Looking in ... or is it Looking out?

Choosing

Today is Halloween, the last day of the month, and pay day for both Jim and I. I haven't written much all week. The computer was giving me fits (virus invaded a week-and-a-half ago), so I asked Jim to reformat the hard drive yesterday afternoon, which he did. It runs much better now; probably partly due to there not being much on it. But I'll be adding more as days go by.

Today's devotional reading in Our Daily Bread was titled "Who is your God?" But before reading it I peeked ahead to Nov. 4, which being election day was appropriately titled "Choosing Our Leader." Scripture was taken from Joshua 24:14-15, which says: "Now therefore, fear the Lord, serve Him in sincerity and in truth, and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the River and in Egypt. Serve the Lord! And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve..."

So, you know, God is in charge. He has been all along, whether we acknowledge it or not. I've seen buttons that say "I vote the Bible." My plan is to vote, make my voice heard, and no matter who is elected president, to continue to serve and follow Jesus.

As for "Who is your God?" there is only one true God. There are many false gods, imaginary gods, but only one true ONE.

I came across notes from a sermon I think my husband gave one time - there were 4 points.
1. Only 1 Truth - Jesus is the son of God. All views can not be right at the same time. People can not make up their own truth.
2. Only 1 Savior - Jesus is the only way to salvation. If you believe in Jesus you will spend eternity with Him. Other religions are alietists; they require something to have. Jesus is available to everyone, to all. You can get through to God via Jesus.
3. Only 1 basic problem with humanity - SIN. It is demonstrated from your own heart. Sins makes us guilty of judgement.
4. Only 1 solution for Sin - Jesus' life for our lives. An atonement, the perfect sacrifice. Jesus loves us enough to die for us.

Who is your God and who is your leader?

I

I feel somewhat down today
Is it because of the cold
the time of year
the many projects I have
and not all my own
why is it?
not just today though
it has been many days
sometimes

I feel so burdened
I think of many
There are many
who cross,
who come,
who are there

Some
I visit with
through Facebook
or
Twitter
or
E-mail
or
phone
or
mailed letter

Some
I make attempts
but success
is fleeting
No answer
No reply
No comment.

They are not there.

And I don't know
where
or why
or what that means
If there is
something
I should be
doing
I do not know.

The tiredness I feel
is not
necessarily
sleepy tired

but
sort of
tired from thinking
would like to
be free
from it all

not
free from being though

Not
interested
in ending
my being.

There is only
1 gospel
There is only
1 way
To life eternal
There is only
1 Christ
1 son of God
Only 1

That 1
is there for me
He can
lift my burden
if it is
His will
My desires
are not
necessarily
His desires --
His will is what matters
ultimately.
But He hears
He listens
to my turmoil
my fears
my concerns

There are
some
They are
everywhere.
think
they
are
Failures
Junk
Unwanted
Unloved
Bored

So easy to fall
in a trap
of self
So easy to fall
into
believing
what another
says of you

Harder to
ignore
to step aside
to push away

Harder to
recognize
you are worthy
you are a
Child of the
King
of Jesus Christ.
His son
His daughter
His.

So hard to do
So very hard
to do.

Help me
Lord
Lift me up
Lord
Show me
Lord
Where Lord
you would have me
go
or
do
or
be
Today.

Be me?

Do I hear
Him

Does He

"Be my child."

Appreciation

I gather much from Pastor Dan's messages morning and evening whenever I am able to attend church. He brings such insight, appropriate to what surrounds us today, or could be, whether within our individual lives, our church, city, state or country. Profound thinkings. I appreciate his guidance as our undershepherd immensely. Thank You!

More photographs

We finally took the roll of film in from pictures taken in the Mount Vernon area in late September, but then because we forgot to get the photos on a CD, had to scan them for use here.




The next two pictures were taken in color, developed in color but scanned in black-and-white. This particular one is rather serene and peaceful, with cattle far in the background. It is located in rural Mount Vernon near the Abbe Creek School Museum. The second black-and-white photo was taken at Palisades-Kepler State Park and is one of my favorites.

This last picture was taken in early October near our house in Cedar Rapids. Our lone tree did not produce the magnificent colors of others and leaves are still on it inspite of the 50 mile-per-hour winds of yesterday.

