Community Chat

[DoubleJ]

Unhappiness within comes out in an emotional reaction, unlike the happy
person
who is slow to anger. Lord, help me to glow in Your presence so that the
heat of
the moment doesn't get to me.

Scripture for the day:

"Therefore prepare your minds for action; discipline yourselves; set
all your hope on the grace that Jesus Christ will bring you when he is
revealed. Like obedient children, do not be conformed to the desires
that you formerly had in ignorance. Instead, as he who called you is
holy, be holy yourselves in all your conduct; for it is written, 'You
shall be holy, for I am holy.'" ~1 Peter 1:13-16

Meditation for the day:

No work is of much value without preparation. Every spiritual work is
best if it has behind it much spiritual preparation. If we cut short
times of prayer and times of spiritual preparation, many hours of work
may be profitless. One poor tool working all the time, but doing bad
work because of lack of preparation, is of small value compared with
the sharp, keen, perfect instrument working for only a short time, but
which turns out perfect work because of long hours of spiritual
preparation.

Prayer for the day:

I pray that I may spend more time alone with God. I pray that I may
get more strength and joy from such times, so that they will add much
to my work.

Hello my friends! Well, my cough has made me weak - so I am trying for more
rest - but other than that, the flu seems to be gone. Still no appetite.
It'll come, hope I'll be better by Wednesday when we play cards at another
couple's house. It sure would be nice if corporate would help me get back
on again. Just had a blessing call from my sister, Sister LaDonna, asking
how I am. It was a short call. Other than that, the phone has been quiet.
Praying for you all and thanks for your prayers for us.



Parable Of The Pencil

The Pencil Maker took the pencil aside, just before putting it into the box.
There are five things you need to know, he told the pencil, before I send
you out into the world. Always remember them and never forget, and you will
become the best pencil you can be.


[1] You will be able to do many great things, but only if you allow yourself
to be held in Someone's hand.


[2] You will experience a painful sharpening from time to time, but you'll
need it to become a better pencil.


[3] You will be able to correct mistakes you will make.


[4] The most important part of you will always be what's inside.


[5] On every surface you are used on, you must leave your mark. No matter
what the condition, you must continue to write.


The pencil understood and promised to remember, and went into the box with
purpose in its heart.


Now replacing the place of the pencil with you; always remember them and
never forget, and you will become the best person you can be.


[1] You will be able to do many great things, but only if you allow yourself
to be held in God's hand. And allow other human beings to access you for the
many gifts you possess.


[2] You will experience a painful sharpening from time to time, by going
through various problems, but you'll need it to become a stronger person.


[3] You will be able to correct mistakes you might make or grow through
them.


[4] The most important part of you will always be what's on the inside.


[5] On every surface you walk, you must leave your mark. No matter what the
situation, you must continue to serve God in everything.


[Author unknown]



Family Prayer

God made us a family.
We need one another.
We love one another.
We forgive one another.
We work together
We play together
We worship together.

Together we use God's word
Together we grow in Christ
Together we love all people
Together we serve our God
Together we hope for Heaven.

These are our hopes and ideals
Help us to attain them, O God,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen

THE CLIFF HANGER
Author Unknown
Apr 30, 2009

A man named Jack was walking along a steep cliff one day when he
accidentally got too close to the edge and fell. On the way down he
grabbed a branch, which temporarily stopped his fall. He looked down
and, to his horror, saw that the canyon fell straight down for more
than a thousand feet. He couldn't hang onto the branch forever, and
there was no way for him to climb up the steep wall of the cliff.

So Jack began yelling for help, hoping that someone passing by would
hear him and lower a rope or something. HELP! HELP! Is anyone up
there? "HELP!" He yelled for a long time, but no one heard him. He was
about to give up when he heard a voice.

"Jack, Jack. Can you hear me?"

"Yes, yes! I can hear you. I'm down here!"

"I can see you, Jack. Are you all right?"

"Yes, but who are you, and where are you?

"I am the Lord, Jack. I'm everywhere."

"The Lord? You mean, GOD?"

"That's Me."

"God, please help me! I promise if, you'll get me down from here, I'll
stop sinning. I'll be a really good person. I'll serve You for the
rest of my life."

Easy on the promises, Jack. Let's get you off from there; then we can
talk." "Now, here's what I want you to do. Listen carefully."

"I'll do anything, Lord. Just tell me what to do."

"Okay. Let go of the branch."

"What?"

"I said, let go of the branch." Just trust Me. Let go."

There was a long silence. Finally Jack yelled, "HELP! HELP! IS ANYONE
ELSE UP THERE?"

