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

Taking the Time

"TAKING THE TIME"

Colossians 4:6
"Let your conversation be gracious and attractive so that you will have the right response for everyone."

All three of the attached comics have special meaning for me.  Again, for me, they signify the lack of personal connection which can occur in today's society.  No, I don't have 'Facebook', so if any of you out there think I've 'kept up' with you by it, you're mistaken.  It's a shame that instead of personal emails, phone calls, or face-to-face visits which seem to have gone the way of outdated 8-tracks and VHS, we lack the desire to 'keep in touch'. 

As I was growing up, we had a party-line on our phone --- with no 'voice mail', and no 'caller i.d.'.  There were no computers, no cell phones, no emails, yet we always were in touch with everyone in our lives.  At my age, many of my peers have already died, and most of my peers have lost their parents.  Do we ever wish we had been closer to any of them?  I know that

I do.  Time passes faster than we'd like to admit, and sometimes we regret our omissions.                  Thinking of you always.  Maggie

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Thanks Dad

To a father growing old nothing is dearer than a daughter. ~Euripides

Every year of my childhood, our family of six would take a summer vacation. Over the Sacramento River and through the Idaho woods to our grandmother's house we'd go.

Trips were simpler then. No itinerary, no restaurants, no motel reservations, no travel kits or GPS units dictating the miles. Just a few old maps, historical landmarks, rest sites and Burma-Shave signs marked our route along the highway.

We were a large family on an educator's budget so we packed our own food, slept in the car while our parents drove through the night, or stayed at the welcoming homes of our relatives for reunion family fun from the West Coast to the Midwest prairies of North Dakota.

Travel may have been simpler then, but the packing ritual of the family station wagon was not. My father planned the placing and stuffing of camping gear, coolers and suitcases, cramming the luggage rack, every cubby and space beneath the seats. There was a method to the madness, but only my father understood the logistics.

The car sat ready overnight as we all tried to sleep until the 4:00 AM start time. The loading of our family into the car was no less strategic than the astronauts strapping into their seats before they are blasted off into space.

The back seat was loaded first. My sister, Dawn, sat in the center with her feet on the hump of the floor that could get uncomfortably warm. My brother was on the passenger side, his scouting experience earning him the official map-reading position of authority. I was on the driver's side with my feet on everyone's flip-flops, activity books, comics and magazines. My youngest sister, Tammy, was in front between Dad and Mom, in a seat with her own play steering wheel, horn, blinkers and all. My mother sat with her feet on a cooler filled with the chicken she had fried, boiled eggs, rolls, fruit, celery, chips, and salami and cheese sandwiches.

Before my father got in the car, he checked us all for safety and comfort and then did something my fourteen-year-old heart will never forget. In a gesture of respect, love, and appreciation for my self-taught ability, my father handed me my guitar in its stiff cardboard case, and helped slide it behind me on top of everything else, into the perfect pocket he had created for it. It was a safe spot, protected from roughhousing and direct sunshine, and it was easily accessible for me to play.

How understandable it would have been for him to say that there was no room for that big awkward thing or that it was a bother, or that he didn't want to hear that "noise" through the whole trip. But that wasn't my dad's way. He packed it, guarded it at gas stops, encouraged my song writing and sang along as I struggled to strum the right strings.

Now, I'm the one packing the car to drive my dad and mom to vacation at our lake cabin. My husband and I built the cabin with my parents' comfort and my mother's wheelchair in mind. Every year, I load the car to its last inch. When I can't find room for another thing, I slam the trunk, always relieved when I hear the soft thud of a job well done and not the clanging sound of overloaded resistance.

Ready to go, my father helps my mother into the car. Even though it's painful for him to bend his knees, my father insists she sit in the front.

One time, my father stopped before getting in the car.

"No room for this?" he asked, pointing to my guitar case left in the entryway.

"Not this trip, Dad," I said, trying not to show my disappointment.

