News you won't see in controlled mainstream media.

Perspective ~~
-

'If the only tool you have is a hammer, you tend to see every problem as a nail.'

---Abraham Maslow

'You are given a situation. What you are determines what you see; what you see determines what you do.'

---Haddon Robinson

--Perspective (Hope)

My grandmother used to tell me that every boss is temporary, that every rainy day is temporary, that every hardship is temporary. She used to tell me, "So, every good-bye ain't gone. Just hold on--there's joy coming in the morning!"

--James Melvin Washington

--------
"We are God's tenants here, and yet here He, our landlord, pays us rents--not yearly, nor quarterly, but hourly and quarterly; every minute he renews his mercy."

--John Donne

Thanks be to God for VICTORY in Jesus! --

-Perspective--
-Gary Thomas writes in Christianity Today:

Thinking about eternity helps us retrieve [perspective].
I'm reminded of this every year when I figure my taxes. During the year, I rejoice at the paychecks and extra income, and sometimes I flinch when I write out the tithe and offering. I do my best to be a joyful giver, but I confess it is not always easy, especially when there are other perceived needs and wants.

At the end of the year, however, all of that changes. As I'm figuring my tax liability, I wince at every source of income and rejoice with every tithe and offering check--more income means more tax, but every offering and tithe means less tax. Everything is turned upside down, or perhaps, more appropriately, right-side up.

I suspect judgment day will be like that.
----
-From: 1001 Illustrations

---HOW TO IMPACT ETERNITY
--WITH YOUR SHORT LIFE ~~~

--'Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.'
---Ephesians 5:15-16

Over the years, I've discovered the simple truth that as you get older, life goes faster. It seems like when you're a child, everything is in slow motion. You just can't wait until you get out of school. Then, you can't wait until you get out of College. After that, you can't wait until you get started in life. And everything just drags by.

But then you hit your adult years and boom....marriage! Boom...kids! Then all of a sudden, your kids are in school, then grown up, and then heading for College. So you stop and wonder how life sped by so quickly and where all the time went.

Life is so short. And that's exactly why you and I must never waste our time...because time is a measure of our life. So we must invest our life and live to the maximum each and every day we have because we don't know how many more days God will give us on this earth.

Don't let life speed past you. Seize each moment to make a difference for God's Kingdom. Devote yourself to making Him known and use your short time on earth to make a real difference for eternity!

--Live each moment for God's Kingdom and make an eternal impact with your short life! Tell someone about Jesus' love for them today. Tomorrow may never come.

--PP/JG

--LET US PRAISE!

--"May the nations be glad and sing for joy" [Psalm 67:4].

--When the alarm on Shelley's phone goes off every day at 3:16 in the afternoon, she takes a praise break. She thanks God and acknowledges His goodness. Although she communicates with God throughout the day, -- Shelley loves to take this break because it helps her celebrate her intimate relationship with Him.

Inspired by her joyful devotion, I decided to set a specific time each day to thank Christ for His sacrifice on the Cross and to pray for those who have yet to be saved, I wonder what it would be like if all believers in Jesus stopped to praise Him in their own way and pray for others every day.

The image of a beautiful wave of worship rolling to the ends of the earth resounds in the words of Psalm 67. The psalmist pleads for God's grace, proclaiming his desire to make His name great in all the nations (vv. 1-2). He sings, "May the peoples praise you, God; may all the peoples praise you" (v.3). He celebrates His sovereign rule and faithful guidance (v.4). As a living testimony of God's great love and abundant blessings, the psalmist leads God's people into jubilant praise (vv. 5-6).

God's continued faithfulness toward His beloved children inspires us to acknowledge Him. As we do, others can join us in trust Him, revering Him, following Him, and acclaiming Him as Lord.

--"Lord G-D, Creator of things visible and invisible, You are worthy of our praise. We bless your holy Name. In Jesus Name~ amen"~
--ODB/XD

--NO ONE IS HOPELESS WITH JESUS~~

'And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the Gospel" -[Mark 16:15]

~~Recently a prison inmate shared his testimony as follows: "After being genuinely converted to the Christian faith, I felt our Lord urging me to witness to the many lost and lonely men around me. One man, however, was so vile and dangerous that I mentally wrote him off as hopeless, and I determined to spend my efforts on others that I thought would be more receptive to the Gospel. But several weeks later I heard him tell another man that he was fed up with his rotten lifestyle and wanted to change. He asked, 'Do you think that God could possibly help me?"

