Weekly Spiritual Meditations - 8/22

[bluidkiti]

When we look back, we realize that the things which came to us when we put ourselves in God's hands were better than anything we could have planned. From: As Bill Sees It Page 2 and Alcoholics Anonymous Page 100

God knows your innermost need and will comfort you and lead you into green pastures and beside still waters.

He that loves God, does God's will and to Him all things are possible. Have patience and keep working for God.

You can only know God through an open mind. Just as you can only see the sky through a clear window, you will not see the sky if you have covered the glass with blue paint. --Alan Watts

We can find joy when we follow where God leads us.

Each of us is number one with God.

No situation is too difficult if God is with you.

God loves us so much just as we are, But God loves us too much to leave us just as we are.

Though my light in the darkness is always so very clear.... It is having those helping hands along life's journeys pathway that give me strength when it seems there is no more. HE is always with me.....

We are meant to see and to show God's glory.

When we depend on God daily, we are able to persevere.

God offers each of us a loving, secure home.

God knows where we are and where we need to be.

************************************************** *********

You Are the Light of the World Author Unknown
"You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. (Matthew 5:14-16)
A story is told of a man crossing the Atlantic by ship. One night, as he was confined to his cabin due to seasickness, he heard the cry, "Man overboard!" He felt that there was nothing he could do to help, but he said to himself, "I can at least put my lantern in the porthole." He struggled to his feet and hung the light so it would shine out into the darkness.
The next day he learned that the person had been rescued and had told others, "I was going down in the dark night for the last time when someone put a light in a porthole. As it shone on my hand, a sailor in a lifeboat grabbed it and pulled me in."
God has chosen us to reach out and bring bright light into the darkness, to light up lives, no matter how small or insignificant we may feel!
"To the world you might just be another person, but to one person you may be the whole world."

************************************************** *********

Just Serve Me by Tom Norvell
Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came over and spoke to him. “Teacher,” they said, “Lord, we want you to do us a favor.” (Mark 10:35, New Living Translation)
I pray the same prayer, regularly, “Lord, I want you to do me a favor.”
My prayer is not usually about being the greatest, like James and John, but it is equally self-centered. I say the words then start my list.
I want You to make our church grow.
I want You to make us more effective in reaching the community.
I want You to change the attitudes of some of our people.
I want You to make people do what I want them to do.
I want You to show people what a good guy I am.
I want You to make our marriage better.
I want You to change my spouse, my children, my co-workers, my church members, my friends, people in our community, and people in general so that they think and act more like I want them to think and act. That would be really nice!
I want You to make me a better preacher, a better writer, a better teacher, and a better counselor.
I want You to bring peace to the world.
I want You to do away with all the hunger and pain in the world, and make sure everyone has a home.
I want You to cause our church to be bigger without losing the warm, personal, and friendly atmosphere that we now enjoy.
I want You to make me rich and not think I am anything special just because I am rich.
I want You to make me appreciate what I have and while you are at it make me content with what I have.
There is my list, Lord. Lord, I have a lot of favors that I want You to do for me. At least that’s all I can think of right now. Tomorrow I will probably add a few more things to the list of favors I want you to do for me.
Then, to my amazement, I had a rare unselfish moment and turned to the Lord said, “Lord, You do so much for me. Is there anything I can do for You? Can I do a favor for you?”
He smiled and said, “Thank You for asking. As a matter of fact I do have one request.”
“Name it, Lord. I am all about doing what You want me to do.”
He put his hand on my shoulder, looked me in the eyes said, “Just serve me.”
He continued. “I look around and see so many of my children struggling for power and position. I just want you to serve me. Don’t worry about where you will sit or what role you will play in my Kingdom. Just serve me.”
“I see so many of my children doing without, struggling to get by, and searching for answers to the many questions that puzzle and perplex them. I wish you would help them. Just serve me by helping them.”
“I know that you have a lot of pressure on you from the people of the world to act big and strong and set policy and make important decisions. Maybe someday you will be called to a place where you will make important decisions that impact the world, but for now, just serve me.”
“Don’t worry about being first. It’s okay to be last. When it is time for you to move to the front of the line, I’ll make sure it happens. You don’t need to worry about it. For now, just serve me.”
“What I really want you to do for me is do what I do. I came to serve, not to be served. So just serve me.”
“And when you serve me, do it with joy and do it cheerfully. Serve me because you love me. Serve me because my Spirit lives in you. Just serve me.”
Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him. “Teacher,” they said, “we want you to do for us whatever we ask.” “What do you want me to do for you?” he asked. They replied, “Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory.” “You don’t know what you are asking,” Jesus said. “Can you drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?” “We can,” they answered. Jesus said to them, “You will drink the cup I drink and be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with, but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared.” When the ten heard about this, they became indignant with James and John. Jesus called them together and said, “You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:35-45, NIV)

