Grace- Michael W. Smith

What to do if Someone Treats You Badly...

Love in Action

Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.  Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.  Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.  Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.  Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.

Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.  Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.   Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position.  Do not be conceited.

Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone.  If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.   Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord.  On the contrary:
 
  “If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
   if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
   In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”

Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Romans 12:9-21 (NIV)

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Word Of God Speak - MercyMe

Can't Keep A Good Man Down

Avalon - Everything to me (with Lyrics)

"Then Came The Morning" By Gloria Gaither & Guy Penrod

Easter Song-By Keith Green

How deep the Father's Love for Us - with vocals

The Life of Freedom

Galatians 5 (The Message)

The Life of Freedom

 ¹ Christ has set us free to live a free life. So take your stand! Never again let anyone put a harness of slavery on you.  ^2-3I am emphatic about this. The moment any one of you submits to circumcision or any other rule-keeping system, at that same moment Christ's hard-won gift of freedom is squandered. I repeat my warning: The person who accepts the ways of circumcision trades all the advantages of the free life in Christ for the obligations of the slave life of the law. ^4-6I suspect you would never intend this, but this is what happens. When you attempt to live by your own religious plans and projects, you are cut off from Christ, you fall out of grace. Meanwhile we expectantly wait for a satisfying relationship with the Spirit. For in Christ, neither our most conscientious religion nor disregard of religion amounts to anything. What matters is something far more interior: faith expressed in love.
 ^7-10You were running superbly! Who cut in on you, deflecting you from the true course of obedience? This detour doesn't come from the One who called you into the race in the first place. And please don't toss this off as insignificant. It only takes a minute amount of yeast, you know, to permeate an entire loaf of bread. Deep down, the Master has given me confidence that you will not defect. But the one who is upsetting you, whoever he is, will bear the divine judgment.
 ^11-12As for the rumor that I continue to preach the ways of circumcision (as I did in those pre-Damascus Road days), that is absurd. Why would I still be persecuted, then? If I were preaching that old message, no one would be offended if I mentioned the Cross now and then—it would be so watered-down it wouldn't matter one way or the other. Why don't these agitators, obsessive as they are about circumcision, go all the way and castrate themselves!
 ^13-15It is absolutely clear that God has called you to a free life. Just make sure that you don't use this freedom as an excuse to do whatever you want to do and destroy your freedom. Rather, use your freedom to serve one another in love; that's how freedom grows. For everything we know about God's Word is summed up in a single sentence: Love others as you love yourself. That's an act of true freedom. If you bite and ravage each other, watch out—in no time at all you will be annihilating each other, and where will your precious freedom be then?
 ^16-18My counsel is this: Live freely, animated and motivated by God's Spirit. Then you won't feed the compulsions of selfishness. For there is a root of sinful self-interest in us that is at odds with a free spirit, just as the free spirit is incompatible with selfishness. These two ways of life are antithetical, so that you cannot live at times one way and at times another way according to how you feel on any given day. Why don't you choose to be led by the Spirit and so escape the erratic compulsions of a law-dominated existence?
 ^19-21It is obvious what kind of life develops out of trying to get your own way all the time: repetitive, loveless, cheap sex; a stinking accumulation of mental and emotional garbage; frenzied and joyless grabs for happiness; trinket gods; magic-show religion; paranoid loneliness; cutthroat competition; all-consuming-yet-never-satisfied wants; a brutal temper; an impotence to love or be loved; divided homes and divided lives; small-minded and lopsided pursuits; the vicious habit of depersonalizing everyone into a rival; uncontrolled and uncontrollable addictions; ugly parodies of community. I could go on.
   This isn't the first time I have warned you, you know. If you use your freedom this way, you will not inherit God's kingdom.
 ^22-23But what happens when we live God's way? He brings gifts into our lives, much the same way that fruit appears in an orchard—things like affection for others, exuberance about life, serenity. We develop a willingness to stick with things, a sense of compassion in the heart, and a conviction that a basic holiness permeates things and people. We find ourselves involved in loyal commitments, not needing to force our way in life, able to marshal and direct our energies wisely.
 ^23-24Legalism is helpless in bringing this about; it only gets in the way. Among those who belong to Christ, everything connected with getting our own way and mindlessly responding to what everyone else calls necessities is killed off for good—crucified.
 ^25-26Since this is the kind of life we have chosen, the life of the Spirit, let us make sure that we do not just hold it as an idea in our heads or a sentiment in our hearts, but work out its implications in every detail of our lives. That means we will not compare ourselves with each other as if one of us were better and another worse. We have far more interesting things to do with our lives. Each of us is an original.

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Lead me to the Cross -- The Passion of the Christ

Not yet...

"Prayer is how we partner with God in doing what He wants done."  Ron and Mary Bennett

God answers prayer.  Sometimes the answer is "yes",  sometimes "no", and sometimes "not yet."  I think the hardest answer for us to deal with is "not yet".  Why does God sometimes delay in answering? Why does God sometimes make us wait? His word says to "pray without ceasing" but does that mean that we should pray the same thing over and over again?  Perhaps.  When we continue in prayer, even for the same thing, we are increasing our trust and dependence on Him.  We are also learning to listen to Him.  As we persist, He works in our hearts and teaches us to desire what is good and right.  He changes us and our desires into His image and His desires.  We must remember this:  "Prayer is how we partner with God in doing what He wants done."  It is not getting God to do what we want...

We must also remember that prayer is much more than making requests of God for things and situations that we want changed.  Prayer involves several things that we can easily remember through the acronym ACTS. 

The "A" stands for adoration or worship.  We should always come before Him proclaiming who He is and giving Him the praise He deserves.  We should come to a time of prayer with a worshipful heart so that our focus begins with Him, not ourselves.  God's word says, "You do not have because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures."  James 4:2-3 (NIV)

The "C" stands for confession.  We must confess anything that would stand between us and the Lord.  "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."  1 John 1:9 (NASB)

The "T" stands for thanksgiving.  We should practice daily thankfulness, thankfulness for who God is, for how He loves us, for all He's given us.  "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God."  Philippians 4:6 (NASB)

And finally, the "S" stands for supplication. The definition of supplication is: to make a humble entreaty, especially to pray to God.  (Merriam-Webster) This is where we lay our requests before the Lord.  When we lay our requests before the Lord,  we leave them in His hands to do with as He wills.  We won't always get the answers we want; sometimes what we want isn't what is best.  God always promises our ultimate good.  When we learn to trust Him even when we don't understand or don't get what we want, then we have entered true communion with Him, then we know that God's "not yet" is what is good, and right, and best for us without a doubt...  And this is where we learn that "Prayer is how we partner with God in doing what He wants done."

