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scripture
Proverbs 22:7
The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is slave to the lender.
scripture
Psalm 31:19-24
How abundant are the good things that you have stored up for those who fear you, that you bestow in the sight of all, on those who take refuge in you. In the shelter of your presence you hide them from all human intrigues; you keep them safe in your dwelling from accusing tongues. Praise be to the LORD, for he showed me the wonders of his love when I was in a city under siege.
In my alarm I said, "I am cut off from your sight!" Yet you heard my cry for mercy when I called to you for help. Love the LORD, all his faithful people! The LORD preserves those who are true to him, but the proud he pays back in full. Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the LORD.
Faith is the possibility of the removal of every ground of confidence except confidence in God alone.
Karl Barth
| Getting Out of the Valley - #5734 A Word With You - Your Hindrances
My friend Andy used to pastor in West Virginia. The little town they lived in was situated in a long, narrow valley - a pretty dark valley, according to Andy. The sun didn't rise high enough to shine on that town until mid-morning, so it was dark for quite a while each day. My friend said that the town itself was kind of a dingy, dirty place. It's the kind of place where you often battle feeling down. But Andy used to love to go up on the mountain that overlooked the valley, and from up there, he said the view was beautiful. Even the town looked nice from up there! I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Getting Out of the Valley." When you can get above the valley, that panoramic view makes everything look different. If you're spending some time in your own valley right now, that may be something you need to remember. And there's a simple six-letter word that represents that view from the mountain that changes how everything looks. It's found in our word for today from the Word of God in Psalm chapter 8 beginning in verse 1. "O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is Your name in all the earth. You have set Your glory above the heavens. From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise because of your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger. When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have set in place, what is man that You are mindful of him?" Did you catch the word that changes the view? Praise: That is focusing on the size of your God instead of the size of your problems, reminding yourself of the great things God is to you and the great things He has done for you, and celebrating who is really in charge in these circumstances. Praise actually has the power to "silence the foe and the avenger." If that refers to Satan, you need to know that Satan can't stand to be around you when you're praising your Lord. And praise takes away the negative attitudes and the discouragement that our enemy loves to work with. Discouragement and depression, they themselves are "foes" and "avengers" in our lives. And the darkness of the valley often causes us to succumb to our dark side, to emotional paralysis, or to giving up, until we make the choice to climb up on the mountain that takes us above all that - Praise Mountain. You may not feel like praising God, you probably don't. That's when you need to praise God the most. It's a conscious choice to begin saying and singing God's praises instead of your complaints. Start celebrating the many ways that God has worked over the months and the years. Look at the progress you've made - at how far you've come, not just how far you still have to go. Thank God for the things that didn't happen that could have happened. Praise Him for places you can see Him working in just the last 24 hours in spite of your difficulties. Start talking up the qualities you love about your Lord, the qualities that you're counting on to get you through right now. The problem is that we get all focused on the sad situation right in front of us as if that's our whole life. It's only a small dot on a big canvas. Stand back and look at that big canvas and see the glorious things God has done in your life, many of which we can miss when we're all focused on the one thing we're battling right now. When you're in the valley and you're looking only at what's right in front of you, you're just going to get overwhelmed and discouraged. But as you start to look at your valley from the mountain of praising God, everything is going to look different. And you can have that awesome view anytime you choose to go there.A Word With You - Your Hindrances |
Thursday, January 1, 2009
Download MP3 (right click to save) My friend Andy used to pastor in West Virginia. The little town they lived in was situated in a long, narrow valley - a pretty dark valley, according to Andy. The sun didn't rise high enough to shine on that town until mid-morning, so it was dark for quite a while each day. My friend said that the town itself was kind of a dingy, dirty place. It's the kind of place where you often battle feeling down. But Andy used to love to go up on the mountain that overlooked the valley, and from up there, he said the view was beautiful. Even the town looked nice from up there! I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Getting Out of the Valley." When you can get above the valley, that panoramic view makes everything look different. If you're spending some time in your own valley right now, that may be something you need to remember. And there's