I locked up the house while my father struggled to wedge himself into the crowded space allotted him. I backed out of the driveway and we headed the three hours north.

When we pulled into the dirt road of the cabin, I parked and hurried to help my mother out of the car and into her wheelchair.

After making sure she was comfortable inside the cabin, I went to unload the car. It was only then that I realized that my father wasn't on the deck taking in the blue beauty of the lake. He was still sitting in the back seat.

"Cindy, can I have a little help here?" he laughed. "I'm kinda stuck."

Puzzled, I went around to his side of the car and saw what the problem was. There, on his lap, for three hours, without a word of complaint, he had held my guitar, wedged between his knees and the back of my seat. He was in obvious discomfort.

I hurried to move the front seat forward so I could pull the guitar case out.

"Dad, you didn't have to do that!"

"Sure I did, Cindy. I always make room for what's important to me, and what's important to me is you." He winced as I helped him up and out.

Stretching his knees before he could walk, my father looked out at the lake and breathed in the piney air. He smiled, despite his pain. "I'm grateful that you make a place for us here."

"Dad, I always make room for what's important to me," I repeated his words to him, "and what's important to me is you."

By Cynthia M. Hamond, From "Chicken Soup for the Soul"
  

Patiently Produce a Harvest

                                                                        A Time to Think
"When we lose one blessing, another is often, most unexpectedly, given in its place."
C.S. Lewis
 
                                                                             To Pray
Lord, help me to be disciplined so that I can work towards Your plan for me.
                                                                                         ~ Daily Thoughts from Guideposts
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
Those of you who know me well, know that I'm a terrible patient (which, coincidently was told me this morning by a dear pal). I don't like anything which keeps me from doing exactly what I want to do, and when I want to do it.  Several months ago, I was thanking several for praying for my total healing --- at which time they said that, in addition, they were also praying for my patience !!!  Ouch !!!   It's wonderful to have friends who are super prayer warriors.  However, that was a thorn in my side when I realized that THEY saw me better than I saw myself.
 
 Proverbs 15:31
   "If you listen to constructive criticism, you will be at home among the wise."
 
Proverbs 29:1
   "Whoever stubbornly refuses to accept criticism will suddenly be destroyed beyond recovery."
 
So, okay, maybe it was truly not 'criticism', but an effort to enlighten me to an area I needed to see.  I've always said, and I've always meant, that I believe EVERYTHING is in God's time and in His plan. There's an old joke: "If you want to give God a good laugh, tell Him YOUR plan."

 Ecclesiastes 7:8
    "Finishing is better than starting. Patience is better than pride."
 
Now, I've completely convinced myself that my surgeon really DOES know he's talking about ..... 3-6 months 'recovery and healing', even though I don't necessarily like to be patient !!  However, I lean on scriptures.....
 
Luke 8:15
"And the seeds that fell on the good soil represent honest, good-hearted people who hear God’s word, cling to it, and patiently produce a huge harvest."
 
Romans 8:25
"But if we look forward to something we don’t yet have, we must wait patiently and confidently"
 
Yes, I know, 'stuff' CAN be hard to do, but that's when we lean on our trust of the Lord and His presence.  Hope you have a day filled with blessings and reassurance that God is with you always.  Maggie
 
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The following is my 'daily' from November, 2005:
 
Good Morning.  Today, Ronnie's former employer is sending a truck to pick up all the office furniture, and we're turning that room into a guest room.  The 'wait' for a job is stressful, and it's sometimes hard to be patient, waiting for 'the corporate world' to move as quickly as we'd like.  "Patience" is certainly a virtue, but trusting in the Lord gives one a sense of peace and assurance.  Hope your day is filled with that peace and harmony.  Take care & God bless.  gie 
 
Exodus 14:14 - "The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be still." 
 
Psalms 107:29 - "He made the storm be still, and the waves of the sea were hushed."
 