"Make this your common practice: Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you can live together whole and healed. The prayer of a person living right with God is something powerful to be reckoned with. Elijah, for instance, human just like us, prayed hard that it wouldn't rain, and it didn't—not a drop for three and a half years. Then he prayed that it would rain, and it did. The showers came and everything started growing again."  James 5:16-18 (The Message)

Dear Lord,  Let us learn and grow in You through our prayer lives.  Let us hear Your voice and trust Your will that whatever happens in this life will ultimately be what is best for our lives and the lives of those around us.

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Torn Between One Way and Another...

Romans 7 (The Message)

Torn Between One Way and Another

 ^1-3 You shouldn't have any trouble understanding this, friends, for you know all the ins and outs of the law—how it works and how its power touches only the living. For instance, a wife is legally tied to her husband while he lives, but if he dies, she's free. If she lives with another man while her husband is living, she's obviously an adulteress. But if he dies, she is quite free to marry another man in good conscience, with no one's disapproval.  ^4-6So, my friends, this is something like what has taken place with you. When Christ died he took that entire rule-dominated way of life down with him and left it in the tomb, leaving you free to "marry" a resurrection life and bear "offspring" of faith for God. For as long as we lived that old way of life, doing whatever we felt we could get away with, sin was calling most of the shots as the old law code hemmed us in. And this made us all the more rebellious. In the end, all we had to show for it was miscarriages and stillbirths. But now that we're no longer shackled to that domineering mate of sin, and out from under all those oppressive regulations and fine print, we're free to live a new life in the freedom of God.
 ⁷But I can hear you say, "If the law code was as bad as all that, it's no better than sin itself." That's certainly not true. The law code had a perfectly legitimate function. Without its clear guidelines for right and wrong, moral behavior would be mostly guesswork. Apart from the succinct, surgical command, "You shall not covet," I could have dressed covetousness up to look like a virtue and ruined my life with it.
 ^8-12Don't you remember how it was? I do, perfectly well. The law code started out as an excellent piece of work. What happened, though, was that sin found a way to pervert the command into a temptation, making a piece of "forbidden fruit" out of it. The law code, instead of being used to guide me, was used to seduce me. Without all the paraphernalia of the law code, sin looked pretty dull and lifeless, and I went along without paying much attention to it. But once sin got its hands on the law code and decked itself out in all that finery, I was fooled, and fell for it. The very command that was supposed to guide me into life was cleverly used to trip me up, throwing me headlong. So sin was plenty alive, and I was stone dead. But the law code itself is God's good and common sense, each command sane and holy counsel.
 ¹³I can already hear your next question: "Does that mean I can't even trust what is good [that is, the law]? Is good just as dangerous as evil?" No again! Sin simply did what sin is so famous for doing: using the good as a cover to tempt me to do what would finally destroy me. By hiding within God's good commandment, sin did far more mischief than it could ever have accomplished on its own.
 ^14-16I can anticipate the response that is coming: "I know that all God's commands are spiritual, but I'm not. Isn't this also your experience?" Yes. I'm full of myself—after all, I've spent a long time in sin's prison. What I don't understand about myself is that I decide one way, but then I act another, doing things I absolutely despise. So if I can't be trusted to figure out what is best for myself and then do it, it becomes obvious that God's command is necessary.
 ^17-20But I need something more! For if I know the law but still can't keep it, and if the power of sin within me keeps sabotaging my best intentions, I obviously need help! I realize that I don't have what it takes. I can will it, but I can't do it. I decide to do good, but I don't really do it; I decide not to do bad, but then I do it anyway. My decisions, such as they are, don't result in actions. Something has gone wrong deep within me and gets the better of me every time.
 ^21-23It happens so regularly that it's predictable. The moment I decide to do good, sin is there to trip me up. I truly delight in God's commands, but it's pretty obvious that not all of me joins in that delight. Parts of me covertly rebel, and just when I least expect it, they take charge.
 ²⁴I've tried everything and nothing helps. I'm at the end of my rope. Is there no one who can do anything for me? Isn't that the real question?
 ²⁵The answer, thank God, is that Jesus Christ can and does. He acted to set things right in this life of contradictions where I want to serve God with all my heart and mind, but am pulled by the influence of sin to do something totally different.

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Get Serious

James 4 (The Message)

Get Serious

 ^1-2Where do you think all these appalling wars and quarrels come from? Do you think they just happen? Think again. They come about because you want your own way, and fight for it deep inside yourselves. You lust for what you don't have and are willing to kill to get it. You want what isn't yours and will risk violence to get your hands on it.  ^2-3You wouldn't think of just asking God for it, would you? And why not? Because you know you'd be asking for what you have no right to. You're spoiled children, each wanting your own way.
 ^4-6You're cheating on God. If all you want is your own way, flirting with the world every chance you get, you end up enemies of God and his way. And do you suppose God doesn't care? The proverb has it that "he's a fiercely jealous lover." And what he gives in love is far better than anything else you'll find. It's common knowledge that "God goes against the willful proud; God gives grace to the willing humble."
 ^7-10So let God work his will in you. Yell a loud no to the Devil and watch him scamper. Say a quiet yes to God and he'll be there in no time. Quit dabbling in sin. Purify your inner life. Quit playing the field. Hit bottom, and cry your eyes out. The fun and games are over. Get serious, really serious. Get down on your knees before the Master; it's the only way you'll get on your feet.
 ^11-12Don't bad-mouth each other, friends. It's God's Word, his Message, his Royal Rule, that takes a beating in that kind of talk. You're supposed to be honoring the Message, not writing graffiti all over it. God is in charge of deciding human destiny. Who do you think you are to meddle in the destiny of others?

Nothing but a Wisp of Fog

 ^13-15And now I have a word for you who brashly announce, "Today—at the latest, tomorrow—we're off to such and such a city for the year. We're going to start a business and make a lot of money." You don't know the first thing about tomorrow. You're nothing but a wisp of fog, catching a brief bit of sun before disappearing. Instead, make it a habit to say, "If the Master wills it and we're still alive, we'll do this or that."  ^16-17As it is, you are full of your grandiose selves. All such vaunting self-importance is evil. In fact, if you know the right thing to do and don't do it, that, for you, is evil.

