News you won't see in controlled mainstream media.

Wisdom / Virtue ~

The beautiful, the good, the true cannot be weighed and measured. True knowledge is spiritual knowledge, which is beyond the reach of the world of quantity and therefore is disregarded by our civilization. --

Paul Tournier/ 1,001 Quotes

--

Wisdom, Candor ~

WHEN Harry Truman was thrust into the presidency by the death of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Sam Rayburn took him aside.

"From here on out, you're going to have lots of people around you. They'll try to put up a wall around you and cut you off from any ideas but theirs. They'll tell you what a great man you are, Harry. But you and I both know you ain't."

-------

~~FORGIVENESS

Forgiveness is like the violet
Sending forth its pure fragrance
On the heel of the boot
Of the one who crushed it.

--Author unknown

--Character -

A man never discloses his own
character so clearly as when he
discribes another's.

--Jean Paul Richter

--------
FORGIVENESS ~~

The difference between holding
on to a hurt or releasing it with
forgiveness--is like the difference
between laying your head down at
night on a pillow filled with thorns or
a pillow filled with rose petals.

--Loren Fischer ~~

--TWO LETTERS ~~

--O how I love thy law! It is my meditation all the day."
--[Psalm 119:97] --

--My wife's first husband, missionary David Troyer, was slain in Guatemala in 1981. She received many letters and cards that were all very special to her, but one letter was particularly outstanding. Recently she was going through a box of old documents and rediscovered this unforgettable letter. The return address on the envelop was stated in one line: The White House. An 18-cent stamp was affixed in the opposite corner. The stationery was now yellowed by age, but the bold signature was still as sharp as when it had been written: "Ronald Reagan."

The letter contains words of condolence and support from President Reagan. We value this document because of who wrote it. So what should we do with it? Perhaps we could frame it and place it prominently on the wall. Or maybe we should store it in a locked safe. What would you do with it?

While you are considering that, let me tell you about another letter that we value because of who wrote it. This letter not only speaks words of comfort and support to us, but also gives us directions for life. Embossed on the cover are two words: Holy Bible. Although we treasure this letter, we have no plans to frame it or put it in a safe box.

Ronald Reagan's letter represents the kind sentiments of a famous man who is no longer living. The Holy Bible bears the instructions of Almighty God, who lives forever and who will someday call every one of us to give account of what we did with His letter.

--Cling to the Bible. It's abiding words will last forever. ~

--BSW/GM~
~~~~~~~

--Learning To Slow Down and Follow Jesus ~~

--There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God's rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his. Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest...."
---[Hebrews 4:9-11] -

--A HIGH ENERGY type A person, most of my life I've been very disciplined, structured, and motivated. Like all virtues,... there are good times, and others not-so-good. Sometimes I've been so driven that I've made hasty mistakes, been insensitive to others, and missed God's quiet leading. I have a very hard time being in the moment and simply enjoying life.

After encountering Jesus, I confess my zealousness became more Christ-like. My heavenly Father kindly sent me messengers to help: First, my son Pierce, since all kinds have a way of reordering our priorities. Then, my son Isaac, who has Down Syndrome. Isaac lives life on a leisurely pace, relishing every minute. He has taught me so much about slowing down and enjoying daily life.

Moving from suburban Baltimore to west Virginia and then Florida has also taught me a lot about enjoying everyday life, valuing people over productivity, and simply living in the present. The rest of the world wasn't rushing along at my pace. Eventually, I had no choice but to slow down. Sometimes in life, we find we are forced to make life-changes.

Jesus promises an abundant, peaceful, and love-filled life. Living in rhythm with His Spirit is gentle, unhurried, and full of life and that more abundantly. I will follow in His steps and enjoy this wonderful life, until He comes to take us Home. ~~

--Guideposts/IY~

----"Well Defined Eternity~~
---[Yes, you can be sure of where you will spend eternity!]

----"I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.
---[Please Read // 2 Timothy 4:7-8 / NIV]

--Paul is writing to Timothy, knowing that he is near the end of his life. He assures Timothy that he has “fought the good fight” and is looking forward to his reward. The season after Jesus’ death and resurrection was Paul’s time to make a difference. This is ours. It makes me think of March Madness, the highlight of the college basketball season. Incredibly gifted athletes weep openly because they know they are finished when they step out of that arena. Men, who you probably couldn’t make cry with physical pain, are so conscious of something passing them by that they are overwhelmed with emotion. They may have other opportunities to play, but their season or their college career is over. This is your time in the arena, never to be repeated, and your eternity will be defined by what you do with it.

THINK ABOUT IT
--Everything you do and say in your present life has an impact on your life in eternity. God-opportunities accepted and honored make a difference for you in the world to come.

PRAYER
--"Heavenly Father, help me be a good steward of the time I have been given to serve You. May I honor You in all I am and all I do, so that Your purposes for my life would be fulfilled, for Your glory. In Jesus’ name, amen.--"

Blessings,
Pastor Allen Jackson

----

--Words Of Encouragement ~~

-"When the world gets you down, look up to God."

'Expect a Miracle.' ~~

'People don't care what you know, until they know that you care.'


~'People may not remember exactly what you did, or what you said----
But they will remember how you made them feel.'

--'Never accept unacceptable behavior, or you make it acceptable.'

'Another message for A.S.A.P ~
is Always Say A Prayer."

God knows how stressful life is.
He wants to easy our cares,
Slow down and take a breather--
Always say a prayer.'~~

-'See where God is working and join Him in that work.'

"Do your best; let God do the rest."~~

"The company you keep will
determine the trouble you meet."

~"Peace is not the absence of trouble,
But the presence of God. " Jesus is our Prince of Peace. ~~

-"The best way to get the last word,
Is to apologize." ~~

~~~~~~~~

---When In Trouble/ Run to Jesus ~~

--Friends,

---When we hit hard times, the most important questions for every one of us are, "How does this affect my relationship with Jesus? Do I desire whatever leads me on the course of loving, worshiping, serving and honoring Him even if it's hard and painful? Am I willing to allow God to do whatever he chooses to my life?"

Answering these questions is difficult at best of times, but when we're suffering, I'm convinced that only the knowledge that God is with us allows us to respond well. Knowing that God is not uncaring and distant, or even helplessly wringing His hands on the sidelines, makes a world of difference. He is in control! "And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose" (Romans 8:28, ESV).

It is a great comfort to know that the hard things we go through serve a purpose in His bigger picture for our lives. Spreading this message and encourage believers around the world is only possible with the prayers of our friends. We must pray for one another.

-"Father God, thank You for sending your Son, to pay my (our) sin-debt on the Cross. Help me to reach out to others with this eternal message of hope, in Jesus Name. amen~" ~~

--World Challenge-/GW~

--Praying For Others ~~

--THE PURPLE SHAWL ~~
-[Please Read/ ROMANS 15:23-33]

--"I urge you...to join me in my struggle by praying to God for me." [Romans 15:30]

--WHILE serving as my mom's live-in caregiver at a cancer center hundreds of miles away from my home, I asked people to pray for us. As the months passed, isolation and loneness sapped my strength. How could I care for my mom if I gave in to my physical, mental, and emotional exhaustion?

One day, a friend sent me an unexpected care package. Jodi had crocheted a purple prayer shawl, a warm reminder that we had people praying for us daily. Whenever I wrapped the soft yarn around my shoulders, I felt God hugging me with the prayers of His people. Years later, He still uses that purple shawl to comfort me and strengthen my resolve.

The apostle Paul affirmed the importance and spirit-refreshing power of praying for others. Through his passionate request for prayerful support and encouragement during his travels, Paul demonstrated how those who pray for others become partners in ministry (Romans 15:30). Offering specific requests, the apostle not only showed his dependence on the support of fellow believers but his trust that God powerfully answers prayer (vv. 31-33).

We'll all experience days when we feel alone. But Paul shows us how to ask for prayer as we pray for others. When we're wrapped in the intercessory prayers of God's people, we can experience God's strength and comfort no matter where life takes us.

--"Loving God, thank You for the gift of intercessory prayers and for assuring me that You hear me and care for me wherever I go. "

--ODB/ XD

--WHAT LOVE!

--"So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed." --[John 8:36/NIV)

--WE LIVE NEXT door to the church we pastor. When our mid-western weather is either too muggy or frigid to walk outside, we exercise in the sanctuary. Three days ago, a visitor joined us.

My husband, Kevin, and I had barely started walking when we heard skittering sounds overhead . "Uh-Oh, a bird is stuck between the roof and the ceiling, "I said. We hauled the ancient eight-foot ladder up from the basement, and Kevin placed it under the ceiling tile where we'd heard the noises. He removed a tile, peering inside the opening. No bird.

Four times we moved that ladder--it grew heavier each time--and four times Kevin removed a new tile, trying to free the bird. I began to worry. Was it worth my husband falling and breaking his bottom, or worse, to save a silly, lost bird?

Finally the bird flew out and flapped around the sanctuary, trying to escape. I opened both front doors. Bur our feathered friend was so scared, it couldn't find its way to freedom. Kevin got the idea to trap the bird with the long-handled baptistery cleaning net. After I secured the bird, Kevin gently held it in his hands and released it into the bright day.

While I finished exercising I thought, That poor helpless bird reminds me of me. All the messes I've created. All the times I've found myself trapped in sin or silly blunders. Flapping around, scared, and looking for a way out. Forever merciful, Jesus goes to great lengths to rescue me. He never rebukes or scolds me. Instead, He gently sets me free to soar again. Oh, What love! 'GOD IS LOVE! '
--"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life." --[John 3:16]

--Guideposts/JL~

--GOD RULES~~

--"Who is like you, LORD God Almighty?
You, LORD, are mighty and your faithfulness
surrounds you." --[PSALM 89:8] --

---RIDING THE WAVES!!

--AS my husband strolled down the rocky beach taking photos of the Hawaiian horizon, I sat on a large rock fretting over another medial setback. Though my problems would be waiting for me when I returned home, I needed peace in that moment. I stared at the incoming waves crashing against the black, jagged rocks. A dark shadow in the curve of the wave caught my eye. Using the zoom option on my camera, I identified the shape as a sea turtle riding the waves peacefully. Its flippers spread wide and still I smiled as I watched the salty breeze.

The "heavens praise [God's] wonders" (Psalm 89:5). Our incomparable God rules "over the surging sea; when its waves mount up, [God] stills them" (v.9). He "founded the world and all that is in it" (v.11). He made it all, owns it all, manages it all, and purposes it all for His glory and our enjoyment.

