Sunday Reflection...

The 142nd Kentucky Derby is this coming Friday and Saturday [May 6 and 7th].  In 2015 I read a devotion by Missey Butler that is perfect for today's post.

Missey quoted an unnamed person as saying, "All of us, in our natural state, are just like wild stallions, and until we are completely broken, we are incapable of being fully used by God."

In a paraphrased excerpt she went on to say: Within the confined and dusty stable, the grueling process takes place.  The one-on-one fight for domination can seem to be an unrelenting struggle, a futile fight to the very end... but finally the exhausting struggle is over. The horse quietly succumbs to a place of humble submission, and then a beautiful sight begins to unfold. Gradually, as the horse becomes more responsive to the voice and lead of his master, a new nature emerges, one that is so sensitive that it becomes possible to guide the stallion by reins made of silk threads.  The horse's senses are so fine-tuned to his master's desires that all that is needed is the slightest turn of the wrist, a pull of the silken threads, and the horse obediently follows.

Oh to be that submissive and sensitive to my Master that I obediently follow His leading.

May God bless your week!

Sunday Reflection...

The Resurrection

On the first day of the week [Sunday], very early in the morning, the women [Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others who were with them] took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb.  They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.

While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them.  In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to  the ground, but the men said to them, "Why do you look for the living among the dead?  He is not here; He has risen!" Luke 24:1-6

"He Lives"

Rejoice, rejoice, O Christian,

Lift up your voice and sing

Eternal hallelujahs

To Jesus Christ the King!

The Hope of all who seek Him,

The Help of all who find,

None other is so loving,

So good and kind.

He lives,  He lives, Christ Jesus lives today!

He walks with me and talks with me along life's narrow way.

He lives, He lives, salvation to impart!

You ask me how I know He lives?

He lives within my heart!

May God bless your week!

Sunday Reflection...

Last Friday while running errands, I passed a church that had an Easter message on their sign.  It was good and I thought it would be great to share on my blog, but I didn't have my camera with me. I returned yesterday with my camera, only to find they changed the sign. Not to worry, I came home and Googled it and found the image.

Since we just celebrated St. Patrick's Day last Thursday, and I've been researching his life to share with the residents at Shore Pointe Assisted Living this afternoon, I found a quote of his that I really liked too.

May God bless your week!

Sunday Reflection...

My girlfriend recently sent me the teacup graphic below with Matthew 5:6 from the Beatitudes included.  It was too good not to share.  Thanks, Susan!

May God bless your week!

Sunday Reflection...

"What wings are to a bird, and sails to a ship, so is prayer to the soul."

~ Corrie Ten Boom

"Prayer does not fit us for the greater works; prayer IS the greater work."

~ Oswald Chambers

"Prayer is not a spare wheel that you pull out when in trouble, but it's a steering wheel that directs the right path throughout."  ~ Author Unknown

I love the hymn "Sweet Hour of Prayer" written by William W. Walford, that first appeared in print in 1845.   Below is part of verse 1 and all of verse 3:

Sweet hour of prayer!  Sweet hour of prayer!

that calls me from a world of care,

and bids me at my Father's throne

make all my wants and wishes known.

Sweet hour of prayer !  Sweet hour of prayer!

Thy wings shall my petition bear

to Him whose truth and faithfulness

engage the waiting soul to bless.

And since He bids me seek His face,

believe His Word, and trust His grace,

I'll cast on Him my every care,

And wait for thee, sweet hour of prayer!

May God bless your week!

Sunday Reflection...

 "It's not happy people who are thankful.  It's thankful people who are happy."

"Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever."  

I Chronicles 16:34 [NIV]

 My son sent the link below for the song, How Could I Ask for More.  I hope you enjoy it too.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dfvPyH2c7s0

May God bless your week!

Sunday Reflection...

I am committing to praying more in 2016 than I ever have before with praises to God, confession for failures, thanksgiving for God's faithfulness, and intercession for others.

I recently read a self-evaluating quote by Martin Luther:  "To be a Christian without prayer is no more possible than to be alive without breathing."

The Irish poet, Joseph Scriven, wrote a poem in 1855 and sent it to his ill mother titled, "Pray Without Ceasing."  It was set to music in 1868 and renamed, What a Friend We Have in Jesus. The hymn has become a favorite of millions of Christians around the world over the years.  I particularly like the first verse:

What a friend we have in Jesus,

All our sins and griefs to bear.

What a privilege to carry

Everything to God in prayer!