************************************************** *********

Losing By Intimidation The Daily Encourager
Over 80 years ago, as Notre Dame was preparing to play USC in college football, Fighting Irish coach Knute Rockne was aware that his opponent had a far better team, so he devised a plan to intimidate the Trojan players. Rockne scoured the city of South Bend and hand-picked 100 of the largest men he could find - each at least six-foot-five and three hundred pounds. He put them in Fighting Irish uniforms and at game time marched them onto the field ahead of the real team. (Obviously, this was before the days of limited rosters and eligibility restrictions.)
As USC watched these giants line up on the sidelines, they forgot about their talent and their undefeated record, and they began mentally preparing themselves for a beating. Though none of the specially recruited men played during the game, their presence on the sidelines was enough to knock Southern Cal's game off balance. Knute Rockne's trick had worked; he had intimidated the Trojan players into giving up before the game even started, and Notre Dame won.
Our 'opponent' tries a similar trick. He tries to intimidate us by appearing larger than life - but we must remember that he, too, has been sidelined. John said..."Greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world" (1John 4:4)
Don't let your problems intimidate you. No matter how big the enemy may seem to be, remember that you have God's power on your side. And he is greater.

************************************************** *********

IT'S TIME TO MAKE A CHOICE by Russ Lawson
Technology, isn't it great all of the things we can do now with our "electronic devices"? I have just recently been dragged reluctantly into the world of "Texting". I hardly ever use it, I prefer to speak to someone on my phone, but I understand that it is the preferred choice of communication for millions of people. I'm just not sold on it yet. A good friend recently had a questionable experience with her text messages.
She was trying to communicate with her hairdresser about having her hair colored. The hairdresser sent this message regarding her choices: "Do you want to stay blind or go with another shade?" Of course the hairdresser meant to say "blond" instead of "blind," but it got me to thinking about making choices.
There are so many in our world who choose to stay blind when they have a chance to see. Of course I am speaking about being spiritually blind. Many of us scratch our heads in confusion as we try to understand why so many people refuse to accept the love of God into their lives. They struggle blindly in the world looking for a peace that cannot be found there, yet this is not a new problem. It goes back to the beginning of creation. It seems that people have always looked anywhere they could, except to God for what is missing in their lives. Yes, even Jesus had to deal with this. When talking to his disciples about their lack of understanding he said, "Do you have eyes but fail to see, and ears but fail to hear? And don't you remember? (Mark 8:18).
Maybe it's time that we understand that it is time to make some serious choices in our lives. Our choices are more important than whether or not to be blond this month or not. Our choices are whether or not to serve God or not. And don't try to avoid the issue, because it is truly your choice and it has eternal consequences.
Isaiah 42:6a-7 tells us about God being: " a light for the Gentiles, to open eyes that are blind, to free captives from prison and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness". That's what the coming of Christ did, but he doesn't force anyone to accept his offer, it's truly your choice.

************************************************** *********

Growing Stale Spiritually? By Brad Powell
Brad Powell is the senior pastor of NorthRidge Church in Plymouth, Michigan. He recently offered some suggestions for pastors who feel themselves growing stale spiritually:
God wants us to sing new songs (Ps. 33:3; 40:3). But it’s difficult to sing a new song when we’re not experiencing anything new. We keep telling the same old stories about God because we’re having no new experiences with God. We’re living in and off the past and consequently, we keep repeating the same stories over and over and over again. Boring!
I’ve also found that my leadership and teaching won’t be new, fresh and alive if it’s not happening in my personal life. I must be encountering and sharing new stories about my relationship with God. After all, we lead and teach out of who we are. If our spiritual walk isn’t fresh and exciting, our ministry won’t be either.
So let me give you some suggestions for staying fresh personally.
Pull away. Break the cycle of redundancy. Disturb the routine of your life and ministry and refresh yourself (Mark 6:31-32).
Look within. Evaluate yourself for predictability, staleness, loss of passion, excitement and joy. Examine whether your faith, experiences and stories are more focused on God’s work in the past or present (2 Cor. 13:5).
Look around. Open your eyes and seek to be more observant of God’s creation. The wonder of His work is all around you (Ps. 8:1, 3-4).
Fill up. Pour yourself into God’s Word or, better stated, pour God’s Word into yourself. As you know, the Bible isn’t just about who God was and what He once did; it’s about who He is and what He’s doing in the present. We need to experience Him and hear His voice today. When we do, we start to sing new songs (Col. 3:16).
Change it up. Simply, do something new. Change up your devotions (where you have them and how you do them). Listen to and learn new forms of worship music.
Get to know and expose yourself to some new authors, teachers and believers or nonbelievers. Serve in a different way (Ps. 33:3).