What might have been

Today is winding down. It's been a busy day. This morning when I wrote in my journal, I noted that it was my parents' wedding anniversary. IF they were still alive, and IF they had stayed married, they would have celebrated 67 years today. But alas, such was not. They made it to 18 years and then a family of 5 (my grandpa lived with us) became a family of 4.

The day was blustery. We heard wind gusts were to get up to 50 mph, and it sure felt like it. It seems winter weather is here way too soon.

Anyway, we have Sunday dinner mostly at home these days - its much more cost effective and the food is delicious. Today, friends George and Jani were joining us and they came about 12:30 p.m. By 1 p.m. we had lost half of the electricity in our house. We spent 30 minutes on the phone on hold with Alliant Energy only to have them tell us we might have to get an electrician. We discovered 1. a cable wire was hanging low; and 2. an electrical wire was somewhat low, with one of two wires that are supposed to be attached to the house, not attached. Alliant would send someone out to check on it. As to when that's pretty much unknown. They have yet to come. A call to an elecrician indicated it would cost $149 just to come check on the problem on a Sunday. No way! I said we should pray first, ask God what we were to do. No charging. We consolidated our debts to avoid the charging rut we were in. There is no way I want to charge anything, no mater what the amount. So we will wait. We are making do. Fortunately, we have heat, the cable works - computers and TV and some of the lights downstairs. As for upstairs, three rooms have electricity - smaller bedroom, bathroom and dining room. But we have lots of power cords and they're in use. We have a garage, and although the electrical door opener doesn't work, we can still pull the door up and down.

Would you believe it was snowing after evening church? Last year we had ice in November, this year we have blowing snow in October. I really hope we do not have a near repeat of this past year.

Well, that's all I have to share with you tonight. I've had my cup of tea and
checked out a new blog. Another day perhaps...

Walk with Jesus: The Bible is Pro Choice

The following Walk With Jesus commentary is copyrighted by Jim Reynolds, pastor of First Baptist Church, LaGrange, Missouri. This particular message is written by his wife, Deanna.

With the election coming quickly upon us, I was rehearsing in my mind all the different reasons given for one being “pro-life” or “pro-choice”. I remembered a verse from Deuteronomy 30:19. “I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. So CHOOSE…..”

We all make decisions countless times a day: what to wear, what to eat, what to read, etc. But we also make much more critical choices on a daily basis. For example, I choose not to die from lung cancer, therefore, I choose not to smoke. I choose to do everything within my power to not die from heart disease, therefore, I choose to eat healthy and exercise regularly. I choose to not wake up with a hangover, therefore, I choose to not consume alcohol. I choose to not die by lethal injection or electric chair, therefore, I choose to not murder. I choose to not pay $100 speeding tickets, therefore, I choose to not speed.

As a single adult, I chose to not suffer from sexually transmitted diseases and unwanted pregnancies, therefore, I chose abstinence until I was married. All of my choices have a common goal – to avoid negative, unwanted, harmful, even fatal consequences. For the same reasons, I choose to stay out of debt, save money, remain faithful to my spouse, pray for my children, obey the law, treat others with respect, and the list goes on and on. Besides simply being the right thing to do, I choose not to suffer unnecessary consequences. I experience enough consequences daily when I mess up on “the little things” to understand the idea of “cause and effect.”. I also understand that when I do mess up (which is often) I do not need judgment nor condemnation, but like everyone, I need the love and compassion of God and His Church to accept me and get me back on the right path.

So here’s my point…if a woman wants the “right to choose” whether or not she wants to have a baby along with all the responsibility that raising a child entails, shouldn’t that choice be made long before the actual life of the child is conceived? You see, abortion is not about choosing to not have a child, it’s about choosing to not face the natural result, dare I say consequences, inherent with the risk taken when engaging in sex (whether married or unmarried).

In all of scripture, the Bible clearly points out that we all have free will – FREEDOM OF CHOICE. And there are natural results and consequences, both positive and negative, to every choice. Although the right to choose our actions is freely granted to all, the right to eliminate ensuing consequences is NOT. You can choose to smoke but you cannot decide to NOT have lung cancer once you are stricken with it. You can eat whatever you want and never exercise; however, you cannot choose to no longer have heart disease after the first heart attack. You can choose to exceed the speed limit, but you cannot refuse to pay the speeding ticket once it’s been issued – unless you prefer more severe consequences instead.

Try as you might, consequences cannot be escaped forever. And trying to eliminate initial consequences will bring more severe ones in the aftermath. Gratefully, the Bible is also clear, that when we make wrong choices, we can choose to return to the right path and receive forgiveness. It’s never too late to make that choice.