a simple six-letter word that represents that view from the mountain that changes how everything looks. It's found in our word for today from the Word of God in Psalm chapter 8 beginning in verse 1. "O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is Your name in all the earth. You have set Your glory above the heavens. From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise because of your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger. When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have set in place, what is man that You are mindful of him?" Did you catch the word that changes the view? Praise: That is focusing on the size of your God instead of the size of your problems, reminding yourself of the great things God is to you and the great things He has done for you, and celebrating who is really in charge in these circumstances. Praise actually has the power to "silence the foe and the avenger." If that refers to Satan, you need to know that Satan can't stand to be around you when you're praising your Lord. And praise takes away the negative attitudes and the discouragement that our enemy loves to work with. Discouragement and depression, they themselves are "foes" and "avengers" in our lives. And the darkness of the valley often causes us to succumb to our dark side, to emotional paralysis, or to giving up, until we make the choice to climb up on the mountain that takes us above all that - Praise Mountain. You may not feel like praising God, you probably don't. That's when you need to praise God the most. It's a conscious choice to begin saying and singing God's praises instead of your complaints. Start celebrating the many ways that God has worked over the months and the years. Look at the progress you've made - at how far you've come, not just how far you still have to go. Thank God for the things that didn't happen that could have happened. Praise Him for places you can see Him working in just the last 24 hours in spite of your difficulties. Start talking up the qualities you love about your Lord, the qualities that you're counting on to get you through right now. The problem is that we get all focused on the sad situation right in front of us as if that's our whole life. It's only a small dot on a big canvas. Stand back and look at that big canvas and see the glorious things God has done in your life, many of which we can miss when we're all focused on the one thing we're battling right now. When you're in the valley and you're looking only at what's right in front of you, you're just going to get overwhelmed and discouraged. But as you start to look at your valley from the mountain of praising God, everything is going to look different. And you can have that awesome view anytime you choose to go there. |
scripture
Jeremiah 29:11-13
"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart."
scripture
Phillipians 3:8-11
What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.
His authority on earth allows us to dare to go to all the nations. His authority in heaven gives us our only hope of success. And His presence with us leaves us no other choice.
John Stott
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scripture
Matthew 28:16-20
Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
"Not called!" did you say? "Not heard the call," I think you should say. Put your ear down to the Bible, and hear him bid you go and pull sinners out of the fire of sin. Put your ear down to the burdened, agonized heart of humanity, and listen to its pitiful wail for help. Go stand by the gates of hell, and hear the damned entreat you to go to their father's house and bid their brothers and sisters, and servants and masters not to come there. And then look Christ in the face, whose mercy you have professed to obey, and tell him whether you will join heart and soul and body and circumstances in the march to publish his mercy to the world.
William Booth, founder of the Salvation Army
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scripture
Matthew 7:7-11
"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!"
Oh, how God loves for us to come to Him with childlike faith and say, "Daddy, it is broken. Can you please fix it?"
quote
Faith is not belief without proof, but trust without reservation.
D. Elton Trueblood
scripture
Jonah 1:1-5
The word of the LORD came to Jonah son of Amittai: "Get up! Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because their wickedness has confronted Me." However, Jonah got up to flee to Tarshish from the LORD's presence. He went down to Joppa and found a ship going to Tarshish. He paid the fare and went down into it to go with them to Tarshish, from the LORD's presence. Then the LORD hurled a violent wind on the sea, and such a violent storm arose on the sea that the ship threatened to break apart. The sailors were afraid, and each cried out to his god. They threw the ship's cargo into the sea to lighten the load. Meanwhile, Jonah had gone down to the lowest part of the vessel and had stretched out and fallen into a deep sleep.
Take a look at the description of Jonah's departure from God. He went from the presence of God down to Joppa, down into the ship, down into the sea, and down into the belly of the great fish. Rebellion toward God always takes us from His presence and down, down, down. I have heard it said before that "Sin will take you further than you want to go, keep you longer than you want to stay, and cost you more than you are willing to pay".
quote
Jesus does not give recipes that show the way to God as other teachers of religion do. He is himself the way.
