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A Handful Of thorns Oct 24, 2008 9:01 am
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READ: Psalm 105:1-6
Give thanks to the LORD for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men!
Psalm 107:21

The Bible in One Year:
Jeremiah 28-30,Proverbs 4:18-27

Jeremy Taylor was a 17th-century English cleric who was severely persecuted for his faith. But though his house was plundered, his family left destitute, and his property confiscated, he continued to count the blessings he could not lose.

He wrote: “They have not taken away my merry countenance, my cheerful spirit, and a good conscience; they have still left me with the providence of God, and all His promises . . . my hopes of Heaven, and my charity to them, too, and still I sleep and digest, I eat and drink, I read and meditate. And he that hath so many causes of joy, and so great should never choose to sit down upon his little handful of thorns.”

Although we may not be afflicted with the grievous difficulties that Jeremy Taylor endured, all of us face trials and troubles. Are we grumbling? Or do we refuse to let our “little handful of thorns,” our troubles, obscure the overwhelming abundance of our blessings?

When we feel like complaining, let’s remember God’s faithfulness and “give thanks to the LORD! Call upon His name; make known His deeds among the peoples! . . . Remember His marvelous works which He has done!” (Ps. 105:1,5). — Vernon C. Grounds

When upon life’s billows you are tempest-tossed,
When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost;
Count your many blessings—name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord has done. —Oatman

Spend your time counting your blessings, not airing your complaints.
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Unused Muscles Oct 23, 2008 3:26 am
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READ: 1 Corinthians 12.14-27

The manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all.
—1 Corinthians 12.7

The Bible in One Year:
Jeremiah 19-21, Proverbs 3:11-26

Linda my friend recently visited a physiotherapist to seek relief for her neck and shoulder pain. When the problem did not go away after several visits, she asked why. She was told that her pain was because of some “lazy neck muscles.”

Apparently, the neck muscles that were supposed to hold her head upright were not doing their job. As a result, her shoulder muscles had to take over the function of holding up her head. This caused unnaturally stiffened shoulder muscles. The solution? Exercises were prescribed to train her neck muscles to do what they were designed to do.

In a way, her problem depicts what happens in the body of Christ. God has given each believer gifts that are to be exercised for the common good of the church 1 Cor. 12.7. But when some don’t pull their weight, others far less gifted in those areas must pitch in. Although the body of Christ continues to function, it is not functioning at its best. There are some overworked Christians around!

God wants us to use our spiritual gifts to benefit others in the church. When we work together, we keep the body strong. What has God gifted you to do so that you can help relieve the strain the church is suffering? — C. P. Hia

All Christians have been gifted
By grace from God above,
Equipped to build and strengthen
The church in faith and love. —Fitzhugh

Teamwork divides the effort and multiplies the effect.
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Not Much in Between? Oct 22, 2008 4:39 am
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READ: Ephesians 3:14-21

The Bible In One Year:
Jeremiah 16-18, Proverbs 3:1-10

That you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
—Ephesians 3:19
In the western panhandle of Texas is a small town named Texline. It had an ostentatious beginning in the late 1800s as a thriving center along a new railroad line. Within a few years, though, most of the shops had closed and the town’s population shriveled to about 400. In 2000, the population was still just over 500.

One online description of Texline says that it has “a city limits sign at one end, another at the other end, and not much in between.”

What a waste if the same description could be given of our spiritual journey! The journey of the Christian life on earth begins at the moment of faith in Jesus and ends when the believer goes to be with the Lord. This raises an important question: What happens in between?

A rich and full life is available to all who believe in and serve Jesus. The apostle Paul prayed that believers would “be filled with all the fullness of God” (Eph. 3:19). He wanted them to know life “abundantly” (John 10:10). But how many of us experience even a small part of the abundant life Christ promised to those who are faithful to Him?

God desires to give us a marvelous beginning with salvation and a great ending in Glory—with much in between. — David C. Egner

Lord, thank You for all that You have done for me.
I commit myself to making the most of my spiritual journey.
I want to experience as much as I can of You and all
You have to offer to me. Amen.

A life given fully to God becomes a God-filled life
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Curiosity Or Compassion? Oct 21, 2008 5:01 am
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READ: John 9:1-12
[Jesus’] disciples asked Him, saying, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” —John 9:2

The Bible In One Year
Titus 1-2,Proverbs 2:12-22

Why is it that when we hear about someone who is suffering, we are more interested in the details of what, why, when, and where than we are about how we can help?

