tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-43078116319710180822024-03-13T10:13:25.055-07:00....................Truth for Tea..................Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger112125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4307811631971018082.post-403345315047614732015-01-30T22:00:00.001-08:002015-01-30T22:28:23.159-08:00Tyrannies and Victories<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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There are many things people want to be liberated from, many kinds of tyranny from which we would like to escape, but one of the inescapable ones is the tyranny of change. ( I didn't make up that idea. I got it from Paul, reading the Phillips translation of Romans 8:20-21.)<br />
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Most of us are ambivalent about change. We say, "Let's do this for a change, " or "I've simply got to have a change," and in the next breath we moan, "Oh dear, how things have changed! They're just not the same anymore." Lots of people do things purely for the sake of doing something different. And of the ironies (tyrannies are full of ironies) is that things don't necessarily turn out to be all that fresh and original after all.<br />
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The ocean can teach us very many things. Change is its essence. It can be counted on ceaselessly to change, and this is the source of its beauty. The waves roll in, and this is the cource of its beauty. the waves roll in, sweep the shore, suck out and roll in again. It does this in almost hte same way each time, but there is something endlessly fascinating in watching how it happens. The swell and the crest, the break and the crash, the glass-green turning to milk-white, the cream, the foam, the bubbles, the think sheet that slides back so smoothly and disappears so suddenly -- who can take his eyes off it? But each chane is in perfect harmony with the nature of the ocean.<br />
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We need not be always seeking something different, something other, out of mere restlessness. There are enough changes we cannot stop, which are of the essence of this life and are meant to be. They are meant to drive us to God.<br />
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The world of creation, said Paul, has, in God's purpose, been given hope. "And the hope is that in the end the whole of created life will be rescued from the tyranny of change and decay, and have its share in that magnificent liberty which can only belong to the children of God."<br />
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<i><u>Twelve Baskets of Crumbs</u>, by Elisabeth Elliot</i></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4307811631971018082.post-13459172547783442052012-08-26T21:54:00.000-07:002013-02-26T21:58:16.803-08:00Spiritual Pruning <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Vines must be pruned. T life of the vine is strengthened in one part by another part's being cut away. It is necessary business, for only the well pruned vine bears the best fruit. Pruning increases yield.<br />
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So also in the spiritual life. We may pray a prayer such as Lancelot Andrewes prayed int he seventeenth century. <i>"O direct my life towards Thy commandments, hallow my soul, purity my body, correct my thoughts, cleanse my desires, soul and body, mind and spirit, heart and reins. Renew me thoroughly, O Lord, for if Thou wilt Thou canst"</i> (Lancelot Andrewes and His Private Devotions).<br />
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<i><u>A Path Through Suffering</u> by Elisabeth Elliot</i><br />
<i>I highly recommend this book! Get it today and finish this wonderful study!</i></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4307811631971018082.post-78082793465882155602012-08-26T19:28:00.000-07:002012-09-16T19:34:57.484-07:00Developing a Passion for God's Word - Part 1<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<i>But those who wait on the Lord</i></div>
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<i>shall renew their strength;</i></div>
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<i>they shall mount up with wings like eagles,</i></div>
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<i>they shall run and not be weary,</i></div>
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<i>they shall walk and not faint.</i></div>
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<i>--Isaiah 40:31</i></div>
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As a busy woman, your natural tendency at the sound of the alarm each morning is probably to hit the floor running (like me!). The blare coming from your clock reminds you (once again!) that you are faced with a life full of responsibilities.<br />
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And if we look a little deeper into our hearts, we also find thoughts like these -- "I'll never get it all done...especially if I take time out of my hectic schedule to read my Bible and pray!"<br />
