Study

Influence

Maggie — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 17:08:31 GMT

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.

www.mastersbusiness.org

______________________________________________________

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."

Destroy Satan's Stand

Maggie — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 18:03:23 GMT

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

His Word

Maggie — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 20:21:19 GMT

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."

Sharing

Maggie — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 18:18:31 GMT

Revelation 3:20
“Look! I stand at the door and knock.

If you hear My voice and open the door, I will come in,

and we will share a meal together as friends."

Are you all ready for Christmas? Of course I'm not, but in 'pretty good' shape. We're really looking forward to this coming weekend when our lovely 'Texas' daughter-in-law, three of our precious grandMunchkins, and Maria's cousin and her son will be coming in to have a great time 'hanging out' together with our 'local', son and adorable daughter-in-law, and our gift-giving and Christmas dinner, taking in some local holiday fare, a movie, etc.

All six of our grandchildren get along perfectly and they don't get to see each other often. Of course, we'll miss our Texas 'first born', but he'll be working straight-through and unable to come. Anyway, we're really looking forward to it. Now, normally I'd be really stressing, but taking my own advice, I'm NOT. I'll prepare as much as I can, and of course COOK our traditional Christmas food and also my spaghetti with meat sauce.

Spending the holidays with family and/or friends is what makes it special, but during the entire Season, and the whole New Year, DO remember the 'Reason for the Season' and just WHO is with us always.

Although I still have not heard back from several of you, guess I'll assume that those who have written back speak for the majority --- so will continue sending out daily "Thoughts" to all.... and hope that you all know you are in my prayers and thoughts.

We all have been besieged with so very many 'happenings' in this country.... There is so much to cry about, and to pray for. Some have been hit directly, others know of those who have been effected, others know of no one personally, but are still saddened regardless. It is in times like these that we NEED to band together as a country, to stand together as a nation, to pray together as God's family, and not let personal views and opinions interject into our love of the USA.

Take care & God bless, and have a lovely, prayerful day. Maggie

__________________________________________________________________

Spiritual Armor for Spiritual War

"For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." (Ephesians 6:12)

Unfortunately, most of us don't know the first thing about fighting the kind of war in this scripture. For, as Ephesians 6:10-12 says, it's not a battle of flesh and blood, but of the spirit.

Most believers are so earthly minded that they never even realize the actual source of the enemy's attacks. They blame circumstances and people. They waste their energy fighting natural conditions instead of supernatural causes.

We need to wake up to the warfare that's going on in the heavenly realm!

We can get a glimpse of it in Daniel 10:12-20. There, we find that Daniel had been fasting and praying for 21 days, awaiting a word from the Lord. Then, an angel appeared to him 21 days later with the answer. What took him so long? He was fighting the enemy in the heavens.

That confuses some people. They say, "Devils fighting in heaven? I thought God reigned in heaven!" What they don't understand is that the Bible teaches there are three different areas called heaven:

1. The heaven where God resides.

2. The stellar heavens (what we call "outer space").

3. The heavens around this earth (the atmosphere surrounding this planet).

This last heaven is where spiritual war takes place. (That's why Ephesians 2:2 calls Satan the prince of the power of the air.) The air is where wicked spirits operate. From there, they attempt to rule the nations assigned to them.

And rule them they will unless the prayers of God's people keep them from it.

God has an army marching in this land. If we band together, we can prevent the wickedness in high places from ruling our nation. The time has come for us to pray. So, put on your full armor and take your place in the ranks of the faithful in intercession for our country and the nations of the world!

- Kenneth Copeland

Being Thankful

Maggie — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 13:24:59 GMT

"Being Thankful"

Thanksgiving is closely approaching. Everyone is thanking the Lord for His blessings, thanking each other, and most are thanking Him for the 'spread' of food on our Thanksgiving table. I wonder why we don't do that EVERY day? After all, the Lord is with us always and provides for our needs every day, so having a thankful heart continuously seems only right.

Matthew 28:20
" Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you.

