Weekly Spiritual Meditations - September 1

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God uses life situations to help us examine ourselves.

My actions not only help others in a material way but also help others see God.

Jesus tells us when we are weary to bring our burdens to him and he will lighten our load.

Christ offers healing for both body and spirit.

Our obedience witnesses to our faith and expresses that we do love God. When we obey God, we can overcome difficulties in our life.

God can work through us to meet the deepest needs of those near us.

God often goes beyond what we ask.

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Make Giving A Lifestyle
"... God loves a person who gives cheerfully." - 2 Corinthians 9:7 NLT
A child who had just learned to tie his shoelaces was crying, so his mum asked, 'Is it that hard?' 'No,' he sobbed, 'but now I'll have to do it for the rest of my life!' Is that how you feel about giving? You want to learn, but you're not sure that you want to make it a lifestyle?
Some swallows were teaching their young to fly from a branch overhanging a lake. One by one the mother bird pushed each of her chicks to the end, until somewhere between the branch and the water they discovered they could fly. Their mother understood what they didn't: until you learn to fly you're not really living! Understand this: giving is an action built into us by God; it's the air into which we were born. But until you realise that, you'll cling to everything you have! The Bible says, '... Whoever sows generously will also reap generously' (2 Corinthians 9:6 NIV). Everything in life begins with a seed. Your seed is anything that can multiply: your love, your time or your money. Your harvest is what comes back to you in benefits such as joy, good relationships, and - yes - finances. If what you have is not enough to be a harvest, sow it as a seed, believing God will multiply it back to you in the areas you need it most. Go ahead, you'll love the results! Giving is like flying. When you learn to let go of what you're clinging to and launch out, you will realise, 'This is how I was born to live!' Bob Gass

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We Move toward Our Focus by Rick Warren
Run from anything that gives you the evil thoughts . . . but stay close to anything that makes you want to do right. 2 Timothy 2:22 (LB)
Have you ever watched a food advertisement on television and suddenly felt you were hungry? Have you ever heard someone cough and immediately felt the need to clear your throat? Ever watched someone release a big yawn and felt the urge to yawn yourself?
That is the power of suggestion. We naturally move toward whatever we focus our attention on. The more you think about something, the stronger it takes hold of you.
That is why repeating “I must stop eating too much . . . or stop smoking . . . or stop lusting” is a self-defeating strategy. It keeps you focused on what you don’t want. You are setting yourself up to repeat it.
Most diets don’t work because they keep you thinking about food all the time, guaranteeing that you’ll be hungry. In the same way, a speaker who keeps repeating to herself, “Don’t be nervous!” sets herself up to be nervous! Instead she should focus on anything except her feelings – on God, on the importance of her speech, or on the needs of those listening.
Temptation begins by capturing your attention. What gets your attention arouses your emotions. Then your emotions activate your behavior, and you act on what you felt. The more you focus on “I don’t want to do this,” the stronger it draws you into its web.
Ignoring a temptation is far more effective than fighting it. Once your mind is on something else, the temptation loses its power. So when temptation calls you on the phone, don’t argue with it, just hang up!
Sometimes this means physically leaving a tempting situation. This is one time it is okay to run away. Get up and turn off the television set. Walk away from a group that is gossiping. Leave the theater in the middle of the movie. To avoid being stung, stay away from the bees.
Do whatever is necessary to turn your attention to something else.
Spiritually, your mind is your most vulnerable organ. To reduce temptation, keep your mind occupied with God’s Word and other good thoughts. You defeat bad thoughts by thinking of something better. This is the principle of replacement. You overcome evil with good (Romans 12:21).
Satan can’t get your attention when your mind is preoccupied with something else. That’s why the Bible repeatedly tells us to keep our minds focused: “Fix your thoughts on Jesus” (Hebrews 3:1 NIV).
“Fill your minds with those things that are good and that deserve praise: things that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, and honorable” (Philippians 4:8 TEV).
If you’re serious about defeating temptation you must manage your mind and monitor your media intake. The wisest man who ever lived warned, “Be careful how you think; your life is shaped by your thoughts” (Proverbs 4:23 TEV).