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But, dear one, the exact opposite is true for you and me as God's busy women, for it was our Lord Himself who said, "<i>Without Me</i> you can do nothing" (John 15:5).<br />
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Like an Eagle<br />
By contrast, the Bible teaches us that <i>with</i> Him we can "mount up with wings like eagles" (Isaiah 40:31). Can you imagine...soaring through you pressured days like an eagle?! Watching eagles first-hand can give you an understanding of Isaiah's imagery of strength and endurance.<br />
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For instance, an eagle...<br />
...has a wingspan of up to seven feet (how majestic!)<br />
...flies higher than almost any other bird, up to 10, 000 feet (how awesome!)<br />
...glides easily at up to 2400 feet altitude (oh, for the ability to rise above life's demands and difficulties!)<br />
...moves up to 150 miles an hour (and oh, for the ability to speed through our daily work!) and<br />
...can carry objects equal to its body weight (no task is too daunting!).<br />
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With such grandeur available to our imagination it's clear that even with our multitude of responsibilites, we must be women who wait on the Lord. In spite of the busy-ness of life, you and I must learn to look to Him each new morning. We must realize that <i>life</i> management is really <i>spiritual</i> life management. So we must pay attention to a handful of daily disciplines that are sure to ignite in us a passion for the Lord and equip us for living out His plan each day...and for life!<br />
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Three Small Steps<br />
Here's a little three-step method that helps us tend to first things first...no matter how busy we are.<br />
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1. <i>Time</i> is first on the list. Our time is always well spent when we spend it looking to the Lord through His Word. You and I must acknowledge this truth and accept it for life. We must embrace the challenge to cultivate the discipline of daily time in the Bible into our daily routine. What time?<br />
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2. <i>First</i> time. Aim at giving the first minutes of each day to the reading of God's Word. Proverbs 3:9 instructs you and me to "Honor the Lord with your possessions, and with the first fruits of all your increase." Then comes the promise-- "so your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will overflow with new wine" (verse 10). This proverb is speaking of the blessings that follow the offering of a tithe to God of the first crops from the harvest.<br />
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But the same results occur in the spiritual realm. We are blessed in our spirit and in our practical life when we make it a point to give God the first portion of time from the harvest of each fresh new day, of each new measure of 1440 minutes.<br />
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3. <i>Early</i> time. David wrote these expressive words from the core of his heart -- "O God, You are my God; early will I seek You; my soul thirsts for You" (Psalm 63:1). Many of the great heroes of the faith sincerely sought communion with God early and earnestly in their day. For instance,<br />
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--Abraham rose up early in the morning and went to the place where he met with the Lord (Genesis 19:27).<br />
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--David wrote of morning worship with these utterances: "My voice You shall hear in the morning, O Lord; in the morning I will direct it to You, and I will look up" (Psalm 5:3). I particularly love the translation that reads, "at dawn I hold myself in readiness for you, I watch for you."<br />
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--And our Lord Jesus rose up early, while it was still night, literally a long while before daylight, to converse in solitude with His heavenly Father (Mark 1:35).<br />
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Three small steps. And three simple steps any woman can take! A <i>time</i>, the <i>first</i> time, and an <i>early</i> time. As I'm thinking back to the eagles, I realize that it comes for a purpose -- to get food for the day. And it comes as the <i>first</i> act of its day, taking care of first things first, the priority of ensuring sustenance, nutrition, and energy. And it comes <i>early</i> --at the first hint of daybreak, as soon as it can see.<br />
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You and I need the spiritual food only the Word of God can provide...and that takes <i>time</i>. And we need to gather that food <i>first</i> thing each day, before life presents its daily demands on our hours and our energy. And we need to do it <i>early</i>, before the rush and clamor of the day begin. <br />
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<i><u>Life Management for Busy Women</u></i> by Elizabeth George</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4307811631971018082.post-48178555400303268332012-08-19T18:19:00.000-07:002012-09-16T18:19:58.264-07:00God's Guidance<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