Standing on the foundation of our faith --the love of our unchanging Father--we can "walk in the light of [His] presence" (v.15). God remains mighty in power and merciful in His dealings with us. We can rejoice in His name all day long (v.16). No matter what obstacles we face or how many setbacks we have to endure, God holds us as the waves rise and fall.

--'Oh Lord, My God, How majestic is Your Name in all the Earth!" ~~

--ODB/XD

--REFUGE FOR THE REJECTED ~~

--"Have mercy on me, my God, have mercy on me,
for in you I take refuge." -[PSALM 57:1] --

--GEORGE Whitefield (1714-1770) was one of the most gifted and effective preachers in history, leading thousands to faith in Jesus. But his life wasn't without controversy. His practice of preaching outdoors (to accommodate large crowds) was some times criticized by those who questioned his motives and felt he should speak only within the four walls of a church building. Whitefield's epitaph sheds light on his response to others' harsh word: "I am content to wait till the Day of Judgment for the clearing up of my character; and after I am dead, I desire no other epitaph than this, 'Here lies George Whitefield--what sort of a man he was, the Great Day will discover.' "

In the Old Testament, when David faced harsh criticism from others, he too entrusted himself to God. When Saul falsely accused David of leading a rebellion and he was forced to hide from Saul's approaching army in a cave, David described being "in the midst of lions," among "men whose teeth are spears and arrows, whose tongues are sharp swords" (Psalm 57:4). Bur even in that difficult place, he turned to God and found comfort in Him: "For great is your love, reaching to the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the skies" (v.10).

When others misunderstand or reject us, God is our "refuge" (v.1). May He be forever praised for His unfailing and merciful love! ~

--"Abba Father, I praise You that I can be accepted by You forever because of Your Son. I take refuge in Your perfect love today. In Jesus Name."
--ODB/JB

--"Peace, Be Still"

--"Be still and know that I am God'
I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the Earth."

"And after the fire came a gentle whisper"--[1 Kings 19:12] --

---The man ahead of me at the carwash was on a mission. He purposefully strode to the back of his pickup and removed the hitch, so it wouldn't snag the high-powered rolling brush.. He paid the attendant then pulled onto the automated track--where he left his truck in drive. The attendant shouted after him, "Neutral! Neutral!" but the man's windows were up and he couldn't hear. He zipped through the car wash in four seconds flat. His truck barely got wet

Elijah was on a mission too. He was busy serving God in big ways. He had just defeated the prophets of Baal in a supernatural showdown, which left him drained (see 1 King 18:16-39) He needed time in neutral. God brought Elijah to Mount Horeb, where He had appeared to Moses long before. Once again God shook the mountain. But He wasn't in the -shattering wind, earthquake, or raging fire. Instead, God came to Elijah in a gentle whisper. "When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out" to meet God (1 Kings 19:13).

You and I are on a mission. We put our lives in drive to accomplish big things for our Savior. But if we never shift down to neutral, we can zip through life and miss the outpouring of His Spirit. God whispers, "Be still and know that I am God" (Psalm 46:10). Neutral! Neutral! ~

--ODB/MW~

----ON COURAGE~~

~~"So you think I'm courageous?" she asked.

"Yes, I do."

"Perhaps I am. But that's because I've had some inspiring teachers. I'll tell you about one of them. Many years ago, when I worked as a volunteer at Stanford Hospital, I got to know a little girl named Liza who was suffering from a rare and serous disease. Her only chance of recovery appeared to be a blood transfusion from her five-year-old brother, who had miraculously survived the same disease and had developed the antibodies needed to combat the illness. The doctor explained the situation to her little brother, and asked the boy if he would be willing to give blood to his sister. I saw him hesitate for only a moment before taking a deep breath and saying, 'Yes, I'll do it if it will save Liza.'

"As the transfusion progressed, he lay in a bed next to his sister and smiled, as we all did, seeing the color returning to her cheeks. Then his face grew pale and his smile faded. He look up at the doctor and asked with a trembling voice, 'Will I start to die right away?'

"Being young, the boy had misunderstood the doctor; he thought he as going to have to give her all his blood.

"Yes, I've learned courage." she added, "because I've had inspiring teachers."

--'Chicken Soup For the Soul'

--FOOD FOR THOUGHT ~`

---ARE YOU A CARD-BOARD CHRISTIAN / (Adrian Rogers)


BIBLE MEDITATION

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness.”

(Matthew 23:27) --

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT

---I read an article one time about Art Linkletter, who was a highly respected and famous TV personality for many decades. Art Linkletter said he was a professing Christian. But one day he had a great crisis in his life. He really needed help.

He was meeting with some young people who were on-fire Christians. There was no pretense with them, no holds barred. They were in a hotel lobby in San Francisco. It came time to pray, and those young people got down on their knees in that hotel lobby. Being a recognized public figure, Art Linkletter said, "I really felt funny about getting down on my knees in a public place like that. But I had such a need of God. I realized all this time I had not been a true Christian. I was a cardboard Christian. I threw all of that away, humbled myself before God, got on my knees, broke through to God, and met reality."

Reality is what this world hungers for. It’s sick and tired of make-believe, cardboard Christians. Reality, not hypocrisy, is the greatest need in the church today. The greatest argument for Christ—and the greatest argument against Christ—is the life of a Christian!

ACTION POINT

There always have been hypocrites. There always will be. The Lord Jesus Christ devoted the sixth chapter of the Gospel of Matthew to the problem of hypocrites. But how wonderful it is to know Jesus Christ. Serve Him and love Him with reality in your heart and life.

--THE TOUCH of The MASTER'S Hand ~~

----'Twas battered and scarred, and the auctioneer
Thought it scarcely worth his while
To waste much time on the old violin,
But held it up with a smile.
"What am I bidden, good folks," he cried,
Who'll start the bidding for me?"

A dollar, and who'll make it two?
"Two dollars, and who'll make it three?
"Three dollars, once;; three dollars, twice;
Going for three..." But no,...

From the room far back a grey haired man
Came forward and picked up the bow;
Then, wiping the dust from the old violin,
And tightening the loose strings,
He played a melody pure and sweet
As a caroling angel sings.

The music ceased, and the auctioneer,
With a voice that was quiet and low,
Said: "What am I bid for the old violin?"
And he held it up with the bow.
"A thousand dollars, and who'll make it three?
Two thousand! And who'll make it three?
Three thousand, once; three thousand, twice;
And going and gone," said he.

The people cheered, but some of them cried,
"We do not quite understand
What changed its worth?" Swift came the reply;
"The touch of the master's hand."

And many a man with life out of tune,
And battered and scarred with sin,
Is auctioned cheap to the thoughtless crowd,
Much like the old violin.
A "mess of potage," a glass of wine;
A game--he travels on.

He is "going" once, and "going" twice,
He's "going" and almost "gone."
But the Master comes and the foolish crowd
Never can quite understand
The worth of a soul and the change that's wrought
By the touch of the Master's Hand. ~~ --

---'Chicken Soup for the Soul' // Myra B. Welch

--SOMEONE CARES / PASS IT ON ~~

-MAGIC MAKERS ~~

--In 2015, my friend's three-year-old daughter, Lily, was diagnosed with cancer. As an oncology nurse, I knew the challenges she and her family faced. I couldn't stop thinking about Lily's beautiful blonde hair, which she'd lose during treatment. I decided to crochet a wig for her. Yarn is softer on the scalp than a traditional wit. Using yellow yarn, I made a wig wish long hair. Lily loved it. I knew I had to create more wigs for other kids battling cancer.

My friend Bree Hitchcock and I founded the Magic Yarn Project. Today we have 15 chapters around the United States. Our volunteers have created more than 30,000 wigs for children in 51 countries. There is no cost to the children's families ~~


----Holly Christensen,Palmer Alaska

--THE BIGGEST MISTAKE ~~

--[Please Read / John 3:1-4]

--WHAT'S THE BIGGEST MISTAKE you've ever made? Many people may not recognize their greatest error until after death, when their expectation of life in heaven is replaced by the horrible reality that they are denied entrance for rejecting Christ.

Nicodemus was a man who had built his life on knowing and doing the right things. As a Sanhedrin member--one of the highest ranks for a Pharisee--he appeared incredibly righteous from man's perspective. Surely he was destined for heaven. What a shock it must have been when Jesus said the only way to see the kingdom of God was to be born again. Nicodemus hadn't done anything to be born physically, and now he was being told there was nothing he could do to be born again, either. And no matter how many good deeds he had done, they could never get him into the kingdom of God.

The false belief that we can earn our way to heaven is still prevalent today. Churches are filled with people who think they are saved by participating in religious activities and living a moral life. But if we believe this lie, we will be greatly disappointed after death. The only way to be saved from eternal disaster is to be born again by believing in Jesus. ~~

--IN TOUCH

[Jesus said, "Truly, truly I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
"That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. -[JOHN 3:5-6] ]

--PRO-LIFE ~~

---Several States Ramping Up Pro-Life Legislation ~~

--The governors of Arizona, Montana and Oklahoma—all Republicans—have signed pro-life bills this week.

--Gov. Doug Ducey of Arizona signed SB 1457 on April 27, prohibiting abortion-inducing drugs from being distributed through the mail, courier or delivery and banning physicians from performing abortions based on the diagnosis of a genetic abnormality, such as Down syndrome, Tay Sachs disease, cystic fibrosis, Turner syndrome and Noonan syndrome. The bill also ensures taxpayer dollars will not support entities that promote abortions, and it requires proper treatment of an aborted baby’s remains.

“Arizonans can be proud of a state that leads the way in protecting the preborn and caring for women facing unplanned pregnancies,” Center for Arizona Policy President Cathi Herrod said in a press release.

Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte signed three pro-life bills April 26 that would have likely been vetoed in recent years by the state’s former Democratic governors.

HB 136 adopts the Montana Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act and prohibits the abortion of an unborn child capable of feeling pain. HB 140 requires pregnant women be afforded the opportunity to view an ultrasound and listen to the unborn child’s heartbeat before undergoing an abortion. HB 171 adopts the Montana Abortion-Inducing Drug Risk Protocol Act, prohibiting the dispensing of abortion-inducing drugs in schools and on school grounds and requiring informed consent.

“Life is precious and ought to be protected,” Gianforte posted to Twitter. “… I proudly signed into law bills to protect the life of our most vulnerable, the unborn.”

Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt also signed three pro-life bills into law April 26.

HB 2441 requires abortionists to check for the unborn baby’s heartbeat and prohibits abortion if a heartbeat is detected. HB 1904 clarifies that only board-certified physicians in obstetrics and gynecology licensed in Oklahoma are permitted to perform abortions in the state. HB 1102 adds abortion to a list of unprofessional conduct actions by doctors.

“We want to be the most pro-life state in the country, and I want to be the most pro-life governor,” Stitt said.
--[Decision Magazine/ Please Share for our Lord.]

--THE WAY TO GO ~~

--"I am the LORD your God, who....leads you in the way you should go."
--[Isaiah 48:17] --

--ARE you confused today because you don't know what to do? Are you confounded because God isn't showing you what direction to take, though you've been asking Him? Don't despair--He hasn't forgotten you, and He isn't ignoring you.

The Lord will show you how to proceed. In fact, He is actively working in your situation and guiding you even as you read this, though you may not realize it. You see, God wants you to honor Him, and He understands that you don't always know how to do so. Therefore, He takes responsibility for teaching you how to walk in His ways, instructing you as a patient and loving Father would--one step at a time, building your faith, character, and obedience.

What this means is that it would be completely out of character and contrary to His purposes for Him to hide how He wants you to go forward. So stop fretting and continue listening. God will move heaven and earth to show you His will and help you walk in it. He will certainly give you the wisdom to advance with Him on step at a time.

--"Have not I commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the LORD you God is with you wherever you go." --[Joshua 1:9]

--WHAT IS LOVE?

--WHEN a group of young children were asked, "What is love?" they gave some thoughtful and some hilarious answers: "Love means everybody has a family." said four-year-old Adam.

Six-year-old Jasmine said, "Love is when you tell a boy you like his shirt, and he starts to wear it almost every day."

Another child replied, "When my grandma got arthritis, she couldn't bend over and polish her toenails anymore. So my grandpa does it for her all the time now, even when his hands got arthritis too."

Grandpa's sweet example of sacrifice brings to mind an amazing story in the Bible. Jesus, knowing He wouldn't be with His disciples for much longer because of His imminent arrest and crucifixion, took a towel and wrapped it around His waist (John 13). He poured water into a bowl and began to wash His disciples' feet. Peter recoiled at the thought because it didn't seem right: The Master and Lord bending low and touching my dirty feet? Yet in order to teach them what it meant to serve others, Jesus said, "Now that I, you Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also must wash one another's feet" (vv. 12,14).

After teaching HIs followers for three years, Jesus gave His life for our sins. Humility and sacrifice--the true nature of love.

So, how do we learn to give sacrificial love? Start by asking God for His direction, He's created you and has given you gifts to use in serving others.

**Keep your eyes and heart open to those around you.
**Help someone with a project or need.
**Serve your own family.
**Provide a meal for strangers or a neighbor.
**Pray for someone you might not care for. ~~

--Our instructions from our Lord Jesus are found in Luke Chapter 6 verses 27 thru 38. "But I say to you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you. Bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you."--[vs. 27 thru 28]

How will we "wash" someone's feet today? Let's follow in the steps or our Lord Jesus. ~~

ODB/AC~
-["Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." --LUKE 6:31]

--Why Does God Allow Suffering`?

--"WHOM THE LORD LOVES HE CORRECTS."

--"For whom the Lord loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth."
--[Proverbs 3:12 / KJV]

-Please Read/ Hebrews 12:1-17] --

---Can we sense God's loving hand in the chastisements we experience? I have found today's verse to be very meaningful, having gone through numerous trials. It is a universal rule that God gives correction to those whom He truly loves, as a father does to his son. He does not discipline us to make us suffer, but He knows that through the experience we will be purified as He said in Isaiah 48:10: "Behold, I have refined thee, but not with silver; I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction."

We can choose to become better or bitter. We need to choose to be thankful every day. Regardless of what trials and heartaches we go through, they are still less than our sins deserve. God's mercy reaches us if we are resigned to HIs testing as in Proverbs 16:6: "By mercy and truth iniquity is purged; and by the fear of the Lord men depart from evil."

When we consider our life in light of eternity, we realize that God's chastisement is for our profit as we can gather in verses nine and ten of today's Bible reading [Hebrews 12: 1-17]. Our chastisement lasts but a few days. It is like a woman's travail in childbirth when afterward she has such joy that she no longer remembers the pain.

In eternity the joy of being with our Lord Jesus will overshadow all the trials we ever faced. Everything else will appear as nothing when we stand before His throne, and all our adversities will be seen as lasting but a moment. Such will be our reward if we persevere unto the end. Press on, brothers and sisters, we're almost Home. Even so, Come Lord Jesus, Come!"~~

--'Let us reflect on Christ's response to afflictions,
that we may follow His example.'

--BSW/FB~

--"There are Three That Testify"

--"For there are three that testify:
The Spirit and the Word, and the blood, and the three are in agreement."
"For there are three that bear witness of G-D; God the Father,
God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit... The Three are in agreement."
---[1 John 5:6-8] --

---PLUGGED IN ~~
--"Draw nigh to God and He will draw nigh to you." --[James 4:8]

--Several of my grandsons gave me a battery booster for my birthday. I call it my "Hot Shot" because it gives a good strong boost to any battery I hook it up to. It's very handy because I can carry it with one hand wherever I go. I use it often. It's much quicker than having to use jumper cables. But there is one catch. It must stay plugged in to keep it "hot." The other day I discovered that it was not plugged in when I needed it, so it was not worth much. The directions stay, "Keep Me Plugged In!"

That's just how the Christian life is. We have tremendous spiritual power available from God. He promised to give us what we need when we need it. We all have difficulties and disappointments in life that we cannot handle by ourselves. We must have power from God. But to have it, we must stay plugged in to Jesus Christ! Not just some of the time. Not just when we need Him. Our spiritual batteries must be on constant charge to be dependable.

The Bible way to be "plugged in" is provided in John 15:5 = "I am the vine, ye are the branches...without me ye can do nothing." We must be as branches firmly attached to the Vine, Jesus Christ. Then divine power will flow into us and will give us grace to see us through anything life brings our way.

Exactly how can we plug in? By drawing close to God through Bible reading and praying.... Bible studying with good concordances. Fellowship with other believers in a Scriptural church is also important. These and other ways help us to stay plugged in to our Jehovah God, YHWH ~~ YAHWEH~ [For those who cannot get out, be sure to stay in tune with a Scriptural Bible believing church on television or radio. Pray for the guidance of the Lord.. ~]

"Father G-D, we ask that You lead, guide and direct our steps to live our life according to what is right in Your eyes. We ask these things in the Name above all names, Jesus Christ. ~~Amen"

--BSW/DB~

-----BRAVE LOVE ~~

--"Do everything in love."
--[1 Corinthians 16:14] --

---THE four chaplains weren't know as "heroes." But on a frigid February night in 1943, when their transport ship, the SS Dorchester, was torpedoed off the coast of Greenland during World War II, the four gave their all to calm hundreds of panicked soldiers. With the ship sinking and injured men jumping for overcrowded lifeboats, the four chaplains calmed the pandemonium by "preaching courage, " a survivor said.

When life jackets ran out, each took his off, giving it to a frightened young man. They had determined to go down with the ship so that others might live. Said one survivor, "It was the finest thing I have seen or hope to see this side of heaven."

Linking arms as the ship began to sink, the chaplains prayed aloud together, offering encouragement to those perishing with them

Bravery marks their saga. Love, however, defines the gift the four offered. Paul urged such love of all believers, including those in the storm-tossed church at Corinth. Riled by conflict, corruption, and sin, Paul urged them to "be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong" (1 Corinthians 16:13). Then he added, "Do everything in love" (v.14).

It's a sterling command for every believer in Jesus especially during a crisis. In life, when upheaval threatens, our bravest response reflects Christ--giving to others in His love. ~~

----"Lord Jesus when I don't feel brave, which is often, stir up my courage to boldly offer love. Thank You, my Rock, Savior and Redeemer."