Mark 9:7 - "And a cloud overshadowed them, and a voice came out of the cloud, 'This
is My beloved Son; listen to Him'." 
 
             There once was a man who had nothing for his family to eat. He had an old rifle and three bullets. So, he decided that he would go out hunting and kill some wild game for dinner.
 
             As he went down the road, he saw a rabbit. He shot at the rabbit and missed it. The rabbit ran away. 

             Then he saw a squirrel and fired a shot at the squirrel and missed it. The squirrel disappeared into a hole in a cottonwood tree.
 
             As he went further, he saw a large wild "Tom" turkey in the tree, but he had only one bullet remaining. A voice spoke to him and said, "Pray first, aim high and stay focused." However, at the same time, he saw a deer which was a better kill. He brought the gun down and aimed at the deer. But, then he saw a rattlesnake between his legs about to bite him, so
he naturally brought the gun down further to shoot the rattlesnake. Still, the voice said again to him, "I said 'Pray, aim high and stay focused." 

              So, the man decided to listen to God's voice. He prayed, then aimed the gun high up in the tree and shot the wild turkey. The bullet bounced off the turkey and killed the deer. The handle fell off the gun and hit the snake in the head and killed it. And, when the gun had gone off, it knocked the man into a pond. When he stood up to look around, he had fish in
all his pockets, a dead deer and a turkey to feed his family. The snake (Satan) was dead simply because the man listened to God. 

               Moral of the story: Pray first before you do anything, aim and shoot high in your goals, and stay focused on God. Never let others discourage you concerning your past. The past is exactly that "the past." Live every day one day at a time
and remember that only God knows our future and that He will not put you through any more than you can bear. Do not look to man for your blessings, but look to God only. He has prepared in advance for you in your favor. Wait, be still and patient: keep God first and everything else will follow. 
 
~ Author Unknown ~
 
 
 
 



 

The Sunlight of God's Promise

 

A Time to Think
"I used to ask God to help me. Then I asked if I might help Him.
I ended up by asking God to do His work though me."
Hudson Taylor
 
To Act
Build a dream and the dream will build you.
 
To Pray
Lord, help me to bring the dark places of my life into the sunlight of Your promise.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                              ~ Daily Thoughts from Guideposts
________________________________________________________________________
 
I so enjoy getting the 'Daily Thoughts' from Guideposts, and nearly every one blesses me in some way.  This one today is no exception, particularly the phrase, "the sunlight of Your promise" !!!  For years, I've written about God's 'SON-shine', of course, meaning Jesus.   John 8:12 - "Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, 'I am the light of the world. If you follow Me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life'.”
 
There are times that each of us gets dragged into some form of 'darkness'.  It's those times that we need to turn our face to the light of His Love and His Promise.

Acts 2:33
 "Now He is exalted to the place of highest honor in heaven, at God’s right hand.
And the Father, as He had promised, gave Him the Holy Spirit to pour out upon us,
just as you see and hear today."
 
Hope you have a Light-filled day.  Maggie
 
________________________________________________________________________________ 
Coffee Break
 
"Doing My Part"
 
"One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to enquire in His temple."  Psalm 27:4
 
The Psalmist said that there was one thing that he desired-- to dwell in the house of the Lord.  For him this was not just a mere profession, some cliché or empty words, but a deep yearning.  He sincerely wanted to dwell in God's presence.  Therefore, he did his part to make that happen.  David sought after the presence of God.  He brought the Ark of the Covenant- the dwelling place of God- into his own courtyard.  Then he appointed worshippers, priests and ministers around the Ark twenty-four hours a day.  
 
It's one thing to have a desire for God and the things of God, it's another to do your part in order to have that desire fulfilled.  Often we say we want it but never make a move in that direction.  We sit back and wait for God to just "drop" it on us.  There comes a time when we have to "pursue" what we desire- including the presence of God.  The scriptures tell us, "Draw near to God and He will draw near to you".  Moses would have missed His destiny if he had not drawn near to the bush when he saw it burning- the place where God's presence was manifesting.  Those in the Upper Room on the Day of Pentecost would have missed the glorious baptism in the Holy Spirit if they had not done their part- tarry until His presence came.   
 
