When God is most glorified,
man is
most satisfied.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"The hawthorn hedge that keeps us from
intruding,
Looks very fierce and bare
When stripped by winter, every branch protruding
Its thorns that would wound
and tear.
But springtime comes; and like the rod that budded,
Each twig breaks out in green;
And cushions soft
of tender leaves are studded,
Where spines alone were seen.
The sorrows, that to us seem so perplexing,
Are mercies
kindly sent
To guard our wayward souls from sadder vexing,
And greater ills prevent.
To save us from the pit,
no screen of roses
Would serve for our defense,
The hindrance that completely interposes
Stings back like thorny
fence.
At first when smarting from the shock, complaining
Of wounds that freely bleed,
God's hedges of severity
us painting,
May seem severe indeed.
But afterwards, God's blessed springtime cometh,
And bitter murmurs cease;
The sharp severity that pierced us bloometh,
And yields the fruits of peace.
Then let us sing, our guarded way
thus wending
Life's hidden snares among,
Of mercy and of judgment sweetly blending;
Earth's sad, but lovely song."
(Taken from Streams In The Desert)
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"Bless the Lord, O my soul:
and all that is within me,
bless His holy name.
Bless
the Lord, O my soul,
and forget not all His benefits:
Who forgiveth all thine iniquities;
who healeth all thy
diseases;
Who redeemeth thy life from destruction;
who crowneth thee with lovingkindness
and tender mercies; Who
satisfieth thy
mouth with good things;
so that thy youth is renewed like
the eagles."
(Psalm 103: 1-5) (King
James Version)
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"Surely the arm of the Lord is not too short to save, nor His ear too dull to hear."
(Isaiah 59:1) (New International Version)
"God
is ever ready and ever merciful to hear the faintest cry and save the vilest sinner. God is love"
(Taken from The Golden
Treasury of Bible Wisdom)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
"MY OLD BIBLE"
"Though the cover is worn, and the pages torn,
And though places bear traces of tears,
Yet
more precious than gold, is this book,
worn and old,
That can shatter and scatter our fears.
This old book is
my guide, 'tis a friend by my side,
It will brighten and lighten my way,
And each promise I find soothes and
gladdens
my mind
As I read it and heed it by day.
To this Bible I will cling, of its worth I will sing,
Though great losses
and crosses be mine.
For I cannot despair though surrounded by care,
While possessing this blessing divine."
(Author
Unknown)
:-) :-) :-) :-)
Thoughts
"People say that hard work never killed anybody; but on the other hand, I've
never known anybody who rested to death."
(Taken from Healing Through Humor by Charles & Frances Hunter)
:-)
:-) :-) :-)
"Paul had learned the secret of contentment.
He wrote in Philippians 4:11-13 that whether
we have a lot or a little, the key is to
depend on God and His strength.
'Not
that I was ever in need, for I have
learned how to get along happily whether I
have much or little. I know how to
live on
almost nothing or with everything. I have
learned the secret of living in every
situation, whether it
is with a full stomach
or empty, with plenty or little. For I can
do everything with the help of Christ who
gives
me the strength I need.'
(New Living Translation)
Paul challenged young Timothy to strive for
contentment regardless
of his circumstances.
He wrote in I Timothy 6:6-8:
'Yet true religion with contentment is
great wealth. After
all, we didn't bring
anything with us when we came into the world,
and we certainly cannot carry anything with us
when we die. So if we have enough food and
clothing, let us be content.'
(New Living Translation)
More, more,
more! The world bombards us with
messages telling us we need: more money,
more power, more gadgets, more luxuries,
more
status. It is easy to believe that the next
thing, just beyond our reach, will bring us
happiness. But when
we finally attain it,
the thrill fades quickly. Greed traps us in
an endless cycle that results in pain and
heartache.
How can we escape the grip of
our desires? Paul offers some practical help. He contends that true fulfillment comes through
a personal
relationship with Jesus Christ and aligning
our desires with Christ's priorities. Jesus
offers us contentment
and peace of mind that
the world's greatest riches can never bring.
Instead of focusing on the things you do not
have,
focus on the blessings God has given
you. Thank Him for His generous gifts to you.
And rely on Christ's power to be
content in
all circumstances."