Like I said, the Bible is Pro-Choice, and graciously it encourages us to make the right choice and then follows it up with the promised blessing. Deut. 30:19 continues “…..So CHOOSE LIFE in order that you may live, you and your descendants.”

When I go to the polls, that is what I promise to do in regards to every candidate on the ballot, regardless of political party – I will CHOOSE LIFE.

My name is Deanna Reynolds and I am campaigning on behalf of the RIGHT TO CHOOSE for the innocent unborn children in America. I approve this message.

Walk WITH Jesus,

Deanna

Additional Walk with Jesus articles may be found here

Vote Values on Nov. 4

God knows the outcome

God knows the outcome of the coming election. He does not approve of attempts to thwart justice for each individual, although He does allow it. ... for a purpose, His purpose.

The sins that come about because of any given calamity reign with the individual - each of us is responsible for our choices, good or bad, thus determining our ultimate destiny, be it reward or punishment.

From Lamentations 3:35-38, the Scriptures say:
"To turn aside the justice due a man before the face of the Most High,
"Or subvert a man in his cause - The Lord does not approve.
"Who is he who speaks and it comes to pass, when the Lord has not commanded it?
"Is it not from the mouth of the Most High that woe and well-being proceed?"

and from Isaiah 45:7:
"I form the Light and create darkness,
I make peace and create calamity;
I, the Lord, do all these things."

He wants ... you want

The joy does not come from finding a specific church to worship at, or people to fellowship with, but the place within our hearts where we find Jesus. The one who died for me (and you), the one who was buried and rose again after three days. ALL for me (and you).

My joy comes from Jesus and goes to Jesus and is Jesus. Only He.

It would be beneficial if Jesus be found in the church where you go and among its people when you fellowship. It makes your life worthwhile. But if you're unhappy, listen, wait, be patient. What does the Lord have to say? Is He telling you to move on or stay. So many times I think He wants us to stay, but we follow our own agenda, whether it be our personal perceived needs and wants or those of our children.

What would the Lord want? He wants us to love each other, but first and foremost, to love him. God sent His only son, Jesus, to die for each of us, to be our personal Lord and Savior. He took all of our sins - past, present and future - upon His shoulders, upon His entire being, carrying them to Calvary. He died so we could have Life. Eternal Life.

He wants us to share His love with others. He wants a relationship with you. He loves you. He cares for you. Do you? Are you?

He wants us to be still. Think on, meditate on what He has to say in His word. Not just gloss over it, reading it, but not reading it.

God doesn't make failures, He doesn't make junk. We may consider ourselves a failure or others may. But why would we listen. Oh I know I have - taken others' words to heart and become depressed. Others have too. We all must overcome our selfishness and our preconceived needs to tell someone why we think their plans or ideas will fail. Our fears often get in the way, whether for ourselves or for those around us we love.

He wants a real heart-to-heart relationship with you. What do you want?

Walk wisely, carefully, diligently

Sunday night my home computer got attacked by a virus and spyware. It got past Avast! anti-virus software installed and infiltrated territory where it was not wanted. Late Sunday night did not bode well at our house. Monday morning was not much better. I was angry and frustrated.

Monday's devotional reminded me of who I am -- A child of the King, and what I need to be doing:

• Walk as children of light.
• Let no one deceive you with empty words.
• Do not be partakers with them that do evil.
• Do not have fellowship with them that do evil - expose them
• Walk wisely, carefully, diligently; not as fools
• Make the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil
• Don't focus on obstacles

Spyware and viruses and such are evil. Don't spend money foolishly to take care of a problem if the problem can be taken care with no money. Not every useful thing to do requires money. Not everything God wants us to do and learn requires money. Money is not the necessity for everything.

This morning I read in Hosea. What I learned from that was God wants a love relationship with each of us personally. He talks of turning his back on us, his chosen, but He never actually does so. He is always present, waiting for us to return from our self-destructive ways to Him.

Are you one of the some?

Some people do not believe in a literal hell. Some people do not believe a child can know what it means to be a sinner and to fully accept Christ as their Savior. Some people think once you've accepted Christ it's over and done with and you can go on and do whatever you desire.

These are lies Satan has told repeatedly and unfortunately some people - a lot of people actually, have bit into them, believing whatever Satan dishes out past present and future. The Bible is not true to them, nothing in it speaks to their heart.