And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

I hope that you and yours have a wonderful Thanksgiving, filled with fun
and love for each other, and yes, gratitude over-flowing. Maggie

__________________________________________________________________________

Being Thankful in All Circumstances
by Betty Miller

One of the most important keys that will make it possible for us to walk in kingdom living is our expression of praise. The Lord's prayer begins in an attitude of worship and praise, "Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth" (Luke 11:2). Praise is the will of God, and heaven overflows with it.

"And a voice came out of the throne, saying, Praise our God, all ye his servants, and ye that fear him, both small and great. And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth. Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready" (Revelation 19:5-7).

Since the presence of praise is voiced continually in heaven, our voices should also be lifted up in praise to our Lord. In 1Thessalonians 5:16-18 we are told to, "Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." The Lord tells us here that we are to have an attitude of joy, thanksgiving and prayer at all times, no matter what the conditions or circumstances are that surround us.

This verse does not mean that we are to thank God for bad things and tragedies that come our way. It means that we are to remain joyful no matter what is happening in our lives because we have the Lord, and in Him we shall overcome no matter what the devil is trying to do to us. The Lord does not want us to thank Him for the bad things that happen to us because He did not send them. He is not the author of evil. We are not to become bitter over life's circumstances, but rather to continue to rejoice in the Lord. It is the will of God for us to rejoice no matter what comes. It is not the will of God to receive evil things as from Him. It is an insult to God to thank Him for accidents, sickness, tragedy, etc. He does not send those things to us, the devil does. We are told to resist the devil, and submit to God. (James 4:7, "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.") We are to love and rejoice in the Lord in spite of what the devil tries to do to us.

One of Satan's favorite schemes is to send something bad into someone's life and blame it on God. If he can get people to believe it is from the Lord, he has an easier time convincing them of his next lie, that God has failed them and deserted them. He follows this up with a further lie, "Why go on serving a God who does these kinds of things to you?" Satan's real target is to destroy our faith in God. He just attacks different areas to get at different people.

Our prayers should be in an attitude of praise even in the midst of our trials. We should lift our voices and praise the Lord like this, "Father, I praise You and love You, and no matter what the devil is trying to do to me. I know that You shall bring me through victoriously! Show me what I need to do, Lord. Show me the door that I have opened to the enemy. I resist him in the name of Jesus, and I command him to leave with all of his oppression and attacks. Jesus, You are the Lord of my life, and I submit to You and will never deny You no matter what happens. Praise God!".

Instead of praying like that, many Christians fall for the enemy's lies and come under condemnation and suffering. They begin to question God and even become mad at Him. The fault is not the Lord's but our own. We miss His complete victory because we have attributed Satan's attack to the Lord. We can even open the door for the enemy to come against us by not having a cheerful and rejoicing heart. We may complain and gripe to God about our plight in life instead of using the weapons He has given us to overcome the devil. Telling our troubles to God is not complaining, but blaming God for them is. One of the greatest weapons is our weapon of praise. We must praise God that He is there for us and lean not to our own understanding.

You Are Never Alone

Maggie — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 16:32:05 GMT

Coffee Break

"You Are Never Alone"

"These things I have spoken unto you, that in Me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." John 16:33

These words are the last thing that Jesus taught His disciples in the Book of John before the crucifixion. He was warning them that as long as they were in the world they would have tribulation/troubles/problems/suffering. It is a warning to His disciples today as well.

If we just stopped there we could become discouraged that all we have to look forward to is troubles. But Jesus also gave them some good news- "I have overcome the world, therefore, be of good cheer". How did He overcome? I believe the main key to overcoming is found in verse 32- "Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone: and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me."

When we are facing difficulties and trials, we must remember that we are "not alone", our Heavenly Father is with us. He is walking every step of the way with us. He will never leave us nor forsake us in our time of need. And when He says "never", He means "never".

We may not feel His presence, we may not see His presence but He is there. He was there with Daniel in the lion's den. He was there with the three Hebrews in the fiery furnace. He was there at the Red Sea. He was there when David stood before Goliath. And He is there with you, and always will be. So when you are walking through the valley, through the midnight hour, through the storm, through the fire and when all others have left you, you are not going through it alone. Always remember that and never forget it.

