Hello my friends! May the Peace of Jesus be with you all and in all the world! Today's blessings - new coffeemaker is working out well, (Kitchen Aid), last night we were busy making some grape and strawberry wine, and it's a blessing that Linus helped me clean up afterwards, this afternoon we had a couple over for cards from the card club. Told them we're leaving the club, but we can always play cards with them when they have time, just not with the club. By the way - we won! It was fun, but we don't think we'll miss it. Linus leaves for Texas on Wednesday after work - so much to be done yet! Let us pray for peace in the world daily!!
Let the story of your life be one of prayer and its answers because more is given
to us through prayer than we can imagine. Lord, I will gratefully live the blessings
that You pour into my life.
S C R I P T U R E F O R T H E D A Y
"Strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these
things will be given to you as well." ~Matthew 6:33
M E D I T A T I O N F O R T H E D A Y
I can try to grow into a new life. I can think of spiritual things often,
and unconsciously I can grow. The nearer I get to the new life, the more I
can see my unfitness. My sense of failure can be a sign that I am growing
in the new life. It is only struggle that hurts. In sloth--physical,
mental, or spiritual--there is no sense of failure or discomfort. With
struggle and effort, I can be conscious not of strength but of weakness
until I am really living the new life. But in the struggle, I can always
rely on the power of God to help me.
P R A Y E R F O R T H E D A Y
I pray that I may see signs of my growth in the new life. I pray that I may
always keep trying to grow.
Wisdom
Early in his career the brilliant young lawyer Clarence Darrow was defending a man in court. The much older lawyer defending the other client started to make fun in court and referred to him as "that beardless youth."
Darrow answered him in this way:
"My worthy opponent seems to downgrade me for not having a beard. Let me answer him with a story. The king of Spain once sent a young nobleman to the court of a neighboring monarch. On seeing the young man, he sneered: Does the king of Spain have no real men? Why does he send me a beardless boy? To which the young ambassador replied: My Lord, if my king had supposed that you judged intelligence by the size of a beard, he would have sent you a goat."
Incidentally, Clarence Darrow won the case.
In the Old Testament the prophet Jeremiah was trying to avoid God's call to go and teach people and the Lord said to him: "Do not say I am too young." Jer. 1:7
Today's readings 3/5/15
Jer.17:5-10; Ps.1:1-4, 6; Lk.16:19-31
In spite of all the repeated warnings all throughout scripture and the irrefutable events that confirm that God's Word is True mankind continues to "turn away from the Lord" anyway and "seeks it's strength in flesh" instead, and so it should come as no surprise to any believer that our world "suffers in torment" like the rich man in today's parable. I think the majority of us would agree that experience is the best teacher, but the sad truth is even the best "Teacher" couldn't get through to all of His listeners, and I think the reason for that is found in the Inspired Words of the prophet Jeremiah that we read today. The reality is our hearts really have become "hardened and dried up" by that "drought" he refers to, one that has all but taken away any reference to God and His Word in the society we live in, and that's why I believe the Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus clearly speaks about the direction our world is headed in. Abraham warns that "a great chasm has been established" between the faithful and the faithless, and although this parable primarily speaks about life after death in eternity I truly believe we are beginning to see clear-cut signs of this great chasm in our world right now. No, I'm not one of those "the end is near!" kind of people by any means, but I am someone who has been "persuaded by the One who has risen from the dead" kind of people, and because of that I know I will find myself on the right side of that great chasm when it matters most. There's no doubt that we live in a society filled with those "scoffers" our psalmist warns us about who have nothing but "wi cked counsel" to offer, so let us pray for the grace to avoid "sitting in company" with them like the rich fools of this world who seek their strength in flesh instead of in God and His Word.
God bless you,
In Jesus - Pat
The man whispered, "God, speak to me".
And a meadowlark sang.
But the man did not hear.
So the man yelled "God, speak to me".
And the thunder & lightning rolled across the sky.
But the man did not listen.
The man looked around and said, "God, let me see you."
And a star shined brightly.
But the man did not see.
And, the man shouted, "God, show me a miracle".
And a life was born.
But the man did not notice.
So, the man cried out in despair, "Touch me, God, and let me know you are here".
Whereupon, God reached down and touched the man.
But the man brushed the butterfly away and walked on.
I found this to be a great reminder that God is always around us in the little and simple things that we take for granted, even in our electronic age... so I would like to add one more:
The man cried "God, I need your help"...
and an e-mail arrived reaching out with good news and encouragement.
But the man deleted it and continued crying...
The good news is that you are loved.
Don't miss out on a blessing because it isn't packaged the way that you expect.
Expect the unexpected....
Have A Happy Day!
Mother Teresa Said...
It is very important that right from the beginning we simply live the gospel.
Live the gospel in prayer; live the gospel in words.
You won’t be able to give what you don’t have.
The Friend Who Just Stands By
When troubles come your soul to try,
You love the friend who just stands by.
Perhaps there's nothing she can do,
The thing is strictly up to you.
For there are troubles all your own,
And paths the soul must tread alone.
Times when love can't smooth the road,
Nor friendship lift the heavy load.
But just to feel you have a friend,
Who will stand by until the end.
Whose sympathy through all endures,
Whose warm handclasp is always yours.
It helps somehow to pull you through,
Although there's nothing she can do.
And so with fervent heart we cry,
God Bless the friend who just stands by.
- Author Unknown
Faith, Hope and Love
<h4>
F ------ Fervently Praying</h4> <h4>
A ------ Accepting whatever outcome from prayer</h4> <h4>
I ------ In tune with Jesus Christ</h4> <h4>
T ------ Teaching others about Jesus Christ</h4> <h4>
H ------ Heaven is the place where my walk is heading</h4> <h4> </h4> <h4>
H ------ Helping others see Jesus Christ</h4> <h4>
O ------ Offering my life to the service of Jesus Christ</h4> <h4>
P ------ Praying always for others, lost or not, to see Jesus Christ</h4> <h4>
E ------ Encouraging and edifying Jesus Christ and others</h4> <h4> </h4> <h4>
L ------ Looking to Jesus all the time</h4> <h4>
O ------ Opening my heart to His ways only</h4> <h4>
V ------ Verifying everything in the Spirit</h4> <h4>
E ------ Extending myself to insure others in their walk with the Lord.</h4>
March 5
Make friends with the problems in your life. Though many things feel random and wrong, remember that I am sovereign over everything. I can fit everything into a pattern for good, but only to the extent that you trust Me. Every problem can teach you something, transforming you little by little into the masterpiece I created you to be. The very same problem can become a stumbling block over which you fall, if you react with distrust and defiance. The choice is up to you, and you will have to choose many times each day whether to trust Me or defy Me.
The best way to befriend your problems is to thank Me for them. This simple act opens your mind to the possibility of benefits flowing from your difficulties. You can even give persistent problems nicknames, helping you to approach them with familiarity rather than with dread. The next step is to introduce them to Me, enabling Me to embrace them in My loving Presence. I will not necessarily remove your problems, but My wisdom is sufficient to bring good out of every one of them.
We are assured and know that [God being a partner in their labor] all things work together and are [fitting into a plan] for good to and for those who love God and are called according to [His] design and purpose.
—Romans 8:28 amp
But we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.
—1 Corinthians 1:23–24 – From Jesus Calling
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