Karl Barth
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note
Hola Hermanos! I just got back from two weeks in San Salvador, El Salvador. I had the privilege of going with a team in January for a week full of evangelism. I liked it so much that I came home and said to my wife, "We need to go down there as a family to check this out." "Well, we need to send off for the baby's passport then," was her response. We had a great trip. Here is a dW inspired by a devotional we heard one morning before we set out for the day.
scripture
1 Samuel 14:6-7
Jonathan said to his young armor-bearer, "Come, let's go over to the outpost of those uncircumcised men. Perhaps the LORD will act in our behalf. Nothing can hinder the LORD from saving, whether by many or by few." "Do all that you have in mind," his armor-bearer said. "Go ahead; I am with you heart and soul."
En Espanol, 1 Samuel 14:6-7
thought
The grandeur of the arch of heaven would be spoiled if the sky were supported by a single visible column, and your faith would lose its glory if it rested on anything discernible by the carnal eye.
Charles Spurgeon
Your possessions are never so safe as when you are willing to resign them, and you are never so rich as when you put all you have into the hand of God.
Charles Spurgeon
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scripture
Matthew 17:14-20
When they came to the crowd, a man approached Jesus and knelt before him. "Lord, have mercy on my son," he said. "He has seizures and is suffering greatly. He often falls into the fire or into the water. I brought him to your disciples, but they could not heal him." "You unbelieving and perverse generation," Jesus replied, "how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy here to me." Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of the boy, and he was healed at that moment. Then the disciples came to Jesus in private and asked, "Why couldn't we drive it out?" He replied, "Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you."
Faith is not belief without proof, but trust without reservation.
D. Elton Trueblood
thought
One friend told us about a beautiful phrase in the Bible. "But God'. Many times there didn't seem to be any way that the people involved could resolve the situation, and then there's that phrase again, "but God". For instance, Abraham had to be willing to sacrifice his long-awaited son to prove his obedience to God, "but God" provided the ram. There was no way Daniel could escape from the hungry lions, "but God" shut their mouths and protected them.
Thank you "MD" for sharing.
scripture
1 John 1:5-10
This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us.
scripture
teaching
Guidelines to sound theology:
1. The Bible is reliable. Biblical understanding is given by the Holy Spirit who illuminates our comprehension thereof. The Bible is our standard and we must know it well so that we will not be deceived.
Read 2 Timothy 3:12-17.
2. All heresy originates from deviant teachings about the person and nature of Jesus Christ.
Read Galatians 1; 1 John 4.
3. Do not accept anything that is just a little off. If you advert from your course by a few degrees, then measure to your intended destination after a couple hundred miles, you will find yourself way off course. You must follow "truth" to its logical end to see if it does indeed lead to "Truth".
Read 2 Peter 2.
4. Anyone can use theological/church words to make what appears to be sound teaching. However, if we do not require them to provide definitions to these words, then we are opening ourselves up for deception.
Read Romans 16:17-18; 1 Corinthians 15:1-7.
scripture
scripture
Matthew 26:6-13
While Jesus was in Bethany in the home of Simon the Leper, a woman came to him with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, which she poured on his head as he was reclining at the table. When the disciples saw this, they were indignant. "Why this waste?" they asked. "This perfume could have been sold at a high price and the money given to the poor." Aware of this, Jesus said to them, "Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a beautiful thing to me. The poor you will always have with you, but you will not always have me. When she poured this perfume on my body, she did it to prepare me for burial. Truly I tell you, wherever this gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her."
Poverty is the mother of crime.
Marcus Aurelius
thought
scripture
Worship is the "Thank You" that can't be silent.
Unknown
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scripture
1 Peter 3:18-22For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit. After being made alive,he went and made proclamation to the imprisoned spirits— to those who were disobedient long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water, and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a clear conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at God's right hand—with angels, authorities and powers in submission to him.