To ask for guidance of God is to make a choice, and this takes faith. It must be faith of a far higher kind than the breezy "if I like what I see I'll take it." It is the faith that has strength to wait for the rewards God holds, strength to believe they are worth waiting for, with the price asked. Our prayers for guidance (or for anything else) really begin here: I<i> trust him</i>. This requires abandonment. We are no longer saying. "If I trust him, he'll give me such and such, " but, "I trust him. Let him give me or withhold from me what he chooses."<br />
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Nothing I have to say here is new. It is a well-worn path that thousands have traveled; but I have written down in very simple terms what I have seen on the way, hoping that one more witness will be an encouragement to some who even in the 1990s believe there is a God who can lighten our darkness.<br />
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<i><u>God's Guidance</u></i> by Elisabeth Elliot</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4307811631971018082.post-88357948482309603342012-08-12T17:59:00.000-07:002012-09-16T18:01:12.008-07:00God's Love For You<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Mary stood outside the tomb crying .... She turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus...<br />
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Jesus said to her, "Mary."<br />
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She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, "Rabboni!" (which means Teacher).<br />
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Jesus said, "Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet returned to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, 'I am returning to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.'" --John 20:11, 14, 16-17<br />
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What a wonderful and amazing God we have! With just one word, Jesus changed everything for Mary. He quietly and gently said her name. Once devastated by disappointment, anger, and grief, Mary was now restored to ecstatic joy -- her friend, her teacher, her Lord was alive! Her world was changed and her life had a new outlook all because of one word, and in that one word Mary knew Jesus cared deeply about her and loved her.<br />
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God knows each of you and cares for you just as He cared about Mary. He knows your name; you belong to Him (Isaiah 43:1). No matter who you are or what kind of baggage you carry with you, no matter what you look like or feel like, no matter what you do or don't do, God loves you just as you are right now. You don't have to get your act together, lose ten pounds, run a marathon, write a best selling book, or raise perfect children. You are an extraordinary woman in His sight right now.<br />
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Not only does He love you, He cherished you. He wants to have a close, loving relationship with you like no one on earth can. All you have to do is make yourself open and available to spend time with Him and feel His loving arms encircle you.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4307811631971018082.post-58109014225003660682012-08-05T17:40:00.000-07:002012-09-16T17:42:32.044-07:00Encouragement<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Somewhere I came across the following:<br />
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"Let not this weak, unknowing hand<br />
Presume Thy bolts to throw<br />
And deal damnation round the land<br />
On each I judge Thy foe."<br />
- Alexander Pope<br />
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God help us to be more welcoming, less judgmental; more encouraging, less critical.<br />
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The widow of George Dempster of London (Finding Men for Christ, Touched By a Loving Hand, The Love That Will Not Let Me Go) wrote me after his death that she was praying God would give her <i>"the ministry of encouragement."</i><br />
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God has blessed certain of His servants with just such a ministry.<br />
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John Minder of Florida not only encouraged my husband when a student; he was an encourager to all young preachers who came across his path.<br />
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In England, Lindsey Glegg had such a ministry.<br />
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And Henrietta Mears of the First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood had such a ministry.<br />
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"More people fail through discouragement," someone has observed, "than for any other reason."<br />
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Most families, it seems to me, have an encourager. Not necessarily the oldest, youngest, or middle ones. They seem to have an innate sense of balance, and a good sense of humor. These two qualities almost invariably go hand in hand.<br />