As I reflected on what my friend wrote, I realized that our witnessing can often be subconsciously controlled by the response we expect from people we want to reach out to, instead of by a burden for their deep need. None of us likes when someone opposes or ridicules us, but often these are the people who are most desperate not only for the truth but also for some compassion and understanding. Zacchaeus, Mary Magdalene, and many others in the Bible probably didn't seem like very good prospects to the early disciples, but Jesus knew their heart's hunger and reached out to them in love.

It doesn't take much perception to observe that since people in general have rejected a loving God in favor of pleasure and self-will, not only the family structure but also the very foundation of our entire nation is steadily crumbling. As Christians we have the answers, so let us all be faithful in proclaiming them. There is always hope in Jesus. HE IS ALIVE! \o/ ~~

--'Beside Still Waters/ PL --"You Keep Hope Alive"/ Phillips, Craig, and Dean//<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZUUBpRgYzhE>
~~~~~~

----"Blessings" - Laura Story (with lyrics) ~~

<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cd6J6Wgnv4M>

~~Christ meets you outside the throne room, takes you by the hand, and walks you into the presence of Father G-D. Upon entrance we find grace, not condemnation, mercy, not punishment. Where we would never be granted an audience with the King, we are now welcomed into His Presence.

~~ Remember friends, this is not our Home. We are going to a City not made with hands, with JESUS! -- PRESS ON! We're Almost Home! "Even so, Come Lord Jesus, Come! \o/ ~~ (Be patient with the song. May be many others are trying to listen as well.)

----STOP SIGNS ~~

"For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? Do not even the publicans the same?" --[Matthew 5:46]

--THE message of the stop sign is easy to understand. In commenting on the virtue of charity, someone has said, "Love has no stop signs." Ironically, many people seemingly have no conscience against ignoring stop signs when there is no cross traffic and no policeman nearby. But these same people may comply with "stop signs" in their practice to love! In today's key verse, Jesus told His listeners in essence that they must not plant stop signs along the road to loving those who did not love them.

Erecting stop signs did not start or stop in Jesus' day. We too face the temptation not to love those who hate us. But Jesus said, "Love [even] your enemies." He told us to pray for those who treat us despitefully and persecute us. We should never place any stop signs along our paths to loving others.

But someone may protest, "Look what he did to me!" Or, "After he stole so much from me, how can I love him?" Well, the Bible makes no exceptions. What's more, Jesus also said, "Do good to to them that hate you." Romans 12:20 explains that one way to fulfill this is to give food and drink to our enemy if he is in need. This will serve to "heap coals of fire on his head"; that is, make him feel ashamed.

Love seeks the salvation of all men. And while it is wrong to place stop signs along the path to loving others, we do need to apply them to some kinds of love. Consider this: "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world" (1 John 2:15). May God give us wisdom in our use of stop signs. ~~
~~"Treat others the same way you want them to treat you"--Jesus said.~ [Luke 6:31 / NASB]
--'Beside Still Waters/DM~
--"All Of Me"//Selah/ [lyrics] //<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F_cx1pNL1Xg>
~~~~~~~~~~

----I Don't Think I Can,... Can I? ~~

"We know that we have come to know Him if we keep his commands...
But if anyone obeys his Word, love for God is truly made complete in them."
---[1 John 2: 3 thru 5 /NIV]

~~LAST YEAR I joined a gym. I'd let too much time pass by without any regular exercise. It showed, in both my tight clothing and doctor's bills. It was time to get back in shape.

I began going to the gym three mornings a week. At first it was grueling, but soon physical benefits became apparent. The various machines and weights became as familiar as old friends.

