Psalm 119:105 - Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.
Learning on What to Rely
Study

Grace

Acts 15:11
"We believe that we are all saved the same way,
by the undeserved grace of the Lord Jesus.”

Romans 11:6
"And since it is through God’s kindness, then it is not by their good works. For in that case, God’s grace would not be what it really is—free and undeserved."

The following links blessed me, and I hope they do the same for you. Yes, it's a little long, but get you a cup of coffee,
a glass of iced tea, or a Coke, and take a few minutes to sit back and enjoy.

Hope you have a great, grace-filled day. Maggie
AND............
Posted by Maggie at 5/18/2012 9:49 AM

Remember

2 Corinthians 5:18
"And all of this is a gift from God, Who brought us back to Himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people
to Him."

1 Timothy 4:15
"Give your complete attention to these matters. Throw yourself into your tasks so that everyone will see your progress."

There are many renditions, tongue-n-cheek, on the loss of memory as we get older..... and, most of them are correct !! Each of us has a method to help us to remember, and mine is list-making -- 'MUST DO', 'SHOULD DO', or 'FORGET ABOUT IT' !!

For me, 'the faster I go, the behinder I get' rings true !!! Without my lists, I would probably never get anything completed, because I'm not very good at keeping 'on task'. As I begin one thing, I think of another, so 'jump' from one thing to another.

There is one thing, though, which doesn't need a list to remember - our love for our Lord, and our eagerness to serve Him.

Sometimes, we forget just how much something - or someone - means to us until an occurrence or incident reminds us. Some forget to pray until they are hit with a trial, some forget to read the Bible until some turmoil comes upon them, or sometimes, a friend has been out of mind - until they become ill or in trouble. In today's world, with all the media bombardment, etc. and the stress put upon us, it's easy to push otherwise important factors from our minds. 'Reckon that's why I try and email you often... just to let you know that you are in my thoughts and my prayers. Hope you have a wonderful day. Maggie

Romans 15:13
"I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in Him.
Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit."
______________________________________________________________Remember The Small Things

Remember the small things that color your life,
A rainbow, a flower, a star, or a kite.
These are the things that will follow your days,
Even as others disappear in a haze.

The laughter of your children will still ring so clear,
Even when music no longer you hear.
Everyone ages, that fact is quite clear,
Age can be cruel, age can bring fear.

But while others are stressing, over each ache or pain,
You'll be remembering the sweet smell of rain.
As you grow old, you remember much less
Of what's most important, that's the price of success.

But if you can put your success on a shelf,
And still roll in the grass, still be good to yourself,
Then aging will never bring physical pain,
And life will not steal what's left of your brain.

So remember one thing, a small thing inside,
Remember down deep that small child you hide.
Don't give up the giggle, the whisper, the cheer,
Don't give up the laughter or what you hold dear.

As another birthday passes from sight,
Remember the small things, which color your life.

~ by MountainWings subscriber Theresa Morehouse ~
Posted by Maggie at 5/1/2012 12:17 PM

What If?

Psalm 19:14
"May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
be pleasing to You, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer."

Psalm 16:7
"I will bless the LORD Who guides me; even at night my heart
instructs me."

Psalm 119:5
"Oh, that my actions would consistently reflect Your decrees!"

1 John 3:20
"Even if we feel guilty, God is greater than our feelings, and
He knows everything."

Proverbs 11:25
"The generous will prosper; those who refresh others
will themselves be refreshed."

Titus 1:9
"He must have a strong belief in the trustworthy message he was taught; then he will be able to encourage others with wholesome teaching and show those who oppose it where they are wrong."

What if it were possible to see into our thoughts, our feelings, our words, our beliefs, or our actions with an Electron Microscope? Would it show our deep love for God and for others? Are we being the person who our Lord wants us to be? Hope you have a wonderful day. Maggie
Posted by Maggie at 4/17/2012 11:48 AM

HELLO, READERS

If you ever see any type of advertisement on this website, please disregard it. I try to stay on top of
this by deleting, but sometimes one gets through.
I shall never, knowingly, approve any type of advertisement. Thank you, take care, and God bless you always. Maggie
Posted by Maggie at 4/16/2012 9:45 AM

Stress is Your Choice

Psalm 119:143
"As pressure and stress bear down on me,
I find joy in your commands."