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Glorious Day (Living He Loved Me) - Casting Crowns

Wonderful merciful saviour with lyrics

God's Love and Ours

1 John 4:7-21 (The Message)

⁷ Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. ⁸ Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. ⁹ This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. ¹⁰ This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. ¹¹ Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. ¹² No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.
 ¹³ This is how we know that we live in him and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit. ¹⁴ And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. ¹⁵ If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God. ¹⁶ And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.
   God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. ¹⁷ This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. ¹⁸ There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.
 ¹⁹ We love because he first loved us. ²⁰ Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. ²¹ And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.

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How He Loves Us- David Crowder Band

Kutless - What Faith Can Do

The Ball is in Your Court! Isn't that how it should be?

God will never twist your arm to get you to believe.  He is more of a still, small voice,  a niggling deep down in your soul.  He will never stop seeking you.  He will never stop wanting you to come to Him.  He is always waiting and watching patiently, and speaking quietly in quiet moments.

But the ball is in Your Court!  Isn't that how it should be?  When we love someone, we want them to love us back of their own volition, don't we?  We might think we would want to force them to love us, but would that be real love?  The Father is no different in that one respect.  He offers the free gift and all He asks is that we reach out and receive it.  And then we will see what He can do in one life, ours....Joy unspeakable, boundless love,  peace that passes understanding.  Why wouldn't you want that?

He is not a crutch.  He is hope, and peace, and love, and life.  I can tell you why you might not want that.  You might not want that because you fear you will lose control.  You might not want that because it requires something of you...complete surrender of yourself to Him.  For some,  there is nothing  scarier.  But let me tell you, losing your selfishness is not as hard as you think it is.  Especially when it is replaced with faith immeasurable.  I guarantee you, you will never be sorry.  You have everything to gain and nothing to lose by saying, "Yes, Lord!"

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You Never Let Go by Matt Redman

When We Practice Real Love

1 John 3:11-24 (The Message)

¹¹For this is the original message we heard: We should love each other.
 ^12-13We must not be like Cain, who joined the Evil One and then killed his brother. And why did he kill him? Because he was deep in the practice of evil, while the acts of his brother were righteous. So don't be surprised, friends, when the world hates you. This has been going on a long time.
 ^14-15The way we know we've been transferred from death to life is that we love our brothers and sisters. Anyone who doesn't love is as good as dead. Anyone who hates a brother or sister is a murderer, and you know very well that eternal life and murder don't go together.
 ^16-17This is how we've come to understand and experience love: Christ sacrificed his life for us. This is why we ought to live sacrificially for our fellow believers, and not just be out for ourselves. If you see some brother or sister in need and have the means to do something about it but turn a cold shoulder and do nothing, what happens to God's love? It disappears. And you made it disappear.

When We Practice Real Love

 ^18-20My dear children, let's not just talk about love; let's practice real love. This is the only way we'll know we're living truly, living in God's reality. It's also the way to shut down debilitating self-criticism, even when there is something to it. For God is greater than our worried hearts and knows more about us than we do ourselves.  ^21-24And friends, once that's taken care of and we're no longer accusing or condemning ourselves, we're bold and free before God! We're able to stretch our hands out and receive what we asked for because we're doing what he said, doing what pleases him. Again, this is God's command: to believe in his personally named Son, Jesus Christ. He told us to love each other, in line with the original command. As we keep his commands, we live deeply and surely in him, and he lives in us. And this is how we experience his deep and abiding presence in us: by the Spirit he gave us.

Behold What Manner of Love the Father has Given Unto Us...

1 John 3:1-10 (The Message)

 ¹ What marvelous love the Father has extended to us! Just look at it—we're called children of God! That's who we really are. But that's also why the world doesn't recognize us or take us seriously, because it has no idea who he is or what he's up to.  ^2-3But friends, that's exactly who we are: children of God. And that's only the beginning. Who knows how we'll end up! What we know is that when Christ is openly revealed, we'll see him—and in seeing him, become like him. All of us who look forward to his Coming stay ready, with the glistening purity of Jesus' life as a model for our own.
 ^4-6All who indulge in a sinful life are dangerously lawless, for sin is a major disruption of God's order. Surely you know that Christ showed up in order to get rid of sin. There is no sin in him, and sin is not part of his program. No one who lives deeply in Christ makes a practice of sin. None of those who do practice sin have taken a good look at Christ. They've got him all backward.
 ^7-8So, my dear children, don't let anyone divert you from the truth. It's the person who acts right who is right, just as we see it lived out in our righteous Messiah. Those who make a practice of sin are straight from the Devil, the pioneer in the practice of sin. The Son of God entered the scene to abolish the Devil's ways.
 ^9-10People conceived and brought into life by God don't make a practice of sin. How could they? God's seed is deep within them, making them who they are. It's not in the nature of the God-begotten to practice and parade sin. Here's how you tell the difference between God's children and the Devil's children: The one who won't practice righteous ways isn't from God, nor is the one who won't love brother or sister. A simple test.

When Does it Take Months to Pay off a $22 Loan?

Go Ahead, Take Away the Stone

John 11 (The Message)

