collapsed, while the house that was built on the rock stood firm.
Jesus concluded that the man who built on the rock is the one who hears the Word of God and obeys it. He said the man who built his house on sand is the one who hears the Word of God and does not obey it.
But one other thing I see in this teaching of Jesus is the fact that the storm struck both houses. Every life and every person will experience hardships.
But the question is, how will you react when life’s storms hit? Will they destroy you or strengthen you? Will they make you better or bitter?
Here is the good news for Christians: we know that whatever happens in our lives must first go through the protective screen of God’s love. In other words, God will not let anything happen in the life of the believer that He is not completely aware of.
As I have said many times, the word, “oops,” is not in God's vocabulary. He is in full control of all the circumstances that surround the lives of His people.
So when hardship comes, we know that God has allowed it for a purpose. He has some plan in mind.

from greg laurie ministry

dutchgirl1

10-24-2008, 09:14 AM

p.s. my hubby wrote this. I have posted it before, but thought it fit with todays devotion....

IN THE STORM

When the storm comes,
don not take down the sail.
But add all the sail you have
and fly with the storm,
into the arms of Jesus.
The storm is a gift,
testing and proving
Love and Faith,
Making stronger the
resolve of the heart.

justadeb

10-24-2008, 02:12 PM

amen

dutchgirl1

10-27-2008, 11:05 AM

Make God's Promises Your Own

By which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. - 2 Peter 1:4

The Bible is jammed full of promises that God wants you to know about because of the strength and encouragement they will give you to keep walking by faith. But you've gotta do more than just read a promise to benefit from it truth. Here's three practical ways to make a promise your own:
#1 You've got to see it. Put the verse under a microscope. Part of “seeing” it is understanding the promise. Some promises in God's Word are unique to particular situations. For example, God made some promises to Samson that aren't coming to you. So you have to ask yourself is this promise unique or is it universal? Ask the Lord to show you, “Is this promise for me?”
One ways you can know is if God makes the same promise in other places in Scripture. Take hold of the promises that God has universally promised to His children in all generations at all times. Ask God to open your eyes to the truth of it.
#2 You have to savor it. If you want to experience God's promises for yourself, you've got to treasure them in your heart. You've got to think about them over and over in your mind.
Here's something that helps me, especially in my prayer life. You've got to picture the promise as already accomplished. Thank God in faith that it is already happening. Even though it's not visual to me, God, by faith I believe Your Word. I believe that You are work today bringing this about.
#3 You've got to share it. God's promises will become real to you as you tell other people about them. Confess the Word of God with your mouth, like Romans 10:9 says. There's power in speaking the Word out.
Get your heart around some of the exceedingly great and precious promises of God! Hold on to what God has said in His Word. Someday you're going to be in a difficult situation and the enemy will try to pull you down, but you've got God's Word hidden in your heart. His words will flood you with courage and fill your life with faith.

from Walk in the Word / james mcdonald

dutchgirl1

10-28-2008, 08:27 AM

October 28

Not Ashamed of the Lordship of Christ
“O my God, I trust in Thee: let me not be ashamed, let not mine enemies triumph over me.” Psalm 25:2

Have you ever noticed that some people get a little embarrassed in a restaurant if you bow your head and mention Jesus as you ask His blessing? They rub their eyebrows or forehead when you pray.
Have you ever asked yourself why they’re ashamed? I think it is because they don’t know what they’re missing in Jesus.
You see, salvation is a wonderful gift.

God sent His Son to die for us.
He rose from the grave for us.
He ascended into heaven for us.
He’s coming again for us!
How can we be ashamed of this?
Next time you go to a restaurant, let your prayer of blessing turn into an evangelistic opportunity with your unsaved friend.

Love Worth Finding ministries w/ adrian rogers

justadeb

10-28-2008, 09:32 AM

Prayer to the Guardian Angels
My good Angel, Thou comest from heaven; God has sent thee to take care of me. Oh, shelter me under thy wings. Lighten my path, direct my steps. Do not leave me, stay quite near me and defend me against the spirit of evil. But above all come to my help in the last struggle of my life. Deliver my soul so that with thee it may praise, love and contemplate the goodness of God forever and ever.
Amen

dutchgirl1

10-29-2008, 08:25 AM

WHEN PRAYER HAS POWER
I tell you, even though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence he will get up
and give him as much as he needs.
Luke 11:8
Have you ever felt like your prayers had no power? Have you ever wondered to yourself if prayer really does any good... if it really makes a difference? I think if we are honest, we have all felt that way at one time or another. One of our big problems with prayer is that we do not see God answer as fast as we would like... so we give up.
Jesus told a parable one day that dealt with the subject of prayer (Lk. 11). The crux of the parable was this: PERSIST IN PRAYER AND GOD WILL ANSWER. Jesus said, "Men ought always to pray and not quit" (Lk. 18:1).
HAVE YOU QUIT?
Have you thrown in the towel on your prayers? Have you quit praying for your marriage to get better... your wayward child to come back... your friend to get saved... your situation at work to change... your finances to multiply... OUR COUNTRY TO TURN BACK TO GOD? Could the reason you have not seen answers be due to the fact that you have not persisted in prayer. Perhaps you knocked a few times on heaven's door and left in anger and disgust because God did not answer ON YOUR TIMETABLE.
Remember this: GOD'S TIMETABLE IS HARDLY EVER IN SYNC WITH OUR TIMETABLE. He is God. His ways are SO FAR above our ways. He knows best. He will move at the right time IF we do not grow weary, throw in the towel and quit.
ENCOURAGEMENT
Let me encourage you as I encourage myself. Persist in prayer. Keep in mind the PUSH principle - Pray Until Something Happens. Get back on your knees. Keep knocking and seeking and asking God to meet the needs in your life. Keep claiming His Word and His promises in prayer. Keep your eyes fixed on Him.
He will answer you at the right time. He will provide for your needs. He longs to show Himself mighty and strong in your life and mine. The greater the problem you are facing, the greater the glory God gets when He comes through. Little problems are opportunities for little miracles... but great big problems are opportunities for great big miracles.
Do not lose heart. Do not get frustrated and angry and conclude that prayer does not work. It does work. God does hear, and God does answer. How do I know? Because He promised!
"Call to Me and I will answer you, and I will tell you great and mighty things, which you do not know." Jeremiah 33:3

from His Heart w/jeff schreve

worriedmama

10-29-2008, 08:42 AM

GOD is GOOD!

dutchgirl1

10-30-2008, 11:05 AM

Thursday, October 30, 2008

In His Strength
“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.” (Ephesians 6:10)

Just as police officers call for back-up when they sense that danger may be imminent, the first thing we must realize about spiritual battle is that in our own strength, we are no match for the devil.
I think a healthy respect of our adversary is in order for believers today. We don’t want to underestimate him, nor do we want to overestimate him. We want to accurately assess who he is and what his abilities are.
We need to recognize that he is powerful; we don’t want to try and take him in our own strength.
When I hear some preachers on television or the radio calling the devil silly little names, laughing at him, or making jokes about him, I remember what Jude 9 says: “Yet Michael the archangel, in contending with the devil, when he disputed about the body of Moses, dared not bring against him a reviling accusation, but said, ‘The Lord rebuke you!’ ”
Even the high-ranking Archangel Michael did not dare to condemn the devil with mockery. He simply said, “The Lord rebuke you!” There was a respect of the enemy.
The reason we need to “be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might” is because Satan wants to get us away from that. It is our power base. He wants to separate us from God, because the moment he gets us away from Him, we are open prey. Thus, the devil wants to put a wedge between God and us.
The only power that can effectively drive Satan out is the power of Jesus Christ. Be strong in the Lord. Stay close to Him. Don’t let anything come between you and God.

from greg laurie ministries

wendy tyler

10-30-2008, 03:41 PM

Ouch, this one scared me a bit.....