An e-pal sent me an email this morning about STRESS being 'a choice'. Very few words ever spoken are more correct.
No, I'm not trying to teach a complete lesson on Stress and its results - just trying to give you some 'foods-for-thought'.
Hope you have a stress-free day. Maggie

What Is Stress?

Stress is your body's way of responding to any kind of demand. It can be caused by both good and bad experiences. When people feel stressed by something going on around them, their bodies react by releasing chemicals into the blood. These chemicals give people more energy and strength, which can be a good thing if their stress is caused by physical danger. But this can also be a bad thing, if their stress is in response to something emotional and there is no outlet for this extra energy and strength. This class will discuss different causes of stress, how stress affects you, the difference between 'good' or 'positive' stress and 'bad' or 'negative' stress, and some common facts about how stress affects people today.

What Causes Stress?

Many different things can cause stress -- from physical (such as fear of something dangerous) to emotional (such as worry over your family or job.) Identifying what may be causing you stress is often the first step in learning how to better deal with your stress. Some of the most common sources of stress are:

Survival Stress - You may have heard the phrase "fight or flight" before. This is a common response to danger in all people and animals. When you are afraid that someone or something may physically hurt you, your body naturally responds with a burst of energy so that you will be better able to survive the dangerous situation (fight) or escape it all together (flight). This is survival stress.

Internal Stress - Have you ever caught yourself worrying about things you can do nothing about or worrying for no reason at all? This is internal stress and it is one of the most important kinds of stress to understand and manage. Internal stress is when people make themselves stressed. This often happens when we worry about things we can't control or put ourselves in situations we know will cause us stress. Some people become addicted to the kind of hurried, tense, lifestyle that results from being under stress. They even look for stressful situations and feel stress about things that aren't stressful.

Environmental Stress - This is a response to things around you that cause stress, such as noise, crowding, and pressure from work or family. Identifying these environmental stresses and learning to avoid them or deal with them will help lower your stress level.

Fatigue and Overwork - This kind of stress builds up over a long time and can take a hard toll on your body. It can be caused by working too much or too hard at your job(s), school, or home. It can also be caused by not knowing how to manage your time well or how to take time out for rest and relaxation. This can be one of the hardest kinds of stress to avoid because many people feel this is out of their control. Later in this course we will show you that you DO have options and offer some useful tips for dealing with fatigue.

How Does Stress Affect You?

Stress can affect both your body and your mind. People under large amounts of stress can become tired, sick, and unable to concentrate or think clearly. Sometimes, they even suffer mental breakdowns.
The message my friend sent me was about a new book by David Zerfoss. Whether you rush out to buy the book or not, just realyzing that we have the choice should be enlightening.
Is your to-do list keeping you up at night? Do you feel like your stress is off the charts?

Here's something that'll stop and make you think: Did you know that your stress is really your choice? That's a liberating concept because if stress is a choice, you can choose not to have it.

From Stress is a Choice
by David Zerfoss

Several years ago while listening to my pastor give a Sunday sermon, he spoke about how life is made up of a series of choices. It made me realize that my hectic professional and personal life was of my choosing. Therefore, a life of stress had become my choice.

Many of us hurry through life going from one place to the next, focused on conquering the next mountain, making the next deal, running the next errand, and believing we will never have enough time to do all the things we need to get done. Yet, there is all the time in the world if we just realize that we are the creators of this life we choose to live. That's right. Life is a series of choices and being free from stress is one of those choices.

Whether your business life is overly complicated or your personal life (or both), you have chosen this current system of chaos. The world is a tantalizing swirl of getting the next "fix," tempting us to fit more and more things, people and processes into our lives, personally and professionally. And because we are so busy being busy, it's easy to be lured into the fray, with our lengthy to-do lists. Yet, the greatest achievements have often come from the simplest of ideas and in the simplest forms.

To experience a simplified life, we first have to learn to slow down long enough to see through all the clutter. We need to realize that we are powerful magnets that attracted this life to ourselves - no matter what - good or bad. 

My wish for you is that you commit to simplify and enroll others for support. Take out a blank sheet of paper and create the life you truly want to live - with less stress and complexity - one that is anchored by a clear sense of your unique and simple purpose.