En Espanol, 1 Pedro 3:18-22
illustration
Jesus is standing on the broken doors of hell. The massive portals lie crossed under his feet, a reminder of the Cross that won this triumph. He stands braced and striding, like a superhero, using his mighty outstretched arms to lift a great weight. That weight is Adam and Eve themselves, our father and mother in the fallen flesh. Jesus grasps Adam's wrist with his right hand and Eve's with his left, as he pulls them forcibly up, out of the carved marble boxes that are their graves. Eve is shocked and appears almost to recoil in shame, long gray hair streaming. Adam gazes at Christ with a look of stunned awe, face lined with weary age, his long tangled beard awry. Their limp hands lie in Jesus' powerful grip as he hauls them up into the light.
Behind Christ, King David, King Solomon, the prophet Isaiah, and the prophet Jeremiah stand in gorgeous robes, clustered tightly like a standing-room-only crowd to see this marvelous event. There is an air of joy, even conviviality, among them. St. John the Baptist is in the throng, still clothed in camel skin, now in full repossession of his head. Behind them are ranks and ranks of the righteous dead who are dead no more, for Christ has set them free.
Beneath Christ's feet, there is a black receding pit with floating silver shards of metal, chains, locks, and ominous instruments of pain. These instruments are broken and shattered, and the locks are unhinged, except for one set, still intact and in use. These locks bind the body of that vicious old Satan, who grimaces in his captivity, bound hand and foot and cast into his own darkness.
Rising Victorious, Frederica Mathewes-GreenAtonement Anthology, 2006
image
<image>Fresco from the Greek Cathedral of the Annunciation in Baltimore, MD.
scripture
1 Peter 3:18-22
For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit. After being made alive,he went and made proclamation to the imprisoned spirits— to those who were disobedient long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water, and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a clear conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at God's right hand—with angels, authorities and powers in submission to him.
En Espanol, 1 Pedro 3:18-22
illustration
Jesus is standing on the broken doors of hell. The massive portals lie crossed under his feet, a reminder of the Cross that won this triumph. He stands braced and striding, like a superhero, using his mighty outstretched arms to lift a great weight. That weight is Adam and Eve themselves, our father and mother in the fallen flesh. Jesus grasps Adam's wrist with his right hand and Eve's with his left, as he pulls them forcibly up, out of the carved marble boxes that are their graves. Eve is shocked and appears almost to recoil in shame, long gray hair streaming. Adam gazes at Christ with a look of stunned awe, face lined with weary age, his long tangled beard awry. Their limp hands lie in Jesus' powerful grip as he hauls them up into the light.
Behind Christ, King David, King Solomon, the prophet Isaiah, and the prophet Jeremiah stand in gorgeous robes, clustered tightly like a standing-room-only crowd to see this marvelous event. There is an air of joy, even conviviality, among them. St. John the Baptist is in the throng, still clothed in camel skin, now in full repossession of his head. Behind them are ranks and ranks of the righteous dead who are dead no more, for Christ has set them free.
Beneath Christ's feet, there is a black receding pit with floating silver shards of metal, chains, locks, and ominous instruments of pain. These instruments are broken and shattered, and the locks are unhinged, except for one set, still intact and in use. These locks bind the body of that vicious old Satan, who grimaces in his captivity, bound hand and foot and cast into his own darkness.
Rising Victorious, Frederica Mathewes-Green
Atonement Anthology, 2006
image
Fresco from the Greek Cathedral of the Annunciation in Baltimore, MD.
scripture
Romans 13:8-10
Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law. The commandments, "You shall not commit adultery," "You shall not murder," "You shall not steal," "You shall not covet," and whatever other command there may be, are summed up in this one command: "Love your neighbor as yourself." Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.
Love takes up where knowledge leaves off.
Thomas Aquinas
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scripture
Galatians 5:16-26
So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.
A wise, old Indian explained to his grandson, "Inside of each man are two wolves. The Black Wolf exists to do evil. The White Wolf exists to do good. These wolves are at war". The grandson asked him, "Which wolf will win the war, Grandfather?" "Whichever wolf you feed the most."
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scripture
1 Corinthians 13:1-3
If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.
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www.the-daily-Word.blogspot.com----
If you want to share your thoughts or ask a question, then go to today's post and leave a comment.
scripture
Revelation 22:1-5
Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign forever and ever.