BrokenMom

10-30-2008, 03:48 PM

Please pray for my son.....I sometimes think God doesn't hear me anymore...his name is Raymond

dutchgirl1

10-30-2008, 04:11 PM

BrokenMom, of course He hears you. whatever work the Lord is doing in Raymonds life, is not instant. we have to go thru things to get us to respond to Him. my son didnt accept the Lord until he was in his mid 30's. God had to put him in prison to get his full attention. He sees your tears and desperation. turn your son over completely to Him, and let Him work in his life. Trust God and thank Him for what He will, is & has done in his life. and for your life too. Going thru these trials, though they tear us up emotionally, physically, spiritually, when we trust Him, we will come out the other side victoriuously.
Faith is believing the Word of God & acting out no matter how I feel, believing that God will bring a good result.

prayers for you and your son. always.

d'gal

dutchgirl1

11-03-2008, 10:12 AM

Week of November 3
Devotional 45

The Potter

"Why am I this way? Why can't I change?"
Most of us have heard that cry from troubled individuals. The first time I heard it, it came from a man who had been an alcoholic for almost a decade. He kept trying to quit; once he stayed sober for eight months, and another time for nearly a year. He always went back to the bottle.
I didn't have an answer for him. I don't think he actually asked for an answer Even if he had received one, it wouldn't have solved his problem.
All of us are les than perfect, and we know it. Probably most of us have things in our personality we've tried to change but have been unsuccessful. We may have mellowed slightly or made some adjustment, but in other areas we just don't seem to win.
Our tendency is to blame God or some other outside force that we're the way we are. Perhaps we were born that way, or our early environment made us that way. How can we change?
When we cry out to God, "Why am I this way?" I wonder if we're asking for information or subtly blaming God for making us the way we are.
We're not the first to question God. Jeremiah, an Old Testament prophet, struggled with this issue when he wrote about watching a potter at work. "I saw him working at the wheel. But the pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands; so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him. Then the word of the LORD came to me: 'O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter does?' declares the LORD. 'Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel'" (Jer 18:3b-6, NIV).
God's sovereignty over us is difficult for us to accept. We want free will, power of choice, and the ability to make decisions in our lives.
I don't know where the line falls between God's sovereignty and our ability to change. But we need to remember that we belong to God and are divine possessions; God created us to be who we are.
What would it be like, I asked God, if I accepted myself as I am, without reservation? What would it be like if I took the very position Jeremiah stresses? If God is the potter, and I am clay in the divine hands, whom am I to complain, or debate about it? But to acknowledge the full sovereignty of God gives us problems. We just can't quite accept that we have no rights.
I thought of what it would feel like to be a young child, feeling hungry, and waiting for food. Would I sit complacently and say, "Oh, I'll get fed," or would I surge forward, push myself to the table, and scream, "Me, me, me"? Probably the latter.
Part of it, I suppose, has to do with trust or maybe with how many times we have gone hungry. We're simply afraid to turn everything over to God. If we fully surrender, what will God do with us? Where will God take us?
I think of the old hymn sung in countless churches even today: "Thou are the potter, I am the clay. Make me and mold me after thy will, while I am waiting, yielded and still" ("Have Thine Own Way, Lord," 1902).
I've sung those words, and I've meant them. They're a vow-a promise to God and to myself of total commitment.
I'm quick to make that vow until something happens in my life that I don't like. When I'm treated unfairly or unkindly, I'm a first-class complainer.
If we submit to the total sovereignty of God, we're saying, "It doesn't matter what happens in my life, it's okay. You have the right to do anything you want with me." That's not easy for most of us.
For instance, when I receive business opportunities, I ask God to make each of them happen "if it's your will." How should I react when the answer comes? Typically, if I get a yes I'm joyful and if it's a no, I feel dejected. But I'm not satisfied with that response.
I think of Job who suffered far more trauma than I could imagine happening to me. His wife urged him, "Curse God and die."
Here's his response: "You are talking like a foolish woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?" (2:10, NIV).
That's the attitude I want to have. It's actually a freeing attitude. It's leaving the results in God's hands. They're there anyway, but being a pride-filled human being, that's not easy for me to live with.
When bad things happen to good people-and I'm good people-I don't handle it very well. I don't turn my back on God or deny the faith. No, I pout and moan and tell God, "That's not fair." Then after I've groaned and moaned awhile, I finally hear myself say, "Okay, I'm yours. Whatever you want." It's an eventual surrender.
I want that "eventual surrender" to be an immediate, spontaneous reaction: "I accept your will." As difficult as that is for me, that's how I'm praying.
It's the way Jesus prayed in the garden. "Not my will, but thine be done." I don't think we pray those words unless they're preceded by a deep yearning for something that we think God isn't going to let us have. It may be a marriage partner, a special job, or a sale that will net us a fortune. We pray such a prayer after we tell God what we want, mean it with intensity, and then have it fall apart in front of us.
At such moments, we realize we are clay. The Master Potter shapes and forms us, keeps us on the wheel, trims away the excess, forms us into the vessel that pleases the Potter's experienced eye.
In the midst of that comes the pain and the natural tendency to say, "I'm only human, and I don't like this."
The Master Potter ignores our dissatisfaction and just keeps on working, shaping and reforming, doing what only the Potter does well.