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In today's electronic age, patients are becoming more informed and often walk into their doctor's offices armed with various medical papers and blogs. However, even the most educated patient needs to submit to their physician's prescribed treatment plan in order to see a positive outcome. Medical professionals themselves are not exempt to the sad fact that they cannot always heal themselves. A wise patient eventually swallows their pride as they submit to their doctor's orders.
Most times, doctor's orders are not easy to swallow. At times, they require minor temporary inconveniences, such as a course of antibiotics, ointments or a daily pill to be swallowed. At other times, a radical change in lifestyle is required and perhaps surgery or drugs that carry with them harsh, debilitating side effects. It would be tempting for a patient to shake their doctor's hand, thank them for the diagnosis and walk out the door to find a second opinion. In the natural, this is not necessarily a bad idea.
However, in the spiritual realm, as we approach the great physician, seeking a second opinion is a fruitless exercise. Oh how we try to find the loopholes as God's patients! Even though our lives are in dreadful shambles and we live in pain everyday, we balk at the prescription God lays before us, especially when that prescription involves dying to self.
What conditions do you put on your personal visits when you are in the Great Physician's office? When you ask Him to move in your life and the lives of others around you, do you try to slip in a few little 'buts' into the equation? I know I do.
Lord, heal my marriage but I really don't have the energy to do much more.
Lord, I want to draw closer to you in intimacy but don't make me give up my favourite TV show in order to spend more time in the Word.
Lord, I want to see people come in to the kingdom, but can't I just send in a check and let someone else do it?
Lord, help me lose weight, take away my desire for food, let the pounds drop off but don't make me have to exercise self control! I just can't.
Lord, bring my son back to you. But get him all cleaned up before he returns home so I don't have to go through the heartache of the earthly consequences k of his sinful actions in my own life.
Lord, take away my anger; I don't want to have to deal with it anymore.
Lord, if you take away my craving for cigarettes, I'll never smoke again.
Lord, change my life, my boss, my wife, my child, my car, my dog because I just can't live with them anymore.
Perhaps you've never actually spoken those prayers but you have thought them. I know I certainly have. God asks us to work along with him. There are no conditions for his overwhelming love for us. Within that love, God sees that there is opportunity for personal growth and freedom. A freedom that can only come as we completely place our trust in him. We must give him permission to search our hearts, our lives and our relationships and we must accept his diagnosis, prognosis and treatment plan in order to see lasting change.
A wise patient is the one who follows through on the physical therapy and after-care the doctor prescribes after surgery. If you ask the Lord to do surgery in your life, home or family are you willing to do the rehab that will follow? Katherine Walden

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MOVE CLOSER
Not long ago I heard a story about a young man and an old preacher.
The young man had lost his job and didn't know which way to turn. So he went to see the old preacher.
Pacing about the preacher's study, the young man ranted about his problem. Finally he clenched his fist and shouted, "I've begged God to say something to help me, preacher, why doesn't God answer?"
The old preacher, who sat across the room, spoke something in reply, something so hushed it was indistinguishable. The young man stepped across the room. "What did you say?" he asked. The preacher repeated himself, but again in a tone as soft as a whisper. So the young man moved closer until he was leaning on the preacher's chair.
"Sorry," he said. "I still didn't hear you." With their heads bent together, the old preacher spoke once more. "God sometimes whispers," he said, "So we will move closer to hear him." This time the young man heard and he understood.
We all want God's voice to thunder through the air with the answer to our problem. But God's is the still, small voice... the gentle whisper. Perhaps there's a reason.
Nothing draws human focus quite like a whisper. God's whisper means I must stop my ranting and move close to Him, until my head is bent together with His. And then, as I listen, I will find my answer. Better still, I find myself closer to God. Author Unknown

