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"A Sunday school teacher once told her adult class, 'Next
Sunday I am going to teach a very important lesson. I want you all to read Chapter 17 of St. Mark's Gospel in anticipation
of it.' The members of the class nodded, indicating a willingness to do as the teacher requested.
The following Sunday
the teacher asked the class, 'Those who read Chapter 17 of St. Mark's Gospel during this past week, please raise your hands.'
Nearly all the people in the room raised their hands.
The teacher then said, 'That's very interesting. The Gospel of Mark
has only 16 chapters. But at least I know that my lesson is going to hit its mark. Today I'm going to teach what Jesus had
to say about lying.'
Perhaps the greatest punishment for lying is not that a person gets caught in the lie, but rather,
the "hidden" punishment that a liar can never truly believe what anyone else says.
Tell the truth! You'll suffer far less
embarrasment and be much healthier emotionally. Even if truth-telling brings temporary pain, God will honor your courage and
bless you for doing the right thing."
(Taken from God's Little Devotional Book for Women)
:-) :-) :-)
"Experience is a wonderful thing.
It enables you to recognize a mistake when you make it again."
(Taken from Healing Through Humor by
Charles & Frances Hunter)
:-) :-) :-)
"The secret of living is
the same as the secret of joy:
Both revolve around the centrality of Jesus Christ. In
other words, the pursuit of
happiness is the cultivation of a Christ-centered, Christ-controlled life." (Charles R. Swindoll - Laugh Again)
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The following was taken from the Trinity
Broadcasting Network's Special Edition Prophecy Bible - New King James Version:
"THE HOLY SPIRIT
We believe
in the present ministry of the Holy Spirit, by whose indwelling the Christian is enabled to live a godly life.
Throughout
God's Word we see the actions of the Holy Spirit. However, only in the New Testament, and particularly in the Book of Acts,
do we see Him as a distinct Person of the Godhead. Tragically, many people are like the believers at Ephesus when Paul first
went there and asked if they had been filled with the Holy Spirit. Their reply was, 'We have not so much as heard whether
there is any Holy Spirit' (Acts 19:2).
Because we are afraid of excesses, we shy away from the Holy Spirit baptism today.
How tragic this is. In these last days, the Holy Spirit is moving in dramatic ways preparing the Church for the coming of
Christ. The early Church relied heavily on the Holy Spirit. If we are to get the job done for God in our age, we too must
be filled with His Spirit.
I. THE PERSON OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
'But you
shall receive power, when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea
and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.' (Acts 1:8).
Too little is known by most about the Holy Spirit. It is vital
we understand His position and power so we can more effectively serve Jesus in our day of great harvest. The Bible tells us
many things about the Person of the Holy Spirit.
A. He is God (Acts 5:3-5).
B. He is all-knowing (I Cor. 2:10, 11).
C. He is eternal (Heb. 9:14).
D. He is assigned equal status with the Father and with Jesus:
1. In the Great Commission
(Matt. 28:19).
2. In blessings (2 Cor. 13:14).
3. In divine oneness (I John 5:7).
E. He was active in the life
of Jesus:
1. In His birth (Luke 1:35).
2. In His ministry (Acts 10:38; Luke 4:18).
3. In directing him (Matt.
4:1).
4. In His teaching (Acts 1:2).
5. In the crucifixion (Heb. 9:14).
6. In the resurrection (Rom. 8:11).
F.
He gave specific instructions to the early Church:
1. To ordain Barnabus and Saul (Acts 13:2).
2. Forbade Paul to
go to Asia (Acts 16:6).
3. Foretold what would happen to Paul (Acts 21:11; 20:23).
II. THE WORK
OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
'And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:
of sin, because they do not believe in Me; of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; of judgment,
because the ruler of this world is judged' (John 16:8-11).
The Holy Spirit was given to convict the unbeliever
and to comfort the believer. He never speaks of Himself, but of the things of Christ (John 16:13, 14).
A. His work with
the unbeliever:
1. Reprove the world of sin (John 16:9). He brings conviction to the souls of the lost.
2. Convinces
men that Jesus is the Son of God and can be their Savior (John 4:13, 14).
3. Shows men that the power of Satan is broken
by Jesus in His death on the cross (John 16:11).
4. Regenerates the sinner (John 3:5).
B. His work with the believer:
1. Comforts them and assures them of their salvation (Rom. 8;16).
2. Teaches and leads into all truth (I John 2:27;
John 16:13).