You turn things upside down, as if the potter were thought to be like the clay! Shall what is formed say to him who formed it, "He did not make me?" Can the pot say of the potter, "He knows nothing?" --ISAIAH 29:16 (http://bible.crosswalk.com/OnlineStudyBible/bible.cgi?new=1&word=isaiah+29%3A16&section=0&version=niv&language=en), NIV

dutchgirl1

11-04-2008, 07:20 AM

What To Do In Tough Times

Everywhere you look these days, people are running scared. They are scared about the falling economy… they are scared about their finances... they are scared about their job… they are scared about the future. Have you felt the fear welling up inside of you as you turn on the news and hear report after report of depressing information?
What does God have to say about it all?
But now, thus says the LORD, your Creator, O Jacob, And He who formed you, O Israel, “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are Mine! When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they will not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched, nor will the flame burn you.” Since you are precious in My sight, since you are honored and I love you…” Isaiah 43:1-2, 4
God tells you and me not to fear… and He gives solid reasons why we don’t have to.
1. He has redeemed you. He has bought us back (that is what redeemed literally means, to buy back). 2000 years ago, Jesus died on the cross and rose again from the dead to purchase you. Now the transaction does not become complete until you give your life to Him… but when you do, you can rest assured that you are His. AND GOD WILL TAKE CARE OF THOSE WHO ARE HIS!
2. He is with you. The moment you give your life to Jesus, He comes to live inside of you by His Spirit. Can you comprehend that? The great God of the universe lives inside everyone who has truly given his/her life to Him. What possibly could you and I have to fear when Jesus is with us?
When my kids were little, they often got scared at night. I remember times when one of my daughters would show up at my side of the bed at 3:00 a.m. after having a bad dream. The fear factor was HIGH! I would open the covers and have them get in bed with me. As I wrapped my arms around their little frames, I could just feel them relax. No nightmare monster was going to harm them while they were in the strong arms of their daddy. SUCH IS THE CASE WITH YOU AND ME!!!!
Notice that Isaiah 43:2 says “WHEN” not “if” when it speaks of rivers and waters and fires and troubles. Those difficulties are a reality of life. Everyone will face them… but a Christian never faces them alone. He is with us. Our Creator who can speak worlds into existence is with us.
Daniel was thrown into the lion’s den. Yet God was in there with him and Daniel suffered no harm. Yet, when the evil men who manipulated the king to throw Daniel to the lions where thrown in, they were consumed before they even hit the ground. When God is with us, we face problems with His strength and protection. How cool is that?!!!
3. He loves you. God makes it clear that we are precious to Him. He loves us and says we matter to Him. Anyone who loves you enough to die for you is worthy of ALL your trust. And because He loves you, you can be assured that He will never drop you in the grease. He will be faithful to bring you through and bring you home, safe and sound.
My friend, in these stressful and fearful days, make sure to hide these three comforting truths in your heart. God is truly able… and He will see you through! Who do I know? Because He said so!

from His Heart.

dutchgirl1

11-05-2008, 07:15 AM

Suit Up!

Use every piece of God’s armor to resist the enemy in the time of evil, so that after the battle you will still be standing firm. (Ephesians 6:13)

When the apostle Paul wrote his letter to the Ephesians, he was chained to a Roman guard. So when we come to his description of the armor of God beginning in chapter 6, it’s worth noting that Paul had a lot of time to observe Roman armor. There it was, 24 hours a day: breastplate . . . helmet . . . shield . . . sword.
This description was not given in a haphazard manner off the top of Paul’s head to pass the time. Rather, these words are inspired by God. There is significance behind every word Paul attached to each piece of armor.
Paul identifies six pieces of armor altogether. The first three—the belt, breastplate, and shoes, were for long-range protection and were never removed on the battlefield. The second three—the shield, the helmet, and the sword—were kept in readiness for use when actual fighting began. So we see that each piece was important.
After all, you could wear your helmet, breastplate, and shield, but without a sword, you would find yourself in the unfortunate position of only defending or holding ground. Or, you might be wearing your sandals, your belt, and have your sword in hand, enabling you to attack enemy strongholds, but you would quickly lose what you gain due to inadequate defense.
We need all of the armor. It is not for us to pick and choose; it is a package deal. God has given us clear and defined spiritual weapons to fight with. Understanding what they are and how to use them can make all the difference in our spiritual battles.

from greg laurie

dutchgirl1

11-05-2008, 07:16 AM

Wednesday, November 5, 2008

Armed with the Truth

Stand your ground, putting on the sturdy belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. (Ephesians 6:14)

In his description of the armor of God in Ephesians 6, Paul doesn’t start with the high-profile objects like the sword or the shield. Instead, he begins his list by telling us to put on “the sturdy belt of truth.”
What was Paul speaking of? We need to think “Roman soldier” here for a moment.
The Romans didn’t wear pants like we do today. They wore robes or togas—generally short togas on the battlefield. So to move quickly on the battlefield, the Roman soldier would need to pull the toga up above his knees.
Having the belt tightened simply meant that he would pull up his toga and tighten his belt a couple of notches, which gave him the freedom of movement he needed.
Now the belt is not a dramatic piece of armor, but it was essential to everything else. The breastplate was attached to the belt, as well as the sheath for the sword. If your belt fell off, your breastplate would fall off, and your robe would come loose. You may have the sharpest sword on the block, but you’re destined to trip over your own toga and look quite foolish in the process.
So, the belt was important. That is why Paul put it at the top of the list.
To have your belt tightened means you are ready for battle and ready to move. We need to be on duty at all times. We cannot afford to take a couple of days off spiritually. We must keep our armor on at all times, because the moment we take it off is the moment the devil will be there to hit us with full force.

from greg laurie, continued

dutchgirl1

11-06-2008, 07:16 AM

Our Defense

Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness... (Ephesians 6:14)

Next on the apostle Paul’s list of the armor of God is the breastplate of righteousness. Key to the armor, the breastplate protects the vital organs. On the Roman battlefield, this is where the enemy would strike, so the breastplate would protects this important area.
In the same way, Satan will strike here because a well-placed blow to this area could prove fatal. When we sin, we are very vulnerable, because the devil comes to us and says, “You have sinned. You are not worthy of God’s forgiveness. You are not deserving of His blessings. God won’t listen to your prayers. You’re a hypocrite.”
What will you say when that day comes? We will all sin. We will all fail. We will all fall short. The Bible says, “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us” (1 John 1:8).
What will you say on that day? Will you boast about the Bible verses you’ve memorized or the people you’ve led to the Lord or how often you go to church?
If you rely on what you’ve done, then you are guilty of self-righteousness, which simply means you believe that you somehow merit God’s blessing because of all the things you’ve done. If this is your attitude, then you have a breastplate made of Styrofoam™. One strike of the enemy’s sword will cut it apart and leave you open and exposed.
When you have sinned and the enemy condemns and accuses you, don’t boast of all that you have done for God. Instead, boast of all that God has done for you. That is putting on the breastplate of righteousness.

