Hello my friends! Today was a very busy day for me, as I spent most of it cleaning out drawers from the desk here that Gordy made for us when we moved here. It's such a nice desk, from wall to wall, and I'm going to miss it and all the room in it, but we cannot take it with us, but they will buy it back from us, along with the bookcase and another piece that holds alot of stuff! She's putting it in her spare bedroom which is her craft place. So I've been throwing away old recipes, old this and that that is not necessary to keep anymore, except my Mom's hand written recipes, I want to keep. Kept me busy all day!! Next week I clean out the rest - where to put the stuff I don't know yet but I'll figure out a way. Praying for you all for all your intentions. Thanks for praying for us!
Enthusiasm will be yours if you love God, love people, and love life.
Lord, the nearer I follow Your way, the happier I become.
S C R I P T U R E F O R T H E D A Y
"My speech and my proclamation were not with plausible words of wisdom,
but with a demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith
might rest not on human wisdom but on the power of God. Yet among the
mature we do speak wisdom, though it is not a wisdom of this age or of
the rulers of this age, who are doomed to perish. But we speak God's
wisdom, secret and hidden, which God decreed before the ages for our
glory." ~1 Corinthians 2:4-7
M E D I T A T I O N F O R T H E D A Y
In these times of quiet meditation, we can try more and more to set our
hopes on the grace of God. We can know that whatever the future may
hold, it can hold more and more of good. We need not set all our hopes
and desires on material things. There can be weariness in an abundance
of things. We can set our hopes on spiritual things so that we may grow
spiritually. We can learn to rely on God's power more and more and in
that reliance we can have an insight into the greater value of the
things of the spirit.
P R A Y E R F O R T H E D A Y
I pray that I may not be overwhelmed by material things. I pray that I
may realize the higher value of spiritual things.
THIS IS GOOD!
Author Unknown
The story is told of a king who had a close friend with whom he grew
up. The friend had a habit of looking at every situation that ever
occurred in his life (positive or negative) and remarking, "This is
good!"
One day the king and his friend were on a hunting expedition. The
friend would load and prepare the guns for the king. In preparing one
of the guns, the friend had apparently done something wrong, for after
taking the gun from his friend, the king fired it and his thumb was
blown off.
Examining the situation the friend remarked as usual, "This is good!"
To which the king replied, "No, this is NOT good!" and proceeded to
send his friend to jail.
About a year later, the king was hunting in a dangerous area.
Cannibals captured him and took him to their village. They tied his
hands, stacked some wood, set up a stake and bound him to it. As they
approached to set fire to the wood, they noticed that the king was
missing a thumb. Being superstitious, they never ate anyone that was
less than whole. So after untying the king, they sent him on his way.
As he returned home, he was reminded of the event that had taken his
thumb and felt remorse for his treatment of his friend. He went
immediately to the jail to speak with his friend. You were right," he
said, "it was good that my thumb was blown off." And he proceeded to
tell the friend all that had just happened. "And so I am very sorry
for sending you to jail for so long. It was bad for me to do this."
"No," his friend replied, "This is good!"
"What do you mean, 'This is good'? How could it be good that I sent my
friend to jail for a year?"
"If I had NOT been in jail, I would have been with you."
Situations may not always seem pleasant while we are in them, but the
promise of God is clear. If we love him and live our lives according
to his precepts, even that which seems to be bleak and hopeless will
be turned by God for His glory and our benefit. Hold on...God is
faithful!
Time for God
The Master called my name one day because He needed someone. I said, “Lord, in my spare time, between school, spending time with my husband, working from 8 to 6, and trying to coordinate a program for my community to help our children do better, I will help you. See, I know I can’t go right now ’cause I have so much to do.” He said, “ Well, where shall I find such a person? I thought I saw your name on my list of available people.”
“Well Lord, that was the prayer that I prayed last year, but since then, things have changed.” He said, “Like what?” “Well, I’m working on my Ph.D. and I’m needed by so many people and my husband is always wanting something done, and on top of that my community expects me to help and give to them so...” “Well, seeing that you’re busy, I’ll let you go, but we will talk again, if you have some time.” I went on through the days, and the weeks, and the months completing my tasks as always.