The devotional today talks of breaking the spin cycle and how political candidates' attempts to cast themselves in a positive light is often at the expense of the truth.

Truth. What is truth?

Lies.

Sin.

Death.

Life.

God is truth. Life.

Satan is the father of lies. Death.

God's truth stops the spin of Satan's lies. We must turn from wickedness, deceit, all evil, and look to God and ultimately Jesus, who is Truth.

Birthdays and Home Life

Today is Beanne's birthday. I no longer remember how old she would be, only that it is today. Beanne and her husband Dick were family friends. Dick escorted me down the aisle when Jim and I got married. But they live only in my memories now. Beanne was funny; she once gave me a book about growing old and being able to laugh. I found it - "It Takes A Long Time To Become Young" by Garson Kanin. Maybe I should read it again.

Today is also Moriah's birhday. She is 18. Oh to be that young again. What would I do? I don't know. I'm not sure I would want to start over, unless of course I could take all I have learned with me and proceed onward.

I receive the Home Life magazine through church and in thumbing through the October issue this morning settled on the article, "The Relief of Imperfection" by Joan Webb.

It hit home.

Webb says "You are not in charge of the universe; you are in charge of yourself."

Right. I am in charge of only me. You would have thought by now I would know that. Obviously, that is far from so. For many years I have tried to help family and friends. Even before I became a believer. Tried to come up with ideas, plans of action, to improve another's lot. Why oh why would I do that. I can't do anything.

I have even tried to help my husband.

Such futility. God is in charge. Not me. I need to remind myself of this daily if not more frequently.

In Matthew 16:23b Jesus says, "You are seeing things merely from a human point of view, and not from God's."

That is true. We have only a human point of view to see from and that in itself, is pretty darn imperfect. We are created by God - We are not God.

Webb also says, "A truly loving (yet admittedly) difficult action would be to let those we care about experience the consequences of their decisions. Then God can step in at the point of their felt need."

Does this apply also to those who do not know God?

"We cannot always know God's agenda for another's spiritual maturity or how God purposes to show His power," Webb says.

We are to follow the Lord, obey His commands, but not assume we are on a higher plain than He.

I may think this or that may help another, but instead of pursuing along those lines, I should first pray and ask God's direction. Then I should wait (and be still, quiet) until I hear from God. Waiting, whether for yourself or another, is so very hard to do.

God's lead is perfect. We are so very imperfect. He often points that out, and if we're alert to Him, we hear ... and learn.

Today ... what do you see?

Today is Tuesday. Yesterday was Monday. There was no mail yesterday. Of course I checked the mail box anyway. Yesterday was Columbus Day. Is that considered a holiday too? I thought Columbus Day was Oct. 12. This is week two of twinges of pain in my right wrist. I'm sure I'm supposed to learn something from God, but I haven't figured out exactly what yet. Sometimes I wear a brace, but the brace doesn't really help. Nothing helps it. Not even the arthritis medicine. Time will heal it. Until then, its terribly painful, painful to type, to write, to hold anything. Yesterday morning, when only God saw me, I cried it hurt so bad. Maybe patience, endurance is what I am to learn.

When people observe your life, do they see the love of Christ? ... Well, I wonder.
I wonder what people see about my life. I wonder if anyone would tell me. I wonder if I really want to know. What do you see in me? What I see and what I wish to be seen, it's not the same.

"...quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to get angry. Your anger can never make things right in God's sight." (from James 1:19-20)

"For if you just listen and don't obey, it is like looking at your face in a mirror but doing nothing to improve your appearance. You see yourself, walk away and forget what you look like. But if you keep looking steadily into God's perfect law - the law that sets you free - and if you do what it says and don't forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it." (James 1:23-25)

My goal is to be obedient to the Lord's will.

A dining experience

Saturday afternoon Jim and I were among nearly 30 to participate in an European dining experience. Our church held its second annual Sunday School Appreciation Dinner at Galleria De Paco in Waterloo, Iowa. The restaurant is one of a kind. Owned by the Rosic family, son Paco spent months creating a replica of Michaelangelo's Sistine Chapel on the restaurant ceiling using spray paint. 5,000 cans of spray paint. The finished work is beautiful.