************************************************** *********

Son Light by John Stuart
Matthew 5:16 In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.
Quite recently, Evelyn and I had our front yard re-landscaped. The bushes were overgrown and the whole yard needed a major makeover. I’m not much of a gardener, so we hired two people to do the work. They labored for two days. On the first day, they dug out the old bushes and trimmed the trees. On the second day, they planted some new bushes and flowers, and mulched the whole area. We were both very pleased with the results.
We also purchased some small white fencing to ‘prettify’ the whole garden, which looked terrific during the day. At night-time, however, something was missing. We bought solar powered globular lights and placed them in the mulched area. They were perfect! Their additional lighting has brightened the whole garden and added to our delight.
I personally love the additional fact that the solar lights don’t need to be switched on, or have their bulbs replaced. They build up their energy during the day from the sun’s rays, and at dusk they turn on by themselves, giving the garden some extra charm. It makes the whole place look attractive and is very pleasing to the eye.
As Christian people, we are supposed to reflect the love of Christ through our daily deeds so that others may be attracted to God. If we build up our faith resources through daily contact with the Son using prayer and scripture reading, then we will have the potential to make good choices and become better witnesses for Jesus. At times, the world around us can be a dark and frightening place, but with Christ’s light shining from His people, the world can be transformed into a place of healing and help, light and love.
Questions for personal reflection: How do I recharge my faith in Christ each day? How do I display His light through my daily deeds?
Lord Jesus, You are the Light of the world and we are called to reflect Your brilliance through our deeds and choices, faith and lives. Help us to seek better and more consistent ways to reenergize our spirits and deepen our connection to You. Grant us opportunities this week to be compassionate and loving disciples of Your words and ways. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

************************************************** *********

Small Straws In A Soft Wind by Marsha Burns
Everything is going to be all right. I have given you this assurance in the past, but I am bringing it again by way of remembrance. You will move into a more powerful spiritual reality that will result in destiny fulfilled. Your destiny will not be haphazard or partially fulfilling; it will be rich and deep. The process has begun, and I will bring it to completion, says the Lord. Trust Me! Philippians 1:6 being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.

I am preparing you for the days ahead by strengthening you and giving you greater resolve to take appropriate actions to make things right in your sphere of influence. Remember that you can only exercise authority where you take responsibility. Stay within your boundaries and allow My wisdom to guide you in all things, says the Lord. Ezra 10:4 "Arise, for this matter is your responsibility. We also are with you. Be of good courage, and do it."

Stay in step by not getting ahead or lagging behind. I am setting a brisk pace for moving forward from the place of spiritual stagnation. Maintain a constant gait as you stay close to Me, says the Lord. Awaken now from marginal consciousness to be quick and alert. Let new life spring forth that will overcome all darkness and complacency. Ephesians 5:14 Therefore He says: "Awake, you who sleep, Arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light."

You, who are in darkness and despair, step into the light of My presence. Come to Me. Do not obsess about the things that plunged you into hopelessness. Look up and re-establish yourself in a place of faith and trust, says the Lord. I will bring you through this time of trouble, but you must believe and take the first steps of liberation. Psalms 27:13 I would have lost heart, unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.

My desire for you is to walk in the light and to express My glory on earth. It is impossible for you to do this when you are consumed with the darkness of the world. Be righteous, and become the most true, authentic version of yourself possible. You can only do this when you have personal experience in vital relationship with Me, says the Lord. John 7:18 "He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory; but He who seeks the glory of the One who sent Him is true, and no unrighteousness is in Him."

************************************************** *********

The Trumpet by Bill Burns
"Set the trumpet to your mouth!" Hosea 8:1
If you want to be involved with Me in the process of time and live with Me in the end of the age; if you want to be one with Me and go on the path that I have set before you; if you want to be directed by My Spirit and desire to receive the fire, then it will be yours to have. And I say to you, My children, the transforming power of My Spirit that rests upon you in these days will indeed bring you forth into the glory of your destiny. Do not be afraid or be anxious. I would have you rise up in Spirit and let the transforming glory come upon you. You will be changed from day to day into My very image, says the Lord.