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You Never Know
While in a large East Coast city on business Dan had spent the evening drinking in the hotel bar. Having sworn that this trip would be different, he was feeling pretty disgusted with himself the next morning. He decided a long walk might clear his head and his mood, so he struck out and soon found himself on a narrow residential street. The houses were small but clean and well kept, and Dan sensed that he'd chosen a good direction.
About halfway down the block an elderly gentleman looked up from his chore of raking leaves and greeting Dan warmly. "Good morning to you," he smiled. "Looks like the Lord has put together another beautiful day, doesn't it?"
"I guess," Dan shrugged, staring down at his shoes.
The old man looked at Dan's bleary eyes and rumpled clothes. You know, son, Jesus Christ could make this the best day of our life if you'll let Him." He reached into his pocket and hnded Dan a small tract. "Why don't you look this over and stop by and see me again?"
Dan half-heartedly thanked his benefactor, stuck the tract into his jacket pocket and went on his way. He didn't read the tract, but somehow he never quite managed to throw it away. A year later, on another business trip, Dan found himself frantically pacing his hotel room. He was at the end of his rope spiritually, financially, emotionally, and physically.
By habit he threw on his jacket and started for the door. But as he shoved one hand into the pocket, that persistent little tract touched his fingers. He pulled it out, went to his bed and read through its entirety. He opened his nightstand and found his room's Gideon Bible and carefully researched the verses the tract had referenced. He fell to his knees and, at that very moment, ended his old life and began a brand new one in Christ.
The following years of Dan's life were a whirlwind of joy and struggle. He became a minister of the Gospel and was invited to city after city, country after country to share his love for the Lord and the miraculous way in which the Lord had changed him. Time after time as Dan shared his message people would come to him and say, "That's amazing! You know, I was in that same city, took a wrong turn, and stopped in front of a house to ask directions. An old man was working in a flower bed and he gave me a Gospel tract."
Each story was different, and yet each story told how people from all over the globe, people who had for many different reasons come to that city, had found themselves drawn to a narrow residential street where an old man worked in his yard.
Some time later Dan returned to the city where his new life had begun. But this time he was there to preach a revival in a local church. Remembering the old man who had given him the tract he made his way to the tiny white house. Seeing no one outside, he knocked on the door. A slow shuffle of feet could be heard, and finally the door cracked open.
"Sir, you probably don't remember me," Dan began, "but you gave me a Gospel tract several years ago and I wanted you to know that it's because of your faithful witness that I now stand here as a minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ."
The old man swung the door open wide, revealing a metal walker before his bent and feeble body. "Come in, come in," he told Dan as the tears streamed down both their faces. Dan followed him into a tiny living room.
"Praise God! Praise God!" the elderly gentleman's voice shook with age and emotion. "All these years I wondered if I was making a difference. You see, my wife - she's gone now, God rest her soul - was an invalid and I couldn't get out except to work in the yard. For her last eighteen years I had to be here all the time, so I prayed every day for the Lord to send me people who needed to hear the Word. What a blessing to know about you, son."
"Oh, sir," Dan told him, moving to his side and taking his hand, "I've heard about you all over the world." And as Dan told of the many people who'd come to know the Lord through the witness of this silver-haired believer, the man wept uncontrollably.
"Thank you, Jesus," the faithful old witness kept repeating. "I never knew. I just wanted to be faithful to my Lord." Author Unknown

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I Have Seen the Face of the Captain
Robert Louis Stevenson loved to recount the story of a ship tossed in a storm. The sea was rough and the rocky coast perilous. Danger was real and dread expectancy active among the seamen. One frantic sailor who was laboring below the water line could contain himself no longer. He rushed to the control room, closed the door behind himself, and stood frozen in fright watching the captain wrestle with the controls of the huge ship.
Skill of mind and strength of hand enabled the captain to guide the vessel through the threatening rocks into open water. The Captain turned slightly, looked at the frightened sailor, and smiled. The youth returned below deck and assured the crew all danger was over. When they inquired how he knew, he answered, "I have seen the face of the Captain, and he smiled at me."
If you will only "turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in his wonderful face, the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of his glory and grace." When you know who is in control there is no fear. Author Unknown