--ODB/PR

~~~ SECRET GIVER / JESUS SEES OUR GOOD DEEDS ~~

---"Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them."
---[ Matthew 6:1 ]

--[Please Read/ Matthew 6:1–4] --


----For Christopher, a physically disabled veteran, everyday activities had become more challenging, took longer to finish, and increased his pain. Still, he did his best to serve his wife and child. Passersby would see him using a push-mower to cut his lawn every week.

One day, Christopher received a letter—and an expensive riding lawnmower—from an anonymous donor. The secret giver’s satisfaction came through the privilege of helping someone in need.

Jesus doesn’t say that all our giving should be in secret, but He does remind us to check our motives when we give (Matthew 6:1). He also said: “When you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others” (v. 2). While God expects us to be openhanded givers, He encourages us to avoid doing good deeds in front of people for the purpose of receiving accolades or special recognition (v. 3).

When we realize everything we have comes from God, we can be secret givers who don’t need to pat our own backs or gain the admiration of others. Our all-knowing Giver of all good things delights in the genuine generosity of His people. Nothing beats the reward of His approval. ~~

---"Loving God, please bless me with opportunities to give as selflessly and sacrificially as You have given to me."
--ODB/XD

--OBEDIENCE: / GOD VERSES GOVERNMENT ~~

--""Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God:
the powers that be are ordained of God." --[Romans 13:1]
--[Please Read/ Romans 13:1-7, 1 Peter 2: 11-17]

~~WHOM SHOULD we obey, God or the government? As Christians we must first be loyal to God. Does this then mean that Christians are above the government and do not need to obey those in authority? Not at all! We must submit to government authority.

Sometimes the government may ask us to do something contrary to the Commandments of God. In such circumstances we "ought to obey God rather than men" (Acts 5:29). However, today's Bible reading calls us to obey the government in all things that do not violate Scripture. We have a wonderful opportunity to be witnesses for Christ Jesus by willing obeying our government whenever it is possible.

In Romans 12:18 we read, "If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men." This includes those who are in authority. In Daniel 2:21 we read that God "removeth kings and setteh up kings." God has actually ordained the government, and if we resist it we are resisting something that God has established. Why has God ordained the Government? According to todays Bible reading it was to punish evildoers and to praise those who do well.

We are also called to pray for all who are in authority (1 Timothy 2:1-2). How shall we pray for them? We can pray that they would be willing to submit their lives to Christ and that God would grant them wisdom to make good decisions and courage to fulfill their responsibilities. We must also remember to thank God for the government He has ordained.
Let us submit to civil authorities in every way that is right according to the Word of God. ~~

--BSW/JW

--THE WAY OF LIFE OR FOLLY ~~

--"He is on the path of life who heeds instruction,
But he who ignores reproof goes astray.
He who conceals hatred has lying lips,
And he who spreads slander is a fool."
---[Proverbs 10:17-18 /NASB ]

--[Please Read / Proverbs 10]

--"The way of life" as used in today's key verse might remind us of the Scripture where Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life" (John 14:6). Jesus was speaking of Himself as the avenue of approach to the Father. Indeed, He is the Way and much more.

We must allow wisdom and understanding to be our teachers, for "the fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom" (Proverbs 9:10). These verses in Proverbs 10 are telling us that by keeping the instruction we receive from wisdom, we will be kept in the way of life--that is in Christ. Sometimes instruction comes as reproof, and a truly wise man will accept it humbly and so continue in the way of life.

On the other hand, we see that a fool will not receive instruction. When admonished about his anger, bitterness, hatred, or slander, he tries to cover it up with lies and excuses rather than make a humble confession He foolish way leaves a trail of question marks. Lies and a secretive life are mentioned twice in the seven abominations that God hates (Proverbs 6:17-19). Jesus also gave no slack to the religious hypocrites of His day.

Proverbs 9:6 says, "Forsake the foolish, and live." The foolish way is one of hiding and deceit, but the way of life is a path of openness and honesty. The foolish way leads to no place other than eternal death, but keeping instruction will lead us in the way of life to the Father Himself. ~~

"Father, I want to stay close to You and Jesus. Please help me to know when I get off the path. Lead, guide and direct my steps, in the Name above all names, Jesus.~~amen~"

--BSW/SH~

--WHEN LIFE GETS US DOWN ~~

----We all get discouraged from time to time. It is what we do with that discouragement that sets our next step. ~~
~~We need to be 'MOTIVATED FROM WITHIN' ~~

--"Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him."
--[2 Corinthian5:9] --

--MOTIVATED FROM WITHIN ~~

--THE words in the title were emblazoned on a wall in the San Francisco airport. Apparently their purpose was to give a good impression of how the workers functioned. But the caption went much farther with me. It reflects exactly what we as Christians ought to be--motivated from within--not merely responding to outward influences that push us in the right direction. Our motivation for life must come from God. It must be much deeper than meeting the expectation of our church or others around us.

Paul said it well in 2 Corinthians 5:14-15: "For the love of Christ constraineth [compels] us ...if one died for all...they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto Him which died for them and rose again." This means we must be motivated by the love of Christ--His love for us and our love for Him! True love for Christ will make us want to live for Him. It will motivate a desire to please Him by living in obedience to Him. Jesus said, "If ye love me, keep my commandments" (John 14:15). Doing that brings great satisfaction!

God wants our total love and loyalty. If the Holy Spirit lives in us, He provides the inner motivation we need. Our lives will show when this is our experience. We will perform even the daily duties of life as a way of serving God. We will joyfully minister to others in whatever way God calls us. The big question is, are we motivated from within to work for the Lord? It is the only way to please our heavenly Father. The Lord knows all our heartaches and problems. He is as close as the mention of HIs name. Lift your cares and love up to Jesus. ~~

--'Love is an undying source of inner motivation.
--"Charity never faileth." ---[1 Corinthians13:8]
--BSW/DGB~
--"God Turn It Around"--[Jon Reddick] // <https://youtu.be/bxq3KlMataY>
~~~~~~~~~~~~

--"Be Still and Know that I am the Lord~"

--Each day of my grandmother's ninety-five years began with reading the Bible and quiet time in prayer. It was a practice that she began as child--it was required by her parents--and it became a habit that she never relinquished.

Since my grandmother lived with me, I was privileged to view her daily prayer position: sitting gin her mahogany-brown rocking chair in her bedroom with her large King James Bible in her lap. Her lips whispered the words as she read and rocked gently. Her dedication and commitment to the Word resonated with me then and lives with me still, more than thirty years after her death.

I've always longed for this kind of commitment to reading and studying the Word, and thanks to two sisters in Christ and a web-based Bible site, I am getting there! Nearly every day for the past several years, we three women--living in New York, Massachusetts, and North Carolina--jointly read devotions and Scripture and trade thoughts on what messages God is sharing with us Not only have these readings heightened my accountability to God, but this practice also encourages my commitment to my two prayer partners.

As long last, and thanks to technology and a love of Christ planted in me by my grandmother, I'm finally making progress in my Christian walk. And I am so very thankful ~~

--"Dear Lord, thank You for all the ways and methods that Your have made available to us so we may become more learned about Your Word. May we use them wisely, to edify Your teachings. Help us, Lord to be still and know that You are the Lord Jesus.~~


"Be Still and Know" // Jeremy Riddle // <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jPT41DnKVdc>
~~~~~~~~~

----"Christian Conduct"

--"In all things give thanks for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."
--[1 Thessalonians 5:18] --

--I fidgeted as I sat in the veterinarian clinic with Sunrise, my golden retriever, waiting for the doctor to come into the room. Blood ran from Sunrise's right ear, down her golden coat, and pooled on the floor. She had ripped it open on some barbed wire fence and it wouldn't stop bleeding. I gently touched her ear and cooed. "The doctor will get you fixed up." I wished my own problems could be fixed so easily. I was facing a major decision, which I had prayed about Just when I thought I received the answer, I'd begin to doubt and spiral backward.

Sunrise wagged her tail as the veterinarian walked into the room, but when the doctor reached for her ear, she turned her head. No matter how the doctor tried, Sunrise kept her ear out of reach.

Frustrated, the doctor stepped back at the same time I thought of a solution. Sunrise's right ear was next to me. I reached down and gently flipped her ear flap to the left side of her head, the side the doctor was on. The doctor easily examined the ear--Sunrise thought it was me touching her ear.

I grinned. "She wouldn't let you touch it because she didn't trust you. With those words, my heart ached. I had some trust issues, too. My doubts about my decision were the result of not trusting God.

In time, Sunrise healed and so did I. By investing time with God and recounting His faithfulness toward me, I committed to trust Him. ~~

--"Lord Jesus, thank You for Your faithfulness. Help me, Lord, to always remember You are as close as the mention of Your Name ~ amen"
--ODB/RO~

--LOVE ONE ANOTHER ~~

--"This is my commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you."
---[John 15:12] --

~~~The Priority Mail two-day delivery box arrived on our front porch as a real surprise. With expectancy, we opened the Butter Maid Bakery container.

Inside was a "Handmade with Love" genuine Kolachi roll. To see the word Kolachi was to recall savory kitchen aromas of my mom's dessert baking. Her yeast-dough Kolachi-with-prunes, still warm from the oven, topped with real butter, remains a culinary highlight of my youth.

Immediately upon opening the box, we sliced off pieces from the large log-shaped roll. After warming it for thirty seconds in the microwave. I placed a forkful in my mouth. AH!......the first bite was a taste of Mom's Minnesota Czech Kolachi recipe, appetizing and delicious.

My wife's sister and brother-in-law sent these lip-smacking treats. Few have supported us more in our thirty years of army life than Jan and Bill. Over the decades, their thoughtfulness, wise counsel, and encouragement have made a real difference.

Though unknown to them, the package arrived just before my Mom's birthday.

In my exuberance over the back-home kitchen flavor, I researched the web, found the vendor, and had Kolachi roll treats express-delivered to my two brothers and sister. The occasion honored the memory of our mother.

"The dough tastes like Mom's!" came a happy face, thumbs-up emoji text from my sister. "The Kolachi Roll you sent to us in Mom's memory was out of the world! Thank you! She would have loved it!" was another written response. -

Sharing the love. Multiplying the joy. Isn't this what a life of faith is all about?

--Guideposts/KS~
~~~~~~~~

--FREE FROM GUILT / BE YOURSELF ~

----Raggedy Ann and Me ~~

~~~ONE DAY, when I was six and my sister was eight, my mother brought home a beautiful handmade Raggedy Ann and Raggedy Andy. Mother had us whisper in her ear which one we wanted. Of course, I wanted the little girl with the red heart that said, "I love you." Yet, when it was my turn, knowing my sister wanted Raggedy Ann, I murmured, "Raggedy Andy." For years, I pretended to myself and others that I loved Raggedy Andy.

I had plenty of reasons for choosing Raggedy Andy. Aware it would be too hard on Mother if my sister and I chose the same doll, I took care of Mother. Also, I feared my sister's anger and envy if I won. I didn't feel brave enough to have something for myself at her expense! For all these reasons, it just wasn't safe. The way I resolved my dilemma was to accommodate and not want at all.

It's significant that I couldn't let myself choose the doll I wanted, but even more crucial was my inability to let myself know for more than a moment that I wanted her. I not only fooled them, I fooled myself!

Later, in the course of therapy as a young woman, I told my husband the story of how I didn't choose Raggedy Ann. I was astonished to find myself weeping, releasing tears that had been locked up for twenty years. I wept for the loss of Raggedy Ann, and even more for the loss of the little girl who had to give up herself to keep peace in her family Not being able to be who I was and want what I wanted was a source of great suffering for me.

On my next birthday, my husband watched as I opened his gift. The box was sealed with children's wrapping paper. I tore the paper off the box and lifted the lid. There she was peeking out of the tissue--my very own Raggedy Ann. -

I now have a small collection of Raggedy Ann dolls. She has become a symbol to me of my reclaimed self. My newest Raggedy is three feet tall and graces a small rocker in my bedroom. She happily reminds me that it's OK to know what I want, and it's OK to give to myself. It's now safe to be me.~~

---"Stories For the Woman's Soul" // KA~

--HOLDING TIGHT TO JESUS, MY FOUNDATION ~~

--"Everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who build his house on the rock.
The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it
had its foundation on the rock." --[Matthew 7:24-25 / NIV] --

--HIKING THROUGH A GROVE of "old-growth" trees, the forest loomed, a cool haven. I heard the brook before I saw it, the soft murmur drawing me closer as it cascaded downhill. The water's course must have shifted during the previous winter's storms, for in the middle of the stream stood two tall trees. The constant flow had eroded away the sand and pebbles, leaving the roots exposed, like giant hands digging into the ground. I glanced to the treetops and back to their base, curious who would win in this war of trees versus water, but then I noticed massive rocks weighting the trees' roots to the mountain Those evergreens would be fine.