In addition to the unique atmosphere, the food was excellent. The luncheon menu consisted of soup (three choices, I had potato with leek) or salad, sandwiches and dessert. Very filling. Of course you had to meet them halfway and be open to tasting new things. Otherwise, you could leave still hungry.

~~~~~~~~
This picture is kind of strange. It's actually a skywalk, but I thought the lines and reflections were interesting. If you click on the photo you'll get a clearer idea of what I mean. Of course I probably could have cropped it different. But I didn't. So here it is.

Shining the Light

"You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it useful again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless. You are the light of the world - like a city on a mountain, glowing in the night for all to see. Don't hide your light under a basket! Instead, put it on a stand and let it shine for all." - Matthew 5:13-15

My blog, I want to be salt, sharing you Lord, the light of the world, with all.

Help me overcome when I am selfish, help me to not be complacent, to think it is me that accomplishes great (and not so great) things. It is never me, never about me. Help me Lord to always remember the Truths, your truths, not mine. In your name, I pray. Amen.

Thank you

This afternoon Jim and I and friends went to the Christian movie, "Fireproof." I recommend it for everyone. The message of love and salvation is there for all. For more information: The movie ended around 6 p.m., and when we came out of the theater, the sun was just beginning to set. Since I had brought the digital camera with me, I decided to click this picture before heading home. God's beauty is so magnificent.

The four of us came back to our house, where we had a bite to eat and played a game of Scrabble (Jim won and I lost - that seems to be the case even when its just the two of us), and then took our friends back to their place.

As I was driving home on Edgewood Road, we had just gone through an intersection (light was green) and were in the left lane, when a car that should have been stopped, wasn't, and careened around that corner, aimed right at us. I saw him and I think Jim said something and I just put those brakes on immediately. Possibly said a quick prayer at the same moment. I was expecting a crash, but that car did not hit us. When I looked up, the car was being driven recklessly on the curb, speeding away; couldn't get away fast enough. I believe God's angels surrounded our car and prevented anything from happening to us. We drove away without a scratch, without a dent and without any anxiety. Thank you Lord Jesus.

Shades of autumn

I live on a two-block street and most of the trees are still in various stages of green. But there are a few oranges lurking here and there, down the street, up the street. This one is across the street and up one. I like the way the green and orange come together. If I could capture that in a painting. I wonder how long the beauty of autumn will stay.

Thought for the day: You Must Be Born-Again

All the sharing in the world about God means nothing if you have not been born-again, if you have not accepted Christ as your personal Savior. Without a true relationship with God's son, Jesus Christ, you are far, far away from heaven. There is a place called Hell. Make no mistake. Not everyone is heaven-bound. You may want to be, but wanting doesn't make it so. Eternal Security. ... or Eternal Damnation. We, each of us, make the choice.

God's plan of SALVATION ... Admit to God you are a sinner - Believe in Jesus Christ as God's son - Confess your faith in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.

We are ALL God's people, but ALL do not follow the Lord God almighty. God sent His son, Jesus Christ, to be the propitiator for our sins -- Jesus took ALL our sins on himself; He was bruised, beaten, nailed to a cross for ALL of our sins. He died for ALL, everyone, you and me. But not all care or believe; many are wayward and follow a different set of rules -- their own. To follow the Lord, you must obey His commandments. Jesus died and after 3 days, He rose again. And after 40 days, He ascended into heaven, where he sits at the right hand of the Father, making intercessions for us always. The Lord God created the world and mankind (male and female) and ALL that is in it. If you follow a different god ... don't be surprised or bewildered when the Lord renders judgement against you.

Baptist or Methodist or Lutheran or Catholic, any Protestant denomination, or Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, Jehovah's Witnesses, Christian Science, Mormoms ... No matter what you make claim to, IF you are not a born-again believer in Jesus Christ, you are destined for a fall.

Another look at forgiveness

Today's devotional is about forgiveness. I last wrote about this topic on Sept. 4.

Today's Scripture reading covers the Lord's Prayer; Matthew 6:12 specifically. "Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors" (New King James version) says basically the same thing as "forgive us our sins just as we have forgiven those who have sinned against us" (New Living Translation). Our debts ... obligations incurred, sins of omission and commission. Not just money, but words and actions.

I have had a hard time with forgiveness. I think its because I always thought forgiveness meant forgetting and somewhere along the way I found that was untrue. I know the Lord forgave me - He died for me, He went through a lot of pain and suffering just for me. The very least I can do is forgive another. But ...

It's human nature. People say things, sometimes don't mean to, just comes out wrong! Sometimes they do mean it. They really do think you are up to no good. Sometimes you are, sometimes not. The words we say or don't say, the activities we do or don't do. The inflections in our voices. All can cause havoc for another in some form.