Then I fell ill and missed several weeks. When I finally was strong enough to return, the circuit seemed impossible. I gritted my teeth and forced myself to participate. My muscles screamed at me, and I was tempted to stop going altogether. But every time I went back, it became easier. The weights didn't strain my arms and legs as much. And if I had to postpone a workout, my muscles missed it.

When I first became a Christian as an adult, many of the "rules" seemed constricting, and I questioned their necessity. I prioritized myself over Jesus, letting faith take a backseat to my lifestyle. Soon I became spiritually flabby. But my soul hungered for Jesus. The more hours I spent in Scripture, the more I enjoyed it. As I increased my prayer time, my relationship with Jesus, once tenuous, blossomed.

Just as my body requires regular exercise, my soul craves Jesus. My newest goal is to be spiritually fit. I desire the faith inside me to reflect Christ's peace. When I meet others, I hope it shows. ~~
--["I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me"-- [Philippians 4:13]~~

--["God of the Impossible"//Lincoln Brewster --] <https://youtu.be/xT6S4INflnU>
~~~~~~~~~~~

--"THERE COMES A TIME IN YOUR LIFE, WHEN YOU WALK AWAY
FROM ALL THE DRAMA AND PEOPLE WHO CREATE IT.
YOU SURROUND YOURSELF WITH PEOPLE WHO MAKE YOU LAUGH.

FORGET THE BAD, AND FOCUS ON THE GOOD. LOVE THE PEOPLE WHO
TREAT YOU RIGHT, PRAY FOR THE ONES WHO DON'T. LIFE IS TOO SHORT
TO BE ANYTHING BUT HAPPY. FALLING DOWN IS PART OF OF LIFE,
GETTING BACK UP IS LIVING."
~~~~~~~~~~~
--JEHOVAH YAHWEH, YHWH / our loving, covenant-keeping Creator of all things.
--"Yahweh" - (live/ Elevation Worship) ~~ --<https://youtu.be/EVCIvo3ZGRU>
~~~~~

--Oh My Soul ~~ [You're Not Alone]

~~"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God
of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the
comfort we ourselves receive from God. -[2 Corinthians 1:3-4] (NIV)

--THIS morning I stumbled to the kitchen to pour myself a cup of tea. My body ached, and light-headedness had me gripping the walls for support. Another night of insomnia. It was going to be a "stuck in bed" sort of day. My grandson was sitting in his booster seat at the table and lit up.

"Book?" he asked hopefully. He loves when I read to him, even though we have to squeeze it in around his family's busy routine.

"Not today, buddy. Gramma's not feeling well."
He gave me his most sympathetic look. "Hug? he asked.

I picked him up, and he nestled into my shoulder, patting my back gently. Bliss and comfort in a little two-year-old package.

The experience left me thinking about the many ways Jesus sends us comfort. When we open our Bible, words may spring off the page that are exactly what we need to hear. A song may open our heart and stir us to worship. A friend may call or text or email with an encouraging note. Or a two-year-old may wrap chubby arms around our neck. In whatever form it takes, we can acknowledge that Jesus is pouring out His love to us. His compassion acknowledges our hurt and never belittles us. His tenderness helps us receive His grace, and His strength empowers us to endure and offer His comfort to others. ~~

--"Lord G-D, thank You, that you are always with us and give us the strength to carry on, one day at a time. We put our trust in You, our Rock and our Redeemer. In Jesus Name~ amen."
-"Why are you in despair, O my soul:
And why have you become disturbed within me?
Hope in God, for I shall again praise Him
For the help of His presence." [Psalm 42:5]

~~GUIDEPOSTS/Mornings With Jesus~//SH~--"Oh My Soul"//Casting Crowns// <https://youtu.be/3DIi0DRq6ww>
~~~~~

--Do we truly know and believe that Jesus is the Christ, JESUS IS GOD~~

---Vital Connection or Casual Contact ~~

~~"I am the vine, ye are the branches; He that abideth in me, and I in him,
the same bringeth forth much fruit; for without me ye can do nothing." -(John 15:5 /KJV )