This season has been difficult for me. I've struggled with the loss of loved ones and battled health issues. It's as if I'm being flooded with troubles. But like those trees, I plan to keep hanging on. I'm digging deep into my faith and holding tight to Jesus, my Rock. "Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken." (Psalm 62:2 / NIV).

I know I won't fall and I won't fail. Like the trees flourishing midstream in the forest, this deluge of challenges won't shake me. Because the whole time I'm clinging to the Rock, and He's holding me even more tightly. And He'll never let go.
~~ Jesus is the Rock of my salvation and the anchor of my soul. ~~

---Guideposts/HG~--

----GROWING IN GOD'S GRACE ~~

--"Make every effort to add to your faith goodness;
and to goodness, knowledge." --[2 Peter 1:5] --

~~The English preacher Charles H. Spurgeon (1834-1892) lived life "full throttle." He became a pastor at age nineteen--and soon was preaching to large crowds. He personally edited all of his sermons, which eventually filled sixty-three volumes, and wrote many commentaries, books on prayer, and other works. And he typically read six books a week! In one of his sermons, Spurgeon said, "The sin of doing nothing is about the biggest of all sins, for it involves most of the others...Horrible idleness! God save us from it!"

Charles Spurgeon lived with diligence, which meant he [made] every effort" (2 Peter 1:5) to grow in God's grace and to live for Him. If we're Christ's followers, God can instill in us that same desire and capacity to grow more like Jesus, to "make every effort to add to [our] faith goodness; and too goodness, knowledge....self-control, perseverance....godliness" (vv. 5-7)

We each have different motivations, abilities, and energy levels--not all of us can, or should, live at Charles Spurgeon's pace! But when we understand all Jesus has done for us, we have the greatest motivation for diligent, faithful living. And we find our strength through the resources God has given us to live for and serve Him. God through His Spirit can empower us in our efforts--big and small--to do so. ~~

-"Loving God, help me to be diligent to live for You in all I do and say.
Thank You for enabling me to do so through Your Spirit inside me. In Jesus Name. amen"

--ODB/AK

----Wisdom, Virtue ~~

--LISTEN AND LEARN ~~

--"Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow
to become angry." --[JAMES 1:19] --

---On one side of the street a homeowner displays in his yard a giant blow-up bald eagle draped in a US flag. A big truck sits in the driveway. It's side window features a painted flag and the back bumper is covered with patriotic stickers. Directly across the street in a neighbor's yard are signs that highlight the slogans for current social justice issues in the news.

Are the people in these homes feuding or friends? we might wonder. Is it possible that both families are believers in Jesus? God calls us to live out the words of James 1:19: "Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry." Too often we stubbornly hold on to our opinions and aren't willing to consider what others are thinking. Matthew Henry's Commentary has this to say: We should be swift to hear reason and truth on all sides, and be slow to speak... and, when we do speak, there should be nothing of wrath."

Someone has said, " Learning requires listening." The practical words from God in the book of James can only be accomplished if we're filled with God's loving Spirit and choose to respect others. He's willing to help us make changes in our hearts and attitudes. Are we open to listen and learn? ~~

--"Lord G-D, you know me. I can be opinionated sometimes. Help me to be quick to listen and slow to speak. Help me, Lord, to obey Your Word."

--ODB/AC~
~~~~~~~~

--Wisdom, Virtue ~~

---THE PRESENT ~~

--"So teach us to number our days, that we may apply
our hearts unto wisdom." --[Psalm 90:12] --

---I was recently at a business place and saw this saying: --"Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery. Today is a gift. That's why we call it the present." I was impressed by these words and their significance. It has been stated that tomorrow never comes; it always turns into today. It is also true that yesterday never returns. This is why today is such a blessing if used rightly, or such a curse if used wrongly.

If someone told you that "the present" was waiting for you at the post office, what would you expect to see? A new set of lawn furniture? A Bible? Perhaps a million-dollar inheritance? Maybe you'd expect nothing more than a Thinking-Of-You card and a letter from a dear friend.

In John 3:16 the greatest Present of all is laid out in simply terms. "For God so loved the world, that He gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." This is ready for us to receive today. "Have" is in the present tense. Could it be? Dare we hope? The Son of God--everlasting life--now!

God is waiting, calling, pleading for each one of us to receive this most precious Present. To do so, we must repent of our sins and yield ourselves to Him in deep humility and gratitude. This Present is Jesus. He will empower us to speak kind words, witness for the Lord, be rich in good works, do what is truly profitable, and live each moment in a close walk with God--knowing that tomorrow may never come. We may be called into eternity at any time.
May we fully enjoy the blessings of the Present, our Lord and Savior Jesus every day!

--BSW/JH~
--"Come unto Me, all who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart and You will find rest for your sousr. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."--[Matthew 11:28-30]

-Wisdom and Virtue ~~

-----Agreeing Politically? // Forgive as Christ forgives you. ~~
--
--"Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone.
--Forgive as the Lord forgave you." --[Colossians 3:13 / NIV] --

~~My feelings were hurt. A friend, at least I thought we were, deleted me from her friend list on social mediia The only reason I could figure was that we didn't share the same political views. It seemed she felt I was no longer worthy to be her friend. That stung. I strive to be fair and unbiased, willing to listen to both sides and make my own judgments.

Wayne and I don't always agree on matters, either. My husband enjoys reading science fiction, and I prefer regency romances or historicals. This doesn't mean the end of our marriage. It's the same when it comes to choosing television programs. He likes viewing the more comedies. Sure, books and television programs might be lower stakes than political convictions, but our mutual respect allows us to disagree on matters big and small.

As I mulled over my former friend's rejection, my pride snapped into place. I didn't need her as a friend anyway. I had plenty of people I preferred who were fair-minded. Then I thought about what Paul had written about doing our best to get along with everyone. Swallowing my natural tendency to write her off as well, I knew what I needed to do. I sent her a private message and apologized for anything I might have said that offended her. I didn't expect to hear back and was surprised when I did. We will probably never agree politically, but that's fine as long as we can respect each other's opinions.

-"Father, like in the prayer of St. Francis, let me be an instrument of
Your peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love. "

--Guideposts/DM~
~~~~~~~

--WISDOM / VIRTUE ~~

--THE POWER OF THE GOSPEL ~~

--"I am so eager to preach the gospel also to you who are in Rome."
--[Romans 1:15]

--Ancient Rome had its own version of "the gospel"--the good news. According to the poet Virgil, Zeus, king of the gods, had decreed for the Romans a kingdom without end or boundaries. The gods had chosen Augustus as divine son and savior of the world by ushering in a golden age of peace and prosperity.

This, however, wasn't everyone's idea of good news. For many it was an unwelcome reality enforced by the heavy hand of the emperor's army and executioners. The glory of the empire was built on the backs of enslaved people who served without legal personhood or or property at the pleasure of masters who ruled over them.

This was the world in which Paul introduced himself as a servant of Christ (Romans 1:1). Jesus--how Paul had once hated that name. And how Jesus Himself had suffered for admitting to being the king of the Jesus and Savior of the world.

This was the good news Paul would explain the rest of his letter to the Romans. This gospel was the "power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes" (v. 16). Oh, how it was needed by those who suffered under Caesar!

Here was the news of a crucified and resurrected Savior--the liberator who conquered His enemies by showing how much He loved them. ~~

--ODB/MD~

---SOMEONE CARES
--[PASS IT ON} ~~

--BAKING A DIFFERENCE ~~

---Since the pandemic, more people than ever have visited food banks. When I heard that food pantries were struggling to meet the increased demand, I wanted to help. I love to bake and several years ago, started a group for serious home bakers. I got the idea to found Community Loaves, a group of home bakers that donates freshly baked bread to food pantries. ----

We developed a recipe for honey oat bread, which uses locally sourced flour. Each batch produces four loaves; volunteer bakers keep one and donate the other three. Our program has now grown to more than 800 volunteers, and we aim to donate 35,000 loaves this year.

To get involved, visit / communityloaves.org ~

--Katherine Kehrli
KIRKLAND, WSHINGOTN .

--WISDOM, / VIRTUE ~~
---TESTING THE LIMITS ~~

--[CREATION INSIGHT] ~~
-[INFO from) ICR.ORG]

--Do you like playing sports, skating, bike riding, or doing tricks on a trampoline? With training, the human body can do amazing feats of strength, endurance, grace, and precision. Olympic athletes show off Jesus' amazing design when they swim fast, lift heavy weights, do flips in the air, or spike a volleyball. And did you know.....

**ONE extreme athlete, Dean Karnazes, tested the human body's limits when he ran 50 marathons across all 50 states in 50 days.

**In 1960, Minoru Yoshida of Japan set a world record when he did 10,507 push-ups.

**Sarah Thomas was the first person to swim across the English Channel four times without stopping---
even after being stung on the face by a jellyfish!

**When athletes who are blind or missing a limb compete in the Paralympic Games, they showcase the human body's incredible ability to adapt to challenges.

**When you challenge your body with new skills, you display God's amazing design, too!

---WHAT PRAYER CAN DO ~~
--Guideposts/RMS

--1 Thessalonians 4:11 was the subject of our Tuesday night Bible study. “Aspire to lead a calm and peaceful life as you mind your own business….”

--Mind your own business. The words sounded kind of harsh to me, but I couldn’t deny their truth. It is important to respect boundaries in relationships. Sometimes, though, it’s necessary to intervene. The key is knowing the difference.

On Wednesday morning, my son, Mark, told me about a problem he’d been having. Ron, a friend of his since childhood, had borrowed Mark’s reciprocal saw weeks earlier and never returned it.

“Ron lent my saw to someone who’s moving in a few days,” Mark said. “What if I never get it back? I don’t have the money to replace it!”

By now, Mark’s patience had run out. “If Ron doesn’t give the saw back by tomorrow, I’m calling the police,” he declared.

I sure didn’t want to see that happen. But was it my place to warn Ron? It would be sad to have a life-long friendship end over something like this. I drove past Ron’s house that day on the way to see my sister and thought about stopping to talk to him.

Mind your own business popped into my head. Was I thinking of it because of Bible study the night before, or was it a message for me? I asked God what he wanted me to do. I’d hoped my sister would give me advice about it, but she had other things on her mind.

As I was driving home, I prayed, “God, please help Mark and Ron work this out.”