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They are the encouragers. They keep in touch by note or phone call. They smooth things over when the going gets a little rough. They aren't much on sharing their own problems or hurts because they are too busy shouldering those of others.<br />
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One family I know invariably turns to the youngest son -- who is steady, unassuming, loyal, with remarkable wit and uncanny discernment. He is the family rallying point.<br />
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Andrew in the New Testament was a bit like this. He first brought his own brother, Peter to Jesus (John 1:41). Then when there was no food for the five thousand, Andrew brought the lad with five loaves and two small fishes (John 6:8-9). When certain Greeks sought to see Jesus, it was Philip and Andrew who told Him. Andrew was the quiet disciple with the sensitive heart, quick to look for ways to help.<br />
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<i><u>Legacy of a Pack Rat</u></i> - Ruth Bell Graham</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4307811631971018082.post-70037474016776019312012-07-29T23:44:00.000-07:002012-07-29T23:44:00.686-07:00Francesca Alexander - Poem<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: large;">So her life was full of sunshine,</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">for in toiling for the Lord</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">She had found the hidden sweetness</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">that in common things was stored.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i>Francesca Alexander</i></span></div>
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4307811631971018082.post-6494130255617646392012-07-22T23:42:00.000-07:002012-09-06T13:26:02.003-07:00God's Ways<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
"So do not worry and say, 'What will we eat?' Or 'What will we drink?' Or 'What will we wear?' ... Your Father in heaven knows you need all these things. But seek His kingdom and His righteous ways first, and all these things will be given also to you" (Matthew 6:31-33).<br />
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"From a weary laborer, worn with slavish and ineffectual toil, I had become as a little child receiving from God the free gift of eternal life and of daily sustenance -- and prayer, from a weary spiritual exercise, had become the simple asking from the Heavenly Father of daily bread, and thanking Him." <i>Elizabeth Rundle Charles</i></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4307811631971018082.post-55565463884072519442012-07-15T23:34:00.000-07:002012-07-15T23:34:00.570-07:00Ordinary Work<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
"Ordinary work, which is what most of us do most of the time, is ordained by God every bit as much as is the extraordinary. All work done for God is spiritual work and therefore not merely a duty but a holy privilege." <br />
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Elisabeth Elliot</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4307811631971018082.post-30802066513778681292012-07-08T23:31:00.000-07:002012-07-08T23:31:00.405-07:00Ordinary Things<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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"The person who is faithful in little things is also faithful in big things" (Luke 16:10).</div>
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"It's the bits and pieces put together year after year that count. Sometimes we don't see meaning in the little things and we are not conscious of how it all works together to create a powerful image. The little things we do at home ... putting wildflowers in a vase ... an old photograph tucked into a frame, a lullaby each evening by the bedside ... are the putty that holds the mosaic together." <i> Ingrid Trobisch</i><br />
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"There is no act too trifling to be made by God the first link in a chain of blessing."<i> Sarah W. Stephen</i><br />
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"Lord, give us a sense of satisfaction at the end of this day's work. Let us be able to look back on it, whatever its successes or failures ... with the knowledge that it was worth doing and that we did our best." <i> Marjorie Holmes </i><br />
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"Perfection in outward conduct consists not in extraordinary things;
but in doing common things extraordinarily well. Neglect nothing ..." <i>Mere Angelique Arnauld</i><br />
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"It
is easy to make great sacrifices when God does not ask them, but to
give up our own will in each detail of life is something far harder.
And this is what he does ask. To hold ourselves ever in readiness for
His bidding -- to count no token of it too slight -- such is His call to
each." <i>Hetty Bowman</i><br />
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"I felt very inadequate
to do anything for the Lord, but one day I heard someone say that God
does not expect us to be spectacular, He only asks us to be faithful.