The Death of Lazarus

 ^1-3A man was sick, Lazarus of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha. This was the same Mary who massaged the Lord's feet with aromatic oils and then wiped them with her hair. It was her brother Lazarus who was sick. So the sisters sent word to Jesus, "Master, the one you love so very much is sick."  ⁴When Jesus got the message, he said, "This sickness is not fatal. It will become an occasion to show God's glory by glorifying God's Son."
 ^5-7Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus, but oddly, when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed on where he was for two more days. After the two days, he said to his disciples, "Let's go back to Judea."
 ⁸They said, "Rabbi, you can't do that. The Jews are out to kill you, and you're going back?"
 ^9-10Jesus replied, "Are there not twelve hours of daylight? Anyone who walks in daylight doesn't stumble because there's plenty of light from the sun. Walking at night, he might very well stumble because he can't see where he's going."
 ¹¹He said these things, and then announced, "Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep. I'm going to wake him up."
 ^12-13The disciples said, "Master, if he's gone to sleep, he'll get a good rest and wake up feeling fine." Jesus was talking about death, while his disciples thought he was talking about taking a nap.
 ^14-15Then Jesus became explicit: "Lazarus died. And I am glad for your sakes that I wasn't there. You're about to be given new grounds for believing. Now let's go to him."
 ¹⁶That's when Thomas, the one called the Twin, said to his companions, "Come along. We might as well die with him."
 ^17-20When Jesus finally got there, he found Lazarus already four days dead. Bethany was near Jerusalem, only a couple of miles away, and many of the Jews were visiting Martha and Mary, sympathizing with them over their brother. Martha heard Jesus was coming and went out to meet him. Mary remained in the house.
 ^21-22Martha said, "Master, if you'd been here, my brother wouldn't have died. Even now, I know that whatever you ask God he will give you."
 ²³Jesus said, "Your brother will be raised up."
 ²⁴Martha replied, "I know that he will be raised up in the resurrection at the end of time."
 ^25-26"You don't have to wait for the End. I am, right now, Resurrection and Life. The one who believes in me, even though he or she dies, will live. And everyone who lives believing in me does not ultimately die at all. Do you believe this?"
 ²⁷"Yes, Master. All along I have believed that you are the Messiah, the Son of God who comes into the world."
 ²⁸After saying this, she went to her sister Mary and whispered in her ear, "The Teacher is here and is asking for you."
 ^29-32The moment she heard that, she jumped up and ran out to him. Jesus had not yet entered the town but was still at the place where Martha had met him. When her sympathizing Jewish friends saw Mary run off, they followed her, thinking she was on her way to the tomb to weep there. Mary came to where Jesus was waiting and fell at his feet, saying, "Master, if only you had been here, my brother would not have died."
 ^33-34When Jesus saw her sobbing and the Jews with her sobbing, a deep anger welled up within him. He said, "Where did you put him?"
 ^34-35"Master, come and see," they said. Now Jesus wept.
 ³⁶The Jews said, "Look how deeply he loved him."
 ³⁷Others among them said, "Well, if he loved him so much, why didn't he do something to keep him from dying? After all, he opened the eyes of a blind man."
 ^38-39Then Jesus, the anger again welling up within him, arrived at the tomb. It was a simple cave in the hillside with a slab of stone laid against it. Jesus said, "Remove the stone."
   The sister of the dead man, Martha, said, "Master, by this time there's a stench. He's been dead four days!"
 ⁴⁰Jesus looked her in the eye. "Didn't I tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?"
 ^41-42Then, to the others, "Go ahead, take away the stone."
   They removed the stone. Jesus raised his eyes to heaven and prayed, "Father, I'm grateful that you have listened to me. I know you always do listen, but on account of this crowd standing here I've spoken so that they might believe that you sent me."
 ^43-44Then he shouted, "Lazarus, come out!" And he came out, a cadaver, wrapped from head to toe, and with a kerchief over his face.
   Jesus told them, "Unwrap him and let him loose."

The Man Who Creates God-Signs

 ^45-48That was a turnaround for many of the Jews who were with Mary. They saw what Jesus did, and believed in him. But some went back to the Pharisees and told on Jesus. The high priests and Pharisees called a meeting of the Jewish ruling body. "What do we do now?" they asked. "This man keeps on doing things, creating God-signs. If we let him go on, pretty soon everyone will be believing in him and the Romans will come and remove what little power and privilege we still have."  ^49-52Then one of them—it was Caiaphas, the designated Chief Priest that year—spoke up, "Don't you know anything? Can't you see that it's to our advantage that one man dies for the people rather than the whole nation be destroyed?" He didn't say this of his own accord, but as Chief Priest that year he unwittingly prophesied that Jesus was about to die sacrificially for the nation, and not only for the nation but so that all God's exile-scattered children might be gathered together into one people.
 ^53-54From that day on, they plotted to kill him. So Jesus no longer went out in public among the Jews. He withdrew into the country bordering the desert to a town called Ephraim and secluded himself there with his disciples.
 ^55-56The Jewish Passover was coming up. Crowds of people were making their way from the country up to Jerusalem to get themselves ready for the Feast. They were curious about Jesus. There was a lot of talk of him among those standing around in the Temple: "What do you think? Do you think he'll show up at the Feast or not?"
 ⁵⁷Meanwhile, the high priests and Pharisees gave out the word that anyone getting wind of him should inform them. They were all set to arrest him.

He Knows My Name by Maranatha Singers

Our Good, His Glory Revisited

God has two purposes in His plan, our good and His glory. We need never think that He does not know what we are going through. He does! He himself experienced life in human flesh. John 11:22 says, "When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled." (NIV)

"And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth." John 1:14 (NASB)

"Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross." Philippians 2:5-8 (NASB)

God is at work in this world, and His plan is to make us into His image. We don't need to be discouraged that things aren't working out the way we want them to. We can trust that God's plan is for our good and for His glory, even if we can't understand it right now. He will be with us on the journey. And when we have been transformed into His image, all glory and honor and power are His. I am thankful that He chooses to share this with us!

"And the glory which Thou hast given Me I have given to them; that they may be one, just as We are one; I in them, and Thou in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, that the world may know that Thou didst send Me, and didst love them, even as Thou didst love Me." John 17:22-23

"But we should always give thanks to God for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth. And it was for this He called you through our gospel, that you may gain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ." 2 Thessalonians 2:13-14 (NASB)

Consider the story of Joseph. Things never looked like they were for his good, but Joseph just kept putting one foot in front of the other, moving forward in God's direction, trying to do His will. When Joseph's brothers sold him into slavery (Genesis 37:27-28), he ended up in Egypt. Joseph had dreams and interpreted dreams, eventually finding his way into the house of Pharaoh being second in charge in all the land. Because Joseph put God first in all things, he was crowned with success, but not to bring glory to Joseph. Joseph was part of God's plan to protect His people from the famine that had entered the land. God's plan was bigger than the circumstances and Joseph knew that he was exactly where God wanted him to be.

So Joseph told his brothers when they came to Egypt to ask for food and realized that their brother was in charge, "Do not be afraid, for am I in God's place? And as for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive. So therefore, do not be afraid." Genesis 50:19-21 (NASB)

We also can be assured that if we are seeking Him and putting Him first in all things and loving him with all of our heart, and soul, and mind, and strength, He will accomplish His purposes in us. He will accomplish them even when we don't see how He could possibly do it.

"And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the first-born among many brethren." Romans 8:28-29 (NASB)

Dear Lord, If I could just trust your plan for my life, I would walk in Your peace continually. Please help me to trust You with everything knowing that You have me exactly where You want me to be.