Afterward I had to pass Ron’s house again on my way to the store. And on the way back. I decided to stop and talk to him. But just a few blocks away, I sensed that I should just go home.

Ten minutes after I walked in the door, Mark called.

“Ron got the saw for me,” he told me happily. “Did you say something to him?”

“I considered it,” I admitted. “But I didn’t do anything. I just asked God to help with the situation.”

“Then you did do something,” Mark said.
~~~~~~~~~~
[---Friend, God does hear and answer prayer. Please do not hesitate to take your worries to the Lord and leave them there. He may say, 'Yes', 'No' .or 'Not Now'
He always wants to hear from His people. No matter what, give HIM PRAISE. \o/ ]

---WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO LEARN TO FORGIVE?

~~A nail in my tire creates a slow leak; if I don't deal with it, I'm eventually going to end up with a flat tire. I think unforgiveness is a slow leak in our soul, on our spirit. When we have a hard time forgiving someone, it really doesn't hurt that person. It ultimately causes the greatest damage to us. I have a Deuteronomy 29:29 file folder, named for the verses that say the revealed things belong to us, the secret things belong to God.

That basically means there is not going to be a solution to every problem. There's not going to be an answer to every question. There's not going to be reconciliation to every breach that all of us are prone to. When I experience things that feel unforgivable, all I can do is put it in that file and trust God in the process. In years to come, I'll have some revelations about what I put in that folder.
I'll think, 'Okay, I see this differently now. You are in control, Lord.'

--Guideposts/ MB~

---Wisdom / Virtue
--Bearing Fruit In Old Age ~~

--"They shall still bear fruit in old age" ~~ [PSALM 92:14 / NKJV] --

---I was feeling old and worthless when my granddaughter Hanna called with a request.

"Grandpa, I wonder if you could grow some zinnias for my upcoming wedding reception. They are my favorite flower, and no one can grow things like you can."

I went right to work, planting large zinnias everywhere: around the foundation of the house, in raised beds, even in plastic pots. Enough I figured, to produce about five hundred blooms.

They were growing well when a fungus turned some of them gray, and I had to cull those out. Then came the Japanese beetles, who turned the leaves into lace doilies. The final insult was a storm that blew the tall plants to the ground. It took me a day to stake them back upright.

As the reception drew near, I counted only about a hundred and fifty blooms left.

Then I fell ill, with a vicious case of vertigo, and I spent the day of the reception in bed. My daughter Natalie, picked up the zinnias and took them to the reception.

As I lay in bed, my head spinning, I felt as if I had failed my granddaughter. Zinnias are the easiest flowers in the world to grow, but somehow I failed.

The next day, however, Hannah called to say, " The flowers were perfect, Grandpa, just enough for the small reception area. Everyone raved about the large, bright. blooms, and some of the guests took flowers home with them. I'm sending you some pictures." She sounded very happy.

I have decided that I am not always the best judge of my worth. I have a tendency to be too hard on myself. Sometimes I just need someone to call me and say "Grandpa, we still need you." .~~

--Guideposts/DS~

~~WISDOM and VIRTUE ~~

--Many people do not believe that God still speaks. However, as we read the Bible [His Word], He speaks to us. He speaks to us through Pastors, other Christians. ~~

--"See, I am doing a new thing!" --[ISAIAH 43:19] --

-- 'MOVE YOUR FENCE!'

~~~The village vicar couldn't sleep. As World War II raged, he'd told a small group of American soldiers they couldn't bury their fallen comrade inside the fenced cemetery next to his church. Only burials for church members were allowed. So the men buried their beloved friend just outside the fence.

The next morning, however, the soldiers couldn't find the grave. "What happened? The grave is gone," one soldier told the Reverend. "Oh, it's still there," he told him. The soldier was confused, but the churchman explained. "I regretted telling you no. So, last night, I got up--and I moved the fence."

God may give fresh perspective for our life challenges too--if we look for it. That was the prophet Isaiah's message to the down trodden people of Israel. Instead of looking back with longing at their Red Sea rescue, they needed to shift their sight, seeing God doing new miracles, blazing new paths. "Do not dwell on the past," He urged them. See, I am doing a new thing!" (Isaiah 43:18-19). He's our source of hope during doubts and battles. "I provide water in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland, [providing] drink to my people, my chosen [people]" (v.20).

Refreshed with new vision, we too can see God's fresh direction in our lives. May we look with new eyes to see His new paths. Then, with courage, may we step onto new ground, bravely following in Christ's steps. ~~

--ODB/PR~

--WISDOM / VIRTUE ~~

--"Be sure of this; I am with you always, even to the end of the age." --[Matthew 28:20]
----
~~~~~~
“‘Don’t be afraid,’ Jesus said. ‘Take courage. I am here!’” (Matthew 14:27).

Power inhabits these words. To awaken in an ICU and hear your husband say, “I am here.” To lose your retirement yet feel the support of your family in the words “We are here.” When a Little Leaguer spots Mom and Dad in the bleachers watching the game, “I am here” changes everything.

Perhaps that’s why God repeats the “I am here” pledge so often. “I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:20). “I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand” (John 10:28). We cannot go where God is not. Look over your shoulder; that’s God following you. Look into the storm; that’s Christ coming toward you.
~~~
--"Come unto Me, all who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and You will find rest for your souls.
For My yoke is easy and My burden is light." --[Matthew 11:28-30]

--THE LORD GIVES WISDOM ~~

--"For the Lord gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding."

--VERY recently I had a huge mishap at work; a colleague and I dropped an entire gallon of yellow paint near the entrance of the military chapel I call home. As I was lamenting to Nancy on my way home after the incident and figuring out how to clean the yellow mess, she suggested I call maintenance to clean it. I caught myself smiling.

--I smiled because my thoughts on calling maintenance were summed up with the unspoken response "This is the Army, we clean our own messes." When did I come to understand and speak army so readily? Truth is, after devoting twenty-two years as a civilian to this institution called the Army, I've changed. My time serving with the Army has changed my resolve, my knowledge, my perspective, my faith, and my discipline, and for good measure, I can speak Army acronyms with the best It is often I find myself surprised by my words of actions that have been influenced by Army culture.

We are changed for the better or for the worse. by influences. The institutions, environments, and causes we become part of influence us in abiding. ways. We often have to discern how we have been changed.
Much to my chagrin, I have caught myself more than once over the years speaking tougher than I want to-- a side effect of the Army.
Mentally, I must make changes when that happens and remember who the Lord calls me to be.

--"Lord Jesus, may I recognize the influences that help develop my character and my life in You, and may I make necessary adjustment to become more like You. ~"-
---Guideposts/JS~

--THE SPIRIT UNDERSTANDS ALL THINGS ~`

---ALL THINGS WORK TOGETHER FOR THE GOOD ~~

--"We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him."
---[Romans 8:28] --

~~~Alexa, Siri, and other voice assistants embedded in smart devices in our homes occasionally misunderstand what we're saying. A six-year old-year-old talked to her family's new device about cookies and a dollhouse. Later her mom received an email saying that an order of seven pounds of cookies and a $170 dollhouse were on their way to her home. Even a talking parrot in London, whose owner had never bought anything online, somehow ordered a package of golden gift boxes without her knowledge. One person asked their device to "turn on the living room lights," and it replied, "There is no pudding room."

There's no such misunderstanding on God's part when we talk with Him. He's never confused, because He knows our hearts better than we do. The Holy Spirit both searches our hearts and understands God's will. The apostle Paul told the churches in Rome that God promises He'll accomplish His good purpose of maturing us and making us more like His Son (Romans 8:28). Even when because of "our weakness" we don't know what we need in order to grow, the Spirit prays according to God's will for us (vv. 26-27).

Troubled about how to express yourself to God? Not understanding what or how to pray? Say what you can from the heart. The Holy Spirit will understand and accomplish God's purpose. ~~

-"Thank You, Lord God, that You know my heart. I love You for that and many other reasons. Help me to express my thoughts to You and to trust You to understand. In our Lord's Name I pray. amen."
---ODB/AC~

---ANIMAL DEATH BEFORE THE FALL?
---BY JAKE HEBERT, PH.D. * |


---Both the Old and New Testaments teach that death entered the world when Adam ate the forbidden fruit (e.g., Genesis 2:17 and Romans 5:12). Since fossils are the preserved remains of dead animals, Christians who believe these fossils are millions of years old claim animal death existed prior to Adam’s sin. They say the Bible allows for this possibility, since neither Genesis 2:17 nor Romans 5:1 specifically mentions animal death .

This claim may superficially seem plausible, but it ignores important clues from Scripture. Both pre-Fall humans and animals were vegetarian (Genesis 1:29-30). A vegetarian diet makes perfect sense in a world without death but seems out of place in a world containing it. If animal death was part of God’s original creation, wouldn’t God have designed some animals as scavengers to clean up carcasses littering the ground?

Acceptance of animal death before the Fall necessarily implies suffering. Some dinosaur bones show evidence of violence in the form of healed-over tooth marks, and even cancer.1,2 So, acceptance of pre-Fall animal death necessarily implies pre-Fall suffering and even bloodshed, not merely animals passing away peacefully and quietly. How does this fit a “very good” creation (Genesis 1:31)?

We instinctively know that bloodshed, even animal bloodshed, is not right. Many people react with horror upon seeing it, and some even faint. Yet, bloodshed’s horror is precisely the point. Sin is so horrific that God demands a horrific penalty for it, the shedding of blood. Although only Christ’s shed blood can provide true removal of sin (Hebrews 9:24-25, 10:4), the shedding of animal blood symbolized His future sacrifice and gives us an idea of the seriousness of sin in God’s eyes. But if bloodshed existed millions of years before Adam fell, then bloodshed can’t really be that bad. And by implication, our sin isn’t that bad, either.

Finally, Paul writes in Romans 8:22 that “the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now.” The natural sense one gets from reading the passage is that this “groaning” was imposed upon the creation at the Fall. This argument is greatly strengthened when one realizes that Paul compares this groaning to the pangs of childbirth. But when was pain in childbirth imposed upon women? At the Fall! Hence, Paul’s analogy strongly implies that God imposed groaning and laboring on the creation at the same time he imposed groaning and laboring in childbirth upon Eve and her daughters!

As noted earlier, the real reason some Christians entertain animal death prior to human sin is because secular scientists insist fossils are millions of years old. Christians who accept this claim are forced to argue that animal death entered the creation long before Adam’s sin, despite the obvious theological and biblical problems with this position.

But there is a better explanation. These fossils are found in water-formed sedimentary rocks.3 The global Flood of Noah (which happened after Adam sinned) provided the massive quantities of mud and sediment needed to rapidly bury and preserve the remains of billions of plants and animals.4

Thus, there is simply no good theological or scientific reason for a Christian to posit human or animal death before the Fall.
~~~~~
--ICR/ JH~

--Wisdom / Virtue ~

---WORDS THAT ENDURE ~~

--"This word came to Jeremiah from the LORD."
--[Jeremiah 36:1] --

---IN THE early nineteenth century, Thomas Carlyle gave a manuscript to philosopher John Stuart Mill to review. Somehow, whether accidentally or intentionally, the manuscript got tossed into a fire. It was Carlyle's only copy. Undaunted, he set to work rewriting the lost chapters. Mere flames couldn't stop the story, which remained intact in his mind. Out of great loss, Carlyle produced his monumental work The French Revolution.