Forgiveness is farthest from our mind or heart. I don't like to go there anymore than I imagine you do. I don't like to say "I forgive you" when I'm feeling betrayed, angry...

The Lord Jesus was angry, and betrayed and abused, yet He went to the cross. He died for me.

It is hard to grasp. I know it is true. He forgave me and you. We are to forgive others. He followed His father's will for his life. We too are to be obedient.

When we forgive another, even when the fault remains, we feel cleansed. I feel cleansed. I don't forget, although I try not to bring it to mind again, because that will bring the pain afresh and renew in us a feeling of wrongdoing. We don't want to go there.

As long as I stay focused on Jesus and less on the event that caused me anguish, God's cleansing power within me will grow stronger and stronger each day.

Not today

No thought-provoking comments today. Just a regular day, although some regular days seem so "same-o - same-o." You know what I mean? Same thing day in, day out. I'm ready for a bit of variety ... a little spice.

I had to order some products online, but considering the funds that are dwindling in the checking account, I really wasn't sure how much of anything I was going to order. I did order one thing that we'll be out of before the week's over, and this is Wednesday. Should have ordered it on Monday or last week even. But oh no, that didn't happen. The other item, I got so far as the checking out page and then decided to scrap the whole thing. Wait until the right time. Which might be next payday. Or it might be tomorrow. It does not appear to be today.

On Monday, the property tax statements that are generally due Sept. 1 with a grace period of Oct. 1, arrived in the mail. The statements were delayed because of the June floods. It was one of the few good things resulting from the disastrous floods; for many, it provided more time to come up with the funds, unless of course you pay your property taxes monthly with your mortgage. We don't. Hence, every six months, we fork over hundreds of dollars to the county treasurer. Ours went up $7.52 from last year. Next year it will probably be considerably more.

I remember asking God to help us pay our property taxes. Enable us to pay them. And then I left it there. I did not always used to do this. I would stew about it, you know, fret, worry. I try not to go there as much. It's distressing, it causes stress. I don't handle stress well. I can't imagine anyone does. So I left it with God for the most part. He did come through. He always does. We just have to have faith that He will do what He says he will do. We have to have patience. We have to learn that waiting, yet doing, is the best thing to do.

Property taxes are due Oct. 31. The penalty starts Nov. 1. We'll have the money on the 31st and we'll be among many (I'm guessing) who will be standing in line at the treasurer's office at Westdale Mall. Maybe I should plan to bring a chair or food to eat.

It would be so nice if we could pay yearly what we now pay every six months. Jim and I often talk about moving, retiring to Hannibal, Mo. It's not exactly a retirement resort community, but it is a place we both enjoy. Missouri in general, Hannibal specfically because that is home to Hannibal-LaGrange College, where Jim is an alumni.

This year Jim celebrates 30 years since graduating from HLG. And this year HLG celebrates 150 years since it was founded as LaGrange College in LaGrange, Mo. We plan on attending reunion festivities in early November.

Well, I have some other putzing around to do. Nothing outstanding. Talk to you all next time. Tomorrow maybe. I've had two cups of tea. Have a good day in the Lord.

Don't

God wants us to use our spiritual gifts (God-given special abilities) to benefit others in the church (body of believers). When we work together, we keep the body strong. When some believers don't pull their weight, others far less gifted in those areas must pitch in. That is the theme of today's devotional reading taken from 1 Corinthians 12:14-27.

The Bible is filled with meaning that sometimes is obscure and hard to understand, but it doesn't have to be. Here we see an illustration of one's individual body to the church.

Lets look at the body, yours, mine. Each part of it - the head, ears, eyes, fingers, toes, arms, you get the picture. Each is useful and necessary for the body to work. When a part is missing, another part has to take over, sometimes not doing as well. Like you lose hearing in one ear; well, you still have the other ear, but it has to work harder. And if you have no hearing, some other part of the body has to come to your aid, such as your eyes reading your lips as they move in speech. We are not all whole. We make the best of what we have.

In the body of believers, i.e., the church, we also make the best of what we have. But people come and people go. Sometimes, absorption with self gets in the way of working for the common goal. I Corinthians 12:5-6 says, "There are different kinds of service in the church, but it is the same Lord we are serving. There are different ways God works in our lives, but it is the same God who does the work through all of us."

Teamwork divides the effort, multiplies the effect.

What we don't want to get caught up in is pettiness, trivial things/happenings that do occur within the body that in turn can cause anxiety and turmoil to individuals and possibly everyone else. It is harmful. What good does it produce? What happened to the common goal? Or is it only your individual goals that matter?

In Pastor Dan's message this past Sunday, "A Study in Avoidance" (2 Timothy 2:14-19), he makes four points that are worth remembering and taking to heart:
Avoid wrangling about words. Stop fighting, avoid contention, strife over things that don't matter, are irrelevant to the bigger picture.
Avoid shameful handling of God's word.
Avoid worldly and empty chatter.
Avoid wickedness.