_________________________________________________

Coffee Break
"Are You Weary?"

"Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." Matthew 11:28

Are you weary? Are you in need of a refreshing? Do you feel you can't go on? Are you burdened down with the cares of life? Does it seem more than you can bear? Are you carrying things that are too heavy for you-- guilt, the burdens of others, pain, grief, condemnation? Are you ready to stop being tired and weary, overwhelmed and burdened down? Well, then do something about it... "Come to me". Go to Jesus.

You can't just hope it will go away. You can't just sit back and wait for it to get better. You can't just wish it would happen. You have to do something--- go to Him and cast it upon Him. You have to make a step toward the Lord and surrender the burdens you are trying to bear. You weren't designed to carry them. And don't believe the enemy that tells you that this is your "cross to bear"--- "His yoke is easy and His burden is light".

He offers you an invitation this morning... "Come to Me". Will you accept it or will you continue to carry the load? Go to Him, get into His presence, place your "heaviness" upon Him, and wait there until the burdens have lifted, His rest engulfs you, and a time of refreshing comes. There are two things that we usually do when we finally accept His invitation to come and cast them upon Him. We either do cast them upon Him but take them back, or we don't wait long enough for His presence to come so we can give them to Him. This morning there is one more option--- be still, wait for Him to take them, wait for His peace to the come, then leave the burdens with Him and take the "rest" with you.

Have a great day. Don't be burdened down another day. Cast it upon the Lord and let Him give you His rest.
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Coffee Break is written by Lorraine Ezell
About the Master's Business Ministry, Inc.
http://www.mastersbusiness.org

Posted by Maggie at 3/31/2012 10:46 AM | Add Comment

The Power of Kindness

The Power of Kindness

Although we don't often think about it, kindness and compassion are the principal things that make our lives meaningful. But, with our long to-do lists, putting others first sometimes falls last on our list. It's a struggle all of us face. Scripture reminds us to keep kindness at the center of our lives:

"Never let loyalty and kindness get away from you! Wear them like a necklace; write them deep within your heart."
- Proverbs 3:3

Sometimes, though, it takes a child to show us what really matters. Today, I'd like to share a heart-warming story about a child's gift of The Power of Kindness: (scroll down)



From The Power of Kindness
by Mac Anderson

Last week, I took my children to a restaurant. My six-year-old son asked if he could say grace. As we bowed our heads he said, "God is good, God is great. Thank you for the food, and I would even thank you more if Mom gets us ice cream for dessert. And Liberty and justice for all! Amen!"

Along with the laughter from the other customers nearby, I heard a woman remark, "That's what's wrong with this country. Kids today don't even know how to pray. Asking God for ice cream! Why I never!"

Hearing this, my son burst into tears and asked me, "Did I do it wrong? Is God mad at me?"

As I held him and assured him that he had done a terrific job and God was certainly not mad at him, an elderly gentleman approached the table.

He winked at my son and said, "I happen to know that God thought that was a great prayer." "Really?" my son asked. "Cross my heart," the man replied.

Then in a theatrical whisper he added (indicating the woman whose remark had started this whole thing), "Too bad she never asks God for ice cream. A little ice cream is good for the soul sometimes."

Naturally, I bought my kids ice cream at the end of the meal. My son stared at his for a moment and then did something I will remember for the rest of my life.

He picked up his sundae and without a word, walked over and placed it in front of the woman. With a big smile he told her, "Here, this is for you. Ice cream is good for the soul sometimes; and my soul is good already."

Sometimes we all need some ice cream.
Posted by Maggie at 3/20/2012 12:13 PM | Add Comment

The First Work

Coffee Break
"The First Work"

"But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." Matthew 6:33

What are you seeking-- the work of the Lord, or the Lord of the work? Are you focused on His plan or Him? Are you concerned more about what "ministry" you have been called to, or the One who called you?

God created you with a plan and purpose in mind. If He didn't have a purpose for you, He would not have created you (it is He who has made us and not we ourselves). After all, God never does anything just for the sake of doing it. He never says anything just to hear Himself say it. So you should seek Him to discover what it is He has for you to do and you should not be negligent in doing it. When He reveals a specific plan or assignment that He has for you, you should do it with all your might and with excellence for His glory. So don't misunderstand what I am saying.