En Espanol, Apocalipsis 22:1-5
quote
Our love ought to follow the love of God in one point, namely, in always seeking to produce reconciliation. It was to this end that God sent his Son. Has anybody offended you? Seek reconciliation. “Oh, but I am the offended party.” So was God, and he went straight away and sought reconciliation. Brother, do the same. “Oh, but I have been insulted.” Just so: so was God: all the wrong was towards him, yet he sent. “Oh, but the party is so unworthy.” So are you; but “God loved you and sent his Son.”
Charles Spurgeon
resource
I use www.Biblegateway.com to retrieve scriptures for these emails. It is a powerful tool that offers passage lookup, keyword search, and topical index. Chapters and verses are shown with cross references, in multiple languages, and in multiple translations. Go visit Biblegateway today!
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If you want to share your thoughts or ask a question, then go to today’s post and leave a comment.
scripture
Colossians 1:15-20
The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.
En Espanol, Colosenses 1:15-20
quote
All I have seen teaches me to trust the Creator for all I have not seen.
Ralph Waldo Emerson
Quote submitted by recipient SB.
scripture
John 8:36
So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.
En Espanol, Juan 8:36
thoughts
I don’t know where your heart is for Muslims. It is difficult for Americans, especially those closely effected by the war, and the rest of the world for that matter, to separate peaceful Muslims from violent Jihadist Muslims. The enemy has used Muslim terrorists to further entrap the people of Islam because now we, who have the Good News of Salvation through Jesus Christ, are afraid to go and tell them. Yet, there are some that go to tell them that God is passionately in love with them, so much so that He sent Jesus to die in order that they be free. May we come behind and alongside of those willing to risk their lives to go and tell dying people that God offers them eternal life. May we be obedient to go ourselves if God so puts that burden on our heart to be the feet that bring them Good News. Amen.
share
My Heart Hurts, posted 4/1/11, by a fellow dailyWord recipient
Last summer a "pastor" in Florida wanted to burn the Quran. It made us a little nervous. Didn't he realize that he was putting people in danger. Did he care? He set the date for Sept. 11, 2001. A television pastor even made it worse by stating on the air that it could get some of our "M's" hurt. They know better than to use that word!
They put us on lock down as the time drew nearer. We went over our evac plans and bags. I made sure that I had the important stuff in a safe place. I made plans for our dog to be taken care of. We were as prepared as we could be. They were days when we could hear the hate messages over the mosque loudspeakers. There were people in the streets yelling "Kill the Americans". Afghan students came to school afraid to be by us. I can remember talking about what could and possibly would happen. It was during that time that God was preparing my heart to leave. I was not afraid of what could happen but I was grieving for what would come. And today it did.
I left Afghanistan on Sept. 11. I can remember wondering if that was such a good plan. I was wondering if a plane coming to America would shake things up. I thanked God that I had a flight out of Germany and not Central Asia. I wondered about leaving my husband (who came to the states soon after), my students and fellow workers there while I got out. “Would I see them again?”, I could only leave it in His hands. My grief in leaving was too overwhelming and it was one less thing to think about on the flights.
Last week, I saw on the news that the "pastor" indeed had burned the Quran. I talked with a few others and we agreed that it would not be as safe over there now. We talked about God and how we had to leave it up to Him now. I prayed for those I left behind. I prayed for those students who will be afraid that the school staff will leave. And the friends that love that country as much as I do. Those who won't run in fear but will continue to serve. I hold them up to Him.
Pray for Afghanistan as you have never prayed before. Pray that they can separate this burning from the people who love them and live among them. Pray for the families of those who were killed today. Just pray...
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The Blue Mosque in Mazar |
scripture
Matthew 6:26-28
Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin.