Do you desire to dwell in the presence of God?  Do you desire intimate fellowship and a close relationship with Him?  Then what are you doing to make it happen?  It won't happen through slothfulness.  It won't happen by sitting back just hoping and waiting for it to happen.  It is God's desire for you to dwell in His presence.  But you have to "make room", "draw near", "seek after" for it to happen.
 
Have a great day.  Are you doing your part in order to dwell in His presence?  
 
For further reading:
 
James 4:8 - "Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world."
 
1 Chronicles 16:8-11 - "Give thanks to the Lord and proclaim His greatness. Let the whole world know what He has done.
    Sing to Him; yes, sing His praises. Tell everyone about His wonderful deeds. Exult in His holy name; rejoice, you who worship the Lord. Search for the Lord and for His strength; continually seek Him
."
Luke 24:49 - "And now I will send the Holy Spirit, just as My Father promised. But stay here in the city until the Holy Spirit comes and fills you with power from heaven.”
 
Acts 2:1-3 - "On the day of Pentecost all the believers were meeting together in one place. Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm, and it filled the house where they were sitting. Then, what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them."
 
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Coffee Break is written by Lorraine Ezell
About the Master's Business Ministry, Inc.

 
   

Make It Simple

Matthew 5:37
"Just say a simple, ‘Yes, I will,’ or ‘No, I won’t.’
Anything beyond this is from the evil one
."

I hope that what I'm getting ready to say is not confusing. Of course, in our lives, the first thing to always do is to pray about something and listen for God's peace along with scripture. It's taken me over 60 years to understand the scripture above.  Why on earth we have the drive to 'explain' our actions is beyond my mind.  Have you ever tripped over your tongue trying to get out of something that you just cannot do, or frankly just do not want to do?  I know that I have - and usually end up doing it, and resenting it.  And, that 'resent' is certainly work of the devil !!!  Of course, on the other hand, have you ever asked someone to do something that you know they really don't want to do?  That, too, is straight from Satan.... at least that's what I think.  As in all cases, the scripture is correct.  A simple "Sorry, no" will do the trick.  If the person says, 'Why?', answer, "Because" and change the subject.  We try so hard to make things complex - and that does nothing but add to our stress and even confusion.  When you have the peace of the Lord, it's right for you.
 
Psalm 71:1
   "In thee, O LORD, do I put my trust: let me never be put to confusion."
 
Hope you have a stress-less, peaceful day.... Maggie
 
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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!

 ~ Gloria Copeland ~

 

It's In The Word

It's amazing to me trying to 'keep up' with the new expressions, which at my age I think are a little silly. Thinking back on my younger years, I remember SEVERAL ones which probably
baffled my parents, and then do any of you remember being 'the cat's meow' ??  Eons before THAT ....

.......
Genesis 11:1 - "At one time the whole world spoke a single language and used the same words."
 
However, there is something which will never change, our Father and His Word.
 
1 Corinthians 12:6 - "There are different ways God works in our lives, but it is the same God who does the work through all of us."
 
Colossians 1:6 - "This same Good News that came to you is going out all over the world. It is changing lives everywhere, just as it changed yours that very first day you heard and understood the truth about God's great kindness to sinners."
 
Romans 3:22 - "We are made right in God's sight when we trust in Jesus Christ to take away our sins. And we all can be saved in this same way, no matter who we are or what we have done."
 
Hebrews 13:8 - "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever."
 
Job 12:13 - "But true wisdom and power are with God; counsel and understanding are His."
 
Proverbs 2:2 - "Tune your ears to wisdom, and concentrate on understanding. 
 
Isaiah 40:28 - "Have you never heard or understood? Don't you know that the LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of all the earth? He never grows faint or weary. No one can measure the depths of His understanding."
 