3. Empowers to witness (Acts 1:8).
4. Fills our mouth with His words in our time of need (Luke 12:12).
5. Gives us direction (Rom. 8:14).
6. Helps us live above fleshly lusts (Gal. 5:16).
7. Seals us; that is, gives
us assurance of God's ownership of our lives (Eph. 1:13, 14).
8. Gives and administers gifts to the Church (I Cor. 12:7).
9. Only through Him can we really believe and say that Jesus is the Son of God (I Cor. 12:3).
10. He joins with the
Church in inviting the lost to Jesus Christ. (Rev. 22:17).
III. THE GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
'For to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit,
to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, to another the working of miracles,
to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation
of tongues' (I Cor. 12:8-10).
There are nine gifts of the Spirit given to the Church 'to each one for the profit of all'
(I Cor. 12:7).
A. The word of wisdom. Godly wisdom given as needed for specific difficult situations in the life of the
Church.
B. The word of knowledge. An awareness from God concerning some situations or teaching needed for a specific time
or problem.
C. Faith. When special faith is needed for a specific time to accomplish a great task for God, this is given
to the Church.
D. Gifts of healing. Out of God's love and concern He provides these gifts for His people who need physical,
emotional, or mental healing.
E. Working of miracles. The performance of some task that is beyond the ability and possibility
of human efforts to accomplish.
F. Prophecy. Proclaiming the message of Jesus Christ with great power so the lost can hear
and turn to Jesus as Lord.
G. Discerning of spirits. Understanding the spirit world and being able to distinguish those
false teachers and prophets.
H. Different kinds of tongues. Other languages given for witness as happened on the Day of
Pentecost (Acts 2:6).
I. Interpretation of tongues. Ability to understand and interpret languages we have not learned.
All
of these gifts of the Spirit are operating in the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ and are given that the Church be a vital
witness in our day. They are not for the glory of one or a few individuals. They are gifts to the Church and these gifts belong
to God, not individual persons. Paul says we are to desire these gifts (I Cor. 12:31).
IV. THE FRUIT
OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
'But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law' (Gal. 5:22, 23).
Jesus said that in the last days there would
come many false teachers and prophets who would be able to simulate the gifts of the Spirit (Mark 13:22). Those who look to
the miracles and wonders as seals of approval on a ministry will be deceived in those days. However, Jesus tells us there
is a better, more sure way we can know whether teachers and prophets are of God. This way is by the fruit of their lives (Matt.
7:16). The fruit of the Spirit cannot be duplicated by Satan or any of his followers.
A. The fruit of the flesh: 'Now the
works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred,
contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries,
and the like, of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will
not inherit the kingdom of God' (Gal. 5:19-21).
B. The fruit of the Spirit: 'But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy,
peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law' (Gal. 5:22,
23).
1. Love. Fully defined in Paul's famed 'love chapter' (I Cor. 13). This is a 'must' for all believers (I John 3:14).
2. Joy. Believers are to be joyful people. A right relationship with God provides joy. Jesus wants His followers to be
filled with joy (John 15:11).
3. Peace. This is an inner rightness that does not depend on outward conditions, but a relationship
with God. We can have peace beyond human understanding even in deepest trouble (Phil. 4:6, 7).
4. Longsuffering. Patience
in trial is a quality of the Spirit-filled life. Each trial we go through is a means to develop this wonderful quality (Rom.
5: 3, 4).
5. Kindness. When the Spirit controls our temperament we become gentle beings (2 Tim. 2:24).
6. Goodness.
Pureness of heart assures us of seeing God (Matt. 5:8). Our motives and every action should be always right and true (Titus
1:16).
7. Faithfulness. As stewards of God we are always to be found faithful in every area of our life (I Cor. 4:2).
8. Gentleness. Humility is a hallmark of the Spirit-filled life. The true believer does not insist on his own way nor
demand attention be focused on himself, but desires to help others (I Cor. 13:5).
9. Self-control. A well-ordered life
of discipline and self-control is good testimony that your life is Spirit-filled (Eph. 5:15).
A Spirit-controlled person
does not need the Law to guide his life. Rather, the quality of his life is such that others see Jesus in him (Matt. 5:16).
V. THE GRACES OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
'And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the
greatest of these is love' (I Cor. 13:13).
Only three things last into eternity: Faith, Hope, and Love. Much of our lives
is preoccupied with just those things that will pass away after this life.