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Originally posted April 10th, 2010.

Wonderful Cross - Michael W. Smith

Pray More

"Every time we pray our horizon is altered, our attitude to things is altered~~not sometimes but every time...and the amazing thing is that we don't pray more."
~Oswald Chambers 

“When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people,  if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place. I have chosen and consecrated this temple so that my Name may be there forever. My eyes and my heart will always be there."  2 Chronicles 7:13-16 (NIV)

 "Jesus told them a story showing that it was necessary for them to pray consistently and never quit. He said,  'There was once a judge in some city who never gave God a thought and cared nothing for people. A widow in that city kept after him: "My rights are being violated. Protect me!"  He never gave her the time of day. But after this went on and on he said to himself, "I care nothing what God thinks, even less what people think. But because this widow won't quit badgering me, I'd better do something and see that she gets justice—otherwise I'm going to end up beaten black-and-blue by her pounding."'  Then the Master said, 'Do you hear what that judge, corrupt as he is, is saying? So what makes you think God won't step in and work justice for his chosen people, who continue to cry out for help? Won't he stick up for them? I assure you, he will. He will not drag his feet. But how much of that kind of persistent faith will the Son of Man find on the earth when he returns?'"Luke 18:1-8 (The Message)

"Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality."  Romans 12:9-13 (NIV)

"Be prepared. You're up against far more than you can handle on your own. Take all the help you can get, every weapon God has issued, so that when it's all over but the shouting you'll still be on your feet. Truth, righteousness, peace, faith, and salvation are more than words. Learn how to apply them. You'll need them throughout your life. God's Word is an indispensable weapon. In the same way, prayer is essential in this ongoing warfare. Pray hard and long. Pray for your brothers and sisters. Keep your eyes open. Keep each other's spirits up so that no one falls behind or drops out."  Ephesians 6:13-18 (The Message) 

"Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone."  Colossians 4:2-6 (NIV)

"Be cheerful no matter what; pray all the time; thank God no matter what happens. This is the way God wants you who belong to Christ Jesus to live."  1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (The Message) 

Dear Lord,  Teach us how to pray consistently and to never give up.  Help us to pray more, longer and harder than ever before.  Find us having that kind of persistent faith when you return. 

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Michael W. Smith - I See You

Like a Mighty Wind...

Acts 2 (The Message)

A Sound Like a Strong Wind

 ^1-4 When the Feast of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Without warning there was a sound like a strong wind, gale force—no one could tell where it came from. It filled the whole building. Then, like a wildfire, the Holy Spirit spread through their ranks, and they started speaking in a number of different languages as the Spirit prompted them.  ^5-11There were many Jews staying in Jerusalem just then, devout pilgrims from all over the world. When they heard the sound, they came on the run. Then when they heard, one after another, their own mother tongues being spoken, they were thunderstruck. They couldn't for the life of them figure out what was going on, and kept saying, "Aren't these all Galileans? How come we're hearing them talk in our various mother tongues?

   Parthians, Medes, and Elamites;
   Visitors from Mesopotamia, Judea, and Cappadocia,
      Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia,
      Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene;
   Immigrants from Rome, both Jews and proselytes;
   Even Cretans and Arabs!
"They're speaking our languages, describing God's mighty works!"
 ¹²Their heads were spinning; they couldn't make head or tail of any of it. They talked back and forth, confused: "What's going on here?"
 ¹³Others joked, "They're drunk on cheap wine."

Peter Speaks Up

 ^14-21That's when Peter stood up and, backed by the other eleven, spoke out with bold urgency: "Fellow Jews, all of you who are visiting Jerusalem, listen carefully and get this story straight. These people aren't drunk as some of you suspect. They haven't had time to get drunk—it's only nine o'clock in the morning. This is what the prophet Joel announced would happen:

   "In the Last Days," God says,
   "I will pour out my Spirit
      on every kind of people:
   Your sons will prophesy,
      also your daughters;
   Your young men will see visions,
      your old men dream dreams.
   When the time comes,
      I'll pour out my Spirit
   On those who serve me, men and women both,
      and they'll prophesy.
   I'll set wonders in the sky above
      and signs on the earth below,
   Blood and fire and billowing smoke,
      the sun turning black and the moon blood-red,
   Before the Day of the Lord arrives,
      the Day tremendous and marvelous;
   And whoever calls out for help
      to me, God, will be saved."  ^22-28"Fellow Israelites, listen carefully to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a man thoroughly accredited by God to you—the miracles and wonders and signs that God did through him are common knowledge—this Jesus, following the deliberate and well-thought-out plan of God, was betrayed by men who took the law into their own hands, and was handed over to you. And you pinned him to a cross and killed him. But God untied the death ropes and raised him up. Death was no match for him. David said it all:

   I saw God before me for all time.
      Nothing can shake me; he's right by my side.
   I'm glad from the inside out, ecstatic;
      I've pitched my tent in the land of hope.
   I know you'll never dump me in Hades;
      I'll never even smell the stench of death.
   You've got my feet on the life-path,
      with your face shining sun-joy all around.
 ^29-36"Dear friends, let me be completely frank with you. Our ancestor David is dead and buried—his tomb is in plain sight today. But being also a prophet and knowing that God had solemnly sworn that a descendant of his would rule his kingdom, seeing far ahead, he talked of the resurrection of the Messiah—'no trip to Hades, no stench of death.' This Jesus, God raised up. And every one of us here is a witness to it. Then, raised to the heights at the right hand of God and receiving the promise of the Holy Spirit from the Father, he poured out the Spirit he had just received. That is what you see and hear. For David himself did not ascend to heaven, but he did say,

   God said to my Master, "Sit at my right hand
   Until I make your enemies a stool for resting your feet."
"All Israel, then, know this: There's no longer room for doubt—God made him Master and Messiah, this Jesus whom you killed on a cross."
 ³⁷Cut to the quick, those who were there listening asked Peter and the other apostles, "Brothers! Brothers! So now what do we do?"
 ^38-39Peter said, "Change your life. Turn to God and be baptized, each of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, so your sins are forgiven. Receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is targeted to you and your children, but also to all who are far away—whomever, in fact, our Master God invites."
 ⁴⁰He went on in this vein for a long time, urging them over and over, "Get out while you can; get out of this sick and stupid culture!"
 ^41-42That day about three thousand took him at his word, were baptized and were signed up. They committed themselves to the teaching of the apostles, the life together, the common meal, and the prayers.
 ^43-45Everyone around was in awe—all those wonders and signs done through the apostles! And all the believers lived in a wonderful harmony, holding everything in common. They sold whatever they owned and pooled their resources so that each person's need was met.
 ^46-47They followed a daily discipline of worship in the Temple followed by meals at home, every meal a celebration, exuberant and joyful, as they praised God. People in general liked what they saw. Every day their number grew as God added those who were saved.