continuing study on God's Armor. greg laurie

dutchgirl1

11-06-2008, 07:17 AM

The High Cost of Compromise
1 Kings 11:1-11 (http://beta.biblestudytools.com/OnlineStudyBible/bible.cgi?passage=1ki+11&version=nas)
We all occasionally succumb to a case of the “I’d never-s”: I’d never cheat on my spouse, I’d never steal from an employer,
I’d never betray a friend,etc. While uttering the words, we are confident of living up to them. What believers often don’t realize is that the journey from I’d never to I did is made up of small steps, each one a compromise.
A young, spiritually fervent Solomon certainly would have said, “I’d never be a lust-driven slave to false gods.” Yet he ended his life with a multitude of wives and lovers who demanded his allegiance to their deities. Neglecting the laws and principles of the true God cost him dearly.
Solomon knew all the warnings against marrying foreigners: “They will turn your sons away from following [God] to serve other gods; then the anger of the Lord will be kindled against you” (Deut. 7:4). But the political advantages of an alliance with Egypt convinced him to compromise those high standards (1 Kings 3:1). The fact that God didn’t instantly react to his rebellion must have made rationalizing the next marriage even easier—after all, a nation was more secure if its king’s harem included daughters of potential enemies. But just as God foretold, Solomon’s thousand-strong harem lured his heart away. He broke a divine covenant and forfeited his family’s claim to Israel’s throne.
God’s commands are meant to protect us from sin and heartache. Compromise can look tempting and even advantageous, but taking one step off the high road makes the next step even easier.

from Charles Stanley

davidsmominva

11-06-2008, 07:22 AM

Thank you D/G for your dedication and your faithfulness. This solider is weary.

dutchgirl1

11-07-2008, 07:39 AM

continuing Greg Laurie's study on the Armor of God.

The Right Shoes

Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace. . . . (Ephesians 6:14–15)

No matter how powerful the breastplate of a Roman soldier was or how much he tightened his belt, these wouldn’t do much good if he slipped and fell. So, in his list of the armor of God, Paul mentions “having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace. . . .”
The Roman sandal or boot was essentially a sole with straps held firmly on the foot at the bottom. It would have been studded with nails, providing the soldier with better footing and preventing him from slipping and sliding on the terrain. It would be like wearing cleats today.
These shoes also provided protection, because one of the common battlefield tactics of ancient times was to place sharpened sticks in the ground at an angle. If a soldier came along and wasn’t wearing sandals or boots, he would suffer a wound to his foot and probably die from infection.
The irony is, he would be wearing his breastplate and have his sword and shield ready, but could end up dying because his foot got cut. So footwear was of the greatest importance.
So when Paul said, “Have your feet shod,” he is telling us to wear the right footwear. It will not only protect us from the enemy’s tactics, but also will enable us to keep our footing.
The devil would love for you to lose some of the ground you’ve gained since becoming a Christian. He will try to get you to start slipping and lose your footing, because he knows it will be the beginning of the end.

sonyarod

11-08-2008, 09:31 AM

:thnx::thnx::thnx:, for providing us with what thus saith the Lord. :thnx::thnx::thnx: for your faithfulness, :thnx::thnx::thnx: for your compassion, :thnx::thnx::thnx:, for letting God use you in a mighty way. :angel:Helen:angel:.

dutchgirl1

11-08-2008, 10:00 AM

November 8, 2008

I AM INSIGNIFICANT
Read Job 40:1--5 (http://beta.biblestudytools.com/OnlineStudyBible/bible.cgi?passage=job+40&version=nas)

If you take the time to analyze those words, you'll see that Job has three responses. The first is a response of humility. The second is a response of relief. And the third is a response of surrender. That's all God wanted to hear. And what an important change for Job! Without realizing it, he had become this independent, determined, self-assured apologist defending himself. Without saying so, he'd begun to appear as if he had his arms around the providence of God.
His first response is verse 4, "I am insignificant." Many of those who have been schooled in the fine points of psychology will reject this response. They will say we should be encouraged to realize how important we are, how valuable we are to God, what a significant place we fill in this world. They would counsel, "Don't think or say, 'I am insignificant.' " Before we're tempted to go there, take note that God doesn't reprove Job for saying he is insignificant or unworthy.

We'd put it this way: "I'm a lightweight." Frankly, it's true. It is an appropriate term for Job to use after being asked so many things he couldn't answer and shown so much he didn't understand. In unguarded humility the man admits, "I'm insignificant."
His second statement is, "What can I reply to You?" I see that as an expression of relief. God didn't want answers, He knew the answers. He knows all of them! He wanted Job to acknowledge, "I don't know any of the answers. And if I don't know about those things, as objective as they are, how could I ever fully understand the profound mysteries surrounding my world?" By acknowledging that, quiet relief replaced troubling resistance.
My point here---and this is terribly important: When we are broken and brought to the end of ourselves, it is not for the purpose of gaining more answers to spout off to others. It's to help us acknowledge that the Lord is God, and His plans and reasons are deeper and higher and broader than we can comprehend. Therefore, we are relieved from having to give answers or defend them.
Job's third response is a statement of surrender: "I lay my hand on my mouth," verse 4 concludes. "I dare not say more. I've said enough---actually too much---already."
Can you make these three admissions to God? If not, work on it!

from Charles Swindoll devotions

sonyarod

11-09-2008, 09:33 AM

I am filling in Today's word for Helen. Thank you for asking Helen.

Welcome Home
By:Renee Snead

Read Luke 15:11-32

Jesus' parable of the prodigal is about a son who leaves home after receiving his inheritance. After a time of wild living, he returns home, repentant and humble. To celebrate, his father prepares a huge feast with music and dancing. But his older brother, who had stayed at home with their father, is resentful and angry and refuses to attend the banquet.

The welcoming father in this story expresses the depth of God's grace-filled love and forgiveness. In contrast, the older brother in refusing to attend the celebration shows unwillingness to forgive and a self-righteous attitude.

Each year, thousands of prodigal sons and daughters are released from correctional facilities. Many have accepted God's grace and received God's forgiveness. Unfortunately, they are often greeted by communities that are unforgiving and unaccepting. But we can show them God's grace by welcoming them back into society as God welcomes us all when we return home.

Prayer: Dear God, help us to extend your loving grace to others. May we always celebrate when one of your children comes home. Amen.

Thought for the Day:
How can I welcome those who need God's embrace?

Taken from The Upper Room Devotional Guide

dutchgirl1

11-10-2008, 12:18 PM

Hey Sonya. thank you for that great Word for Today you posted. I always like the story of the prodigal son. we are all at one time or another, in that place.

by the way.... I am home. just did a turn around trip. whew are we tired. we left for california @ about 9 a.m on Sunday morning. drove to california, arriving @ my sisters about 6:30 pm. then left there for home about 7:30 p.m. stopped for dinner in Needles by the Col River, got home about 2:30 this morning, had a cup of sleepy tea to unwind, bed. up about 7:30 this morning. now we gotta go do some shopping. blah. but it was all good. miss sis already.

d'gal

dutchgirl1

11-10-2008, 12:23 PM

here, meant to add this. think this goes perfect with this parable.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aWnbXPYUxFY

sonyarod

11-10-2008, 06:38 PM

dutchgirl1

11-11-2008, 10:56 AM

lets continue the Armor of God study by greg laurie.