The gifts of the Spirit are wonderful and necessary,
but they will not last into eternity. The fruit of the Spirit is the hallmark of a Spirit-filled life, but these too are just
for this life. But the Bible tells us there are three eternal qualities of spirit that are forever. They are the graces of
the Spirit, and we need to give attention to these things in our lives so we can be prepared for that great day when we stand
with Him in eternity.
A. Faith is our growing relationship with God. It is a vital ingredient for fellowship with God (2
Cor. 5:7).
Faith:
1. Is the way to God (Heb. 11:6).
2. Comes by hearing the Word of God (Rom. 10:17).
3. Is
expressed in action (James 2:17-20).
4. Is the way we live a Christ-like life (2 Cor. 5:7).
5. Is how to be free of
worry (Heb. 13:5, 6).
6. Gives us confidence with God (Eph. 3:12).
7. Is seeing the unseen (Heb. 11:1).
B. Hope
is looking unto Jesus, rather than our problems. In Him we see the possibilities rather than the circumstances that are bothering
us (Heb. 12:2).
1. Jesus is the source of our hope (I Tim. 1:1).
2. The Bible was written to give us hope (Rom. 15:4).
3. His second coming is called 'the blessed hope' (Titus 2:13).
4. It is part of the believer's armor (I Thess. 5:8).
5. It is an anchor for our souls (Heb. 6:18, 19).
6. We are to rejoice in our hope (Rom. 12:12). 7. We are born into
hope through Christ (I Pet. 1:3).
C. Love is the closest we can ever come to being like God because God is love: 'He who
does not love does not know God, for God is love' (I John 4:8).
Love is:
1. The first and greatest commandment (Mark
12: 30, 31).
2. Necessary for all our duties for Christ (I Cor. 13:1-3).
3. Inspired of God's love (I John 4:19).
4. Proof of our discipleship (John 13:35).
5. Of God (I John 4:7).
6. If we love God everything that happens to
us will turn out for the good (Rom. 8:28).
7. Jesus expressed the greatest love known by giving His life that we might
be saved (John 15:13)."
<>< <>< <><
"A Persian fable says: One day
A wanderer
found a lump of clay
So savory of sweet perfume
Its odors scented all the room.
'What are you?' was his quick demand,
'Are you some gem from Samarkand,'
Or pure nard in this plain disguise,
Or other costly merchandise?'
'No, I
am but a lump of clay.'
'Then whence this wondrous perfume - say!'
'Friend, if the secret I disclose,
I have been
dwelling with the rose.'
Sweet parable! and will not those
Who love to dwell with Sharon's rose,
Distill sweet
odors all around,
Though low and poor themselves are found?
Dear Lord, abide with us that we
May draw our perfume
fresh from Thee."
(Taken from Streams In The Desert)
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
"It is my privilege
as a child of
God to come to Him every day, with
the open-hearted expectation of a
child, knowing that my Father
loves
me."
(Taken from Mark My Word by
Reinhard Bonnke)
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
"I have poured into you an everlasting love
For you are one who is called to pour fourth.
As you touch those in heed,
Those who are wounded
Those who are hurting
Those who need healing
Allow Me to pour forth
Your hands will be My vessels for outpouring
But it is also thru your heart
And thru your willingness to speak My words of
Love and compassion that lives
will be touched and changed in a moment.
Continue to spend time with Me in the quiet place
Continue to be at My feet,
For I will refill you with My Everlasting Love
A Love that will transform you and touch others
How precious our time is together
For My love for you is great
And beyond understanding
I AM your Father, the Lover of your soul,
The One who gave my very Son for you,
My Love for you is so great.
Come to the quiet place with Me
And let Me fill you with My pouring forth,
My refilling,
Refilling with My Everlasting Love.
Let the wells be filled
For the days are coming
when My people will be called to
Pray for many, and the altars will be full
My living waters will flow in the days to come.
Be readied.
Allow Me to fill you.
Spend time with Me
So that you can be My vessel for overflow.
I wish to pour forth My love
Upon My people
Upon My Church
Upon Regions -
My Heart of love and compassion will be seen."
(Author Unknown)
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ONE SOLITARY LIFE
"He was born in an obscure village, the child of
a peasant woman. He grew up in another village. He worked in a carpenter shop until He was thirty and then for
three years was an itinerant preacher. He never wrote a book. He never held an office. He never owned a
home. He never traveled two hundred miles from the place where He was born. He never did one of the things that
usually accompany greatness. He had no credentials but Himself.