2 Thessalonians 3:5 - "May the Lord bring you into an ever deeper understanding of the love of God and the endurance that comes from Christ."
 

You Never Know

We all have habits - it's human nature.  It could be the routine of your early morning.  In my case, it's turn on the coffee pot, feed the felines, turn on the computer, get my cup of coffee, sit down at my desk.  After that, I pray over the prayer list, check my inbox for new requests and if so, pray over them.  I did not list 'first, I praise the Lord, then pray to Him' because   I don't think of that as 'routine'.  
Proverbs 18:9
   "
Slack habits and sloppy work
   are as bad as vandalism
."
 
HABIT - an acquired behavior pattern regularly followed until it has become almost involuntary; a recurrent, often unconscious pattern of behavior that is acquired through frequent repetition.

1 Corinthians 7:23-24
   "All of you, slave and free both, were once held hostage in a sinful society. Then a huge sum was paid out for your ransom. So please don't, out of old habit, slip back into being or doing what everyone else tells you. Friends, stay where you were called to be. God is there. Hold the high ground with Him at your side."

I have an 'e-pal' who devotes herself to Facebook.  She checks it first thing every morning and stays on it until late at night. No, I'm not 'downing' Facebook, although I personally do not have an account.  Connecting with others is wonderful, it's only when staring at a computer screen dictates all other aspects of life that 'the habit' overtakes - 'life'. 

Our den has no windows, as strange as that may seem.  It would be very easy to just stay sequestered down here, 'talking'     on my PC, and not even walk to the front of the house to peer outside.  What a waste, if that's what I did.  God has given us    a beautiful world filled with sunshine (or rain) and smiles (if we look for them).  E-Pals and the Internet can be great, as long as we don't forget about everything else. Think I'll go 'check out' the sunshine.  Hope you have a great day.  Maggie ________________________________________________________________________________ 

As Christians, we sometimes forget a simple truth--that everything we need to achieve victory and live an abundant life was given to us when we received Christ as Savior and Lord!  

Romans 15:13, "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace. . ."
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You Never Know

A few years ago in downtown Denver, my friend, Scott, and I saw
something tiny and insignificant that changed the world, but no
one else even seemed to notice.

It was one of those beautiful Denver days.  Crystal clear, no
humidity, not a cloud in the sky.  We decided to walk the ten
blocks to an outdoor restaurant rather than take the shuttle bus
that runs up and down the Sixteenth Street Mall.  The restaurant,
in the shape of a baseball diamond, was called The Blake Street
Baseball Club.  The tables were set appropriately on the grass
infield.  Many Colorful pennants and flags hung limply overhead.

As we sat outside, the sun continued to beat down on us and it
became increasingly hot.  There wasn't a hint of a breeze, and
heat radiated up from the tabletop.  Nothing moved, except the
waiters, of course.  And they didn't move very fast either.

After lunch, Scott and I started to walk back up the mall.  We
both noticed a mother and her young daughter walking out of a
card shop toward the street.  She was holding her daughter by
the hand while reading a greeting card.  It was immediately
apparent to us that she was so engrossed in the card that she
did not notice a shuttle bus moving toward her at a good clip.
She and her daughter were one step away from disaster when Scott
started to yell.

He hadn't even gotten a word out when a breeze blew the card out
of her hand and over her shoulder.  She spun around and grabbed
at the card, nearly knocking her daughter over.  By the time she
picked up the card from the ground and turned back around to
cross the street, the shuttle bus had whizzed by her.  She never
even knew what almost happened.

To this day, two things continue to perplex me about this event:
Where did that one spurt of wind come from to blow the card out
of that young mother's hand?  There had not been a whisper of
wind at lunch or during our long walk back up the mall.
Secondly, if Scott had been able to get his words out, the young
mother might have looked up at us as they continued to walk into
the bus.