En Espanol, Mateo 6:26-28
excerpt
CAREFUL UNREASONABLENESS – May 18
Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow, they simply are! Think of the sea, the air, the sun, the stars and the moon - all these are, and what a ministration they exert. So often we mar God's designed influence through us by our self-conscious effort to be consistent and useful. Jesus says that there is only one way to develop spiritually, and that is by concentration on God. "Do not bother about being of use to others; believe on Me" - pay attention to the Source, and out of you will flow rivers of living water. We cannot get at the springs of our natural life by common sense, and Jesus is teaching that growth in spiritual life does not depend on our watching it, but on concentration on our Father in heaven. Our heavenly Father knows the circumstances we are in, and if we keep concentrated on Him we will grow spiritually as the lilies.
The people who influence us most are not those who buttonhole us and talk to us, but those who live their lives like the stars in heaven and the lilies in the field, perfectly simply and unaffectedly. Those are the lives that mould us.
If you want to be of use to God, get rightly related to Jesus Christ and He will make you of use unconsciously every minute you live.
Oswald Chambers
“My Utmost For His Highest”
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scripture
Psalm 91:1-4
Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”
Surely he will save you from the fowler’s snare and from the deadly pestilence.
He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.
En Espanol, Salmos 91:1-4
fun
A fifth grade teacher in a Christian school asked her class to look at TV commercials and see if they could use them in 20 ways to communicate ideas about God. Here are some of the results:
God is like…
BAYER ASPIRIN
He works miracles.
God is like…
A FORD
He's got a better idea.
God is like…
COKE
He's the real thing.
God is like....
HALLMARK CARDS
He cares enough to send His very best.
God is like...
TIDE
He gets the stains out others leave behind.
God is like...
GENERAL ELECTRIC
He brings good things to life.
God is like...
WAL-MART
He has everything.
God is like...
ALKA-SELTZER
Try Him, you'll like Him.
God is like...
SCOTCH TAPE
You can't see Him, but you know He's there.
God is like....
DELTA
He's ready when you are.
God is like...
ALLSTATE
You're in good hands with Him.
God is like...
VO-5 HAIR SPRAY
He holds through all kinds of weather.
God is like...
DIAL SOAP
Aren't you glad you have Him? Don't you wish everybody did?
God is like…
THE POST OFFICE
Neither rain, nor snow, nor sleet nor ice will keep Him from His appointed destination.
God is like...
CHEVROLET
…the heartbeat of America.
God is like…
MAXWELL HOUSE
Good to the very last drop.
God is like...
BOUNTY
He is the quicker picker upper, can handle the tough jobs, and He won't fall apart on you.
God is like...
THE ENERGIZER BUNNY
He Keeps going, going, and going
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scripture
Psalm 104:31-35
May the glory of the LORD endure forever; may the LORD rejoice in his works— he who looks at the earth, and it trembles, who touches the mountains, and they smoke. I will sing to the LORD all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live. May my meditation be pleasing to him, as I rejoice in the LORD. But may sinners vanish from the earth and the wicked be no more. Praise the LORD, my soul. Praise the LORD.
En Espanol, Salmos 104:31-35
illustration
A new minister was walking with an older, more seasoned minister in the garden one day. Feeling a bit insecure about what God had for him to do, he was asking the older preacher for some advice.
The older preacher walked up to a rosebush and handed the young preacher a rosebud and told him to open it without tearing off any petals.
The young preacher looked in disbelief at the older preacher and was trying to figure out what a rosebud could possibly have to do with his wanting to know the will of God for his life and ministry. But because of his great respect for the older preacher, he proceeded to try to unfold the rose, while keeping every petal intact.It wasn't long before he realized how impossible this was to do.
Noticing the younger preacher's inability to unfold the rosebud without tearing it, the older preacher began to recite the following poem:
It is only a tiny rosebud,
A flower of God's design;
But I cannot unfold the petals
With these clumsy hands of mine.
The secret of unfolding flowers
Is not known to such as I.
God opens this flower so easily,
But in my hands they die.
If I cannot unfold a rosebud,
This flower of God's design,
Then how can I have the wisdom
To unfold this life of mine?
So I'll trust in God for leading
Each moment of my day.
I will look to God for guidance
In each step of the way.
The path that lies before me,
Only my Lord knows.
I'll trust God to unfold the moments,
Just as He unfolds the rose.
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