Oh what peace we often forfeit,

Oh what needless pain we bear,

All because we do not carry

Everything to God in prayer.

Prayer... the world's greatest wireless connection!

May God bless your week!

Sunday Reflection...

I am committing to spending more time in prayer in 2016 than I ever have before.   Praising God for who He is... Confessing my weaknesses and failures... Thanking Him for His blessings and faithfulness... and interceding for others.

I recently read a self-evaluating quote by Martin Luther:  "To be a Christian without prayer is no more possible than to be alive without breathing."

If Jesus who was sinless needed to set aside time daily to pray to His Father, how much more do I need to do it.

The Irish poet, Joseph Scrivner, wrote a poem to his ill mother in 1855 titled "Pray Without Ceasing."  It was later set to music and renamed "What a Friend We Have in Jesus."  It has become a favorite hymn of millions of Christians around the world over the years.  I particularly like the first verse:

What a friend  we have in Jesus,

All our sins and griefs to bear.

What a privilege to carry

Everything to God in prayer!

Oh what peace we often forfeit,

Oh what needless pain we bear.

All because we do not carry,

Everything to God in prayer.

Prayer... the world's greatest wireless connection!

May God bless your week!

Sunday Reflection...

I love good quotes, and when they have a spiritual application I often write them inside my Bible. I recently came across one that I especially like.  It's a comfort when the cares of our world seem frightening and overwhelming.

"If you are a Christian, you are not a citizen of this world trying to get to heaven; you are a citizen of heaven making your way through this world."  ~ Vance Havner

The Apostle Paul said in Hebrews 13: 14 "For this world is not our permanent home; we are looking forward to a home yet to come." [NLT] And in Philippians 3:20 he says, "Our citizenship is in heaven and we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ." [NIV]

Peter said we are "sojourners" in this world.  The good news is someday we'll be home, but until then, with joy we'll carry on! 

May God bless your week!

Sunday Reflection...

At the end of every year we usually hear the song, Auld Lang Syne, which means 'old times' or 'times gone by' based on a poem by Scottish poet, Robert Byrns.

It's good to reflect over the past year allowing hindsight to strengthen the future, but we can't dwell there because old times have passed away.  Someone has rightly said there is no life in the land of regrets. It's a place of hopelessness and despair.  But claiming God's grace and guidance for what lies ahead will enable us to be more than conquerors!

On New Year's Day I received an e-mail from a friend with a Resolution for the Year Ahead. It was so beautiful, I asked if I could share it.  She granted permission saying it came from a January 2015 calendar, with no author credits.

A Resolution for the Year Ahead

I am a tenant on the earth, God,

a blessed soul to whom You've given a generous lease of life.

The rent?  You've asked for none -

except that I have faith and live accordingly.

And so I dedicate this year to You, God,

with a promise to improve in spirit, mind, and body,

the aging property that bears my name.

This year I'll try to keep the house

where I reside as You would have me keep it:

structure firm, chambers clean,

windows shining from inside with such a light

that passersby will stop to ask,

"Who lives here?" or

"Who owns this lovely place?"

And I shall tell them with a humble nod,

"I'm just a tenant here.

The Owner, Who deserves your praise,

is God."

May God bless your week and new year!

Sunday Reflection...

In five days I will say goodbye to 2015, and begin a new journey into 2016.   I claim the words of the Apostle Paul, "...Forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." Philippians 3:13-14 [MEV]

While I must say goodbye to 2015, I never have to say goodbye to God's abiding presence. His promise to Joshua is also a promise to me:  "Be strong and courageous.  Do not be afraid... for the Lord your God goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you." Deuteronomy 31:6 [NIV]

May God bless your week!

Sunday Reflection...

The title of today's sermon was "Are You Ready for Christmas?"  Not the date December 25th on the Gregorian calendar with all the busyness surrounding it, but the Advent of Christ.

At the beginning of creation God prepared for Christmas... the angels prepared for Christmas... Mary and Joseph prepared for Christmas... the shepherds and wisemen prepared their hearts for worship that first Christmas, but the world at large was unprepared for Christ's arrival.

The world needed a Savior more than 2,000 years ago, and mankind still needs a Savior in 2015.  

"Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and He will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him." 
Hebrews 9:28 [NIV]

I want to be one of those who are prepared and waiting for his glorious second coming!

May God bless your week!

Sunday Reflection...