It was the wind that made her turn back to the card in the one
direction that saved her life and that of her daughter.  The
passing bus did not create the wind.  On the contrary, the wind
came from the opposite direction.  I have no doubt it was a
breath from God protecting them both.

But the awesomeness of this miracle is that she never knew.  As
we continued back to work, I wondered how God often acts in our
lives without our being aware.  The difference between life and
death can very well be a little thing.

~Author Unknown~
from MountainWings
________________________________________________________________________________

Psalm 106:1

"Hallelujah! Thank God! And why?
      Because He's good, because His love lasts
.
 

 

Acquainted

Coffee Break
 
"Acquainted"
 
"Because He Himself suffered when He was tempted, He is able to help those who are being tempted."  Hebrews 2:18
 
When you are going through a difficulty, how many people say they sympathize with you as if they have been through the same thing themselves but never have?  How many people say that they understand but they really don't.  Often people want to help you and comfort you but unless they have actually been where you are, all they can do is have compassion for you, try to encourage you and pray, but they are "standing on the outside looking in".  They don't know what it actually feels like.  They haven't walked that way before, they haven't gone through the same ordeal, they don't understand what you are going through.
 
While people often try to help us when we are going through something, sometimes they fall short because they haven't gone through it themselves so they really can't relate.  But I want to remind you this morning that whatever you are going through, whatever temptation you are facing, whatever trial you are in, there is one who does understand, there is one who can truly sympathize, there is one who has walked that same path and He has the power to help you.  His name is Jesus. 
 
He was tempted in every area we are tempted in.  He faced the same trials we face.  He knows what it is like to feel sadness, rejection, ridicule, separation, be forsaken, have demands placed on you... He faced it all.  He faced it all when He walked among us as a man.  He went through all that we go through and He overcame it. 
 
So whatever it is that you are going through, Jesus has "been there and done that".  He knows how you feel.  He knows what you are going through.  But He also knows how to rise above it, how to handle it, how to be victorious in it.  Because He knows and because He has walked through it, He has the power as you look to Him to help you overcome it as well.
 
Have a great day.  Some may sympathize with you, others may try to comfort you, but Jesus knows exactly what you are going through and has the power to help you make it through it.
 
For further reading:

Hebrews 4:15
John 16:33
Isaiah 53:3,4
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Coffee Break is written by Lorraine Ezell
About the Master's Business Ministry, Inc.

The Word Is There

Coffee Break
 
"The Word Is There"
 
"Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice."  Matthew 26:34
 
We are always wanting "a word" from the Lord.  We pray for a word, we seek out a word through others, we read the Bible hoping for a word.  We want the Lord to talk to us and tell us what to do, give us direction and guidance, reassure us and comfort us.  There is no lack of desire or want for a "personal" word.  But when He does give us a word, what do we do with it?  Do we ignore it?  Do we disobey it?  Do we turn a deaf ear to it?  Or do we heed it?
 
Jesus gave Peter a word and Peter did two things with it.  He protested it- "Peter said unto him, Though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee. Likewise also said all the disciples." (v.35)  We may want a word from the Lord, but that doesn't mean that the word He gives us will always be the word we want to hear.  When it isn't, do we protest against it as if the Lord "missed it"; as if He doesn't know what He's talking about; as if He doesn't understand the question.  Or do we accept it and do whatever we need to do with it?
 
Secondly, Peter ignored the word.  "Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder. And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour?" (vs.36,40)  Had Peter not ignored, or forgotten about it, he would not have been sleeping, he would have been praying.  Had he taken Jesus seriously, he would have spent the time praying that Jesus' words would not come true.  He would have taken heed to His words and prayed for strength to stand, grace to not deny, power from on high to resist the temptation.  He would have followed the example of Jesus and spent the time in prayer.
 
The Lord speaks to us more often than we realize, but what are we doing with what He is saying.  Are we ignoring it?  Are we believing what He says?  Are we taking Him seriously?  Are we acting upon His word?  If not, why are we asking Him to say something else when we are not heeding what He does say?
 