When the disciples passed the blind beggar (John 9:1), their curiosity about why he was suffering outweighed the prospect of reaching out to help him. “Who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” they asked (v.2). Their pop-quiz for Jesus revealed that they were dreadfully out of step with their

Master’s heart. In fact, lurking beneath their question was a judgmental spirit—a desire to know whom to blame—as if that would make anyone feel better!

Thankfully, Jesus modeled a compassionate response. Rather than speculation and condemnation, He marshaled His resources to help, which in this case meant complete healing. He made it clear that the man’s blindness was intended to provide a moment for God to be magnified through Jesus’ compassionate touch.

Feeling curious about somebody’s problem? Shift into Jesus’ mode and move past the point of curiosity to his or her point of need. Reach out and touch someone’s pain. Show the compassionate love of Jesus in action. — Joe Stowell

Amid the snares misfortune lays
Unseen, beneath the steps of all,
Blest is the Love that seeks to raise
And stay and strengthen those who fall. —Bryant

Do you want to be like Jesus? Replace curiosity with compassion
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Curiosity Or Compassion? Oct 21, 2008 5:01 am
108 Views
READ: John 9:1-12
[Jesus’] disciples asked Him, saying, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” —John 9:2

The Bible In One Year
Titus 1-2,Proverbs 2:12-22

Why is it that when we hear about someone who is suffering, we are more interested in the details of what, why, when, and where than we are about how we can help?

When the disciples passed the blind beggar (John 9:1), their curiosity about why he was suffering outweighed the prospect of reaching out to help him. “Who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” they asked (v.2). Their pop-quiz for Jesus revealed that they were dreadfully out of step with their

Master’s heart. In fact, lurking beneath their question was a judgmental spirit—a desire to know whom to blame—as if that would make anyone feel better!

Thankfully, Jesus modeled a compassionate response. Rather than speculation and condemnation, He marshaled His resources to help, which in this case meant complete healing. He made it clear that the man’s blindness was intended to provide a moment for God to be magnified through Jesus’ compassionate touch.

Feeling curious about somebody’s problem? Shift into Jesus’ mode and move past the point of curiosity to his or her point of need. Reach out and touch someone’s pain. Show the compassionate love of Jesus in action. — Joe Stowell

Amid the snares misfortune lays
Unseen, beneath the steps of all,
Blest is the Love that seeks to raise
And stay and strengthen those who fall. —Bryant

Do you want to be like Jesus? Replace curiosity with compassion
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READ A BANNED BOOK Oct 20, 2008 5:59 am
91 Views
READ: Jeremiah 36:1-8,21-26

The Bible In One Year
Jeremiah 13:15, Proverbs 2:1-11

Write . . . all the words that I have spoken to you . . . that everyone may turn from his evil way, that I may forgive their iniquity and their sin. —Jeremiah 36:2-3

The American Library Association has designated this week as Banned Books Week in celebration of the freedom to read and to express one’s opinion “even if that opinion might be considered unorthodox or unpopular.”

The Bible is the all-time bestselling book, but in some parts of the world it is banned because it’s considered dangerous. The Bible is dangerous, however, only to those who fear finding out that they are wrong. It’s dangerous to those who exploit the weak and the innocent, who use force to keep others enslaved in poverty and ignorance, who don’t want to give up their favorite sin, who believe that salvation can be found apart from Christ.

No one wants to be told they are wrong. No one wants to hear that their behavior is putting themselves and those they love in danger or that God’s patience will eventually wear out. Yet that was the message God told Jeremiah to write (Jer. 36:2). When His message was read to King Jehoiakim, the king cut up the scroll and threw it into the fire (v.23).

The only way to know we are right is to be willing to discover where we are wrong. Read the all-time bestselling banned book, and let it reveal to you the truth about God—and about yourself. — Julie Ackerman Link

Lord Jesus, show Thyself to me
In very truth and deed;
Help me to find, O Christ, in Thee,
More than my deepest need. —Clarkson

The Bible shows us a picture of who we really are
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FOR A LIMITED TIME Oct 17, 2008 1:29 am
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You do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. —James 4:14

On a crisp October morning, our local newspaper featured a stunning photo of sun-drenched aspen trees whose leaves had turned autumn gold. The caption read: FOR A LIMITED TIME ONLY. The irresistible invitation to take a drive through the mountains to savor the brilliant colors conveyed the urgency of doing it quickly. Autumn leaves that are golden today are often gone tomorrow.