Monday, November 10, 2008

Ready to Move
For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News, so that you will be fully prepared. (Ephesians 6:15)

The sandals or shoes Paul describes in Ephesians 6 not only provide stability to help the believer hold ground, they also provide mobility. These are not dress shoes that are uncomfortable or that you want to keep perfectly clean. These shoes will allow you to move at a moment’s notice.
As 1 Peter 3:15 tells us, “If you are asked about your Christian hope, always be ready to explain it.” In the original language, these words communicate the idea of giving a defense, as in a court of law.
So we should always be ready to give a defense of what we believe. We need to be ready at a moment’s notice to seize opportunities to share the gospel.
Some people say, “The Lord never opens up opportunities for me to share my faith.” I think He does, but I think often we are not paying attention. Opportunities are all around us. Sometimes we simply need to push on that door of opportunity a little bit.
We need to talk to people. Jesus sat down with the woman at the well, asked her for a drink of water, began to converse with her, and transitioned into a spiritual conversation.
People rarely will come knocking on your door to ask what they must do to be saved. Generally there will be other kinds of opportunities, but you need to have your spiritual antenna up, so to speak, and seize the moment when it comes.
The armor of God is not only for holding ground; it is also for gaining ground. We gain ground when our shoes are on and we walk through the doors of opportunity God opens for us.

dutchgirl1

11-11-2008, 10:57 AM

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

The Shield of Faith
In every battle you will need faith as your shield to stop the fiery arrows aimed at you by Satan.
Ephesians 6:16

What is this shield of faith Paul refers to? Remember, as he was writing this letter to the Christians at Ephesus, he was chained to a Roman guard. He had plenty of time to observe Roman armor.
The shield would have been made of wood—a rectangular object about four feet high and two feet wide.
Prior to an actual face-to-face engagement with the enemy, a soldier often would encounter a barrage of flaming arrows coming from all directions. The sole purpose of this was to demoralize and confuse.
Thus, the Roman soldiers would put their shields together to protect themselves from this onslaught of arrows that had been set on fire. They needed their shields above and beyond what their breastplates could provide for protection.
The same goes for us. The devil will direct his flaming arrows toward Christians. They could be arrows of immorality, hatred, pride, envy, covetousness, doubt, worry, or any other kind of sin. They will be delivered primarily in the realm of our thoughts.
He will barrage us with his flaming arrows at strategic times, like when we decide to read the Bible or go to church. Flaming arrows will come our way during times of trial and hardship.
It is during these times that you need to hold up the shield of faith—not the shield of feelings, not the shield of emotions, but the shield of faith. You base your faith on what God has done for you, not on how you feel at a given moment.
Emotions come and go. Sometimes you feel great; and sometimes you don’t feel anything. It is then that you learn to use the shield of faith.

justadeb

11-11-2008, 08:18 PM

The devil will direct his flaming arrows toward Christians. They could be arrows of immorality, hatred, pride, envy, covetousness, doubt, worry, or any other kind of sin. They will be delivered primarily in the realm of our thoughts.
He will barrage us with his flaming arrows at strategic times, like when we decide to read the Bible or go to church. Flaming arrows will come our way during times of trial and hardship.
It is during these times that you need to hold up the shield of faith—not the shield of feelings, not the shield of emotions, but the shield of faith. You base your faith on what God has done for you, not on how you feel at a given moment.
Emotions come and go. Sometimes you feel great; and sometimes you don’t feel anything. It is then that you learn to use the shield of faith.
__________________
A M E N

dutchgirl1

11-12-2008, 05:15 AM

right you are deb. and thanks for adding that. and along with that sheild.. the helmet of salvation.
we also need to be careful of complacency. being content where we stand with Him. that is another place the enemy will attack us.

dutchgirl1

11-12-2008, 07:31 AM

continuing w/greg laurie study in the Armor of God

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Wear Your Helmet
And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
Ephesians 6:17

There are a lot of motorcyclists today who don’t like helmet laws. I am among their ranks, I must say, because it is fun to get on a motorcycle and ride along with nothing on your head.
But quite honestly, if you are in an accident on your bike and you become airborne, a helmet suddenly sounds like a really good idea. A helmet could literally keep you alive.
For the Roman soldier, the helmet was important because it obviously protected his head. It was made of leather, shrouded in metal, and designed to withstand a crushing blow to the head.
As believers, we need to put on the helmet of salvation the apostle Paul speaks of, because our minds, thoughts, and imaginations must be protected. It is here that most temptations start.
Proverbs 23:7 says, “For as he thinks in his heart, so is he. . . .” Satan recognizes the value of getting a foothold in the realm of the thoughts and imaginations, because this will prepare the way for that thought to translate into action.
As it has been said, “Sow a thought; reap an act. Sow an act; reap a habit. Sow a habit; reap a character. Sow a character; reap a destiny.” It starts with a thought.
While we cannot control all the things in this world that we are exposed to, we can control a few things. We can control what we watch at home on television. We can control what movies we decide to see. We can control what we choose to read and what we listen to.
Be careful what you allow into your mind. Put on the helmet of salvation.

dutchgirl1

11-13-2008, 04:55 AM

Thursday, November 13, 2008

Remember Your Sword
Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
Ephesians 6:17

Many believers have all their spiritual armor in place, but they never use their sword. They talk about it. They study it. They compare swords with others. But they never use their sword in spiritual battle.
In fact, the devil would be pleased if believers would just keep their sword in its sheath. The devil knows all too well the power and the authority of the sword of the Spirit, which is God’s Word.
Hebrews 4:12 says, “For the word of God is full of living power. It is sharper than the sharpest knife, cutting deep into our innermost thoughts and desires. It exposes us for what we really are.”
God says of His own Word in Isaiah, “I send it out, and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it” (55:11).
There is power and authority in the Word of God. That is why the devil doesn’t want you to use this incredible weapon God has given you.
Remember how effectively Jesus used the sword of God’s Word to defend Himself when He faced spiritual attack in the wilderness? Jesus was God. He didn’t have to stand around and deal with the devil. He could have gotten out of the situation very easily. But instead, He stood and modeled for us the right way to fight temptation: with the Word of God.
So when the devil tries to attack you with temptation, fear, or doubt, or brings up past sins you’ve already confessed and of which you’ve been forgiven, remember the sword of the Spirit. Pull it out of its sheath and use it aggressively to defend yourself.

dutchgirl1

11-14-2008, 05:14 AM

continuing w/the Armor of God by greg laurie

Friday, November 14, 2008

On the Offensive

We are human, but we don’t wage war with human plans and methods. We use God's mighty weapons, not mere worldly weapons, to knock down the Devil’s strongholds. 2 Corinthians 10:3–4