He needs us in all the little shattered corners where there are people
hurting, needing encouragement. This is the beautiful part about
ministering for Christ -- we do not have to depend on our ability,
strength or wisdom ...He will be there to enable us."<br />
<i>Sara Abram</i> <br />
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<br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4307811631971018082.post-7950552564796664902012-07-01T23:23:00.000-07:002012-07-01T23:23:57.360-07:00How can you say NO?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: large;">The Creator of the universe</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">wants to meet with you alone daily.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">How can you say no</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">to such an opportunity?</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Emilie Barnes</span></span></div>
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4307811631971018082.post-81714248391608759072012-06-24T23:19:00.000-07:002012-07-01T23:21:38.336-07:00Contemplative Hour at Home<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
"How can a single weekly hour of church, helpful as it may be, counteract the many daily hours of distraction that surround us? If we had our contemplative hour at home we might be readier to give ourselves at church and find ourselves more completely renewed ... Quiet time alone ... prayer ... a centering time of thought or reading ..."<br />
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Anne Morrow Lindbergh</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4307811631971018082.post-85217270838294075722012-06-17T23:16:00.000-07:002012-07-01T23:17:16.340-07:00Really Listen<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
"I still believe that the planning, preparing, fixing, and organizing is important ... After all, I am trying to be faithful to do well the tasks He has set before me. I need to remember, though, that by far the most important thing I can do is to take the time to sit at Jesus' feet and really<i> listen</i>."<br />
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Mary Hampton</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4307811631971018082.post-82999470587962783102012-06-10T23:13:00.000-07:002012-07-01T23:13:35.504-07:00Silence of Your Soul<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: large;">Think not again the wells of Life to fill, </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">By any conscious act of your own will; </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Retire within the silence of your soul,</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">And let God's Spirit enter, and control.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The springs of feeling which you </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">thought were stilled,</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Shall so be deepened, sweetened,</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">and refilled.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Anna J. Granniss</span></span></div>
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4307811631971018082.post-79674566824667055342012-06-03T23:10:00.000-07:002012-07-01T23:11:12.784-07:00Quiet Times<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
"Jesus got up very early ... and went to pray where there were no people" (Mark 1:35).<br />
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"You cannot expect to be victorious, if the day begins only in your own strength. Face the work of every day with the influence of a few thoughtful, quiet moments with your heart and God ...Meet Him alone. Meet Him regularly. Meet Him with His open Book of counsel before you, and face the regular (and irregular) duties of each day with the influence of His personality definitely controlling your every act."<br />
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Mrs. Charles C. Cowman</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4307811631971018082.post-42911679990330523312012-05-27T21:08:00.000-07:002012-07-01T21:08:57.072-07:00Jane Woodfall - Poem<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: large;">Thus will I live and walk</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">from day to day,</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Contented, trustful, satisfied, and still. </span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">What life so shielded, or what life</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">so free,</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">As that within the center of Thy will!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: large;">Jane Woodfall</span></div>
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4307811631971018082.post-45505336016897402622012-05-20T21:05:00.000-07:002012-07-01T21:05:41.047-07:00Trusting In Him<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
"When trouble, restless fears, anxious fretfulness strive to
overpower the soul, our safety is in saying, 'My God, I believe in Your
perfect goodness and wisdom and mercy. What You are doing I cannot now
understand, but I shall one day see it all plainly. Meanwhile I accept
Your will, whatever it may be, unquestioning, without reserve.'<br />
<br />
There
would be no restless disturbance, no sense of utter discomfort and
discomposure in our souls, if we were quite free from any -- it may be