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Power of Your Love

Content Whatever the Circumstances - Brother Lawrence

 Philippians 4:10-20 (NIV)

¹⁰ I rejoiced greatly in the Lord that at last you renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you were concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. ¹¹ I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. ¹² I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. ¹³ I can do all this through him who gives me strength.
 ¹⁴ Yet it was good of you to share in my troubles. ¹⁵ Moreover, as you Philippians know, in the early days of your acquaintance with the gospel, when I set out from Macedonia, not one church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving, except you only; ¹⁶ for even when I was in Thessalonica, you sent me aid more than once when I was in need. ¹⁷ Not that I desire your gifts; what I desire is that more be credited to your account. ¹⁸ I have received full payment and have more than enough. I am amply supplied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent. They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God. ¹⁹ And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.
 ²⁰ To our God and Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

One of the best examples of being content in all circumstances besides Paul is found in a book called "The Practice of the Presence of God" which is an assemblance of conversations and letters written by Brother Lawrence in the 1600's.  Brother Lawrence was a lay brother in the order of the Carmelites from 1640 until his death in 1691.  He was the monastery's cook for a great deal of that time.  He says:

"It matters not to me what I do, or what I suffer, so long as I abide lovingly untied to God's will--that is my whole business.

I am in the hands of God, and He has His own good purposes regarding me; therefore I trouble not myself for aught that man can do to me.  If I cannot serve God here, elsewhere I shall find a place wherein to serve Him.

The practice of the presence of God is the shortest and easiest way to attain to Christian perfection:  it is the form and life of virtue, it is the great preservative from sin.  The practice will become easy, if we have but courage and good will.

The whole world seems to me to be no longer real; all that my outward eyes behold pass like fantasies and dreams.  That which I see with the eyes of the soul is what alone I long for, and to be not yet in the possession of my heart's desire brings me to sorrow and a drooping of spirit.  On the one hand dazzled by the brightness of the Sun of Righteousness, the Scatterer of the shades of night, and, on the other, with eyes dimmed by my own sin, I feel at times as if I were beside myself.  And yet, I make it my ordinary business to abide in the presence of God with the humility of a useless, though a faithful servant."

This book is only 115 pages long and well worth reading.  I encourage you to pick up a copy and begin practicing the presence of God yourself until it becomes a habit!

MICHAEL SMITH-I CAN HEAR YOUR VOICE

Do Unto Others Revisited

"So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets."  Matthew 7:12 (NIV)

So in everything...Wow!  We are to treat others and do for others what we would want them to do for us in everything! Not just when we feel like it or when it is convenient but all of the time, in everything.  I have heard it spoken of once or twice in the past as doing to, not not doing to.  Does that make sense?  We are to do to others what we would want done to us, not avoid doing what we wouldn't want done to us.  This implies action not inaction.  Every day all day long we are to go out of our way to do things for those around us, the others, all others, not just our family and friends.  We are to treat people with dignity and honor.  We are to encourage people and show preference to all others.  We are to engage in simple acts of kindness all of the time!  What a different world we would live in if we truly lived as we are commanded to live.

"Jesus replied: 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself.  All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.'"  Matthew 22:37-40 (NIV)

"But the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith." 1 Timothy 1:5 (NASB)

"Love one another with brotherly affection.  Outdo one another in showing honor."  Romans 12:10  (ESV)

"Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ."  Galatians 6:2  (NIV)

"Get along among yourselves, each of you doing your part. Our counsel is that you warn the freeloaders to get a move on. Gently encourage the stragglers, and reach out for the exhausted, pulling them to their feet. Be patient with each person, attentive to individual needs. And be careful that when you get on each other's nerves you don't snap at each other. Look for the best in each other, and always do your best to bring it out."  1 Thessalonians 5:14 (The Message)

"Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us."  1 Peter 2:12 (NIV)

"Let me give you a new command: Love one another. In the same way I loved you, you love one another. This is how everyone will recognize that you are my disciples—when they see the love you have for each other."  John 13:34-35 (The Message)

"My dear, dear friends, if God loved us like this, we certainly ought to love each other. No one has seen God, ever. But if we love one another, God dwells deeply within us, and his love becomes complete in us—perfect love!"  1 John 4:11 (The Message)

"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'"  Matthew 25:40 (NIV)

So your assignment today is to engage in an unexpected act of kindness.  Leave an encouraging book on someone's porch (someone did that for me once-I never found out who left it there!), pick flowers (from your own garden!) and leave them for someone to find, give someone a special treat, take someone somewhere they would rather not go alone.  There are so many ways we can show His love.

Dear Lord,  Make us a people who love others and do things for others the way we would want them done for us. Help us to truly love one another and to show Your unfailing love through our actions...Use us to change the world one act of kindness at a time.

Third Day - Blessed Assurance

Blessed Assurance

Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine!
O what a foretaste of glory divine!
Heir of salvation, purchase of God
Born of his Spirit, washed in his blood

This is my story, this is my song
Praising my Savior all the day long
This is my story, this is my song
Praising my Savior all the day long

Perfect submission, perfect delight
Visions of rapture now burst on my sight
Angels, descending, bring from above
Echoes of mercy, whispers of love

Perfect submission, all is at rest
I in my Savior am happy and blessed
Watching and waiting, looking above
Filled with his goodness, lost in his love

"Blessed Assurance" is a well-known Christian hymn. The lyrics were written in 1873 by blind hymn writer Fanny J. Crosby to the music written in 1873 by Phoebe P. Knapp. (Wikipedia)

"Crosby did not spend her life in bitterness and defeat, but instead dedicated her life to Christ. At the age of eight she wrote these verses about her condition:

'Oh what a happy soul I am,

Although I cannot see;

I am resolved that in this world

Contented I will be.

How many blessings I enjoy,

That other people don't;

To weep and sigh because I'm blind,

I cannot, and I won't.'"