Although He walked the land over,
curing the sick, giving sight to the blind, healing the lame, and raising people from the dead, the top established religious
leaders turned against Him. His friends ran away. He was turned over to enemies. He went through the mockery
of a trial. He was spat upon, flogged, and ridiculed. He was nailed to a cross between two thieves. While
He was dying, the executioners gambled for the only piece of property He had on earth, and that was His robe.
When He was dead, He was laid in a borrowed grave through the pity of a friend.
Nineteen wide centuries have come
and gone, and today He is the central Figure of the human race and the Leader of the column of progress.
All the armies that ever
marched, and all the navies that were ever built, and all the parliaments that ever sat, and all the kings that ever reigned,
put together, have not affected the life of man upon this earth as has that One Solitary Life." (Source Unknown)
*************
"Jess Moody was a young pastor in Owensborough,
Kentucky, when he became good friends with a young couple in his church. One day the husband came to Pastor Moody's
office clearly distraught and said, 'Jess, I've just heard the most awful news. My wife has terminal cancer, and it
has spread all over her body. The doctors have just told us she has only weeks, not even months, and Jess, she's at
the hospital, and she's asking for you. We don't know how to handle it. We don't know what to do.'
Jess immediately went to the
hospital. There the young wife and mother said to him, 'I remember in one of your sermons you said a thousand years
is like a day to God and a day is unto a thousand years. Is that true? Is a thousand years like a day to God?' The
pastor said: 'Yes, it's in the Bible.' She said, 'Good, because I've been doing the math, and I figure if a thousand
years is like a day, then forty years is like one hour. I'll be leaving my husband and the children soon. He may
live another forty years, but that will be just like an hour to me in heaven. When he gets to heaven, I'll greet him
and say, 'Where have you been for an hour? Did you just go to the office, or were you running errands? I've missed you.'
My children may live another seventy or eighty years, but that will be like two hours to me. When they get to heaven,
I'll greet them and say, 'How was school today? Mom misses you when you're gone for a couple of hours. I wonder how
you are doing, because mommies don't like to be away from their children long.'
Jess Moody said two weeks
later she went to be with the Lord, and the last thing she said to her husband was 'I love you. Take care of my children.
I'll see you in an hour.'
Now that's an eternal perspective.
That's the real perspective that can motivate each of us to live the one-month-to-live lifestyle for years to come."
(Kerry & Chris Shook - One Month To
Live)
****************
**********
"Let's slow down today to...consider the seasons of our lives; seek an understanding of God's
seasons.
I keep a list of the things I'm going to do when I'm retired and don't have to
go to work. For example:
1) I am going to write thank-you notes to anyone and everyone who does anything
nice for me, from the grocery cashier to the president of the telephone company.
2) I am going to act on my kind impulses, like 'I should bake a casserole for
Mrs. Fenser while she's sick,' instead of deciding I'm too busy.
3) I am going to bring treats for the children every time I visit someone who
has them.
4) I am going to send birthday cards by the dozen, never missing the birthday
of a friend or relative.
5) I am never, ever, ever going to wear pantyhose.
What would your list look like? Take a moment to fantasize about the things you
would like to do if you had more time. It's fun, isn't it?
The Bible tells us that 'there is a time for everything, and a season for every
activity under heaven' (Ecclesiastes 3:1). My list of things to do when I'm retired is founded on the premise that someday
my life will enter a different season, one in which less of my time and energy will be devoted to my job and to the immediate
needs of a busy family.
We sometimes cause ourselves unnecessary stress by disregarding this biblical
concept of seasons. We try too hard to be 'a woman for all seasons' at all times - probably because that's what
our modern culture has convinced us we ought to be. We try to fulfill the roles of wife and mother in the same way our
mothers might have, while at the same time fulfilling the equally demanding roles of breadwinners. Instead of identifying
the current season of our lives and living accordingly, we try to live as though there were no seasons, as though we have
to do it all now, have it all now, know it all now.
Seasons are part of God's design for His creation. Just as the dove, the
swift, and the thrush know their appointed seasons, so we should know the seasons in our lives - the proper times to devote
ourselves to particular activities.
Youth has its own season: 'Be happy, young man, while you are young, and
let your heart give you joy in the days of your youth' (Ecclesiastes 11:9). Parenthood, too, has its own season:
'Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it' (Proverbs 22:6).
In fact, parenthood brings a heightened awareness of our lives as a series of
seasons. When my son was a toddler, I longed for a time when my house would not be strewn with toys from wall to wall,
and when I could come and go without diaper bag, bottle, snacks, and the other paraphernalia of babyhood. Now my house
is neater and I've given away the diaper bag. Now a handsome, lanky teenager lives in my home, and we talk about the
dilemmas of dating, and drugs. A different season indeed.