In the waning days of ancient Judah's decadent kingdom, God told the prophet Jeremiah, "Take a scroll and write on it all the words I hav spoken to you" (Jeremiah 36:2). The message revealed God's tender heart, calling on His people to repent in order to avoid imminent invasion (v.3)

Jeremiah did as he was told. The scroll soon found it's way to Judah's king, Jehoiakim, who methodically shredded it and threw it into the fire (vv. 23-25). The kings' act of arson only made matters worse. God told Jeremiah to write another scroll with the same message. He said, "[Jehoiakim] will have no one to sit on the throne of David; his body will be thrown out and exposed to the heat by day and the frost by night" (v. 30).

It's possible to burn the words of God by tossing a book into a fire. Possible, but utterly futile. The Word behind the words endures forever. ~~


--ODB/TG
----

--WISDOM AND VIRTUE ~~

--SET APART ~~

--"Paul was....set apart for the gospel of God."
--[Romans 1:1] --

----THE THREE-WHEELED taxis of Sri Lanka, known as "tuk tuks," are a convenient and delightful mode of transport for many. Lorraine, a resident of the capital of Colombo, also realized that they're a mission field. Hopping onto a tuk tuk one day, she found the friendly driver more than happy to engage in conversation about religion. . The next time she told herself she would talk to the driver about the good news.

The book of Romans starts with Paul declaring himself, as "set apart for the the gospel of God" (Romans 1:l). The Greek word for "gospel is evangelion, which means "good news." Paul was essentially saying that his main purpose was to tell God's good news.

What is the good news? Romans 1:3 says that the gospel of God is "regarding his Son." The good news is Jesus! It's God who wants to tell the world that Jesus came to save us from sin and death, and He's chosen us to be His mode of communication. What a humbling fact!

Sharing the good news is a privilege all believers in Jesus have been given. We've "received grace" to call others to this faith (vv. 5-6). God has set us apart to carry the exciting news of the gospel to those around us, whether on tuk tuks or wherever we are. May we, like Lorraine, look for opportunities in our daily life to tell others the Good New, that is Jesus. ~~


--"Lord Jesus, thank You for making me Your mouthpiece for Your good news. May Your Spirit give me the courage and love to share about You today."
---ODB/AF~

--Wisdom/ Virtue ~~

--LIFE AFTER DEATH ~~

----LIVING WELL ~~

--"Death is the destiny of everyone;
the living should take this to heart. " --[Ecclesiastes 7:2]

--FREE FUNERALS for the living. That's the service offered by an establishment in South Korea. Since it opened in 2012, more than 25,000 people--from teenagers to retirees--have participated in mass "living funerals" services, hoping to improve their lives by considering their deaths. Officials say "the simulated death ceremonies are meant to give the participant a truthful sense of their lives, inspire gratitude, and aid in forgiveness and reconnection among family and friends."

These words echo the wisdom given by the teacher who wrote Ecclesiastes. "Death is the destiny of everyone; the living should take this to heart" (text). Death reminds us of the brevity of life and that we only have a certain amount of time to live and love well. It loosens our grip on some of God's good gifts--such as money, relationships, and pleasures--and frees us to enjoy them in the here and now as we store up "treasures in heaven, where moths, and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal" (Matthew 6:20).

As we remember that death may come knocking anytime, perhaps it'll compel us to not postpone that visit with our parents, delay our decision to serve God in a particular way, or compromise our time with our children or for our work. With Gods help, we can learn to live wisely. ~~

--ODB/PFC~

--Wisdom / Virtue ~~

---What If that Had Been You?

--It is appointed unto men once to die but after this the judgment;
So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many.
--[Hebrews 9:27-28] --

--A fifteen-year-old boy was in a vehicle with several other teenaged boys who were going out for an evening meal. They were traveling on a gravel road and lost control at a corner. The side of the car where this young man was sitting struck a tree, and he suffered severe head injuries. They took the unconscious lad to the hospital where he was put on life support. After a few days of no improvement, his family finally agreed to have the life support removed. He took only a few more breaths, and then he was gone.

Yes, that was someone else., but what if that had been me? How would it be with my soul? When God takes a young soul out of this life, it sends a sobering message for all young people and older ones as well. Are we ready to meet God at any moment? If not, today is another day to accept God's mercy.

If God is calling you, please don't put off yielding your life to Him Tomorrow might be too late. We may think that we have many years left, but we don't know. Why not repent now? The Old Testament prophet Amos said, "Prepare to meet thy God." Repent, and confess all your sins to Jesus Christ. Have faith in His shed blood for your cleansing. Purpose in your heart to live for God. Read the Bible and use it for your guide. Find a Bible-believing church and be ready when God calls you home to glory. ~~
--BSW/CM~
--"Call on the Name of the Lord and be saved." --[Acts 2:21]

--Wisdom and Virtue //

--GOD'S GOODNESS AND LOVE ~~

---Being raised with some semblance of Christianity and some knowledge of the Bible many of these [Progressive Christianity] leaving the Evangelical church have a view of church and has made them question their faith in a big way.

They often embrace the believe that God gives beauty for ashes but are not sure how that redemption comes about. They also don't seem to argue with the truth that "God is good", however, His goodness may not be part of their experience. Many of them also believe that "God is love," but their perception of that love is flawed. It is possible that few of them know what God's love really looks like. Many Progressive Christians are outspokenly against the idea that God would send His Son to a gruesome death on the cross, further demonstrating that they have not yet understood the nature of God's love.

Jesus' death as an atoning sacrifice for humanity is the point at which God's great love converges with His justice toward the rebellion of His creation. It is the revelation of such a love that provokes the soul to repentance and absolute surrender to His great mercy. God's unending love is inherent in His nature and fully revealed in His Son, Jesus Christ, the crucified risen Christ. To justify their confusion, many questioning souls have created a God of tolerance and acceptance who embraces sin, rather than a Holy God who knew no sin and yet becomes sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God" (2 Corinthians 5:21} . .

"He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf so that we might become the righteousness God." --
--Abiding Word Ministries / The VIne and Branches ~~

--Wisdom / Virtue ~~

----Light Overcomes The Darkness ~~
--[Sylvia Barnhart]

---I am no expert on the American Church. My perspective on what is happening in churches across America and my burden for things to change comes from a mothers' heart. I see my children grapple with these ideas and with the culture in which they live. I have sat and listened to young people pour out their hearts about the abuse and pain they suffered in their churches, often at the hands of church leadership. We like to blame the darkness in the world on the dark, when in fact the darkness is there because the light is not shining bright enough.

Ungodliness of the American Church along with its powerlessness to bring salvation and healing to our nation is perhaps far more responsible for driving our your people away than the darkness that is trying to overtake our Nation.
The Word of God says, The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it" (John 1:5). It's time for us to stand face to face with the darkness and let our light shine brighter. It's time to seek the Lord until we find Him, but we must seek with all our hearts. He is faithful to ALL generations, and He has promised to bless those who seek Him, to bless their children, and to save all who will call upon His Name, ~~