Have a great day.  When the Lord gives you a word, what are you doing with it?
 
For further reading:
Matthew 26: 31-41; 69-75; 11:15
James 1:22
 
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Coffee Break is written by Lorraine Ezell
About the Master's Business Ministry, Inc.
 
 

Step Across the Faith Line

 
Matthew 5:8
"
God blesses those whose hearts are pure,
      for they will see God
."
                                                                               
Of the five senses - taste, hearing, touch, sight, smell --- which do you believe is the most important?  That would be a tough call - to make a 'choice', wouldn't it?  
 
Today, February 18th, would have been the birthday of a wonderful, remarkable lady, Marjorie Felps Perdue. She stood tall during her life - with compassion and caring, with always putting others ahead of herself. 'Aunt Marney', as I affectionately called her, was the person for whom I was named (Yes, my 'given' name is 'Marjorie'.). She was an Army nurse, then in civilian life, a 'mainstay' at Our Lady of the Lake Hospital, 'running' the Surgical floor. No one will ever be able to fully list her virtues, the people she blessed, and how she indeed was God's hands, feet, and senses during her lifetime.  I certainly have 'big shoes' to try and fill, but in reality, I never could.
 
A Time to Think
"Every tomorrow has two handles.
We can take hold of it with the handle of anxiety or the handle of faith."
Henry Ward Beecher
 
To Act
Establish habits of faith that will hold you firm in unsteady times.
 
To Pray
Lord, hold onto me as I go forward with faith in You.
                                                                               ~ Daily Thoughts from Guideposts
 
Hope that you have a wonderful day singing praises for all your blessings. Maggie
 
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Step Across the Faith Line
- by Kenneth Copeland
 
"And being not weak in faith, [Abraham] considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah's womb: He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God." Romans 4:19-20
 
In the years I've spent living by faith, there's something I've learned to do that helps me receive from God in the toughest of situations. It's something I call stepping over the faith line.

A faith line is what you need when you want God to do the "impossible" in your life. It's what you need when you want to be firm in your faith and yet you keep wavering back and forth between your circumstances and God's promises--believing first one, then the other.

It's what can make you like faithful Abraham. You know, Abraham had natural facts to deal with just like we do. He knew there was no natural way for God's promise to him to come true.

Yet the Word says Abraham considered not his own body. In other words, Abraham ignored the natural evidence around him and believed only God's promise.

Somewhere he stepped across the line of faith.

He made an irreversible decision to go with the Word of God. He made a final commitment. He chose to step past the point of no return. And if you and I are ever going to see God do the impossible in our lives, we're going to have to do the same thing!

How do you draw that faith line?

Begin with the Word. Search the promises of God and purposely believe what He has said, and is saying, about your need. Meditate on those promises until faith rises in your heart.

Then draw the line of faith. Draw it in your mind and heart. Draw it across the floor in your prayer room. Say, "In the presence of God, in the presence of all the angels in this room, and in the devils face, I am stepping across the line of faith. From this moment on, I consider this matter done. From this day forward, I give God the praise and the glory in the Name of Jesus.

From that moment on, speak only as if your miracle has already happened. Turn your back on the problems, on the doubts, and turn your face toward Jesus.

God will do the impossible in your life. Dare to step across the faith line!
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"Merci" is the French word for "Thank You."

On Air France on the way to a connecting flight in Paris, the
French-speaking crew kept using the word "Merci."

In the Paris airport the word kept popping up again.  I became
sensitive to it.  "Merci" sounds virtually identical to the
English word "Mercy" just a slight difference in enunciation.

Perhaps their tonal similarity is spiritually connected.

When we are thankful, mercy follows.

When things go bad in our world, I often find that the
thankfulness is also gone.  We focus far more on the things that
go wrong than on the things going right.