We are responsible for the truth we are shown and we are all to work together for the good of all. Keep in mind God's word in all you do. It's all about Jesus you know. Remember that. It's not about us.

I pray you will

"May you experience the love of Christ, though it is so great you will never fully understand it. Then you will be filled with the fullness of life and power that comes from God." - Ephesians 3:19

I pray this for all. Everyone I know, whether we've met personally or only through an E-mail or just a casual encounter in a grocery or department store. Those I've known all my life or just a brief while. I am sorry for the many mistakes, errors in judgement I have made in my journey thus far and how they may have affected you in some way. I am sure there will be more mistakes to come.

That is how we learn. God shows us the error of our ways and if we are obedient to His way, we will remember, turn aside, turn away, and begin again.

I pray you will accept God's gift of salvation through His son, be filled with the Holy Spirit and experience the love of Christ, and then begin your new life. Amen.

Today is Beautiful Christian Sisters Day

Beautiful Christian Sister
By Maya Angelou
(received in an E-mail)

'A woman's heart should be so hidden in Christ
That a man should have to seek Him first to find her.'

When I say ... 'I am a Christian' I'm not shouting 'I'm clean livin''
I'm whispering 'I was lost, Now I'm found and forgiven.'

When I say ... 'I am a Christian' I don't speak of this with pride.
I'm confessing that I stumble and need Christ to be my guide.

When I say ... 'I am a Christian' I'm not trying to be strong.
I'm professing that I'm weak and need His strength to carry on.

When I say.. 'I am a Christian' I'm not bragging of success.
I'm admitting I have failed and need God to clean my mess.

When I say ... 'I am a Christian' I'm not claiming to be perfect,
My flaws are far too visible but, God believes I am worth it.

When I say ... 'I am a Christian' I still feel the sting of pain..
I have my share of heartaches, so I call upon His name.

When I say ... 'I am a Christian' I'm not holier than thou,
I'm just a simple sinner Who received God's good grace, somehow!

Pretty is as Pretty does ... But beautiful is just plain beautiful!

Everyone is ...

Do you know who everyone is? Everyone is all the people in the entire world. Not just the United States and not just those in your immediate circle. You and your neighbor.

Everyone is either Jew or Gentile. And who are the gentiles? All those who are not Jew -- the Muslim, the Buddhist, the Hindu, the Mormom, the Jehovah's Witness, the Methodist, Baptist, Presbyterian, Lutheran, Catholic, other Christian denominations, the Christian Scientist, Wicca, the unreached. Every single one of us, if we're not Jew, we are Gentile.

And all of us, Jew and Gentile alike, need the Lord. All of us are lost in sin. All of us need the gift of salvation He so graciously and freely offers us. (To know more about this gift click here)

It is a choice we are all given - to accept or reject.

Who are you?

The Bible shows us a picture of who we really are. Of course you have to read it and really think about what it says. Thinking about it. So many times we really don't want to think about who we are, what we are. Sometimes we're unsure, so we ask other people. That can be good or it can be bad.

Someone could tell you you are cool. But why are you cool? Are you cool because you wear nice clothes, because you're cute or handsome? Cool because you drink, you're part of the in-crowd, because you're popular, because you are considerate of everyone around you ... well, there could be many reasons.

It's probably not the best plan to rely on what other people think. You really have to figure that out for yourself. It may take a long time. Or it may not. It's a journey regardless. Sometimes we have an idea of who we'd like to be and sometimes we attempt to be that person and sometimes we succeed. And sometimes we don't.

Still, the Bible has the answers. Look for them. Seek, and you will discover who you really are. And aren't and don't want to me.

Duh!

I talk about my pet peeves and then .... unfortunately, I'll say something that I feel awful about. You know, hoof and mouth disease, where you insert foot before brain is engaged. Well I did it. Not too many minutes ago. Someone called, asking for, you know, those people whose names we don't have. May I talk to so and so. Not if you can't pronouce our names. Then you hang up.

Well now I've started thinking about it. God just interrupted my thoughts to let me know its not a very good witness of my walk with Him if I'm not cordial and pleasant. So, guess I'll have to work on that.

... now I'm afraid to answer the phone.

This and that

I seem to have a lot on my mind today. This is my third post in an hour. When I was looking up the word dissipation in the dictionary, I came across a book I had never seen before and decided it must belong to my husband. The title: "Light From Many Lamps." It's a compilation of thoughts and sayings by famous people through the ages, edited and with commentary by Lillian Eichler Watson, copyright 1951.

For example, from Abraham Lincoln: "Without Divine assistance I cannot succeed; with it I cannot fail."

Arnold Bennett: "You wake up in the morning, and lo! your purse is magically filled with twenty-four hours -- the most precious of possesions."

Mary Pickford: "There is always another chance ... This thing that we call 'failure' is not the falling down, but the staying down."

I'll have to read more of this book.
~~~~~
It really irks me when I get phone calls from people who have no clue who they are calling. They don't know how to pronounce your name, so they add letters. My thinking, if you don't know how to pronounce my name, first and last, I don't know how to find time to talk to you. So thank you and good-bye.