--AWM/SB~
~~~~~~~

--Wisdom / Virtue ~~

--CONSIDER WISDOM

--"Go the the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise." -
--[Proverbs 6:6]

---A group of hikers were walking along a mountain trail when one of them discovered several ants laboriously dragging an object much larger then themselves. Ants are industrious and are not afraid of tackling challenges. Solomon advised the "sluggard" (lazy man) to consider the ways of the ant and make preparations for future needs. We also need to prepare for the future, regardless of the obstacles and challenges we face.

In today's Bible reading the ant is depicted as having wisdom. "Which have no guide, overseer, or ruler, provider meat in the summer, and gathers her food in the harvest." The ant operates by God-given instinct and not by choice and intelligence. Find an ant colony and do some close observation. It will quickly become obvious that ants are controlled by sovereign design.

Solomon said, "Consider her ways, and be wise." The ants are as "wise" as they need to be for their situation. Are we equally wise for our situation? Unlike the ant we must prepare for eternity. Life on earth will soon be over. "To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts" (Hebrews 3:15).

Wisdom looks ahead and is concerned about what happens after this life. Consider the signs of the time we are in according to Matthew 24. "Take heed tat no man deceive you." Fear seems to be gripping the hearts of many people. What will the future hold for our grandchildren? Will the economy collapse? Will we face another depression? These and may other questions can be so troubling that they almost overwhelm us.

But wisdom takes hold of Jesus' promise in Matthew 11:28 "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest."
--BSW/DY~

----Wisdom / Virtue ~~

---Biblical Accuracy ~~

----"If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?"
---[John 3:12] --

--Many who profess to be Christian intellectuals today are arguing that we should defer to the evolutionists in matters of science and history since the real message of the Bible is spiritual. The Genesis account, for example is not meant to give us details of the event of creation, for scientists can give us this information. It merely assures us that God is somehow behind it all. ["In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 'Genesis 1:1 ] But if this were all that God meant to tell us, its very first verse is enough for that! What is the need to describe all the days and acts of creation at all if the record has no real relevance to history or science?

As the Lord Jesus told Nicodemus in our text verse, if we cannot trust God's Word when it relates "earthly things," how can we possibly rely on its testimony of "heavenly things"? To some extent we can check for ourselves whether or not it is accurate when it records facts of history and processes of nature, but we have no means at all of determining whether it speaks the truth when it deals with heaven, with salvation and eternal life, or with God's purpose for the world in the ages to come.

The fact is there is no evolution, the Bible is accurate in all matters with which it deals, scientific and and historical as well as spiritual and theological. It is a dangerous thing to listen to these modern "pied pipers" of evangelism whose self-serving compromises with evolutionary scientism have already led multitudes of young people astray in our Christian colleges and seminaries.

We yet may not have all the answers to alleged problems in the Bible, but we can be absolutely sure of God's Word. When the answers are found, they will merely confirm what He has said all along. He is able and willing to speak the truth, and He means what He says!

--ICR/HMM

--WISDOM / VIRTUE ~~

---God's Will Be Done~"

PRAY OVER THIS

“For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.”

(Romans 8:29) --

PONDER THIS

---C. S. Lewis said all of life is made of two categories of persons.
There are those who follow Satan and are like Satan. Isaiah 14 recounts Satan’s rebellion against God. Five times Lucifer said, “I will.” I will exalt my throne above the stars of God. I will sit on the side of the north. I will be like the Most High. I will, I will, I will.” Lucifer was saying to God the Father, “Not your will, but mine be done.” There are many people like this in the world today. They’ll hear the Gospel, but they’ll say, “No, it’s my life. I’m going to live it. I’m not going to yield to His lordship. I’m not going to submit myself to Him.” Not your will, but mine be done. But Lewis said there’s another category of persons. These are those who say as Jesus said in the Garden of Gethsemane, “Not my will but thine be done.” Each of us is either saying yes to self and no to God or no to self and yes to God. Lewis went on to say, “All that are in Hell, choose it. Without that self-choice, there could be no Hell. No soul that seriously and constantly desires joy will ever miss it. Those who seek find. To those who knock it is opened.”

Where in your life do you often say, directly or indirectly, “Not your will but mine?”
What needs to change so that you more readily submit to God’s will each day?

PRACTICE THIS

Take time this week to look up places in the Bible that talk about God’s will and to ask Him to help you submit further to His will each day.
--"Thy Will Be Done" ~~
---Love Worth Finding/ AR~

--WISDOM / VIRTUE ~~

---WHO IS JESUS?

---[Please Read/ John 1:1-18 and Colossians 1:1-17]

--WHILE MOST people are familiar with the name "Jesus," few truly know who He is. Yet knowing Jesus' identity and mission are important because the ramifications are eternal. And the best source of information about Him is the Bible.

Scripture tells us Jesus is God. This means that He's eternal: He existed before His physical birth and even before time began. Jesus, the Creator of everything that exists (Colossians 1:15-17). is the perfect reflection of the invisible God. Our Savior had the power to forgive sins and was worshipped by His followers--both of which are appropriate only for divinity (Matthew 9:2-8 / 14:33).

Think about the omnipotent, eternal Son of coming to Earth as an infant. Imagine Him lying in a manger made from trees He created and under the stars He Himself had strewn across the sky!

The Word also says there is only one way to eternal life, and this is through faith in Jesus Christ. as Savior (Acts 4:12). God has provided ample validation of His Son's identity. Weigh the evidence, and then turn to Christ for salvation. ~~
--IN TOUCH~
[Jesus said, "I and the Father are One." They are inseparable. We serve a Triune God, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Three equals One. Accept this by faith. "God cannot lie.' ]
~~~~~~~~~

--WISDOM / VIRTUE ~~

--FILLING OUR VOID ~~

--"He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance with increase."
---[Ecclesiastes 5:10] --

---SOME years ago I knew a man who was often out looking for gold. One day I was coming home from my work when I saw him beside the road, chopping away at the rocks with his hammer and chisel. I said, "George, don't you have enough gold yet? Remember, you can't take it with you." He replied, "If I can't take it with me, I won't go." Apparently George felt that just a little more gold would make him happy.

All of us have a void in our heart. Some people think they can fill that void by pursuing more money, a more elaborate house, or a newer truck or car. But true happiness and contentment are not found in material things. King Solomon tired everything under the sun, but he concluded that "all was vanity and vexation of spirit" (Ecclesiastes 2:11). The phrase "vexation of spirit" could be translated as "striving after the wind."

Jesus said, "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:28). When we bring our burden of sin to Jesus in true repentance and confession, He will fill our void with love and the fullness of God. Ephesians 3:19 speaks of this: "And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God." In this way we can have real peace and joy that cannot be found in the material things of this world. We will also find real purpose in life as we serve the Lord and watch for opportunities to help others in need. Has you void been filled? Come to Jesus and rest assured of eternal life. ~

--BSW/CM~

--Wisdom / Virtue

---THANKSGIVING / AMERICA'S CHRISTIAN HERITAGE ~~

----Thanksgiving holiday is an anchor for the soul of our Nation. Thanksgiving is an American holiday with an undeniably Christian foundation. Our Christian forefathers dedicated this land to Almighty God for the express purpose of spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Amidst sufferings and sacrifices, they purposefully established a time to thank God for His providence, protection and provision.

Today, enemies of America from within have been undermining what true history reveals---what our heritage proves --that the Bible was the pattern for establishing our laws and customs. Today's publics school system has been the main player in attempting to erase American's Christian heritage. Factual references to God, Jesus Christ, and our forefather's Christian witness have been deleted from public school curriculum. Rewriting history reprograms the next generation to believe that our Nation was only secular and evil in its beginning. America's Christian heritage has been eliminated and our Christian children are being reprogramed to a godless worldview.

Teach your children, your grandchildren, and all children their true American heritage, and give thanks to our Lord Jesus Christ for our Nation's Christian heritage.

--"IN GOD WE TRUST" ~
------------

--Wisdom / Virtue ~~

--"She sets about her work vigorously; her arms are strong for her tasks."
---[Proverbs 31:17] --

---MY wife, Pat, and I were spending Thanksgiving week at our son's home. Soon after we arrived, we talked about where we would go for Thanksgiving Dinner. Johnny said "What I would really like is for Mom to cook the things we've always had on Thanksgiving and eat here at my place." Pat said she would, and it sounded great to me.

Johnny had recently moved into his first house and eats most meals out. His kitchen was not equipped for cooking a big meal. But Pat gamely planned the meal and we all looked forward to spending Thanksgiving together. in Johnny's new home. The day arrived, and Pat was busy in the kitchen; the many wonderful aromas heightened our appetites throughout the afternoon.

Shortly before time to eat, we talked about how we would spend the next day. Each of us wanted to spend Friday differently, which led to some noticeable disappointment and family tension. before the meal, as we joined hands to give thanks, Pat said, "Hey, let's just have fun this evening--I cooked this whole dinner with only a teaspoon! We all laughed and the tension in the room melted away.

Wow! with only a teaspoon --words that added just the needed humor to recenter us. Words that also made me realize that I had taken for granted what Pat had done to make our family's favorite Thanksgiving meal in a kitchen equipped to prepare snacks.

--"Dear Lord, held us cherish the efforts made in love by family and friends that create the beautiful moments in our lives. And guide us to rise above trivial annoyances that get in the way. amen" ~

--Wisdom / Virtue ~~

--GREAT AND PRECIOUS PROMSES~~

--There is a wonderful promise in Peter's second letter to the people of God. After guaranteeing God's sufficiency to provide everything we need to live in a godly manner throughout our lives, Peter noted that the knowledge that God provides also contains "exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust" (2 Peter 1:4).

Please don't miss this. Those "exceeding great and precious promises" were designed to give us a way to escape the horrible corruption that exists in the world that normally attacks us through our natural desires. What a wonderful gift! That new thing that God gives us is "created according to God in true righteousness and holiness" (Ephesians 4:24).

Even the Old Testament prophets longed after the coming change in which God would "put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and so them" (Ezekiel 36:27).

Everything God has caused to be recorded, everything He has done, has been to make possible a life of victory for the twice-born over the awful efforts of the Enemy. Paul told the Corinthian Church, "Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God" (2 Corinthians 7:1).

Given the Promises of God, can we do less?
--ICR/HMM
[Friend, it is recommended, to have a God's Promises Book next to your computer. What a blessing! ]

--Wisdom/ Virtue ~

--How Can A Man Be Just Before God?

---“Then Job answered and said, I know it is so of a truth: but how should man be just with God?”
---(Job 9:1-2)

---Job was the most “just” (i.e., “righteous”) man of his age, according to the testimony of God Himself (Job 1:8; 2:3), yet his friends insisted his terrible suffering had been sent by God because of his sins. He knew he was innocent of the sins of which they were accusing him, and he knew he had earnestly tried to be obedient and faithful to God.

Yet, he also knew that he, like all men, had come far short of God’s holiness (Romans 3:23). “I have sinned,” he confessed, “what shall I do unto thee, O thou preserver of men?” (Job 7:20). “Cause me to understand wherein I have erred” (Job 6:24). And then comes the plaintive plea in our text: “How should a man be just with God?”

There is, indeed, no way by which a man can make himself righteous before God, for he is even born with a sin nature, inherited from father Adam. “If I justify myself, mine own mouth shall condemn me: if I say, I am perfect, it shall also prove me perverse” (Job 9:20). Yet God created man for His own glory (Isaiah 43:7) and wants “all men to be saved” (1 Timothy 2:4). The great enigma is, how can God justify unrighteousness in men and still be righteous Himself.

The answer, of course, is that God, in Christ, has paid the price to make us righteous by dying for all our sins. “God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). “In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace” (Ephesians 1:7).

Even Job finally realized that God must somehow become his redeemer. “For I know that my redeemer liveth, and...in my flesh shall I see God” (Job 19:25-26). It is indeed wonderfully true that God can both “be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus” (Romans 3:26).

--ICR/HMM

--Wisdom / Virtue ~~

-----"Religion or Christ?
--[Ephesians 2:1-10]

--"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and that is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God---
not by works, so that no one can boast."--[Ephesians 2:8-9]

--Mary works hard because she wants her boss to recognize her accomplishments and reward her with a higher-paying position. Nancy loves her job and the product her company sells, and out of loyalty she works hard to make the product better.

Mary is like the person who hopes that good works or religion will be rewarded by God someday. Such people count on their good deeds to get them into heaven.

Nancy is a picture of those who have faith in God to get them into heaven. Such people do good works out of gratitude and love for Him.

Someone with religion may believe in God, attend church, say prayers, show kindness, and be seen as a good person. People with religion have many good qualities, but religion is not a substitute for faith in Jesus Christ.

The apostle Paul said that the way of salvation is by grace through faith. It's not of works but is the gift of God. [Ephesians 2:8-9).

The only way to the Father in Heaven is through faith in Jesus (John 14:6).

--Do you choose religion or Christ?
--ODB/AC