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CLOSE YOUR EYES By Marion Smith
John 14:18 I will not leave you as orphans
I remember once when took my mother in law to the orthopedic surgeon for an examination. One of the tests was for her to shut her eyes and try to walk a few steps. She was aware her balance was off, but she did as the doctor asked, anyway. She knew that he was asking her to do something important, and she had confidence that he would catch her when she began to sway and fall.
Do we act with the same trust and faith in God as she had done with the doctor? When He asks us to do something we know will be uncomfortable or scary, are we obedient? Do we have faith that He will be there to catch us? That He will not let us fall flat on our faces? That His everlasting arms are big enough to hold us through the frightening times of life?
I pray we would have that type of an obedient spirit, and have that much faith. God tells us in the Bible He will never leave or forsake us and His promises are true! He has proved them over and over to us, time and again throughout the ages as well as with me on a personal level.
Thank you, dear Lord, for you promises. Especially the one that says you will always be with us.

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G - R - O - W - T - H
To grow, practice this:
G - Go to God in daily prayers. (John 15:7)
R - Read God's Word daily. (Acts 17:11) Begin with the Gospel of John
O - Obey God moment by moment. (John 14:21)
W - Witness for Christ by your life and words. (Matthew 4:19; John 15:8)
T - Trust God for every detail of your life. (I Peter 5:7)
H - Holy Spirit: Allow Him to control and empower your daily life and witness. (Galatians 5:16-17; Acts 1:8)

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Small Straws In A Soft Wind by Marsha Burns
Watch and be on the alert for people who will try to take advantage of you. They will be motivated by selfishness and a sense of desperation without regard for your rights, space or boundaries. You must stand your ground and not be afraid to say NO; not just from a position of self-preservation, but because your real need is to stay in the flow of My Spirit and to respond only to My leading, says the Lord. Obedience is the key. Be strong and resolute. Isaiah 30:21 Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, "This is the way, walk in it," whenever you turn to the right hand or whenever you turn to the left.

Even in your times of busyness be assured that you can do all that requires your attention in a position of absolute trust and rest in Me, says the Lord. Refuse to allow the enemy to pressure you to the point of carelessness or of losing your peace. Psalms 116:7 Return to your rest, O my soul, for the LORD has dealt bountifully with you.

Opportunities will present themselves in various ways to reveal things about your mindsets and how they affect your circumstances. This is a time when you can make adjustments in your perceptions so that you can walk in spiritual reality. Take advantage of every opportunity that will result in truth and clarity, says the Lord. 2 Corinthians 7:11 For observe this very thing, that you sorrowed in a godly manner: What diligence it produced in you, what clearing of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what vehement desire, what zeal, what vindication! In all things you proved yourselves to be clear in this matter.

The pressure will come to convince you to do something that you neither want to do nor have been moved by My Spirit to do. Stand your ground without wavering, and do not give in to anything that causes stress or has a sense of urgency about it. For, the enemy wants you to be distracted from an important chain of events that will produce greater spiritual power and benefit as you continue in the flow of My wisdom and blessings, says the Lord. Galatians 5:1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.

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The Trumpet by Bill Burns
"Set the trumpet to your mouth!" Hosea 8:1
I hear the Spirit of the Lord saying, take up the measuring rod. Apply the plumb line and the standard of truth to your own lives. Before you evaluate the things that are coming upon the earth apply My measuring rod to your own lives. Surely I shall show you that which is out of order, that which is not plumb, that which needs to have correction brought to it, for you are living in these times when judgment must begin at the house of the Lord before it comes upon the whole of the earth. So knowing that, the Lord says, rise and measure. Measure your life, your thoughts, your motives. Examine yourself to see that you are in faith and that you have established the Lord of Glory as your first priority. Examine yourself to see if you are living the example of Christ in the earth. Examine yourself today to see if you are believing Me with a whole heart and to see if your faith is little or big. Do all of this examination with absolute confidence that I will bring you to the point of perfection, for I shall indeed finish the work I have begun in you. Rise up and do not stay where you are, but come to Me with boldness, faith and the knowledge that I am for you and am with you, says the Lord.