We wonder why has God abandoned us?
Why are we forsaken?
Why have things gone so sour?
Why is everyone else doing OK but us?

When that happens, we've usually forgotten about all of the
things that have gone right.

'Merci' is a word we no longer speak; therefore, 'mercy' is a thing
we no longer see.

Merci

~ A MountainWings Original ~

Love Who?

Matthew 11:30 
                                 "For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”
 
Two things the devil uses to 'further' his work:  Apathy and 'ignoring' (see attached comics).
 
Apathy is defined as: "Lack of interest or concern, especially regarding matters of general importance or appeal; indifference. Lack of emotion or feeling."
 
To Ignore is: "To fail or refuse to notice; disregard."
 
I think of the truly homeless individual, sitting on the sidewalk as people walk by, refusing to even acknowledge him. (Yes, I'm aware of the ones who 'pretend' to be homeless, racking in money daily, but unfortunately, there are more REAL 'homeless' today than since the Depression.)  However, that's only one example.
 
Doing the Lord's work is not always easy, as a matter of fact, it's usual not.  Or, is that what the devil wants us to think?
 
Deuteronomy 30:10-14
 
"The Lord your God will delight in you if you obey his voice and keep the commands and decrees written in this Book of Instruction, and if you turn to the Lord your God with all your heart and soul.

“This command I am giving you today is not too difficult for you to understand, and it is not beyond your reach. It is not kept in heaven, so distant that you must ask, ‘Who will go up to heaven and bring it down so we can hear it and obey?’ It   is not kept beyond the sea, so far away that you must ask, ‘Who will cross the sea to bring it to us so we can hear it and obey?’ No, the message is very close at hand; it is on your lips and in your heart so that you can obey it."

When we turn our lives over to God, and promise Him that we're going to do His work here on earth, He gives us a complete peace in our spirit, and anything which seems to be 'not easy', our Father will make a path for us to follow..... if we just ask Him and 'let' Him.                                                              

                                                                              Isaiah 43:2 

"When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. 

When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. 

When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; 

the flames will not consume you."

To Act
Create positive messages.
 
To Pray
Lord, forgive me for sometimes taking Your command lightly.
Thank You for the gift of creation and I will do my best to take care of it.

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Coffee Break

 "Love Who?"
 
"By this shall all men know that ye are My disciples, if ye have love one to another."  John 13:35
 
Love is the identifying factor in a Christian's life.  It is what separates us and identifies us with Christ.  Love reflects God's nature and character in our lives.  It is also a commandment from Him for us to live by.  That being the case, who are we to love? 
 
We are to love God.  We are to love our neighbor.  "And He answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbor as thyself." (Luke 10:27)
 
We are to love our "brothers"- those in our natural family, and those in our "spiritual" family- the family of God.  "And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also." (1 John 4:21)
 
We are to love our enemies.  "But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you." (Matthew 5:44)
 
We are to love one another-- each other; whoever that may be.  "This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you." (John 15:12)
 
So, we are to love God, love our neighbor, love our family, love the family of God, love our enemies and love each other.    No one is excluded in our love.  We can't pick and choose who we will and won't love.  
 
You may be thinking about a person that you "can't" love; you might know someone who is "hard" to love; you might even feel that a certain person doesn't "deserve" love.. it doesn't matter, it doesn't exempt you from loving them.  The key to loving people is to first love God.  When we love Him, then His love is what flows from us- not our own- to those we deem unlovable.  It has to be His love that we love them with because His love is the only one that is unconditional.  If He loved us when we were His enemy, when we were unlovable, when we didn't love Him, when we didn't deserve to be loved, then we should let His love do the same thing through us that it did for us.
 
Have a great day.  We can't pick and choose who we want to love, God's command is to love everyone!     
 
I Thessalonians 4:9 - "But we don’t need to write to you about the importance of loving each other, for God himself has taught you to love one another."
 
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Coffee Break is written by Lorraine Ezell
About the Master's Business Ministry, Inc.