The sword of the Spirit that Ephesians 6 speaks of is not only for deflecting a blow from the enemy; it is also for inflicting one. This is something the devil doesn’t want you to know.
He doesn’t want you to start attacking, because if you are always defending, then he is in the superior position. But if you are attacking, then you are in the superior position.
So we are not just using the sword of the Spirit to defend ourselves against the enemy’s temptations and condemnations, but we are also using it to attack.
In Acts 8, we find this modeled for us in the life of Philip, who went to share the gospel with a man who had come from Ethiopia and was searching for God. Philip had been sharing the gospel in Samaria, and people were coming to faith.
But then God said to him, “Go south.” And Philip, like a good soldier prepared for battle, went. He pulled out the sword of the Spirit, the Word of God.
Philip preached Jesus to this man, because he knew God’s Word and was able to use it when the right time came.
Make no mistake about it: there is authority and power in the Word of God. My words will fall to the ground, but God’s Word sticks. God’s Word breaks through.
We could spend all day trying to defend and explain the Bible, but I have a better idea: use the sword of the Spirit. That is what Philip did, and that is what we need to do as well.

davidsmominva

11-14-2008, 06:55 AM

Dear Lord,
I need you now because I am full of stress and anxiety.
Reading your Word brings comfort, as I ask you to come and take my heavy burdens.
I take each burden, one by one, and lay them at your feet. Please carry them for me so that I don't have to.
Replace them with your humble and gentle yoke so that I will find rest for my soul today.
I receive your gift of peace of mind and heart.
Thank you that I can lie down tonight in peace and sleep.
I know that you, Lord, will keep me safe. I know that you, Lord will keep my children safe, and all those I love.
I am not afraid because you are always with me.
Please keep me daily, Lord, in your perfect peace.
Amen

davidsmominva

11-14-2008, 07:06 AM

As I travel through life by the wings of my wits
No weapons formed against me shall prosper
As I look to the heavens for guidance I plead
That no weapons formed against me shall prosper

In the midst of trials and tribulations met
Hope seems to gust away like a breeze
Confidence declines and uncertainties emerge
Leaving worries with no means of being eased

Confusion appears inevitable, yes
With an inner voice concealing what I should do
Am I traveling in the right direction? I ask
The voice says nothing. I go nowhere. Hope seems through

Yet I continue to strive. I continue to breathe
‘Cause no weapons formed against me shall prosper
Yet I continue to want. I continue to need
‘Cause no weapons formed against me shall prosper

Yet I continue to love. I continue to feel
Cause no weapons formed against me shall prosper
Still I continue to wish. I continue to dream
‘Cause no weapons formed against me shall prosper

No weapons formed against me shall prosper
Shall prosper
None

No Weapons Formed Against Me Shall Prosper By Shayla Day

dutchgirl1

11-14-2008, 08:24 AM

thank you Jill if you dont mind, may I use that prayer too ? I know I am feeling stress and anxiety today because of david. he is heavy on my heart today. I miss my son.

have a blessed day.

justadeb

11-14-2008, 11:52 AM

Giving to the Needy
6:1 “Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.

2 “Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 3 But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

...nothing more to prove...

mahkenna

11-14-2008, 12:53 PM

Good one Deb....the word does say that the good deed that is done without knowing is the deed the Lord holds the highest!

mahkenna

11-14-2008, 01:06 PM

Thanks Jill for that amazing prayer...we all needed that! Sometimes we forget how much we are carrying on our shoulders (since we are getting used to the load) and then you read the truth and it wakes you up to the burden.

I am ever amazed at the depth of heart from our family here on PTO. There are so many times I have been burdened but could not put into words the pain I was feeling. Then I read your post...sometimes with tears.

Thank all you precious ladies here that have helped lighten my pain by the knowledge that I am NOT ALONE here on earth and in heaven (God AND my PTO Family)!!! :thnx:

PS....Thanks Dutch for your faithfulness to this thread!!! Keep the good stuff comin!

dutchgirl1

11-15-2008, 11:16 AM

Weekend November 15-16 charles stanley

Being Ready for Rough Times

1 Peter 1:13-14 (http://beta.biblestudytools.com/OnlineStudyBible/bible.cgi?passage=1pe+1:13-14&version=nas)
Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance;

The apostle Peter knew that hard days lay ahead for his fellow believers. So he reminded them about their security as children of God: they were chosen by Him, born into a living hope, given spiritual protection during this life, and guaranteed eternity in heaven with their Father. Peter then gave them specific ways to prepare for the coming trials. His words, divinely inspired by the Lord, can guide us as well.
His first instruction relates to our minds: What we believe has a direct impact on our response to life’s problems. If we trust that God is looking out for us, then we will feel less threatened by hard circumstances. But if we decide we must rely on ourselves, then we are more likely to react poorly to situations beyond our control. A negative attitude—whether from anger, fear, worry, or jealousy—can make a hard time worse. Preparation for the future starts with developing biblical thinking.
A second lesson from Peter is to be “sober in spirit”—in other words, to maintain our balance in the midst of crises (v. 13). That requires resisting quick fixes to problems and refusing to embrace ungodly ideas or philosophies. Our enemy Satan is quick to offer suggestions designed to trip us up or turn us away from God’s path. With the Spirit’s help, we can learn to stand firm in a crisis and steadfastly follow the Lord.
Our culture is increasingly distancing itself from Jesus Christ and opposing His followers. Are you preparing spiritually for whatever the future holds?

dutchgirl1

11-16-2008, 09:09 AM

Sunday November 16

Is not my Word like as a fire ? saith the Lord. Jeremiah 23:29

How comforting this reflection : "We who were sometimes afar off, are now made nigh by the blood of Christ." How happy is the soul, when it finds nearness of access to God, and enjoys sweet converse with Him! Then with Jeremiah it says, "Let me talk with Thee, O Lord." Then the Lord condescends to hear and reply. As here, the Lord appeals to the soul's experience and asks, "What effect has My Word had on thine heart ? Is it not like fire ?" Let us consider this, that the Word of the Lord may be glorified by us.
It is the property of fire to communicate light. So doth the Word: :The entrance of Thy Word giveth light." When we were darkness itself, how did the Word enter, and shine into our hearts, and give us the knowledge of the glory of God, in the face of Jesus Christ. In seasons of darkness, how often has the Word brought light into our souls! "Thy Word is a light to my paths."
Fire gives heat. How often has the Lord warmed our cold hearts, and melted down our hard hearts, with the fire of His Word of love and grace! "I have loved thee with an everlasting love, therefore with loving-kindness have I drawn thee." Say, has not such a word as this been in one's heart, as burning fire shut up in our bones ? Lord, multiply such burning seasons.
Fire consumeth: so doth the Word. When it burns in the heart, it consumes our cursed lusts, hateful pride, deceitful self-righteous hopes, vain and worldly desires, legal terrors, and tormenting dread of death. Lord, cause this heavenly fire to burn in our hearts, and consume more and more. For..
The Word, like fire, purifies. "Ye have purified your souls, in obeying the truth, through the Spirit." While the fire of the Word burns within, purity is preserved in the heart, lip and life.
Fire causeth smoke. No sooner doth the Word kindle fire in the heart, but the smoke of incense, of prayer and praise, ascends up to the Lord. Christ compares His Church to "pillars of smoke"; and His people to smoking flax. For the Word of the Lord is like fire in their heart, and their affections, like smoke,ascend up unto Him. O Thou great Inditer of the Word, cause the Word of Christ to dwell in us richly in all wisdom, that we may continue in His Word, that it may be manifest that we are His disciples indeed.

from Daily Bread, 1898

wendy tyler

11-16-2008, 10:46 AM

D'gal, when I went to stay where my son lived during his sentencing. His roommate had a 'Daily Bread' booklet at all times. We became very familiar, and I would get it out of her purse to read. I loved it.

dutchgirl1

11-16-2008, 05:13 PM

hey wendy.. and did you notice the date of the book ? larry found it and it is so kewl to read something that old.

dutchgirl1

11-17-2008, 07:23 AM

Monday, November 17, 2008

Ready or Not!