One evening, while studying for my comp exams, I received a call from the hospital concerning my husband. He had been in a terrible accident and was in a critical condition. I dropped everything and ran to the hospital where I found my husband hanging on for dear life. I immediately began to pray “Lord, don’t take him now, I can’t bear it.” But my prayer echoed off the wall and returned into my own ears. That next morning I left the hospital tired and weary, and walked through the door of my classroom just in time to begin my comps. As the professors begin asking me questions I opened my mouth to speak but nothing came out. In my mind, I began praying, praying hard, but my prayers echoed again and I found myself upset at God because He was nowhere to be found. I could not explain to them what was happening. After leaving my exams, I called in to work because I was so distraught at all that was going on. I explained to my supervisor what had happened and she demanded that I take some time off. After visiting my husband in the hospital that evening, I went home and fell into a sunken state crying and despairing.
Just then I heard someone calling my name. “Lord, is that YOU?” “Well yes, it is. Do you have some time? I wanted to see if I could just talk .....” Instead of waiting to hear His questions, I lashed out in anger and resentment. “How is it that when I needed you today, you couldn’t be found and last night I cried and cried but all I heard were echoes from the walls. My husband is dying, I’m flunking out of school, I may not have a job and you can just sit and say you want to talk.”
The Lord interrupted me in my foolish speaking. “My child, I decided to let your husband rest, and keep you home for a few days so that way maybe you would get in touch with me, if you had some time. For you see, before your husband, the community or your job needs you, I need you.”
Where to find help in a time of need
When needing courage: Psalm 138:3; Ephesians 6:10-13
When facing danger: Psalm 91; Psalm 121
When you have doubts about your salvation: John 3:16; 1 John 5:11-13
When in doubt of God's power to keep you faithful: Philippians 1:6; 1 Peter 1:5
When in financial need: Psalm 34:10; Philippians 4:19
When needing forgiveness: Hebrews 4:15-16; 1 John 1:9
When seeking guidance: Proverbs 3:5-6; James 1:5
When lonely and depressed: Psalm 23; Hebrews 13:5
When your patience is being tried: Romans 8:28-29; James 1:2-4
When seeking peace in a stressful time: John 14:27; 16:33 Philippians 4:6-7
When filled with sinful pride: 1 Corinthians 4:7; Philippians 2:3-8
When burdened with many problems: Psalm 55:22; 1 Peter 5:7
When needing rest: Matthew 11:28-30; Galatians 6:9
When driven by selfish desire: Philippians 4:8; 1 John 2:15-17
When facing sorrow: Romans 8:26-28; 2 Corinthians 1:3-5
When seeking God's standard: Matthew 5:48; Matthew 22:36-40
When suffering: Psalm 34:19; 2 Corinthians 4:17
When facing temptation: 1 Corinthians 10-13; James 1:2-4 and 12-15
When being treated unfairly: 1 Peter 2:19-23; 1 Peter 4:12-15
When feeling weak and inadequate: 2 Corinthians 12:9-10; Philippians 4:13
July 11 - Jesus Calling
Worship Me only. Idolatry has always been the downfall of My people. I make no secrets about being a jealous God. Current idols are more subtle than ancient ones, because today’s false gods are often outside the field of religion. People, possessions, status, and self-aggrandizement are some of the most popular deities today. Beware of bowing down before these things. False gods never satisfy; instead, they stir up lust for more and more.
When you seek Me instead of the world’s idols, you experience My Joy and Peace. These intangibles slake the thirst of your soul, providing deep satisfaction. The glitter of the world is tinny and temporal. The Light of My Presence is brilliant and everlasting. Walk in the Light with Me. Thus you become a beacon through whom others are drawn to Me.
“You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me.”
-Exodus 20:4–5
You are my lamp, O Lord; the Lord turns my darkness into light.
-2 Samuel 22:29
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