almost unconscious -- opposition to God's will. But we do struggle
against it, we do resist; and so long as that resistance endures we
cannot be at peace. Peace, and even joy, are quite compatible with a
great deal of pain -- even mental pain -- but never with a condition of
antagonism or resistance." <br />
<br />
<i>Henrietta Louisa Sidney Lear</i></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4307811631971018082.post-14819385708325615862012-05-13T21:04:00.000-07:002012-07-01T21:05:02.773-07:00Trust His Ways<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
"Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in Him; and He shall bring it to pass" (Psalm 37:5).<br />
<br />
"Having taken the step of faith by which you have put yourself wholly and absolutely into His hands, you must now expect Him to begin to work. His way of accomplishing that which you have entrusted to Him may be different from your way; but He knows and you must be satisfied. <br />
<br />
There was this lady who entered into this life of faith ... with a wonderful flood of light and joy. She supposed this was a preparation for some great service ... Instead of this, almost at once, her husabnd lost all his money, and she was shut up to domestic duties, with no time or strength left for any Gospel work at all. She accepted the discipline, and yielded herself up as heartily to sweep, and dust, and bake, and sew, as she would have done to speak, or pray, or write for the Lord. And the result was that through this very training He made her into a vessel 'meet for the Master's use, and prepared unto every good work.'<br />
<br />
Another lady who had entered this life of faith under similar circumstances of wondrous blessing ... was shut up with two peevish invalid children to nurse and amuse all day long. Unlike the first one, this lady chafed and fretted, and finally rebelled, lost all her blessing, and went back into a state of sad coldness and misery. She had understood her part of trusting to begin with, but not understanding the Divine process of accomplishing that for which she had trusted, she took herself out of the hands of the Heavenly Potter, and the vessel was marred on the wheel. I believe many a vessel has been similarly marred by a want of understanding these things.<br />
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<i>Hannah Whitall Smith (adapted)</i><br />
<br />
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4307811631971018082.post-77978359009498216432012-05-06T20:43:00.000-07:002012-07-01T20:45:53.830-07:00Victory Over Our Enemy<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
God promised us an abiding place of great victory over our enemy. From the moment God first issued the promise of land to Aram, He described its occupants as quickly as its perimeters: "To your descendents I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates --the land of the Kenites, kenizzites, Kadmonites, Hittites, Perizzites, Rephaites, Amorites, Canaanites, Girgashites and Jebusites" (Gen. 15:18-21. Our Promised Lands are characterized by the presence of victory, not the absence of opposition.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4307811631971018082.post-34076006166181170302012-04-29T20:38:00.000-07:002012-07-01T20:39:49.494-07:00Are You Doing All You Will Ever Do?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
God has far more in mind than bringing forth one kind of fruit from your life. The harvest God desires to produce has the potential of abounding variety. I believe the promises God made to the Israelites for their Promised Land in the tangible realm parallel ours in the spiritual realm. You and I weren't called to become machines of mass-but-monotonous production. Just when we decide our lives are all about figs, God starts mixing up the soil underneath our feet to bring forth some pomegranates. Have you too quickly decided that what you have done or what you are doing is all you'll ever do? Ah, God's far too creative for that. May God use our present journey to shake up some soil.<br />
<br />
If you can't imagine God ever delivering you from the corruption of evil desires and bringing forth a great harvest through your life, you've bought into the lie that God's promises don't apply to you. The Amplified version of Ephesians 2:10 says that you and I are "God's [own] handiwork (His workmanship), recreated in Christ Jesus, [born anew] that we may do those good works which God predestined (planned beforehand) for us [taking paths which He prepared ahead of time], that we should walk in them living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us to live."<br />
<br />
Ephesians 1:18 says, "I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints." Our glorious inheritance in Christ is not meant for heaven alone. The primary context of Ephesians 1 is the impact of our heavenly inheritance on our earthly existence. God knows the plans He has for us, Dear One, but He will not force them on us. Don't miss the word hope. Nothing about your calling or mine is compulsory. God is going to accomplish His agenda regarding heaven and earth no matter what you and I do, but we get to decide whether we're going to be part of His process in our generation. Our callings remain a hope until we allow the eyes of our hearts to be enlightened and choose to accept them.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4307811631971018082.post-39682689435647443352012-04-22T18:38:00.000-07:002012-07-01T18:40:09.785-07:00God Honors Faith<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Faith honors God and God honors faith! A story from the life of missionaries Robert and Mary Moffat illustrates this truth. For ten years, this couple labored in Bechuanaland (now called Botswana) without one ray of encouragement to light their way. they could not report a single convert. Finally, the directors of their mission board began to question the wisdom of continuing the work. The thought of leaving their post, however, brought great grief to this devoted couple, for they felt sure that God was in their labors, and that they would see people turn to Christ in due season.<br />