Have a great day. Never forget that you are never alone in your times of trouble.

For further reading:

Hebrews 13:5

Daniel 3:23-25

Matthew 28:20

Psalm 23

<>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <><

Coffee Break is written by Lorraine Ezell

About the Master's Business Ministry, Inc.

www.mastersbusiness.org

Choose

Maggie — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 17:21:19 GMT

Matthew 7:13 - “You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way."
Romans 6:16 - "Don’t you realize that you become the slave of whatever you choose to obey? You can be a slave to sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God, which leads to righteous living."

Hope you have a great day. Maggie _______________________________________________________________________________________________

You're Always One Choice Away from Changing Your Life

Think about this for a moment...one choice, just one, can change your life forever. Simply put, your life today is what your choices have made it, but with new choices, you can change directions this very moment. For me, that idea alone is highly motivational because it offers tremendous hope, regardless of circumstances, for a better tomorrow.

Your life-changing choice may be to switch careers, to leave an abusive relationship, to go back to school, to stop drinking, to adopt a child, to start a business, to manage your weight, to start a charity...to name a few. If you have the courage to do so, you could make any one of those choices, or others, today. And you would change your life.

Sometimes it's a different kind of choice. It can be to not quit, to not give up in the face of adversity. We've all been there.

- from BeliefNet

________________________________________________________________________________________________

The Choice is Yours

"Choose you this day whom ye will serve." (Joshua 24:15)

Choosing to side with God's Word is a continual challenge. It's not some- thing you do just once. It's a process of choosing to believe and act upon the Word of God over and over in every circumstance.

That's what everyone has to do. Years ago I decided I was going to choose Jesus. Since then I've had to choose Him again and again in situations every day. I've chosen Him as my Lord and Savior. I've chosen Him as my Healer. I've chosen Him as my Financier. I've chosen Him as head of my household. I've chosen Him as head of my ministry. And I still have to choose Him moment by moment.

Sometimes that choice gets tough, but God has promised it will never get too tough. In 1 Corinthians 10:13, He says, "There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able." What the Lord is saying is that He will not allow you to be subjected to a temptation you're unable to overcome. With every temptation, He'll make a way of escape. He'll ALWAYS make sure you have a choice.

The devil doesn't come tempt you while God is off somewhere else, unaware of what is happening to you. The Spirit of God is constantly there with you, providing you with the way to overcome. In other words, God matches even the toughest temptations with the weapons and power you need to conquer them. He always makes it possible for you to choose life.

So choose to walk in love. Choose to walk by faith. Choose to live by the Word. Jesus is the Way! Choose Him!

Scripture Study: Joshua 24:14-24

- Kenneth Copeland

ATHLETES IN THE WORLD SERIES

Maggie — Sun, 23 Oct 2011 21:46:09 GMT

Isaiah 41:10

"Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God.

I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand."

I told a friend this morning that no one's lives are the same, with same struggles, stress, or turmoil, and no one can fight our battles for us - EXCEPT our Lord.

The following is a link of some of the players in the World Series expressing their tribute and love for HIM:

http://www.cbn.com/media/player/index.aspx?s=/mp4/SB119v1_WS

There's surely no more I can add. Hope you have a great day. Maggie

Rejoice In The Lord

Maggie — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 16:10:14 GMT

Coffee Break

"Rejoice In The Lord"

"This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it." Psalm 118:24

Not everything that happens to us each day causes us to "rejoice". There are situations that arise, events that take place, circumstances that occur that we can't rejoice over. Today we might get a bad report from the doctor- that is nothing to rejoice over. Our teenage daughter might tell us she is pregnant out of wedlock- we can't rejoice over that. We might find out our spouse has been cheating on us- no one can rejoice over that. The boss might give us the pink slip and tell us to pack up our things we no longer work for them- that is not something we can rejoice over either.

The scripture doesn't tell us to rejoice about the bad things that come our way. It doesn't mean we are to rejoice because some bad or evil thing happened. The rejoicing that it is talking about is in the Lord. In the Book of Philippians we are told to, "Rejoice in the Lord always", and it is even repeated, "And again I say, rejoice".