Those of us who work outside the home - as well as our at-home friends - tend
to feel that our lives will always be like this: crammed with hectic, crowded, often frustrating and harrying days;
filled with job concerns, career decisions, time pressures, and work/home conflicts; allowing little time for ourselves and
the many other things we would like to do. Learning to recognize God's plan of seasons in our lives offers us a great
measure of peace and serenity. It frees us from the pressure of having to do and be everything today. It gives
us an affection for the past, an appreciation of the present, and a joyful anticipation of the future.
Reflect for a moment on the season your life is in now. What are its hallmarks?
How will it change in five or ten years? How is it different from a decade ago, or five years ago? What do you treasure most
about the past seasons? What do you anticipate most enthusiastically about future ones? Are there things you are trying to
do or be right now that could be better incorporated into a future season - or maybe should be abandoned to the past?
As we reflect on the seasons in our lives, though, there's one vital aspect to
remember: following Christ's example and carrying out God's work are never out of season. Our mission to serve
Him is as urgent when our lives are busy and filled with earthly demands as it is when we have more leisure and less pressure.
We cannot use God's gift of seasons as an excuse for putting off His work. As Paul admonished Timothy, 'Preach the Word;
be prepared in season and out of season' (2 Timothy 4:2).
God's work is not to wait until it's convenient or popular or easy. His
season is now, just as it was yesterday and will be tomorrow. As our lives move through their many seasons, His loving
presence and our devoted discipleship are the constants.
Lord, thank You for Your perfect design for creation. Make me sensitive
to the seasons of my own life. Help me to sort out what belongs in any given season and what should be postponed to
the future or relegated to the past, that I might be and do what most pleases You at every point."
(Elsa Houtz - Desktop Devotions for Working Women)
*********************************************************
OUR REFUGE
"The LORD also will be a refuge for the oppressed,
a refuge in times of trouble." (Psalm 9:9)
"Ellen lived in a tiny shack on the edge of a small
backwater town. She had no modern conveniences; no car, no electricity, no fancy clothing. She just lived a simple
life, giving of herself to others, sharing what little she did have with anyone who needed it. Often people tried to
help Ellen; but she just smiled and said she didn't want for anything. When asked why she lived as she did, Ellen said,
'God has made sure that I've had enough to get by on. I don't need any more than that. He and I have a nice deal.
When He needs me, He lets me know and shows me what I can do; and when I need Him, all I have to do is call. I've faced
hard times; but the Lord has always given me strength and given me a place to run to.'
The Lord is our refuge and our strength.
It takes a great deal of wisdom to realize that. Our lives are much more than possessions and positions. Our lives
are gifts from God; given to us and to others for His glory. We need not ask what more God can do for us, but what we
might do for God. He will surely let us know."
"Father, I sometimes need to escape:
from the world, from myself, from the things that tie me down. Be my liberation and my sanctuary. Strengthen me
for Your service. Amen."
(from Wisdom from the Psalms)
*********************************************************
"When the disciples James and John saw this, they said, 'Lord, do You want us
to call down fire from heaven to consume them?' (Luke 9:54)
"Nothing is more
permanent or terrifying than the destruction of the lost. We ought to be scared to death to wish such a thing on anyone.
Eternity is a long time. So even when punishment comes to the terribly wicked, we are wise to remember with deep sobriety,
humility, and thankfulness that only grace saves us from a like sentence.
Only
one thing stands between us and the lost:
a blood-stained cross.
We know this world is
filled with wickedness. As Christ's present-day disciples, we will no doubt be offended when people reject the Savior
the way the Samaritan village did on this day. God's desire, however, is for us to pray for His mercy, for His Holy
Spirit's conviction, and for their repentance rather than their judgment. Christ said even of those who hammered the
nails into His flesh, 'Father, forgive them, because they do not know what they are doing.' (Luke 23:34).
Oh, God, give us a longing
- not for the sin of this world to be judged - but for the sinners of this world to be forgiven."
(Beth Moore - "Jesus: Day By Day")
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Every decision you make today
is a preview
of your future.
******************************
"THY HANDS HAVE MADE ME AND FASHIONED ME: GIVE ME UNDERSTANDING, THAT I MAY LEARN THY COMMANDMENTS."
(Psalm
119:73) (King James Version)
******************************
My prayer for you is that you will experience the
peace that passes all understanding which can only come from knowing Jesus!
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