But our first and highest call is to "know Him". The whole reason Jesus came to earth and gave His life on the cross was to reconcile us back to the Father so that we could have a relationship with Him-- not so that we could do some great work for Him. Jesus taught us that on the day when we stand before Him, some would make declarations of all the great things they had done for Him but His reply to them will be, "I never knew you". He didn't accuse them of lying about the fact that they had done these great works. But that was not what He was concerned about. His point of interest was not their works for Him but whether they knew Him- or still yet, did He know them.

Don't confuse the work that you are doing for Him with knowing Him. They are not the same thing. You can work for your employer and not know him. You can be in a marriage and do all the "marriage works" and still not know your spouse. You can work to provide for your children, and not know them. We can get so busy working for the Lord that we think we know the One we are working for, but really don't. Is that you? If so, don't neglect the work that He has called you to do, but make your "first work" and priority that of knowing Him.

Have a great day. Doing the work of the Lord and knowing the Lord of the work are not the same thing-- the latter has to be the first priority.

For further reading:
Matthew 7:22,23
Revelation 2:4,5
Psalm 100:3
Colossians 1:19-22
1 John 3:1


<>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <><
Coffee Break is written by Lorraine Ezell
About the Master's Business Ministry, Inc.
Posted by Maggie at 3/5/2012 2:30 PM | Add Comment

Be Courageous


Years ago, I heard someone say to another, "I don't mean to offend you, but better you than God." I never did know about what they were talking, but those words have stuck with me over the years. I particularly remember them when I hear about some outrageous 'political correctness'. Yes, I do believe that we are all God's Ambassadors, trying to be examples of peaceful, Christian living. It's so easy to 'go with the flow', so as not to stand out - away from the crowd.

I see this happening all the time with young people, who don't want to be ostracized from their peers. Over the years, I've noted that it's really hard to 'stand up and be counted' for our Lord when the whole group is going another direction, which is the devil's work. We always have to listen to the Spirit inside us and follow Jesus' path regardless whether or not we 'stand out'....better for God, than to let things 'slip' back into Satan's wishes.

Hope you have a great day - a courageous day. Maggie
 
Discourage the Devil

"Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man's sake. Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets."
(Luke 6:22-23)

Do you want to know how to depress the devil? Just follow the instructions in that last verse. When persecution comes, when friends or family criticize you, and when coworkers call you a fanatic because you love Jesus and aren't afraid to say so, rejoice! Shout hallelujah and leap for joy!

I tell you, that will discourage the devil to no end. He's expecting that persecution to hurt you. He's expecting it to damage your faith, to wipe you out, and to leave you in dismay.

I'm not saying you should enjoy the persecution itself. But you can learn to overlook the discomfort of those things by focusing your attention on the reward that's coming and the fact that Jesus said you are blessed.

The Apostle Paul certainly knew how to do that. He was an expert on rejoicing in the midst of persecution. Satan was constantly stirring up trouble for him. But do you know what he said about all that persecution? He said it was not even worth considering compared to the glory that was about to be revealed.

If Paul could rejoice in the midst of beatings, stonings, shipwrecks, imprisonment and almost every other kind of persecution, you can too!

Just do what he did. When he was told by the Holy Ghost that bonds and afflictions awaited him, he said, "But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God" (Acts 20:24).

Don't get all caught up in what people think and what people say down here on earth. Get caught up in pleasing the Lord. Get caught up in finishing your course with joy. Get caught up in the glorious hope that's ahead. For that hope is enough to make anyone--under any circumstances--leap for joy!
~ KCM ~
Posted by Maggie at 3/2/2012 1:37 PM | Add Comment

Influence

Some 'food for thought'. Hope you have a great day. Maggie
__________________________________________________________________

'Coffee Break'
The Fuel of Influence

"God hath delivered me to the ungodly, and turned me over into the hands of the wicked." Job 16:11

When Job spoke his accusations against God, he was speaking under the influence of his situation. He was hurting, in pain, grief and confusion. And although he was going through a devastating trial, what he said was not correct. God had not delivered him to the ungodly or the hands of the wicked. He had not brought wrath upon him (verse 9).