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Waterfall Of Blessings
A waterfall of heavenly blessings
Lord, shower down on me.
Cleanse my heart and soul, Dear Lord,
Set me truly free.
Forgive my fears and doubts, Lord.
Forgive my foolish pride.
Forgive all my shortcomings, Lord,
Hold me Sheltered by Your Side.
Grant me understanding, Lord,
Of those who need Your Healing Touch.
Help me pray without ceasing, Lord,
I want to serve You so much.
So let your Holy Spirit shower blessings,
Like a waterfall down on me.
So I may be a Blessing, Lord,
To everyone I see.
Karen 2-17-06

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JESUS LOVES ME! Author Unknown
Jesus loves me, this I know,
Though my hair is white as snow.
Though my sight is growing dim,
Still He bids me trust in him.
(CHORUS)
YES, JESUS LOVES ME... YES, JESUS LOVES ME...
YES. JESUS LOVES ME FOR THE BIBLE TELLS ME SO.
Though my steps are oh, so slow,
With my hand in his I'll go.
On through life, let come what may,
He'll be there to lead the way.
(CHORUS)
Though I am no longer young,
I have much which He's begun.
Let me serve Christ with a smile,
Go with others the extra mile.
(CHORUS)
When the nights are dark and long,
In my heart He puts a song.
Telling me in words so clear,
"Have no fear, for I am near."
(CHORUS)
When my work on earth is done,
And life's victories have been won.
He will take me home above,
Then I'll understand his love
(CHORUS)
I love Jesus, does he know?
Have I ever told Him so?
Jesus loves to hear me say,
That I love him every day.

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Let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. Galatians 6:9

Bear one another's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. Galatians 6:2

28 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30

No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. Hebrews 12:11

Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. Colossians 3:2

Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:10

Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners -- of whom I am the worst. 1 Timothy 1:15

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A Forever Home by Max Lucado
For the last twenty years, I've wanted a dog. A big dog. But there were always problems. The apartment was too small. The budget was too tight. The girls were too young. But most of all, Denalyn was unenthusiastic. Her logic? She'd already married one slobbering, shedding beast, why put up with a second? So we compromised and got a small dog.
I like Salty, but small dogs aren't really dogs. They don't bark; they yelp. They don't eat; they nibble. They don't lick you; they sniff you. I like Salty, but I wanted a real dog. A man's-best-friend type of dog. A fat-pawed, big-eating, slurp-you-on-the-face type of dog you could saddle or wrestle or both.
I was alone in my passion until Sara was born. She loves dogs. And the two of us were able to sway the household vote. Denalyn gave in, and Sara and I began the search. We discovered a woman in South Carolina who breeds golden retrievers in a Christian environment. From birth the dogs are surrounded by inspirational music and prayers. (No, I don't know if they tithe with dog biscuits.) When the trainer told me that she had read my books, I got on board. A woman with such good taste is bound to be a good breeder, right?
So we ordered a pup. We mailed the check, selected the name Molly, and cleared a corner for her dog pillow. The dog hadn't even been born, and she was named, claimed, and given a place in the house.
Can't the same be said about you? Long before your first whimper, your Master claimed you, named you, and hung a reserved sign on your room. You and Molly have more in common than odor and eating habits. (Just teasing.)
You're both being groomed for a trip. We prefer the terms maturation and sanctification to weaning and training, but it's all the same. You're being prepared for your Master's house. You don't know the departure date or flight number, but you can bet your puppy chow that you'll be seeing your Owner someday. Isn't this the concluding promise of David?
"And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever" (Ps. 23:6 nkjv).
Where will you live forever? In the house of the Lord. If his house is your "forever house," what does that make this earthly house? You got it! Short-term housing. This is not our home. "Our homeland is in heaven" (Phil. 3:20).
We, like Molly, are being prepared for another house.
Don't quench, but rather, stir this longing for heaven.
God's home is a forever home. "And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever" (Ps. 23:6 nkjv).

