scripture
1 John 4:19-21
We love because he first loved us. If anyone says, "I love God," yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother.
quote
Life without love is like a tree without blossoms or fruit.
Kahlil Gibran
scripture
Proverbs 23:29-35
Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has strife? Who has complaints? Who has needless bruises? Who has bloodshot eyes? Those who linger over wine, who go to sample bowls of mixed wine. Do not gaze at wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup, when it goes down smoothly! In the end it bites like a snake and poisons like a viper. Your eyes will see strange sights and your mind imagine confusing things. You will be like one sleeping on the high seas, lying on top of the rigging. "They hit me," you will say, "but I'm not hurt! They beat me, but I don't feel it! When will I wake up so I can find another drink?"
thought
The Bible never says, do not drink. It does however warn about its destructive potential if it is abused.
scripture
1 Corinthians 15:58
Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.
sermon excerpt
One day Napoleon ran his index finger round a great country, he was talking to his generals and he said, "There lies a sleeping giant, LET IT SLEEP!! Because," he said, "if that country ever wakes up and harnesses it's man power to it's mineral power it will shake the world." The country he outlined, in case you are interested, was none other than China, our biggest headache. See the devil standing there, he isn't running his finger round a map, he is running his finger round the church of Jesus Christ and he says, "There is the church of Jesus Christ asleep, LET IT SLEEP!!" "Because if it ever rediscovers the power of the Holy Ghost, if it ever rediscovers the resurrection power of Jesus, it will shake the world."
- Leonard Ravenhill, Weeping between the porch and the alter
scripture
Mark 3:1-6
Another time he went into the synagogue, and a man with a shriveled hand was there. Some of them were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, so they watched him closely to see if he would heal him on the Sabbath. Jesus said to the man with the shriveled hand, "Stand up in front of everyone." Then Jesus asked them, "Which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?" But they remained silent. He looked around at them in anger and, deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts, said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." He stretched it out, and his hand was completely restored. Then the Pharisees went out and began to plot with the Herodians how they might kill Jesus.
Other Languages:
thought
There can be conflict without change but there cannot be change without conflict.
scripture
Galatians 5:22-26
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature 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.
What is not of the Spirit? English and Espanol
story
"We had a thing at church the other night and Dr. Norman Wright posed this question for each of us to ask ourselves at the end of each day: How was it living with (working with, being around) me today? He said if we get really brave we can actually ask our spouses this out loud! People laughed. So the next morning as we're waking up Kenny says to me, "So, how is it living with me?" I responded, "So far so good, but the day is still young!" Anyway, it's a nice barometer of how we're treating others and the vibes we're giving out and if we've been interacting with each other in a Godly way."
- Email from a friend
scripture
Job 1:20-21
At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship and said: "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I will depart. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised."
quote
The essence of optimism is that it takes no account of the present, but it is a source of inspiration, of vitality and hope where others have resigned; it enables a man to hold his head high, to claim the future for himself and not to abandon it to his enemy.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer
scripture
Psalm 39:4-7
Show me, O LORD, my life's end and the number of my days; let me know how fleeting is my life. You have made my days a mere handbreadth; the span of my years is as nothing before you. Each man's life is but a breath. Selah Man is a mere phantom as he goes to and fro: He bustles about, but only in vain; he heaps up wealth, not knowing who will get it. But now, Lord, what do I look for? My hope is in you.
quote
For weeks after my last operation [for cancer]- frail and without energy, sleeping ten hours- I looked in my house at all the books I had not read and wept for my inability to read them. Or I looked at great books I had read too quickly in my avidity- telling myself I would return to them later. There is never a later, but for most of my life I have believed in later.
Donald Hall
Going Green
It seems the "three R's" of old (reading, 'riting, and 'rithmetic) have been replaced by three new "R's": reuse, repurpose, recycle.
When it comes to recycling, we have the best of all possible examples . . . Jesus. He's the ultimate Recycler. Think about it: he reuses worn out, used up, broken people and makes them into brand-new creations. He's amazingly efficient, too, never wasting any experience or situation. As Romans 8:28 reminds us, "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God" (En Espanol)
On our end, it's not just used paper or plastic that can be turned into something more useful. Perhaps you have an attitude that could benefit from recycling? Maybe it's time to repurpose a habit of worrying or complaining into the practice of gratitude for the gifts God has given. Think of the energy that would save!
Thanks to my mama for sending this in. <3 I needed it.
scripture
Proverbs 4:1
Listen, my sons, to a father's instruction; pay attention and gain understanding…
quote
Let France have good mothers, and she will have good sons.
Napoleon Bonaparte
scripture
Romans 5:20-21
God’s law was given so that all people could see how sinful they were. But as people sinned more and more, God’s wonderful grace became more abundant. So just as sin ruled over all people and brought them to death, now God’s wonderful grace rules instead, giving us right standing with God and resulting in eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
quote
Our path is His business not ours. Our business is to trust Him with all our hearts and refuse to rely on our own understanding. Certainly, we must plan and prepare. But we must hold our schemes, and plans, and dreams loosely, giving God the right to revise them or replace them without our approval or knowledge, permitting Him to advise us, correct us, inspire us, and prompt us, knowing that His compelling hand is directly on everything we do.
John Trent