"She later remarked:

'It seemed intended by the blessed providence of God that I should be blind all my life, and I thank him for the dispensation. If perfect earthly sight were offered me tomorrow I would not accept it. I might not have sung hymns to the praise of God if I had been distracted by the beautiful and interesting things about me.'"  (Wikipedia)

Dear Lord,  Let me be contented no matter my circumstances.  Let me be always "watching and waiting, looking above, filled with Your goodness, lost in Your love..."

What Marvelous Love...

1 John 3 (The Message)

 ¹ What marvelous love the Father has extended to us! Just look at it—we're called children of God! That's who we really are. But that's also why the world doesn't recognize us or take us seriously, because it has no idea who he is or what he's up to.  ^2-3But friends, that's exactly who we are: children of God. And that's only the beginning. Who knows how we'll end up! What we know is that when Christ is openly revealed, we'll see him—and in seeing him, become like him. All of us who look forward to his Coming stay ready, with the glistening purity of Jesus' life as a model for our own.
 ^4-6All who indulge in a sinful life are dangerously lawless, for sin is a major disruption of God's order. Surely you know that Christ showed up in order to get rid of sin. There is no sin in him, and sin is not part of his program. No one who lives deeply in Christ makes a practice of sin. None of those who do practice sin have taken a good look at Christ. They've got him all backward.
 ^7-8So, my dear children, don't let anyone divert you from the truth. It's the person who acts right who is right, just as we see it lived out in our righteous Messiah. Those who make a practice of sin are straight from the Devil, the pioneer in the practice of sin. The Son of God entered the scene to abolish the Devil's ways.
 ^9-10People conceived and brought into life by God don't make a practice of sin. How could they? God's seed is deep within them, making them who they are. It's not in the nature of the God-begotten to practice and parade sin. Here's how you tell the difference between God's children and the Devil's children: The one who won't practice righteous ways isn't from God, nor is the one who won't love brother or sister. A simple test.
 ¹¹For this is the original message we heard: We should love each other.
 ^12-13We must not be like Cain, who joined the Evil One and then killed his brother. And why did he kill him? Because he was deep in the practice of evil, while the acts of his brother were righteous. So don't be surprised, friends, when the world hates you. This has been going on a long time.
 ^14-15The way we know we've been transferred from death to life is that we love our brothers and sisters. Anyone who doesn't love is as good as dead. Anyone who hates a brother or sister is a murderer, and you know very well that eternal life and murder don't go together.
 ^16-17This is how we've come to understand and experience love: Christ sacrificed his life for us. This is why we ought to live sacrificially for our fellow believers, and not just be out for ourselves. If you see some brother or sister in need and have the means to do something about it but turn a cold shoulder and do nothing, what happens to God's love? It disappears. And you made it disappear.

When We Practice Real Love

 ^18-20My dear children, let's not just talk about love; let's practice real love. This is the only way we'll know we're living truly, living in God's reality. It's also the way to shut down debilitating self-criticism, even when there is something to it. For God is greater than our worried hearts and knows more about us than we do ourselves.  ^21-24And friends, once that's taken care of and we're no longer accusing or condemning ourselves, we're bold and free before God! We're able to stretch our hands out and receive what we asked for because we're doing what he said, doing what pleases him. Again, this is God's command: to believe in his personally named Son, Jesus Christ. He told us to love each other, in line with the original command. As we keep his commands, we live deeply and surely in him, and he lives in us. And this is how we experience his deep and abiding presence in us: by the Spirit he gave us.

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You've Touched My Heart Revisited

We all have a heart.  Our hearts beat and pump blood throughout our bodies, providing oxygen and nutrients.  Without our hearts, we would not be alive.  In our culture you can be hard-hearted, cold hearted, broken-hearted, good-hearted, etc.  The list goes on and in English, we think of the word "heart" as the center of emotion and kindness.  The Hebrews, however, had a broader meaning for the word "heart".  It goes beyond the Western cultural idea of it being the center of emotion and kindness to including a person's thoughts, reason, and logic, in essence, the "mind" is included with the word "heart".  So a heart can think, understand, and be intentional.  A heart can be a storehouse for God's word.  It can be full of deceit.  It is capable of love and hate, joy and sorrow.  Here is a word study on these aspects of the word "heart"  in God's word.

The heart is capable of understanding:

"Since you have closed their hearts to understanding,  therefore you will not let them triumph."  Job17:4 (ESV)

"For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul."  Proverbs 2:10 (NIV)

The heart is where you can store scripture:

"Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them slip from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them."  Deuteronomy 4:9  (NIV)

"Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee."  Psalm 119:11 (KJV)

The heart is capable of deception:

"'How long? Is there anything in the hearts of the prophets who prophesy falsehood, even these prophets of the deception of their own heart, who intend to make My people forget My name by their dreams which they relate to one another, just as their fathers forgot My name because of Baal?  The prophet who has a dream may relate his dream, but let him who has My word speak My word in truth. What does straw have in common with grain?' declares the LORD."  Jeremiah 23:26-28  (NASB)

"The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?"  Jeremiah 17:9  (KJV)

The heart can be intentional:

"When he arrived and saw the evidence of the grace of God, he was glad and encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts.  Acts 11:23 (NIV)

"The anger of the LORD will not turn back until He has performed and carried out the purposes of His heart; in the last days you will clearly understand it."  Jeremiah 23:20  (NASB)

"For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart."  Hebrews 4:12 (NASB)

"Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but like slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart."  Ephesians 6:6  (NIV)

The heart is capable of love and hate:

"Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart."  1 Peter 1:22 (NIV)

"He turned their hearts to hate his people, to deal craftily with his servants."  Psalm 105:25 (ESV)

The heart is capable of joy and sorrow: 

"A joyful heart makes a cheerful face, but when the heart is sad, the spirit is broken."  Proverbs 15:13 (NASB)

"But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart."  John 16:6 (NASB)

"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. John 14:27  (ESV)

In closing, we want to have the heart of God within us as it says in Exodus 34:5-7, "The LORD, the LORD God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth; who keeps lovingkindness for thousands, who forgives iniquity, transgression and sin; yet He will by no means leave the guilty unpunished, visiting the iniquity of fathers on the children and on the grandchildren to the third and fourth generations."(NASB)  And we need to be ever conscious of the fact that our hearts reflect who we are.  "As in water face reflects face, so the heart of man reflects the man."  Proverbs 27:19  (ESV)  And we need to be aware that God looks not at our outward appearance but at our hearts.  "But the LORD said to Samuel, 'Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.'" 1 Samuel 16:7  (NIV)

Dear Lord,  We ask that You shape and mold our hearts.  Let our hearts be as Yours, full of kindness and compassion, slow to anger, abounding in lovingkindness and truth. 