The rejoicing is not in the thing that happened but in the Lord. I will rejoice because even though this or that happened it can't separate me from the love of God- He will continue to love me. I will rejoice because, even though it was bad, the Lord will make all things work together for my good. I will rejoice because even though some terrible thing has formed against me, the Lord will see to it that it does not prosper. I can't rejoice when evil comes, but I can rejoice in the Lord who will deliver me from evil. I can't rejoice about the battles that rage against me, but I can rejoice in the Lord because He fights my battles for me. I will rejoice in the fact that the Lord is still in control- not my circumstances. I will rejoice in the Lord because I know He sees what is happening and will not leave me nor forsake me but will make a way for me.

While I can't rejoice about a bad thing that may happen in my life today, I can rejoice in the Lord who does not change and who is with me always. Therefore, I will rejoice in the Lord today even when bad things come my way.

Have a great day. Our rejoicing is in the faithfulness, goodness, tender mercies and grace of God- not in the bad things that happen.

For further reading:

Philippians 4:4

Isaiah 61:10

Psalm 97:12; 34:1,2

Habakkuk 3:17-19

<>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <><

Coffee Break is written by Lorraine Ezell

About the Master's Business Ministry, Inc.

www.mastersbusiness.org

Compassion

Maggie — Sun, 18 Sep 2011 15:01:43 GMT

Romans 4:20

"Abraham never wavered in believing God’s promise.

In fact, his faith grew stronger, and in this he brought glory to God."

Where were you on September 11, 2001? I'd venture to say that most of us could pinpoint exactly where we were and what we doing when we first heard about the planes crashing into the Twin Towers, then into the Pentagon, then into the open field in Pennsylvania.

Then came Katrina, Rita, and Ike - devastating parts of America. More recently came, the tornado outbreaks, the floods, and the wildfires. Our country has suffered so many 'recent natural' disasters, and are still seemingly under attack. However, the core of our Citizenship is strong and resilient, and in my humble opinion it's because 'the core' deeply believes in our Lord.

Isaiah 41:10 - "Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with My victorious right hand."

Saturday, on T.V., I saw a graph illustrating church attendance from the weekend after '9-11' until now. It spiked at first, then gradually began to fall - as people returned to their previous life. How sad is that?

Each morning, I pray, "Dear Lord, I pray this country repents and returns to one Nation under YOU. I pray for its safety and its protection; I pray for the wisdom and discernment of ALL 'governmental employees' to hear Your voice and to follow it - local, state, and national; I pray safety and protection for all our military and their families, our missionaries and their families, and all our first responders - police, firemen, and paramedics. I also pray for safety and protection for our country's Pastors and their families, and for all our nation's children - the 'innocent' - and the travelers." Then I pray for 'personal' prayer requests and others' needs.

With the 'heart' feeling for our fellow man and with the compassion we have for others, in doing God's work here on earth, we can stand firm regardless of the adversities against which we may come.

Hope you have an amazing week, take care, and God bless always. Maggie

__________________________________________________________________

Compassion in Action

"But when he saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd." (Matthew 9:36)

Compassion. That's the one thing people need more than anything else in this world. They need someone to reach out to them with the compassion of God.

Compassion is a deep yearning that responds to the needs of people. It's much deeper than sympathy. Sympathy can just sit around feeling sorry for people. Compassion has to do something for them.

Compassion is what motivates God, and Jesus' life on earth was a picture of that compassion in action. His whole ministry was driven by it. It was compassion that caused Him to multiply the loaves and fishes, heal the sick, cast out demons and raise the dead. It was compassion that compelled Him to go to the Cross. And it's that same compassion that He now longs to pour out through you.

That's a staggering thought, isn't it?

It's staggering to realize that we believers are the only body Jesus has on this earth now. His healing must flow through our hands and our faith. His compassion must move us to provide for the hungry. It must compel us to cast out demons and set the captives free.

"But, Brother Copeland, I don't have that kind of compassion!"

