Hello my friends! I think I'll be over at Darla's all week now, since Gilbert has pneumonia and his wife is by his side, and also, she doesn't want to come and expose the twins to pneumonia. Tomorrow is Darla's birthday, we'll try to make it special. She went to the doctor today, found out by way of ultrasound there is not placenta in there, just blood clots, that the doctor says will come through - but with the cramps too. Also she found out the cause for her headaches. When she had the C-Section, they gave her a spinal, stuck her several times and didn't get it right, now she has a leak in her spine that causes the headaches. It can go away on it's own after a while, or she could go to an Anitheseoligist (sp) and have him do something. So we continue to pray for her healing.
When you can't fall asleep, spend the time talking with God and in prayer
you will soon be sleeping. Lord, next to Your heart, what a safe and restful
place to sleep.
S C R I P T U R E F O R T H E D A Y
"Where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them."
~Matthew 18:20
M E D I T A T I O N F O R T H E D A Y
"Where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them."
The spirit of God can come upon God's followers when they are all together
at one time, in one place, and with one accord. When two or three
consecrated souls are together at a meeting place, the spirit of God is there to
help and guide them. Where any sincere group of people are together,
reverently seeking the help of God, God's power and God's spirit are there to
inspire them.
P R A Y E R F O R T H E D A Y
I pray that I may be in accord with the members of my group. I pray
that I may feel the strength of a consecrated group.
IDENTIFICATION
Author Unknown
His name is Bill. He has wild hair, wears a T-shirt with holes in it, jeans, and no shoes. This was literally his wardrobe for his entire four years of college. He is brilliant. Kind of esoteric and very, very bright. He became a Christian while attending college.
Across the street from the campus is a well-dressed, very conservative church. They want to develop a ministry to the students, but are not sure how to go about it.
One day Bill decides to go there. He walks in with no shoes, jeans, his T-shirt, and wild hair. The service has already started and so Bill starts down the aisle looking for a seat. The church is completely packed and he can't find a seat. By now, people are really looking a bit uncomfortable, but no one says anything.
Bill gets closer and closer and closer to the pulpit, and when he realizes there are no seats, he just squats down right on the carpet. (Although perfectly acceptable behavior at a college fellowship, trust me, this had never happened in this church before!)
By now the people are really uptight, and the tension in the air is thick. About this time, the minister realizes that from way at the back of the church, a deacon is slowly making his way toward Bill. Now the deacon is in his eighties, has silver-gray hair, and a three-piece suit. A godly man, very elegant, very dignified, and very courtly. He walks with a cane and, as he starts walking toward this boy, everyone is saying to themselves that you can't blame him for what he's going to do.
How can you expect a man of his age and of his background to understand some college kid on the floor?
It takes a long time for the man to reach the boy. The church is utterly silent except for the clicking of the man's cane. All eyes are focused on him. You can't even hear anyone breathing. The minister can't even preach the sermon until the deacon does what he has to do. And now they see this elderly man drop his cane on the floor. With great difficulty, he lowers himself and sits down next to Bill and worships with him so he won't be alone.
Everyone chokes up with emotion. When the minister gains control, he says, "What I'm about to preach, you will never remember. What you have just seen, you will never forget.
Prayer
"Heavenly Father, form in me the likeness of your Son and deepen his life within me that I may be like him in word and deed. Help me to live the gospel faithfully and give me strength and courage to not shrink back in the face of adversity and temptation."
Sightseeing things on our journey
When I walk with the Lord He is constantly giving me a way of looking at
life from His view and urging me to remember my sense of sight is distorted
through human perspective, and must be given His truths before I will see
clearly.
We all could be given a scene to watch, and then, asked to give our
perspective on it. Each one of us would possible tell it with full
conviction that what we saw was 100 percent accurate. But, the Biblical
truth is....it often is based on our own personal knowledge, or lack of
knowledge, and rarely fully accurate. We make observations, and run them
through our past experiences, and come to conclusions reached by our human
reasoning which seems as truth to us, but may be far from how God sees it.
Satan also has a way of blinding us from seeing the truth.
God wants us to see from His perspective, and in order to do this, we need
to be examining ourselves in the light of His Word and making sure our lives
are expressing the fruit of His Holy Spirit mentioned in Galations 5:22.