Have you ever felt like Jack? We say that we want to know the will of
God, but when we find out what it is, we can't handle it. Sounds too
scary--too difficult. We decide to look elsewhere. When He says, "Let
go of the things that stand between you and Me, and trust Me with your
life," it sounds pretty scary. But when we let go, we find freedom and
safety in His hands."

Thank you. Have a Blessed Day . . . and remember that Jesus Loves You
and so do I--and there is absolutely nothing you can do about it,
except to pass it on . . . and GOD BLESS YOU!

"No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has
prepared for those who love him." (1 Corinthians 2:9)

The Promise

This story tells of the man who set out to adopt a troubled teenage girl.
One would question his logic. She was destructive, disobedient, and
dishonest.

One day she came home from school and ransacked the house looking for money.
By the time he arrived, she was gone and the house was in shambles.

Upon hearing of her actions, a friend urged him not to finalize the
adoption. "You haven't completed the paperwork. You haven't signed any
documents. Let her go."

His response was simply, "But I've already promised her that she would be my
daughter."

God, too, has made a covenant to adopt his people. His covenant is not
invalidated by our rebellion. It's one thing to love us when we are strong,
obedient, and willing. But when we ransack his house and steal what is his?
This is the test of love. And God passes the test; Despite our sin, in the
face of our rebellion, He chose to adopt us.

- - -
Romans 5:8 - But God has shown us how much he loves us - it was while we
were still sinners that Christ died for us!

Matthew 9:12-13 - (Jesus said) "People who are well do not need a doctor,
but only those who are sick... I have not come to call respectable people,
but outcasts."

Ephesians 1:5 - God had already decided that through Jesus Christ he would
make us his sons...

What you say flows from what is in your heart. Matthew 12:34, Luke 6:45

Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.
Proverbs 4:23



Oops

Oops! The minute the words were out of my mouth I regretted saying them. I
thought, “I can’t believe I said that!.” Next thought, “I wish I could take
that back.” But once words are spoken they’re out there. No chance of
taking them back.

Words are powerful. In olden days, when a king spoke a decree, there was no
rescinding it even if it meant terrible consequences. In Proverbs 18 we
read, “The tongue has the power of life and death.”

I work on trying to think about what I say before opening my mouth and
speaking thoughtlessly. As King David did, I have asked the Lord to “set a
guard over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips.” (Psalm 141:3)

However, it isn’t really about my mouth, it’s about my heart. I have
‘decisioned and purposed’ to purify my heart. That won’t happen overnight.
It is an ongoing process. That’s okay; we’re all a work in progress. It will
also require divine help. Like the song says, “Change my heart, oh God...”

Thank God today He is willing to do for us what we cannot do for ourselves.


Dear Lord, I need a word with you
If you have time to spare.
I know that you're quite busy,
My time is also rare.
In fact, that's why I wanted
To talk to you tonight.
I need to explain to you
That I have seen the light.
For so long I have taken
For granted that you knew
My wants and my needs
And my desires too.
Not only that, but peace of mind
And happiness I seek
I'd like to be much stronger
Instead of being weak.
I thought that you would help me
If only I believed.
I waited for you, Lord,
In my time of need.
I'd rush to work each morning.
I'd rush through lunch as well.
I knew I had a lot to do;
I had no time to tell
You what was on my mind
Or what I needed now;
In my haste to live my life
I've forgotten to somehow
Make the time to spend with you
And ponder who you are.
I guess I've put you in the closet
Then forgot and closed the door .
I know this sounds so strange
But I just now realize
I've done it without thinking
But now open are my eyes.
How can I expect you to help me
When I don't even stop to say
I love you or make the time
Each day to you to pray?
Lord, thank you for not giving up
On me, I've been so wrong
And now I'm asking you to help me
From now on to be strong;
In remembering what I need to do
And as I open the closet door
I pray that you'll forgive me
And that you will restore
In me the values needed
To be what I should be
And that's to come and talk with you
Much more regularly.
I thank you, Lord, for loving me
Enough to stick around;
You said what I needed to hear
Yet never made a sound.
But that is just your gentle way
That I admire so
And how I want to be some day
But have a long way to go.
I know that I will make it
So long as you are near
And I have nothing in this world
That I will ever fear .
For I have you to lean on
My rock, my Lord, my all;
You're there to help me up again
Whenever I may fall.
I thank you, Lord, for taking
This time to spend with me;
It's more than I deserve,
I've seen the light, you see.
AMEN

EVERY DAY PRAYER

Every Day I need thee Lord,
This day especially

I need some extra strength to face
Whatever is to be

This day more than any day
I need to feel thee near

To fortify my courage
And overcome my fears

By myself I cannot meet the challenges of the hour

There are times when human creatures need a higher power

To bear what must be borne
And so dear Lord I pray

Hold on to my trembling hand
And be with me Today

Amen

Author Unknown