Yes, you do. If you have the Spirit of God dwelling inside you, you do-- because He is that kind of love! You simply need to activate it.

How? Just like Jesus did when He walked the earth. Through prayer and fellowship with the Father. Look through the Gospels and notice how much time Jesus spent alone with the Father. That time activated the compassion of God within Him. It caused Him to feel what God feels about the suffering of mankind. It stirred Him so much that whenever He encountered a need, He met it by the power of God.

Follow His example. Spend time in fellowship with your Father. Meditate on His compassion until it rises up strong on the inside of you. Stir it up until the desire to see others set free becomes paramount in your thinking.

Jesus has sent you to reach out and touch a love-starved world with His compassion.

If you don't do it, who will?

- Kenneth Copeland

__________________________________________________________________
Strength Made Perfect

"And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for My strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me." (2 Corinthians 12:9)

When you run into an impossible situation, a situation you simply don't have the strength or the ability to handle, are you often tempted to simply give up and accept defeat? Don't! Instead shout, "Glory!" because the Word says God's strength is about to be made perfect in you.

The word translated "strength" in this scripture is dunamis. It means "God's miracle-working power." Just think about that. When your human strength ends, God has promised that His miraculous power will bring you through!

If you'll look in Acts 14, you can see that promise in action. The apostle Paul was stoned by a group of Jews, taken out of the city and left for dead. Paul's human strength had ended. He was absolutely powerless.

But the disciples gathered around him and prayed, and the Lord raised him up and he went on his way. In other words, when Paul didn't have enough human strength to overcome, God's miracle-working power was sufficient for him. It enabled him to be an overcomer in spite of his weakness!

So, if you are facing a crisis today. If you're sick and medicine has failed you. If your finances are out of control. If your family is falling apart. If bad habits have you hopelessly bound. If you've done absolutely all you know to do and you still haven't gotten results. Then rejoice! For when human strength ends, the power of God excels! Only believe! God's grace is sufficient for you!

- Gloria Copeland

__________________________________________________________________

In Comparison

Maggie — Sun, 18 Sep 2011 03:34:20 GMT

Isaiah 40:18
"To whom can you compare God?
What image can you find to resemble Him?"

It is impossible for our human minds to fully imagine 'GOD'. Then, we can think how awesome it is that God's knows us all - individually.

Jeremiah 1:5

“I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb.
Before you were born I set you apart
and appointed you as my prophet to the nations.”

Luke 12:6-7
“What is the price of five sparrows—two copper coins? Yet God does not forget a single one of them. And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows."

Romans 1:17
"This Good News tells us how God makes us right in His sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scriptures say, 'It is through faith that a righteous person has life'.”

Our Lord is amazing, far more than we can ever truly imagine. Hope you have a great day. Maggie

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In Comparison

Genesis 1:1-5 - "First God made heaven & earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep; and the Spirit of God was moving over the face of the waters. And God said, "Let there be light"; and there was light. And God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness. God called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, one day."

In the early 80's the Internet didn't exist, almost no one had a computer in their home, and those could do little more than play games. Video tapes were becoming common and there was still something called "Beta Format" vying for the dominant video tape recording format against VHS.

In comparison, while writing the above paragraph, my computer also burned an audio CD of a message recently heard in our church. The audio quality is great and disc could have held twice as much audio data. In fact, that little cheap disk holds roughly 3000 times more information than the hard drive on my first MS DOS based desktop computer!

Amazing what man has been able to create and use, isn't it? It took humanity approximately 6000 years of recorded history to bring about these modern computer marvels and a few decades to change from tape to digital media.

By comparison, the Bible declares that God spoke all energy and matter into instantaneous existence. God didn't have to do any research or go through a lot of trial and error. His Word was enough. Yet Satan would have us forget these facts as life's trials come our way. Instead of remembering how great our God is, we focus on the temporary problems of this life.

Look around you today and remember the great God who wants you to get to know Him!

- by The Circuit ‘Riter, Michael Ullrich

Think You've Got It Bad?