************************************************** *********

Telephone Call Author Unknown
Hello God, I called tonight
To talk a little while
I need a friend who'll listen
To my anxiety and trial.
You see, I can't quite make it
Through a day just on my own...
I need your love to guide me,
So I'll never feel alone.
I want to ask you please to keep
My family safe and sound.
Come and fill their lives with confidence
For whatever fate they're bound.
Give me faith, dear God, to face
Each hour throughout the day,
And not to worry over things
I can't change in any way.
I thank you God for being home
And listening to my call,
For giving me such good advice
When I stumble and fall.
Your number, God, is the only one
That answers every time.
I never get a busy signal,
Never had to pay a dime.
So thank you, God, for listening
To my troubles and my sorrow.
Good night, God, I love You too,
And I'll call again tomorrow!

************************************************** *********

"Hold On, My Child" by Mary Carter Mizrany
My child, hold on.
I shall not let you down,
Tho' winds of doubt
Are swirling all around.
'Tho tempest toss'd
And laden with such care,
Hold on My child.
HELP will soon be there.
Be not dismayed
By trouble's bitter stain.
I see your anguish and,
Yes, the searing pain.
Yet, I'm THE HEALER of
Storm toss'd wounded hearts
And I'll remain 'til
Every fear departs.
Hold On My child
To MY own nail scarr'd hand,
That heals each wound,
Gives you strength to stand.
I'll never leave you.
Child, help is on the way.
Let not your troubled heart lose HOPE.
In Faith, child, stay.
Look up, with patience,
'Til every care is gone.
I'll MAKE A WAY, my precious child.
HOLD ON !!!

************************************************** *********

"And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me." John 12:32

Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. Matthew 5:6

Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Luke 6:36-37

But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. 1 John 1:7

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. James 1:17

“Therefore, encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.” 1 Thessalonians 5:11

"Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in Heaven." Matthew 5:16

"Pray to me, and I will answer you." Jeremiah 33:3

If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Galatians, 5:25

Proclaim the good news of His salvation from day to day. Psalm 96:2

In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead." James 2:17

Do not try to conform your way of living to the standards of this world. Instead, let God transform you inwardly; this involves a radical change of mind, in which you will know the will of God, and what is good and pleasing in his sight. Romans 12: 1-2

"For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not your own doing, it is the gift of God." Ephesians 2:8

************************************************** *********

"The Hardest Lesson Learned" Author Unknown
Isn't it amazing how quickly we can lose our way when we are on our own and think we are following the right path for ourselves? Years ago, my father was in the Denver Asthma Clinic and my mom and brothers went to see him. After a hard week at the hospital, some friends took them to a get-away for the weekend in the flat iron mountain range. Early the next morning, my brothers went out to climb the backside of the mountains, promising to follow a well-marked trail.
As they neared the top, they followed what looked like a small foot trail leading to a great view at the top of the mountain. But as the trail crested the top of the mountain, they realized too late that the trail was really a wash where rain and snow melt drained off the mountain. They lost their footing in the loose gravel. They fell about ten feet to a ledge near the top of the sheer flat side of the mountain, with hundreds of feet of straight dropdown below them.
Hours later, they were rescued off the mountain. One brother had to go to the hospital with an awful case of "poison ivy" — the exact kind of poisonous plant is unknown to me, but it saved his life because he grabbed to keep from plunging down the sheer face of the mountain.
My brothers thought that they were on safe footing. They realized later that taking the hike by themselves, without a map or guide, was foolish. The results were nearly catastrophic during an already incredibly stressful time in our family's life. Now this makes for a good story about boys being boys. Yet without the grace of God, a strong vine, a "convenient ledge," and a mountain rescue squad, the story would have been the heartbreaking death of my brothers during the time my dad was beginning his slow descent into incredible health troubles.
Jesus tells the story of a son who thought he knew best how to seize the gusto out of life (Luke 15:11-24). This son shames his father — telling him he is just as good as dead to him — and demands his inheritance so he can follow the path he thinks is best. Off he goes, blowing his fortune, ruining his life, and finding himself in despicable circumstances, with little hope for the future. Then this headstrong, self-willed son comes to an important realization: it's better to be a hired hand in my father's house than to be on my own and away from my father.
Jesus' point is clear. While Satan will do everything he can to make us believe what God asks of us is unfair - capricious, mean, demanding, limiting, joy-killing, and ridiculous - what God asks of us is for our blessing and protection. It is better to be a servant in our Father's family than to be on our own and away from the Father.
This realization is the hardest lesson learned. Many of us have to learn it the hard way — wasting our influence, our lives, and our time on the pursuit of stuff that does not matter, or worse, contribute to our own destruction and the destruction of others.
The glorious truth about this hardest lesson learned is this: we have a Father who will take us back, bring us home, love us back to health, restore us with his grace as his beloved children, and give us important work to do for his kingdom (Ephesians 2:1-10). Our Father longs to show us that it is better to be a servant in his house than to be on our own and living it up without him. The only difference, and the powerful point of our story, is that once we come to our senses and really get this hardest lesson learned, God doesn't make us hired hands, he brings us home as his beloved children.