<br />
They stayed; and for a year or two longer, darkness reigned. Then one day a friend in England sent word to the Moffats that he wanted to mail them a gift and asked what they would like. Trusting that, in time, the Lord would bless their work, Mrs Moffat replied, "Send us a communion set; I am sure it will soon be needed." God honored the dear woman's faith. the Holy Spirit moved upon the hearts of the villagers, and soon a litttle group of six converts united to form the first Christian church in that land. the communion set from England was delayed in the mail; but on the day before the first commemoration of the Lord's Supper in Bechuanaland, the set arrived.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4307811631971018082.post-62007283681922885792012-04-15T18:26:00.000-07:002012-07-01T18:40:47.800-07:00The Weary Times<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
"And he was afraid and arose and ran for his life and came to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there. But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and
sat down under a juniper tree; and he requested for himself that he
might die, and said, “It is enough; now, O LORD, take my life, for I am
not better than my fathers.” 1 Kings 19:3,4<br />
<br />
Elijah was tired. So tired that he was too tired to even vocalize the feeling. There were no words to express this degree of consuming exhaustion. Where was his reward in serving God? he wondered. Was this the thanks he got for standing up to the prophets of Baal? For making a mockery of their so-called god? He could still remember the absolute incredulity that came over their faces when God's fire fell and consumed the sacrifice he had prepared for Him. The fire had consumed everything --the sacrifice, the wood, the stones, the soil, even the water in the trench that had been dug around it. that was all the people needed to see to fall on their faces and worship God. Incensed against the prophets of Baal, the crowd rose and slaughtered them all. And then Elijah had prophesied an end to the drought in the land. As the rain fell, Elijah, overtaken by the power of the Lord, ran ahead of Ahab's chariot all the way to Jezreel.<br />
<br />
You would think that with all these supernatural manifestations of God's Spirit at work, Elijah would get a little respect. But no, that evil queen Jezebel had the nerve instead to threaten his life! Her spirit of oppression spread throughout the land, gripping everyone with fear, including her husband, who yielded to whatever she wanted for fear of being confronted by her wrath. And now Jezebel was infuriated at the death of her lackeys, those false prophets of Baal she surrounded herself with. And her undesirable attention was now vindictively directed toward Elijah. Needless to say, this seriously dampened his exhilaration of calling down fire and rain from heaven. His victory felt short-lived as he ran for his life. He felt so isolated, so spent, so depressed. How God could leave him at the mercy of this wicked woman was beyond him. Why hadn't God struck her down while He was on a roll? After all, Elijah had confronted God's enemies and wiped them out with a vengeance. Didn't one good favor deserve another?<br />
<br />
And yet here Elijah was, fleeing for his life. Perhaps he was getting old. Maybe he couldn't take all this excitement anymore. With resignation closing in around him like heavy velvet curtains, he concluded he might as well die --he had definitely had enough. He was too tired to be startled by even the angel of the Lord who appeared to him, instructing him to eat. Almost in a dreamlike state, Elijah did as he was told, eating enough to strengthen himself to make the journey to Horeb, the mountain of God, driven by nothing more than the desire to get some sort of answer.<br />
<br />
And then He was there...God, asking Elijah why he was there. How could God ask such a question? Didn't He know how hard Elijah had been working for Him? Didn't He know how badly the rest of the people were behaving? How they had persecuted and killed everyone who made a stand for God? Why, Elijah was the only one left. The only one who hadn't compromised his standards. The last one...and now they were trying to kill him!<br />
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He didn't know what to expect as the Lord invited him to stand in His presence on the mountain. At this point, facing the great and powerful wind that tore the mountain apart as well as the earthquake and fire that followed was better than facing Jezebel. But then came the gentle whisper of God, humbling him and asking once again, "What are you doing here, Elijah?" But Elijah missed the real question. "How could you ever feel alone after I've revealed My presence to you in such undeniable ways? Will you always need a major display to be convinced that you're not alone? Don't you know I'm bigger than the box you've put Me in? Don't you know that I am nearer to you in the stillness than I am in all outward manifestations? No, My son, you are not alone. You have reinforcement beyond what your eyes see and your senses conceive. You should have learned that lesson when you were waiting for Me to send the rain."<br />