Maggie — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 12:56:31 GMT

Man, just when you think your life is getting too full of unwanted 'STUFF', you hear about several friends and/or family

members whose lives are being bombarded with 'junk'.

It really puts your brain and your mouth back into the gear it should be.

Charlie's Advice

Are you upset little friend?
Have you been lying awake worrying?
Well, don't worry...I'm here.
The flood waters will recede, the famine will end, the sun will
shine tomorrow, and I will always be here to take care of you.

~ Charlie Brown to Snoopy ~

Every once in a while, an astoundingly, astonishingly awesome statement will come out a 'daily cartoon'.... such as above. When I first read this, I thought that it could have been said by God, because He does promise us that He will take care of us.

I will repeat my favorite scripture: Isaiah 41:10 - "Fear not, for I am with you, be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my victorious right hand."

Unfortunately, there are times when the "human" side of us forgets this, and that's a shame. If we repeatedly remember His promise, we can live our lives with joy, coming from our strength in our faith.

Psalms 51:12 - "Restore to me the joy of thy salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit."

Psalms 126:5 - "May those who sow in tears, reap with shouts of joy!"

Ecclesiastes 5:20 - "For he will not much remember the days of his life because God keeps him occupied with joy in his heart."

Isaiah 35:10 - "And the ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion with singing; everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away."

Jeremiah 31:13 - "...... I will turn their mourning into joy, I will comfort them, and give them gladness for sorrow."

Colossians 1:11 - "May you be strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy"

1 Chronicles 16:27 - "Honor and majesty are before Him; strength and joy are in His place"

John 15:11 - "These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full."

Nehemiah 8:10 - "Then he said to them .....for this day is holy to our Lord; and do not be grieved, for the joy of the LORD is your strength."

Psalms 28:7 - "The LORD is my strength and my shield; in Him my heart trusts; so I am helped, and my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to Him."

Isaiah 40:31 - "but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint."

Ephesians 3:16 - "that according to the riches of His glory He may grant you to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man"

Ephesians 6:10 - "Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might."

2 Thessalonians 3:3 - "But the Lord is faithful; He will strengthen you and guard you from evil."

Psalm 55:16 - "As for me, I shall call upon God, and the LORD will save me."

Hope you have a blessed day. Maggie

Are We There Yet?

Maggie — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 13:28:51 GMT

Luke 6:21

"Blessed are you who hunger now, for you shall be satisfied.

Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh."

John 15:11

"These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you,

and that your joy may be made full."

I'm going to start exercising AFTER vacation. I'm going to clean out the garage when the weather's not so hot. I'm going to write to that friend when
I have more to say...... same about phoning another friend. I'm going to clean and organize my entire house after this headache stops. I'm going to start reading more of the Bible every day. I'm going to pray more, even when there's no 'catastrophy'. Have you ever been 'there'? Let's face it, there's hardly ever a 'perfect' time to do everything we'd LIKE to do. Guy Penrod sings a song in which is said, "It's not that you fall, but that you get back up." It's STARTING the race, the project, the 'Resolution'...... THAT's the hard part.

Hope you have a great, cool day. Maggie

__________________________________________________________________

Be of Good Cheer

"And now I exhort you to be of good cheer." (Acts 27:22)

What do you do when you're in a really perilous situation?

What is a faith cry? It's calling things that be not as though they were (Romans 4:17). It's what the Bible means when it says, "Let the weak say, I am strong" (Joel 3:10).

The Apostle Paul knew how to use the faith cry. That's why in Acts 27 he exhorted the men on that battered, sinking ship to "be of good cheer." He was telling them to start acting by faith. Can't you imagine what those sailors thought when he said that? "Listen to that stupid preacher. We're sinking and he says be of good cheer. We've thrown everything we have overboard and he says be of good cheer."

You may feel just like those sailors did, right now. You may feel like your ship's going down. You may feel like crying out in desperation. But don't do it. Instead, do what Paul said and be of good cheer!

Cry out to God in faith and say, "Lord, I'm not going to panic. I'm not going to despair. I'm going to be of good cheer because Your Word says You'll deliver me from this situation" (Psalm 34:19 - "Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD delivers him out of them all.)