************************************************** *********

"Lord, I know I cannot keep thoughts from entering my mind; I CAN choose to entertain them NOT...You know the weakness, the habit, the sin I fight constantly in my life. Forgive me, and help me, by your Holy Spirit, to resist the temptation, to flee from the premises, to put on the Armor of God and to walk in Your Spirit each day, In Jesus' Name, Amen." --Peggie C. Bohanon

************************************************** *********

Read Through The Bible
2 Chronicles 36
The Reign and Captivity of Jehoahaz
1 Then the people of the land took Jehoahaz the son of Josiah, and made him king in his father’s place in Jerusalem. 2 Jehoahaz was twenty-three years old when he became king, and he reigned three months in Jerusalem. 3 Now the king of Egypt deposed him at Jerusalem; and he imposed on the land a tribute of one hundred talents of silver and a talent of gold. 4 Then the king of Egypt made Jehoahaz’s brother Eliakim king over Judah and Jerusalem, and changed his name to Jehoiakim. And Necho took Jehoahaz his brother and carried him off to Egypt.
The Reign and Captivity of Jehoiakim
5 Jehoiakim was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. And he did evil in the sight of the Lord his God. 6 Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up against him, and bound him in bronze fetters to carry him off to Babylon. 7 Nebuchadnezzar also carried off some of the articles from the house of the Lord to Babylon, and put them in his temple at Babylon. 8 Now the rest of the acts of Jehoiakim, the abominations which he did, and what was found against him, indeed they are written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah. Then Jehoiachin his son reigned in his place.
The Reign and Captivity of Jehoiachin
9 Jehoiachin was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem three months and ten days. And he did evil in the sight of the Lord. 10 At the turn of the year King Nebuchadnezzar summoned him and took him to Babylon, with the costly articles from the house of the Lord, and made Zedekiah, Jehoiakim’s brother, king over Judah and Jerusalem.
Zedekiah Reigns in Judah
11 Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. 12 He did evil in the sight of the Lord his God, and did not humble himself before Jeremiah the prophet, who spoke from the mouth of the Lord. 13 And he also rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him swear an oath by God; but he stiffened his neck and hardened his heart against turning to the Lord God of Israel. 14 Moreover all the leaders of the priests and the people transgressed more and more, according to all the abominations of the nations, and defiled the house of the Lord which He had consecrated in Jerusalem.
The Fall of Jerusalem
15 And the Lord God of their fathers sent warnings to them by His messengers, rising up early and sending them, because He had compassion on His people and on His dwelling place. 16 But they mocked the messengers of God, despised His words, and scoffed at His prophets, until the wrath of the Lord arose against His people, till there was no remedy. 17 Therefore He brought against them the king of the Chaldeans, who killed their young men with the sword in the house of their sanctuary, and had no compassion on young man or virgin, on the aged or the weak; He gave them all into his hand. 18 And all the articles from the house of God, great and small, the treasures of the house of the Lord, and the treasures of the king and of his leaders, all these he took to Babylon. 19 Then they burned the house of God, broke down the wall of Jerusalem, burned all its palaces with fire, and destroyed all its precious possessions. 20 And those who escaped from the sword he carried away to Babylon, where they became servants to him and his sons until the rule of the kingdom of Persia, 21 to fulfill the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had enjoyed her Sabbaths. As long as she lay desolate she kept Sabbath, to fulfill seventy years.
The Proclamation of Cyrus
22 Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and also put it in writing, saying, 23 Thus says Cyrus king of Persia: All the kingdoms of the earth the Lord God of heaven has given me. And He has commanded me to build Him a house at Jerusalem which is in Judah. Who is among you of all His people? May the Lord his God be with him, and let him go up!

************************************************** *********

O Lord, we thank you for the gift of life. Empower us to use our time in the ways you desire for us. Amen.

Wherever you are in life, whatever you've done, you can begin again. If you do not have Jesus in your life and wish to ask Jesus into your life please go to this link now to do so: http://www.bluidkiti.com/forums/showthread.php?t=130 .
Jesus is calling you to live a life that matters.