Be filled with the Spirit

"Don't be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, let the Holy Spirit fill and control you." (Ephesians 5:18, New Living Translation)

All believers are sealed with the Spirit when they believe, but not all are filled. Our Christian walk begins the moment we accept Christ as our Savior. Through Bible study, prayer, worship, meeting together with fellow believers, we come to an understanding of what life with Christ is. To be filled with the Spirit, we must be obedient to God's commands and yielded to His will, control. As Ephesians 5:17 says, "Don't act thoughtlessly, but try to understand what the Lord wants you to do."

Yielding to God's control in our lives is not normal, because we as humans want the control. We know what's right. We know how to make it work. We know everything. Well, we don't. You discover that as you walk with Christ. You can't learn it, you can't understand it, you can't have any inkling of an idea what its about until you accept and believe and are filled with the Holy Spirit.

I wonder if our boldness in reaching the lost is more so when we are continually yielded to God's will. Acts 4:31 makes me think this is so. "And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness."

When we are filled with the Spirit, "then you will sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, making music to the Lord in your hearts; giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." (Ephesians 5:19-20)

Be Strong In the Lord

One of my favorite contemporary songs is "Be Strong In The Lord," by Linda Lee Johnson (1947) and arranged by Thomas Fettke (1941). It goes like this:

"Be strong in the Lord, and be of good courage:
Your mighty Defender is always the same.

Mount up with wings, as the eagle ascending:
Victory is sure when you call on His name.

Be strong, be strong, be strong in the Lord:
And be of good courage, for He is your guide.

Be strong, be strong, be strong in the Lord:
And rejoice, for the victory is yours."

Ephesians 6:10 tells us as believers to "be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might." We are to "put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles (influences) of the devil." (v. 11)

Picture a Roman soldier preparing to go to battle. He is decked out head to toe in combat uniform to protect himself against the enemy. If he isn't prepared, death could be imminent. The same is true for the Christian soldier. We are to be prepared to do battle every day; not in the physical sense, but the spiritual.

Ephesians 6:14-18a says: "Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit."

The Armor:

The belt of truth (know, speak the truth, affirm belief in the truth, respond to life's problems and challenges with the truth)

The breastplate of righteousness (choosing to do what is right in God's eyes)

The shoes of the gospel of peace (readiness for action in His service)

The shield of faith (live by faith, continually choosinig to trust God and not believe the enemy's lies)

The helmet of salvation (eternally secure)

The sword of the Spirit (know and use God's Word)

An ongoing relationship with our Lord and Savior will enable us to always Be Strong in the Lord.

Tomorrow's world today

Tomorrow's world will be shaped by what we teach our children today.

If we teach them that intentionally killing or murdering is okay under any circumstance then that is what they will remember and will teach the next generation.

Children ... all of us ... are a gift from God above. Don't abuse it.