[Church of the Nazarene]

Jesus told his disciples before he ascended into Heaven, "Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows" [John 16:33], but He promised, "I am leaving you with a gift - peace of mind and heart!  And the peace I give isn't fragile like the peace the world gives.  So don't be troubled or afraid." [John 14:27] TLB 

No Jesus, No Peace

Know Jesus, Know Peace.

In the Old Testament the Lord promised Joshua "As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.  [Joshua 1:5]  Be strong and courageous.  Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go." [Joshua 1:9]  NIV

When darkness veils His lovely face,

I rest on His unchanging grace...

On Christ the Solid Rock I stand,  

all other ground is sinking sand.
[Lyrics by Edward Mote based on Matthew 7:24-27]

May God bless your week!

Sunday Reflection...

Did you know October is Pastor Appreciation Month?

Pastors have a special calling, but they're human and need to be appreciated, encouraged, and cherished like everyone else. After being a secretary to three pastors over a span of 22 years, and having a son who is a pastor, I know their job is not an easy one. Pray the prayer of encouragement over them. Remind them of Galatians 6:9

"Don't get tired of helping others.  You will be rewarded

when the time is right if you don't give up." [CEV]

I love my pastor and his wife and pray for them daily!

May God bless your week!

Sunday Reflection...

"I Met God in the Morning"

I met God in the morning,

When my day was at its best

And His presence came like sunrise,

Like a glory in my breast.

All day long the Presence lingered;

All day long He stayed with me;

And we sailed in perfect calmness

O'er a very troubled sea.

Other ships were blown and battered,

Other ships were sore distressed,

But the winds that seemed to drive them

Brought to us a peace and rest.

Then I thought of other mornings,

With a keen remorse of mind.

When I too had loosed the moorings

With the Presence left behind.

So, I think I know the secret,

Learned from many a troubled way;

You must seek Him in the morning

If you want Him through the day.

~ Author Unknown

May God bless your week!

Sunday Reflection...

May God bless your week!

Sunday Reflection...

Today's devotional is perfect for fall, and a beautiful analogy of what it's like to become a Christian. A theologian couldn't have described Christianity better!   

May God bless your week!

Sunday Reflection...

Below are Lisa Beamer's comments spoken on Good Morning America after the death of her husband.  It seemed appropriate to share them today since we're still reflecting on the 14th anniversary of 9-11. As you recall, Todd Beamer was a passenger on flight #93 hijacked by al-Qaeda terrorists. He, along with other passengers, foiled their attack plans, but the plane crashed in a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, with no survivors.

Lisa said it's the little things she misses most about Todd, such as hearing the garage door open as he came home, and her children running to meet him.  Then she recalled this story: "I had a very special teacher in high school many years ago whose husband died suddenly of a heart attack. About a week after his death, she shared some of her insight with her classroom students.  As the late afternoon sunlight came streaming in through the classroom windows, and the class was nearly over, she moved a few things aside on the edge of her desk and sat down there.  

With a gentle look of reflection on her face, she paused and said, 'Class is over.  I would like to share with all of you a thought that is unrelated to class, but which I feel is very important.  Each of us is put here on earth to learn, share, love, appreciate and give of ourselves.  None of us knows when this fantastic experience will end.  It can be taken away at any moment.

Perhaps this is God's way of telling us that we must make the most out of every single day.'

Her eyes, beginning to water, she went on, 'So I would like you all to make me a promise. From now on, on your way to school or on your way home, find something beautiful to notice.  

It doesn't have to be something you see, it could be a scent, perhaps of freshly baked bread wafting out of someone's house, or it could be the sound of the breeze slightly rustling the leaves in the trees, or the way the morning light catches one autumn leaf as it falls gently to the ground. Please look for these things, and cherish them.  For, although it may sound trite to some, these things are the stuff of life.  The little things we are put here on earth to enjoy.  The things we often take for granted.'

The class was completely quiet.  We all picked up our books and filed out of the room silently. That afternoon, I noticed more things on my way home from school than I had that whole semester.  Every once in a while, I think of that teacher and remember what an impression she made on all of us, and I try to appreciate those things that we all overlook sometimes.

Take notice of something special you see on your lunch hour today.  Go barefoot.  Or walk on the beach at sunset.  Stop off on the way home tonight to get a double dip ice cream cone.  For as we get older, it is not the things we did that we often regret, but the things we didn't do."

May God bless your week!

Sunday Reflection...

 F - False

        E - Evidence

          A - Appearing

R - Real

Be anxious about nothing, but in every situation by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  Philippians 4:6

Sunday Reflection

A friend posted this on Facebook.  I liked it, and wanted to share it with you.  

May God bless your week!