Our opportunities to obey God’s promptings are also fleeting. James warned against an arrogance that assumes endless days will be available to carry out our good intentions. “You do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. . . . Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin” (4:14,17).

Is there an act of kindness or encouragement that God has urged you to do for someone in His name? How long has it been since that first prompting? With so many demands on our time, the urgent tasks demand our attention while the important things can be postponed. But a time will come when even the important can no longer be done.

When we follow God’s urging with our action now, today will be golden. — David C. McCasland

If God is prompting you today
To help someone who has a need,
Don’t hesitate, the time is short;
Tomorrow is not guaranteed. —Sper

Doing what’s right today means no regrets tomorrow.
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The Chain OF Ungrace Oct 16, 2008 4:41 am
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Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debts.
Matthew 6:12

When I feel wronged, I can contrive a hundred reasons against forgiveness. “He needs to learn a lesson.” “I’ll let her stew for a while; it’ll do her good.” “It’s not up to me to make the first move.” When I finally soften to the point of granting forgiveness, it seems a leap from hard logic to mushy sentiment.

One factor that motivates me to forgive is that as a Christian I am commanded to, as the child of a Father who forgives. Jesus said, “If you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses” (Mark 11:25).

But beyond that, I can identify three pragmatic reasons. First, forgiveness halts the cycle of blame and pain, breaking the chain of ungrace. Without it we remain bound to the people we can’t forgive, held in their vise grip.

Second, forgiveness loosens the stranglehold of guilt in the perpetrator. It allows the possibility of transformation in the guilty party, even if a just punishment is still required.

And third, forgiveness creates a remarkable linkage, placing the forgiver on the same side as the party who did the wrong. We are not as different from the wrongdoer as we would like to think, for we too must ask our heavenly Father, “Forgive us our debts” (Matt. 6:12). — Philip Yancey

When I consider Calvary’s dismay—
The shame, the scorn, the scourging borne by You—
Resentment melts; I am compelled to say,
“Forgive them, Lord, they know not what they do!” —Mollon

He who cannot forgive others burns the bridge over which he himself must pass. —Herbert
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YOU CAN RISE FROM THE ASHES Oct 1, 2008 3:49 am
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"And the Lord restored Job's losses when he prayed for his friends. Indeed the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before." – Job 42:10

There are seasons of the soul. Just as winter is not the time to cut a tree because a tree that looks dead may have more life in it than you think, a dark time in your life is not the right time to make a decision.

Never set your goals when you are at a low ebb. Believe that springtime will come.

Remember that this depressing season will pass and that positive feelings will return to you. You will come back again.

Yes, your faith will pluck you from the ashes and new life will come from the places that felt dead. Your youthful enthusiasm will return.

Burned out? Take a break. Refuel. Seek a retreat. Find renewal. Replenish. Rest. You can go on again.

Never make a move from weakness. Always move from strength.

And the spring will turn to summer and the summer to harvest time!

You will reap simply because you didn't give up!

New life springs from places that felt dead.

* * *
Thank you, Lord, for seeing me through every season of life, good and bad. Be my place of retreat. Renew and replenish my soul. Bring restoration.

* * *
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CLIMB OUT OF YOUR RUT Sep 30, 2008 5:17 am
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"Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” –
Psalm 119:105

Is it possible that you are in a negative-thinking rut?

Aeronautical engineers in the 1920s said it was impossible to fly faster than the speed of sound, but they were wrong. Is it possible you might be placing your faith on some negative precept? What ideas are limiting your growth? What opinions are restricting you?

Ruts have a way of becoming security blankets in your second childhood. Most little children have their favorite blanket. Many of your negative, deeply ingrained opinions and well-entrenched conclusions become emotional security blankets, holding you back from: daring to get into business for yourself, daring to go back to college, daring to tackle a physical fitness program, or daring to make a major career change in mid-life!

It takes a lot of faith to pack up and move to a new city, state or country.

What ruts are you in? You're free to leave that rut. A rut, you know, is a grave – with the ends knocked out.

Come alive. Climb out of it. Tackle some exciting new possibilities today! Just make sure you are guided by God Almighty and His holy Word. Psalm 119:105 says that God's "word is a lamp to [your] feet and a light to [your] path"! Follow it.

Don't let your ruts become security blankets.

* * *
O God, You have the power to release me from negative, locked-in thinking. Help me to see beyond the ruts and look toward the exciting, new possibilities that await me.
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