When we are going through a trying time, when fear is coming upon us, when pain is overwhelming us, when grief has touched us, when worry is plaguing us, we must watch what we say. We must be on guard that we don't speak out of what is happening to us. We must not let our circumstance influence us - or our speech.

While there is an "extreme" teaching concerning "confession", there is a true Biblical principal on the subject. Our words are important and powerful. We have to be careful about what we say. When we are being attacked by fear, we have to watch that we don't let the fear influence what we say because it only gives more power to the fear. It is like putting wood on a fire-- it only gives it fuel. "And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell." (James 3:6)

It is the same way with anything. If we speak from worry, the worry will increase and we will worry more. Like Job, when we speak under the influence of what we are going through, we will be speaking things that are not correct. We will accuse God of forsaking us, of hating us, of not caring about us or of not being faithful - but that is all incorrect.


So what must we do? We must stop fueling the "fire". "Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out." (Proverbs 26:20) Stop talking that fear, pain, worry, doubt, depression, bitterness, etc. And instead start fueling it with what is correct. Good things are also fueled by our words-- like faith. Faith comes through hearing. Hearing what? God's word. (And even more so when we hear it coming from our own mouths.) So we must learn to speak from God's influence (His word), not the influences of what we are going through or what is attacking us.

Have a great day. Under what influence are you speaking?

For further reading:
Romans 10:17
Proverbs 18:21; 15:2
Psalms 34:13
James 3:5-8
Job 40:3-5
<>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <><
Coffee Break is written by Lorraine Ezell
About the Master's Business Ministry, Inc.
______________________________________________________


From Hope Pure and Simple
by Max Lucado

"If God cares enough about the planet Saturn to give it rings ... is there an outside chance that He cares enough about you to meet your needs?"

"Have you ever been given a gift that compares with God's grace? Finding this treasure of mercy makes the poorest beggar a prince."

"Don't think God is listening to your prayers? Indeed He is. He may have higher plans."

"We don't know what it takes to run the world, and wise are we who leave the work to God's hands."

"To pray 'Thy will be done' is to seek the heart of God."

"What prayer does is invite God to walk the shadowy pathways of life
with us."

"Do you feel a need for affirmation? You need only pause at the base of the cross and be reminded of this: The Maker of the stars would rather die for you than live without you. And that is a fact."

"Worship is the 'thank you' that refuses to be silenced."

"One of the supreme promises of God is simply this: if you have given your life to Jesus, Jesus has given Himself to you. He has made your heart His home."

"Christ's resurrection is an exploding flare announcing to all sincere seekers that it is safe to believe."

"When you accept Christ, God seals you with His Holy Spirit. He paid too high a price to leave you unguarded."

"God is using today's difficulties to strengthen you for tomorrow."

"Rather than begrudge your problem, explore it. Ponder it. And most of all, use it. Use it to the glory of God."

"You can do something no one else can do in a fashion no one else can do it. When you do the most what you do the best, you put a smile on God's face."

"Since you are God's idea, you are a good idea."
Posted by Maggie at 1/19/2012 12:08 PM | Add Comment

Destroy Satan's Stand

Matthew 13:21
"But since they don’t have deep roots, they don’t last long.
They fall away as soon as they have problems or are persecuted for believing God’s word."

 John 2:5
"But those who obey God’s word truly show how completely they love Him.
That is how we know we are living in Him."

Did you know it has been said that when you carry the Bible, Satan has a headache, when you open it, he collapses, when he sees you reading it, he loses his strength, AND when you stand on the Word of God, Satan can't hurt you ??? ~ Author unknown

I've read this over and over, and soaked it into my very being. We recently saw 'Seven Days in Utopia', and highly recommend it. You can rent it on DVD. In the film, 'SFT' was dwelled upon...... 'See it; Feel it; Trust it.'

When I combine them together, there is an awesome thought about reading and studying the Bible. It really can hold the answers that one needs. It is the finality of 'rules for life serving our Lord', and living the life He expects us to live.
Hope you have an amazingly blessed 2012. Maggie
Posted by Maggie at 1/16/2012 1:03 PM | Add Comment
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