“So stay awake and be prepared, because you do not know the day or hour of my return.”
Matthew 25:13

We have all played the childhood game, Hide-and-Seek, where one person closes his or her eyes while the others hide. My favorite part of the game comes after you count to 20 and get to yell, “Ready or not, here I come!”
In a sense, that is what Jesus is saying in the Parable of the 10 Bridesmaids: “Ready or not, here I come!” In this parable, Jesus compares His second coming to 10 bridesmaids who “took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom” (Matthew 25:1). Five of the bridesmaids had oil in their lamps and were ready. The other five had no oil in their lamps and weren’t prepared to meet the bridegroom. The five unprepared bridesmaids went to buy oil at the last minute, the bridegroom appeared and took everyone who was ready in with him to the marriage feast.
Suddenly, the five unprepared bridesmaids found themselves locked out and saying, “Sir, open the door for us!” (verse 11). But the bridegroom could only reply, “I don’t know you!” (verse 12).
This parable is a warning to be ready for the Lord’s return. You might describe it as a wake-up call from God.
There are people today who have no oil in their lamps. In other words, they have not committed their lives to Jesus Christ.
If God in His grace and His love has spoken to your heart and is saying, “You need to make some changes. You need to rearrange your priorities. You need to walk more closely with Me,” then make those changes now. Don’t put off a commitment to Christ until it is too late.
Like the five bridesmaids discovered, there are certain things you cannot obtain at the last minute.

from greg laurie ministry

dutchgirl1

11-17-2008, 07:25 AM

Press On!

Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. - Philippians 3:12-15

The number one complaint of people struggling in their marriage is the lack of focus and fervency. Women say things like, "Man, what happened to you? You used to be so thoughtful. Where did that guy go when we got home from the honeymoon?" Men say almost the same thing. "Girl, you could not keep your hands off me when we were dating! Where's all that?"
The very same thing can happen in our relationship with the Lord. I wonder if He would say to any of us, "Those first days were so great. You loved Me, and you loved My Word, and you were so fervent; you wanted to grow. So what happened? Where did that person go?"
If you've known the Lord for a while, you may have set the cruise control and are thinking: I'm happy with my spiritual life where it is. I've got the major stuff in place. Oh, there might be a little tweaking to do over the next few years, but for the most part I can coast into heaven. How tragic! Whoever thinks that needs to get their focus and fervency back. We have not yet begun to plumb the depths of all that is ours in Christ. We must maintain the same passion we had when we first came to Christ.
You may read this and think, "I don't agree. I don't think you have to be spiritually passionate all the time." Well, you're just wrong about that. The further you go in Christ, the more you want to see how much more there is—more of Him, more of His Spirit's power, so much more to be experienced and enjoyed. The fervency to go after that needs to go up with time and maturity, not down.
When Paul wrote Philippians, he had been walking with the Lord for decades. Still, he said, "Not that I . . . am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own" (3:12.) "I haven't arrived," he said. "So I'm going after more! I've got a lot of growth ahead of me in my relationship with Jesus. I'm going after it!"
I know that I haven't arrived, but I'm going to press on! Are you doing that?

from james macdonald walk in the word

dutchgirl1

11-18-2008, 05:26 AM

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Take a Stand

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.
Romans 1:16

As an evangelist, I constantly observe how two people who hear the same message will react in two completely different ways. One person will be profoundly moved, while the other will become even more hardened in his or her sin.
We see the very same thing in the story of Cain and Abel. Both of these men were sons of Adam and Eve. They were raised in the same home and exposed to the same spiritual message.
When we first read of their story in Genesis 4, it seems they were both believers. But time revealed that Cain was such a jealous and embittered man that he murdered his brother Abel.
The story of Cain and Abel ought to remind us there are those people who can go through the motions. They can look like believers, but have no relationship with God. As the Scripture says, there are people who have a form of godliness but deny its power (see 2 Timothy 3:5).
That is the life story of too many people. They are all show and no go. Their faith in God turns out to be a mere game or act.
Consider this. You can offer like Cain. You can weep like Esau. You can serve like Gehazi. You can be a disciple like Judas. You can recite long prayers like the Pharisees, be a seeking soul like the rich young ruler, and have lamps like the five foolish bridesmaids, and still be lost.
The real issue is not about enjoying the message or whether it moves you. The heart of the issue is whether or not you believe the message and take a stand for it.
Does that describe your faith? If not, stop going through the motions and take a stand.

greg laurie devotions

justadeb

11-18-2008, 08:30 AM

i simplify it .. ;)..... this is how i say it every day....I can talk the talk......but do I truely walk the walk?

dutchgirl1

11-18-2008, 08:39 AM

right on deb... very good simplifing. I guess this would also go with what I posted on another thread...

Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching (2 Tim. 4:2). The Lord does not reward talent or results - He rewards motive and faithfulness.

I guess the key words - The Lord does not reward talent or results - He rewards motive and faithfulness.

reggie42

11-18-2008, 11:18 AM

Just another simplification DGal, "practice what you preach". If those who are saying one thing yet doing another, RUN! LOL

mlgrjs

11-18-2008, 11:26 AM

Just another simplification DGal, "practice what you preach". If those who are saying one thing yet doing another, RUN! LOL

Thank you Reg for putting it this way. Sometimes the scripture words are arcane and obfuscate the real message. Always and forever we are judged by our actions not our words and thoughts. As a person does, so they are.