--I have observed the pruning process in a local apple orchard. The workers examine the trees, cut off the undesirable branches, and place them in rows for easy removal from the orchard. After these branches are cut off, everyone knows that they will not bear any apples. Leaning them against a tree trunk or placing them in contact with other branches will be to no avail. There will be no fruit. I am reminded of a local man who likes to go to church and hear the preacher but hesitates to become a Christian, because he's afraid he won't measure up. He doesn't want to commit himself to something he is not sure is real. He hasn't been 'born again'.
--- [John 3:3,5,6] --

Going to church and being with other Christians can have positive influence, but that is not enough. We must each personally receive the free gift of forgiveness for our sins and become connected to the True Vine, Jesus. As a tree branch bears fruit by being a channel for nutrients flowing from the root, so we as Christians bear fruit by allowing the virtues of God to flow through our lives. We do this not so much for the efforts of our human will as by aligning ourselves with the will of God. The better our connection with God, the more abundant the fruit will be.

Bearing fruit has the implication of holding a product that grows, not creating something by our our own effort. So in the life of a Christian, it is God that gives the increase and blesses with spiritual fruit. Unlike branches, we have a choice between two things: being connected to the True Vine and destined to bear fruit for God's glory, or being cut off and destined to the flames of destruction. Our Lord leaves that choice to each person. Which way will you take?

--Close doesn't count. We need to be connected to the True Vine, Jesus.~
Jesus said, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me" --[Matthew 16:24]

--'Beside Still Waters/DR
"Above All" // Michael W Smith (lyric video)//<https://youtu.be/Hns_ZtIPe1M>
~~~~~~~~~~~~

--"Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity."
--[Psalm 119:37]

---Well, I didn't exactly come here for a beauty makeover! I grumble, and steer away from the Department of Vehicles, where I've just renewed my driver's license. Though I had groomed myself a bit more than usual, the photo is ghastly. In fact, I am so startled by the picture of the baggy-eyes woman with unkempt hair that when the clerk the clerk asks if the image is okay, I nod. I can't speak. Now I'm stuck with this frumpy photo for another five years.

I know, God I know. I'm being very vain. On the scale of life's real tragedies a bum photo doesn't even register. I know it's not important...just a disappointment. I'm being foolish, Yes, I can see with these eyes despite the eye bags. Yes, I have hair. Friends having chemo aren't so lucky. Right, the car still runs well and I'm competent enough to drive it....

By the time I arrive home, I've hidden the offending photo in my purse and made peace, yet again, with God, and my tendency toward vanity. Almost.

A few days later, a bank teller needs an ID for a transaction. She looks at my driver's license, looks at me, then says, "You know, you're a lot prettier than this photo.!"
--"All Of Me" // Selah // <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F_cx1pNL1Xg>

--Cast All Your Cares On Jesus ~~

--"Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you."
--[1 Peter 5:7]

---God knew what I needed when He sent me Beau. Since he was born, Beau has been even-tempered, quick to good humor, and a good sleeper (thank You, Jesus ) So it is surprised me when he was eighteen months old and bedtime shifted form a sweet snuggle, prayer, and song to an hour-long cry fest.

New teeth weren't the culprit; neither were tummy troubles, PJ mishaps or diaper maladies. He wasn't even mad so much as sad.

One night, we rocked and snuggled, and then Beau pointed to his bed. Once tucked in, he pointed to his rocker and I had the most vivid flashback to James at his age say, "Sit, sit."

"Do you want me to sit in the chair buddy? " I asked. "Yah, he said, grabbing his blanked and rolling onto his tummy.

He peeked over his shoulder a few times to be sure I was in the chair, and each time I'd reassure him, saying, "I'm still here, buddy. You can go to sleep."

Soon enough, he was snoozing soundly, snoring his awesome baby snore that both makes my mama heart soar and reminds me that he's probably going tt need his tonsils out someday.

But we're not borrowing trouble tonight. Tonight, I'm going to sit and be his safe space so that he can drift off to sleep. While he dozes I sing sing him songs, pray over his growing hands and feet, and remind him that he's never really alone. Even when Mommy goes downstairs, he's got Jesus with him, sitting in that same rocker, all night long. ~~

--"Lord Jesus, when anxiety creeps into my heart, allow me to find comfort in the folds of Your eternal love. "
--Guideposts/AK~