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Michael W. Smith - When I Think Of You [A New Hallelujah]

Wayfaring Stranger - Selah

Press On

Keep Your Lamps Lit

Luke 12:35-48 (New American Standard Bible)

Be in Readiness

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³⁵"Be dressed in readiness, and keep your lamps lit.  ³⁶"Be like men who are waiting for their master when he returns from the wedding feast, so that they may immediately open the door to him when he comes and knocks.
 ³⁷"Blessed are those slaves whom the master will find on the alert when he comes; truly I say to you, that he will gird himself to serve, and have them recline at the table, and will come up and wait on them.
 ³⁸"Whether he comes in the second watch, or even in the third, and finds them so, blessed are those slaves.
 ³⁹"But be sure of this, that if the head of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have allowed his house to be broken into.
 ⁴⁰"You too, be ready; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour that you do not expect."
 ⁴¹Peter the Lord said, "Who then is the faithful and sensible steward, whom his master will put in charge of his servants, to give them their rations at the proper time?
 ⁴³"Blessed is that slave whom his master finds so doing when he comes.
 ⁴⁴"Truly I say to you that he will put him in charge of all his possessions.
 ⁴⁵"But if that slave says in his heart, 'My master will be a long time in coming,' and begins to beat the slaves, both men and women, and to eat and drink and get drunk;
 ⁴⁶the master of that slave will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know, and will cut him in pieces, and assign him a place with the unbelievers.
⁴⁷"And that slave who knew his master's will and did not get ready or act in accord with his will, will receive many lashes,
 ⁴⁸but the one who did not know it, and committed deeds worthy of a flogging, will receive but few.   From everyone who has been given much, much will be required; and to whom they entrusted much, of him they will ask all the more.

Have a wonderful Weekend!

Crown Him with many crowns

The Way He Wants You to Live

 1 Thessalonians 5:12-24 (The Message)

The Way He Wants You to Live

 ^12-13And now, friends, we ask you to honor those leaders who work so hard for you, who have been given the responsibility of urging and guiding you along in your obedience. Overwhelm them with appreciation and love!  ^13-15Get along among yourselves, each of you doing your part. Our counsel is that you warn the freeloaders to get a move on. Gently encourage the stragglers, and reach out for the exhausted, pulling them to their feet. Be patient with each person, attentive to individual needs. And be careful that when you get on each other's nerves you don't snap at each other. Look for the best in each other, and always do your best to bring it out.
 ^16-18Be cheerful no matter what; pray all the time; thank God no matter what happens. This is the way God wants you who belong to Christ Jesus to live.
 ^19-22Don't suppress the Spirit, and don't stifle those who have a word from the Master. On the other hand, don't be gullible. Check out everything, and keep only what's good. Throw out anything tainted with evil.
 ^23-24May God himself, the God who makes everything holy and whole, make you holy and whole, put you together—spirit, soul, and body—and keep you fit for the coming of our Master, Jesus Christ. The One who called you is completely dependable. If he said it, he'll do it!

Book Review - The Heart Mender by Andy Andrews

Before you read this book review, I want you to know that the publisher gave me an extra copy to give away!  Please become a follower to enter to win!  The drawing will be held in one week and all current followers will be entered.  The winner will be contacted via email.

Andy Andrews', The Heart Mender, A Story of Second Chances, is an interesting journey into WWII Gulf Coast America and the heart of an age old theme: Forgiveness. His latest work is thoughtfully executed intertwining reality with fiction and leaving the reader wondering whether the story is creative fabrication or historically accurate fact.

A young widow, Helen, whose husband is killed during the war, is bitter and lonely until a German U-boat Lieutenant, Josef, washes ashore near her house. An unlikely friendship develops as she nurses him back to health and hides his existence from those in the nearby town. When the town Deputy discovers his presence, Josef is finally able to venture into the village until complications arise and they are forced to face their true feelings. This is a worthwhile story of healing through forgiveness, reconciliation, love, and finally the truth they have been hiding for so long.

I would recommend this book if you enjoy historical fiction but, honestly, I found it a bit slow paced and predictable. I would put the book down and not pick it up for several months. It definitely should have been a quick read but apparently it didn't keep my attention as I would have liked.

Disclaimer: As a book reviewer, I receive advanced copies of books from the publisher and am not reimbursed for my reviews. 

Twila Paris - Where He Leads Me

Walk On

What path does God have you on?  Are you moving forward on that path?  Are you at a standstill?  Are you going back down the path that you have come so far on?  If you are finding yourself  inadvertently falling backward, willingly leaping backward, or cautiously inching backward, Stop!  Turn yourself back around and WALK ON!

Philippians 3:12-21 (The Message)

Focused on the Goal

 ^12-14I'm not saying that I have this all together, that I have it made. But I am well on my way, reaching out for Christ, who has so wondrously reached out for me. Friends, don't get me wrong: By no means do I count myself an expert in all of this, but I've got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward—to Jesus. I'm off and running, and I'm not turning back.  ^15-16So let's keep focused on that goal, those of us who want everything God has for us. If any of you have something else in mind, something less than total commitment, God will clear your blurred vision—you'll see it yet! Now that we're on the right track, let's stay on it.
 ^17-19Stick with me, friends. Keep track of those you see running this same course, headed for this same goal. There are many out there taking other paths, choosing other goals, and trying to get you to go along with them. I've warned you of them many times; sadly, I'm having to do it again. All they want is easy street. They hate Christ's Cross. But easy street is a dead-end street. Those who live there make their bellies their gods; belches are their praise; all they can think of is their appetites.
 ^20-21But there's far more to life for us. We're citizens of high heaven! We're waiting the arrival of the Savior, the Master, Jesus Christ, who will transform our earthy bodies into glorious bodies like his own. He'll make us beautiful and whole with the same powerful skill by which he is putting everything as it should be, under and around him.

Dear Lord,  Help us to walk on with You through difficulties, distress, troubles, and joy.  Help us to NOT want the easy street;  help us to want Your street, whatever that is, wherever that may lead us. Give us the endurance we need to press on toward the goal of Your upward calling in Christ Jesus.

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