Then start being cheerful. It may take more determination than anything you've ever done before, but God will give you the strength to do it. He'll give you the power to be cheerful in the middle of the most ungodly darkness the devil can bring up.

Instead of crying out in desperation, take a faith stand. Sing and rejoice and praise God for your deliverance. Be of good cheer and you can be sure God will bring you through the storm just fine!

- Kenneth Copeland

__________________________________________________________________

The Splinter - from MountainWings

Once there was a man who thought to cross America on foot.
He bought a map of the USA and carefully plotted out his course.
He would take the back roads and walk from morning till night,
viewing the beautiful land all around him as he went, stopping
at wayside inns and spending the night, rising the next morning
to begin his journey again.

On the morning of the beginning of his journey, he walked
outside on his porch and viewed the beautiful sunrise.

As he headed back into his house, his foot caught on a loose
board and a splinter wedged in the ball of his right foot.
The man sat down and lifted his foot and yelled at the splinter,
"Out! Get out of my foot! Out, I say!"

Rising, he went inside and finished preparing for his journey.
Heavy socks and thick walking shoes were to be his protection
against the hard earth. T-shirt and shorts would be his main
clothing. A backpack with a change of clothes and trail mix, a
map and plans for the trip, identification and a first aid kit
along with various other items completed his gear. A full belly
and plenty of sunscreen and he was off on his journey.

The man had not gone very far from home when he started to limp.
The splinter seemed to grow larger and larger. But the man was
determined and continued on his way.

That night he stopped at a little Bed and Breakfast Inn and got
a room for the night. After eating supper at a local diner, he
prepared for the morning before going to sleep. Finishing his
shower, the man sat on the side of his bed, lifted his right
foot and yelled at the splinter, "Out! Get out of my foot!
Out, I say!" And then he went to bed.

The following morning, the man rose up and started dressing for
the day. He lifted his foot and yelled at the splinter, "Out!
Get out of my foot! Out, I say!" Then he renewed his journey.

The sun rose with a spectacular view as the world shimmered
awake, but the man limped by with his eyes on his right foot,
glancing up only now and then, missing a lot of the views.

The roadside bloomed in wonderful shades of blues, greens, reds,
yellows, purples, oranges and burgundies. Rabbits hopped and
deer cropped in the fields all around. The birds sang and flew
all around the man, but he was unaware. The splinter was bigger
now, of that he was sure, as big as a two by four or maybe
more.

The sunset came that evening in glorious hues of purples, reds,
oranges and blues, but the man did not notice. He focused on the
painful throbbing of his right foot.

His mornings and nights started rolling together as the splinter
grew and grew and grew, and his limp got bigger and bigger and
bigger. His views got smaller and smaller as he focused more and
more on his right foot.

Each morning and each night, the man would lift his foot and yell
at the splinter, "Out! Get out of my foot! Out, I say!"

Halfway across America he went, inch by painful inch. Finally he
could stand it no longer, caught a bus and went home.

Calling his best friend along the way to tell him he was coming
home, the man settled into the swaying of the bus. Every so
often, he would take off his right shoe, remove his right sock
and yell at the splinter, "Out! Get out of my foot! Out, I say!"

Home at last, the man limped down his driveway to find his best
friend waiting for him on his doorstep. All excited, his friend
asked him about what he had seen, where he had gone and what he
had done.

The man had nothing to tell him but the splinter that was lodged
in his right foot. It hurt so much that he didn't feel like
looking at the view. It hurt so much that he didn't feel like
walking, much less going anywhere special. It hurt so much that
he didn't feel like doing anything exciting. It hurt so much
that he came home with his journey incomplete.

Then his friend asked the man,

"Why didn't you remove the splinter?"

So many times in life, we let splinters get in our way.
Instead of removing them and enjoying the rest of our journey,
we simply yell at them thinking they will respond to our
complaining and fussing. Then we cut the trip short.

What splinters do you carry?

~ Author Unknown ~

__________________________________________________________________