<br />
As Elijah descended from the mountain, reenergized, refocused, reassured, he felt renewed purpose. He had to work to do. It was amazing the difference a conversation with God could make. How kind He was, always faithful to meet those who called out to Him at their point of need. Not only did He offer food for the body, He gave fortification to the soul.<br />
<br />
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<br />
How many times have you become weary of well doing when you see no immediate rewards in sight? We struggle even more when we suffer for righteousness' sake-- especially when God doesn't seem to come against our enemies the way we feel He should. We can stand in bold, unwavering faith one moment and plummet to the depths of despair and doubt in a matter of seconds once the enemy of our souls rises up to retaliate against us. And we begin to take the spiritual warfare that ensues personally instead of remembering that we never stand alone. It is the One who is within us that the enemy hates. Therefore, an attack against us is an attack against God, and He takes it personally. For this reason we have His promise that He is able tot keep that which is committed to Him, for God defends His own. In that promise we can rest secure that no weapon the enemy fashions against us will ever prosper.<br />
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<u>His Love Always Finds Me</u> by Michelle Hammond McKinney </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4307811631971018082.post-39976018427674629862012-04-08T12:21:00.000-07:002012-07-01T12:21:44.376-07:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<i>"Many, O LORD my God, are the wonders which You have done, And Your thoughts toward us; There is none to compare with You. If I would declare and speak of them, They would be too numerous to count." Psalm 40:5 (NAS)</i><br />
<br />
Rain is depended upon in the jungle. Without it, wells will dry up, crops will die and the temperature will continue to rise. <br />
<br />
One Sunday as I sat under the tree where we had church, my thoughts turned to the rain, or more correctly to the absence of rain. I then realized that in the 14 months that I had lived int he jungle, no church service had ever been canceled for rain. I felt God saying to me, Of course not. You meet under a tree. You can't have church if it's raining. I've got that detail under control.<br />
<br />
What an amazing realization! It had never occurred to me that we had good weather for church, but God had been taking care of it. I never bothered to pray about having good weather for church. Yet God already had it under control. <br />
<br />
When I think about what that means in the rest of my life, I am almost overwhelmed. God proves daily that He is ordering my steps and planning my days. If He takes the time to plan good weather for believers in the jungle who meet under a tree, won't He be planning my life and your life as well?<br />
<br />
--Kristee, South America<br />
<u>Voices of the Faithful</u> by <i>Beth Moore and Friends</i></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4307811631971018082.post-48910852679016385312012-04-01T12:10:00.000-07:002012-07-01T12:11:43.223-07:00King of the Jungle<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<i>And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to Myself." John 12:32 (NAS)</i><br />
<br />
<br />
The Lion of Judah commands and deserves focus from us. We must stay so intently focused on the King of kings that when distractions come, we are not moved! For when our eyes are fixed on Him, we exalt Him, and others will be drawn to Him.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4307811631971018082.post-134039821739296712012-03-25T11:53:00.000-07:002012-07-01T11:58:45.187-07:00Devotional Time = Spirit Repair<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
"That He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be
strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; <i>and</i> that you, being rooted and grounded in love." Ephesians 3:16-17 (NAS)<br />
<br />
What a fitting way to describe our devotional time: repairing the soul by reading God's Word and communing with Him. Like that dilapidated washing machine, my spirit needs the ultimate Repairman. Although I complained abut the washer, it was stronger than my own inner man. It needed weekly repair, while I need it daily.<br />
<br />
At one point, the repairman explained that the washer was used too often. I laughed inwardly at his solution -- if I could just stop dirty laundry from accumulating, all would be well! What a parallel to how the stresses of life wear away our spiritual vitality just like the never-ending laundry wears our the washer's parts.<br />
<br />
We can't stop the stresses of life any more than my family can stop producing dirty clothes. So I keep calling the Repairman to patch up my soul. Our daily "spirit repair" time is what keeps me sharing the gospel.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0