dutchgirl1

11-18-2008, 12:42 PM

reggie42

11-18-2008, 12:53 PM

hi reg... same thing practice what you preach is same as walking the walk not just talking it.
I have been walking it so much lately... only music I listen to is Godly music, only read the Word, etc. it has gotten to the moment I wake up in the morn... there is already a song going on in my head.
I cannot imagine ever not living my life for Him. years ago, I sat on the fence. but He got me to get off the fence and walk on His side.
actually... we shouldnt run -- the word says if you see your brother stumble, help him /her.
I have not yet found any on here whom I would consider not walking what they talk - have you ?
Yes but that's another thread LOL. :thumbsup: Yep practice what you preach walk the walk, all the other cliche's, I understand DGal. Thanks though. Sorry though, I don't talk too much Religion, Politics, or certain other topics. Too many differences of opinions. Was just offering another take on what you said above. ;)

dutchgirl1

11-18-2008, 01:06 PM

Regg... O I know it ws just another take on it. said easier. no problem

I used to 'tread softly' where 'religion' and politics were talked about...*to me it isnt religion but a relationship with the Lord* but I truly believe we are in the last days and we need to STAND up for Gods Word - a lot of problems today - ie loss of morality etc. comes from Christians not standing up and speaking out. there should be no difference of opinion on Gods Word. He said it.. that should be it. no debates on whether what He said was for 'back when' His word is the same yesterday today tomorrow. He doesnt change therefore we should not compromise His word to fit society.
I recently read in Ezekial 33 about the watchman... that scares me... not fear wise but heaven wise... generally what it speaks about is if you know the enemy is coming and dont warn others... and they die... their blood is on your hands... but if you know the enemy is coming and warn others... and if they dont listen and ignore it... and they die... it is on them not you .
ok. sorry I get off on a tangent where the Word is concerned. I just love Him so much that I want all to know about Him.

mlgrjs

11-18-2008, 01:31 PM

but shouldn't we stand up for the way that has been shown to us each and every moment of every day? Isn't it the point that as long as we live our lives in the proper way each and every moment, then the end times take care of themselves; not for us mortals to concern ourselves with? I have no meaning to offend so please forgive me if I have; I just don't share the view that my great-granddaughter, when she arrives in 18-20 years from now, won't have a life to live. That is not a fantasy that keeps me going.

And yet, I am grateful to you for believing and for sharing and for caring and for giving all that you have to give to all who will receive in the spirit given. Put all our ideas together and maybe we mortals can find the right ways of loving each other as we are intended to do. Bless you.

dutchgirl1

11-18-2008, 01:41 PM

no offense taken...this is something I used to avoid...talking about things like this... so first let me say you need to read the word yourself. New King James (king james w/o the thees n thous) or American Standard. I dont want to offend others, but the Word is clear in what it says for salvation. it is not of works but of faith in Jesus Christ. dying to self and living for Him. The Word says "I am the Way the Truth the Life.. NO MAN comes to the Father but by Me." He is the only way. we cant just say we believe in God, we have to accept Him into our hearts and give up the world. the end times are going to be hard and if we are not written in His Book, then we belong to the antichrist. Forgivenss of others, self, etc play a part in how we should live our life.
I worry about my sister who is not saved, unsaved kids/grandkids/my grt grands are just babies yet. friends who are unsaved.
we need to be concerned with what is happening in our lifetime. man has turned their backs on God and one day judgement comes. If God does not judge america for her sins... He will need to apologize to Sodom & Gemorah.
now, I probably bothered some by all this. but I stand for God no matter what.
over my family, over my beloved husband, over death - I stand for God.

mlgrjs

11-18-2008, 01:49 PM

dutchgirl1

11-18-2008, 02:08 PM

mlgrjs

11-18-2008, 02:51 PM

the first step in that is accepting Christ as Lord and Savior. when we do that, we walk the path of faith. James 2 says v18 "you have faith, I have works. show me your faith w/o your works and I will show you my faith by my works.
v20.. but do want to know o follish man that faith without works is dead?
v26 for as the body w/o the spirit is dead, so faith w/o works is dead also.

I believe what that is saying is that... we can show our works by living a good life but if we dont have Faith in Christ... it means nothing. it isnt the works and faith...it is Faith and the resulting works from faith.

our everyday, as you say moment to moment, life should be as unto the Lord.
YES we cant just talk or think good... we have to live it . the word says ''they will know us by our fruits." that being the fruits of the spirit found in galations.

See sometimes it doesn't hurt to talk about these things. I can see where we are in contrast to one another. I believe that unless we have accepted the lessons we need to learn from Jesus' teachings, then we can't do good works. Good works can come only from honorable people. Good works don't come from the hearts of those still torn up by torment. I also believe that if someone is spreading hurt in anyway, say like you violate someone's confidence who has shared something privately with you, or you use lies to start gossip, or if you--well say someone perjures themselves on a witness stand or something because they think it is their job to do God's work for Him--I believe such people have hearts torn apart by confusion and darkness and aren't listening to what each and every religion tells us is the path of rightiousness. This world has many religions and each is equally valid as the others. They all say the same thing. We must get it straight within ourselves before we can do right by others.

Again no offense or argument intended. I do value that you share with me and I can come to see better what it is you want me to hear and to know. And I thank you for this.

dutchgirl1

11-18-2008, 03:07 PM

I want to continue with this.. it is very refreshing to talk about all this... but am at work... I am changing puters over @ home, so wont be on tonite.. but if you would take a raincheck I would like to continue maybe tomorrow.???

please no offense taken.

d'gal

dutchgirl1

11-27-2008, 09:46 AM

before starting this up again, I want to say thank you to lysbeth and the other mods for opening up the lounge and some of these threads again. Thank You. :)

dutchgirl1

11-27-2008, 09:50 AM

Thanksgiving... and More

Give thanks to the Lord, call on His name; make known among the nations what He has done.
Psalm 105:1

Thanksgiving Day has long been a favorite holiday of mine. For me, life doesn’t get much better than a holiday that includes great food, friends and family, and football. It is appropriate and good that we take focus on this day to give thanks to God for all of His blessings to us – as individuals and as a nation.

For most of us, a thankful thought here and there, reading a poem, article or story about thankfulness, and a prayer before dinner is about the extent of our focus on thanks – which if you’re at all like me, is a significant focus! I find it very interesting, however, that in generations past, a day of thanksgiving also included a focus on confession of sin (both national and personal), and prayers that we might be the kind of people and nation God wants us to be, and that God would heal the wounds of war.

“And also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech Him to pardon our national and other transgressions; to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually; to render our National Government a blessing to all the people by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed…”
George Washington’s Thanksgiving Proclamation, 1789.

“And I recommend to them that while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings, they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to His tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty Hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquility and Union.” Abraham Lincoln’s Thanksgiving Proclamation, 1863.

Today, while you are enjoying the blessing of home, food, family and friends, even as we give thanks for the blessings we enjoy, let’s also remember that giving thanks is only part of our spiritual duty. We are also called to confession of sin and to ask God to help us (both individually and as a nation) to walk in obedience to all that is right and good, in step with God’s desire for our lives.

From all of us at HomeWord, have a Happy Thanksgiving!

GOING DEEPER:

Make a list of the top ten things you are thankful for. If people are on your list, contact them today (if possible) and tell them you are thankful for them!
Spend some time praying, not only thanking God for His blessings, but confessing sin and asking God for the wisdom and strength to be an obedient follower of Christ.
FURTHER READING:
2 Chronicles 7:14; Nehemiah 1:4-7; 2 Timothy 2:1-4; Ephesians 4:1

from HomeWord by This devotional was written by Jim Liebelt