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All-Points Bulletin
Thousands of cars are stolen every year in California, but in 1981, there was one car theft that made all the local papers and was the lead story on the evening news. The police had issued an all-points bulletin to find the missing car and to make contact with the person who stole it.
Why was this car theft getting so much attention?
The owner of the stolen car had informed the police that on the front seat of the car was a box of crackers laced with a deadly poison. The car owner had planned to use the crackers as rat bait. So the police were desperately trying to find the thief not to punish him, but to save his life. They were afraid he would eat one of the crackers and die.
In the same way, our Heavenly Father pursues us -- not because he wants to punish us but because he wants to save us. You may be running away from God because -- like the car thief--you are a sinner. You have broken God's law. But what you may not realize is that God is trying to rescue you, not condemn you. The penalty for your sin has been paid by Jesus Christ on the cross, and God wants to give you your freedom. So stop running and turn yourself in. Your life is at stake! Wayne Rice

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God, We long to experience your healing and comfort in every area of our lives. Make us instruments of healing and comfort for others through your love. Thank you for the opportunity to serve others. Amen.

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Read Through The Bible
Psalm 102
1 Hear my prayer, O Lord, and let my cry come unto thee. 2 Hide not thy face from me in the day when I am in trouble; incline thine ear unto me: in the day when I call answer me speedily. 3 For my days are consumed like smoke, and my bones are burned as an hearth. 4 My heart is smitten, and withered like grass; so that I forget to eat my bread. 5 By reason of the voice of my groaning my bones cleave to my skin. 6 I am like a pelican of the wilderness: I am like an owl of the desert. 7 I watch, and am as a sparrow alone upon the house top. 8 Mine enemies reproach me all the day; and they that are mad against me are sworn against me. 9 For I have eaten ashes like bread, and mingled my drink with weeping.
10 Because of thine indignation and thy wrath: for thou hast lifted me up, and cast me down. 11 My days are like a shadow that declineth; and I am withered like grass. 12 But thou, O Lord, shall endure for ever; and thy remembrance unto all generations. 13 Thou shalt arise, and have mercy upon Zion: for the time to favour her, yea, the set time, is come. 14 For thy servants take pleasure in her stones, and favour the dust thereof. 15 So the heathen shall fear the name of the Lord, and all the kings of the earth thy glory.
16 When the Lord shall build up Zion, he shall appear in his glory. 17 He will regard the prayer of the destitute, and not despise their prayer. 18 This shall be written for the generation to come: and the people which shall be created shall praise the Lord. 19 For he hath looked down from the height of his sanctuary; from heaven did the Lord behold the earth; 20 To hear the groaning of the prisoner; to loose those that are appointed to death; 21 To declare the name of the Lord in Zion, and his praise in Jerusalem; 22 When the people are gathered together, and the kingdoms, to serve the Lord. 23 He weakened my strength in the way; he shortened my days. 24 I said, O my God, take me not away in the midst of my days: thy years are throughout all generations. 25 Of old hast thou laid the foundation of the earth: and the heavens are the work of thy hands. 26 They shall perish, but thou shalt endure: yea, all of them shall wax old like a garment; as a vesture shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed: 27 But thou art the same, and thy years shall have no end. 28 The children of thy servants shall continue, and their seed shall be established before thee.

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Thank you, Lord Jesus, for friends who stand by us in difficult times. Make us all aware of those whose burdens are heavy, so that we can be your helping hands and feet. 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.