This is something we need to be doing on a daily basis, and for each
situation that we are confronted with. If we remain as King David was in
Psalms 51, we will be teachable and willing to submit our heart to be
changed so it will be pleasing to God.
David had a contrite heart, a sensitive conscience, which was eager to
repent and turn from any ways which sorrowed His God. We, too need to have
this if we want to see things from God's perspective.
Pray:
Heavenly Father, my vision is unclear and uncertain because I am seeing
things through my own human eyes and unhealed emotions. But, I want to be
able to see what is important to you. I desire to wear your lenses, and I
ask for your grace and power of the Holy Spirit to do so. I want to live as
a mature Christian, and represent you in a way that will glorify you. Thank
you for giving me a heart that is willing to repent and change. In the
precious name of your son, Jesus. Amen.
The Perfect Delivery
A number of months ago, my wife and I learned of the tragic story about a young man, 26 years of age with a wife and two young children, who had unexpectedly died while at work. This man of faith, whom I had the
pleasure of speaking with twice, turned out to be the younger brother of our current next-door neighbor.
Although my wife and I knew very little about our neighbor, we did know her to be part of a very tight-knit, loving family. No doubt her loss was a difficult one. Of course, my wife and I had offered our sympathy
and support, in the way of food and cards; however, time had passed since news of the loss, and we had not seen my neighbor in quite some time.
Last night, I saw our neighbor entering her house, and I began to think how difficult the loss must be now that all of the cards and words of encouragement have slowed or ceases. I felt a strong need to make contact with her and offer further comfort, but I did not quite know how. It all seemed so awkward.
So, on a whim, I said a prayer.
"God, I am sorry I have not fully offered and shown the compassion and support to my neighbor which you offer and show to me each and every day. God, I am not quite sure how to make contact with my neighbor,
since we have not spoken in a while. Please encourage me to overcome this awkwardness and provide for me a way to approach her."
The next day, I went to check our mailbox. In the mailbox was a small package, but it was not addressed to my wife or me. The address was not even the address to our home. I was amazed when I studied the label.
The name and address was that of my neighbor. My neighbor's mail had been placed into our mailbox.
Through the eyes of the world. this may be called a simple error. But through the eyes of faith this was another perfect delivery from God. So now, I hold this package in my hand, and I hold assurance in my
heart that God answers prayer. And more importantly, I know where I am going. I am heading out the door to visit my neighbor, to offer her God's comfort... and her mail.
"This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to His will, he hears us. And if we know that He hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of Him.” 1 1 John 5: 14-15.
Dear Jesus,
Divine Physician and Healer of the Sick,
we turn to You in this time of illness.
O dearest Comforter of the Troubled,
alleviate our worry and sorrow with Your gentle love,
and grant us the grace and strength to accept this burden.
Dear God,
we place our worries in Your hands.
We ask that You restore Your servant to health again.
Above all,
grant us the grace to acknowledge Your holy will
and know that whatsoever You do,
You do for the love of us.
Amen.
PRAYER TO BEGIN THE DAY
As Morning breaks I think of you, O Lord, and my desire is to serve You joyfully. With gladness, I consecrate this day to Your Sacred Heart, and offer whatever joys and sacrifices may come my way. Thank You for the graces You will send - all the love, all the beauty, and the ways You will answer my prayers.
Today, may I love my enemies, and treat others as I would ask to be treated; may I forgive seventy-times-seven and show mercy; may I welcome the prodigal, have compassion for the Samaritan; be a peace-maker and love my neighbor unconditionally. Take all my heart, and mind and strength, O Lord, that this day may be truly lived for Your greater honor and glory and for the salvation of souls. Amen.
August 2 - Jesus Calling
Bring Me the sacrifice of your time: a most precious commodity. In this action-addicted world, few of My children take time to sit quietly in My Presence. But for those who do, blessings flow like streams of living water. I, the One from whom all blessings flow, am also blessed by our time together. This is a deep mystery; do not try to fathom it. Instead, glorify Me by delighting in Me. Enjoy Me now and forever!
Surely you have granted him eternal blessings and made him glad with the joy of your presence.
—Psalm 21:6
“Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.”
—John 7:38
For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him.
—Psalm 103:11
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