Category Archives: Guests

Guests

You(s) Too?

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I am eager to get to my James study for today before my local world finds that I am awake. :)   So I am borrowing this morning to wish you a quick good morning. This comes from my YouVersion devotion for today.

CONDITIONS

Richard Wurmbrand tells of the joy believers knew while confined in Nazi prison camps. Although many were cursing their lot, hating their captors, and plotting revenge, believers were serving their Christ faithfully, sincerely, and with great joy. Both the believer and unbeliever were subjected to the same conditions. However, one reacted as a saint while the other reacted as a sinner.

Viktor Frankl reminds us that true happiness in life depends not on conditions but on decisions. If our hearts are firmly turned toward Christ then we can and will joyfully worship Him–in good times and bad. This seems to be the essence of Psalm 148. Wherever we are, with whatever we have, we should still praise the Lord.

When our praise is based on God’s goodness, rather than the conditions of our lives, then we have reached the state of true faith. No matter what the conditions, we will remain true. Like Paul, we learn both to be abased and to abound. Circumstances do not dictate our happiness–that is a result of a living relationship with Christ. And when He is in our hearts, we cannot help but sing–whether it be from the mountaintop or from the cellar.

11 Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. 12 I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. 13 I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.

via Philippians 4 NASB – Think of Excellence – Therefore, my – Bible Gateway.

We (HE and I) are still working on this and no doubt we (HE and I) shall be till I see HIS face.

You(s) too?

Psalm 146 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

1 Praise the Lord!

Praise the Lord, O my soul!

2 I will praise the Lord while I live;

I will sing praises to my God while I have my being.

via Ps 146 NASB – The LORD an Abundant Helper. – Praise – Bible Gateway.

(emphasis mine – I will)

May the emphasis be my experience and yours too.

Joy to you,

Guests, You Tubes

New Mercies Today!!

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Getting Down With JESUS Because that’s the Way Up is Jennifer’s Blog. Please pop over and visit with her today. Yesterday’s title just might be what you need for today. Click the link below.

How to Talk Back to Your Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

In particular I so appreciate this line:

And then I put fear in the time-out corner, asking the good Lord to stand guard.

I get that word picture!

And then Jennifer gave me Toby Mac. Well not really. But this song!

New Mercies today! Yes!!

And Please go visit with Jennifer!

We are accountable,

Guests

Keeping Company

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My You Version devotion is good to share this morning.

PARROTS

A man purchased a parrot. Unfortunately, he soon found out his bird had a lurid vocabulary. The man had a friend who also owned a parrot. This bird had been taught to only sing hymns. So the man decided to put the two birds together. He hoped that the hymn-singing parrot could teach the swearing bird better language. After leaving the birds together for some time, the man found–to his dismay–that the hymn-singer forgot his songs and took up the questionable language of his new companion.

Ezra saw the same kind of deterioration among the Israelites. They married foreigners and, rather than raising them to meet God’s standards, the Israelites were dragged down by evil influence. Ezra went to God in desperate prayer seeking a solution (Ezra 9:5-15). He was ashamed that God’s people had so soon forgotten the bitter lesson of captivity. God heard Ezra’s prayer and through him brought the people back to Himself.

There are two important lessons in Ezra’s prayer. First is the vital importance of choosing the right friends. We do become like those closest to us in many subtle ways. Second, we must notice that Ezra first talked to God about the problem; he did not complain to others. We often criticize first and then pray. May we learn to pray for those entrapped by evil. And may we choose our friends as if our life depends on it. It does.

I particularly noticed: And may we choose our friends as if our life depends on it. It does.

24 Make no friendship with an angry man; and with a furious man thou shalt not go:

25 Lest thou learn his ways, and get a snare to thy soul.

via Proverbs 22:23-25 KJV – For the LORD will plead their cause, – Bible Gateway.

What’s that old adage? We are known by the company we keep.

Acts 4:13 King James Version (KJV)

13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.  (emphasis mine)

via Acts 4:13 KJV – Now when they saw the boldness of Peter – Bible Gateway.

Keeping company with JESUS!

LORD JESUS, teach us, train us to keep company with YOU.

Blessings to you Dear Friends    +++

Remember YOU have the God-given RIGHT to do right in this wrong world!

Guests, Prayer Requests

Still

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I’m just not much in a writing mood. Not sure why. Just not. BUT I am in the mood to share other folks writings.  Like my You Version devotion for this morning. Take a look.

THE WAVES

Dr. Norman Vincent Peale told of a trip he took on a sailboat in the Near East. The skipper told him, “The ocean is a tremendous force, and our ship is only a small force. But, we know how to make our little engines adapt themselves to the timing of the waves so we are practically carried along by the sea.”

Praying could be defined as adjusting ourselves to the plans and timing of God. When Sennacherib threatened Judah, Hezekiah first went to God (2 Kings 19:14-19). There was a childlike simplicity in the king’s faith. He took the threatening letter and spread it out before God to read. It is as if he said, “Okay, what do we do about it?”

This same childlike faith should be ours in this modern world. Our frustrations and anxieties should be spread out before God for His direction. As we adjust our lives to God’s plan and timing, we find we are carried along by His power. This puts to highest use the forces of our own lives to meet the battles of life. Hezekiah and his people were delivered, and so shall we be.

Is that good or what?

And if you have some more time for reading, please go visit my Friend Elaine. The post is entitled: The Woman I No Longer Need to be . . .

You might find yourself on the page. 

ABBA, perhaps some sisters are not much on doing what they usually do, whatever good thing that is that seems to have lost some luster – guide us I pray. Guide us to coming to Peace with who we are now and resting in Your promise that You are not finished with us yet. Yes. Israel. America. The Election. Truth to prevail. Evil to be exposed. Repentance. Dori. Kerri. Pam M. Pam K. Sharron and Others.  As a dear soul used to say, ‘take a reading on our hearts’, ABBA. See what’s there, see the needs and meet them. See the love and concern for others and express it through us. See the need to love others and the need to express Your love and change us to do it. Safety and protection. Transformations for That One and This One. And let our hearts be not troubled but believe YOU, LORD JESUS in all things.

Blessings to you Dear Friends    +++

Remember YOU have the God-given RIGHT to do right in this wrong world!