(Taken From Living Water For Those Who Thirst)
**************************************************************
"I prayed for strength, and then I lost awhile
All sense of nearness, human and divine;
The love I leaned on failed
and pierced my heart,
The hands I clung to loosed themselves from mine;
But while I swayed, weak, trembling, and alone,
The everlasting arms upheld my own.
I prayed for light; the sun went down in clouds,
The moon was darkened by
a misty doubt,
The stars of heaven were dimmed by earthly fears,
And all my little candle flames burned out;
But
while I sat in shadow, wrapped in night,
The face of Christ made all the darkness bright.
I prayed for peace, and
dreamed of restful ease,
A slumber free from pain, a hushed repose;
Above my head the skies were black with storm,
And fiercer grew the onlsaught of my foes;
But while the battle raged, and wild winds blew,
I heard His voice
and perfect peace I knew.
I thank You, Lord, you were too wise to heed
My feeble prayers, and answer as I sought,
Since these rich gifts Your bounty has bestowed
Have brought me more than all I asked or thought;
Giver of good,
so answer each request
With Your own giving, better than my best."
(Annie Johnson Flint)
************************************************************
"You can win more friends with your ears than with
your mouth." "Let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath." (James 1:19) "Dale Carnegie, author of How To
Win Friends and Influence People, is considered one of the greatest "friend winners" of the century. He taught, "You can make
more friends in two months by becoming interested in other people than you can in two years by trying to get other people
interested in you."
To illustrate his point, Carnegie would tell you dogs have learned the fine art of making friends
better than most people. When you get within ten feet of a friendly dog, he will begin to wag his tail, a visible sign that
he welcomes and enjoys your presence. If you take time to pet the dog, he will become excited, lick you, and jump all over
you to show how much he appreciates you. The dog became man's best friend by being genuinely interested in people! One of
the foremost ways, of course, in which we show our interest in others is to listen to them - to ask questions, intently listen
to their answers, and to ask further questions based upon what they say. The person who feels "heard" is likely to seek out
his friendly listener again and again, and to count that person as a great friend.
Need a friend? Start listening with
your heart."
(Taken from God's Little Devotional Book for Women)
**************************************************************
"There is power in quietness. It's
so noisy 'out there'. In the world about us, there's so much confusion and that is the reason why there is so much frustration,
why many suffer from nervous disorders. Many have not learned the secret of blessed quietness, strength in being still in
His presence. There is worship in silence and sometimes I think we have entirely lost the art of worship. That little
chorus, "Alleluia," is sweeping the world today. Only one word is spoken but that word is universal, transcending all languages.
John, in the Book of the Revelation (19:1), wrote under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit of the saints' voices as he heard
them worshipping and adoring God..."Alleluia!" And when we pray, we must remember first of all to give honor and to pay reverence
to the One whose name is above all names.
Whatever you are doing, pause for one moment. It makes no difference whether
you are in a kneeling position, a standing position, or seated. You may be lying on a bed of affliction but you can look up
into the wonderful face of the Heavenly Father, confident of the fact that He cares, that He loves you, that He is interested
in every detail of your life. You are His by adoption, as you accepted His Son as your Savior and Redeemer in the forgiveness
of your sins. Jesus is your High Priest, the great Mediator, your Advocate. Look up and say, "Father - my Heavenly Father;"
and the assurance of that glorious relationship will still your fears. He is a perfect Father, perfect in love, and we glorify
His holy name."
(Kathryn Kuhlman - Lord, Teach Us To Pray)
***************************************************************
"Good Morning God" by Helen Steiner Rice:
"You are ushering in another day
untouched and freshly new,
so here I come to ask You God
if You'll renew
me too?
Forgive the many errors, that
I made
yesterday, and let me try
again dear God,
to walk closer in Thy way.
But Father, I am well aware
I can't make
it on my own.
So take my hand and hold it tight
for I can't walk alone."
**************************************************************
"Do you want to know God's will? Then search for
it first in the Bible. The psalmist declared, "The entrance of thy words giveth light" (Psalm 119:130). You can have God's
light shining in your life if you will just turn on the power available in His written Word."
(George Sweeting - How To
Discover The Will of God)
**************************************************************
"When we put our trust (faith)
in God, we will reap a good harvest, one that is faith-filled and prosperous... Jeremiah 17 verse 7 says, "Blessed is the
man who trusts in the Lord, and whose hope is the Lord. For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, which spreads out
its roots by the river, and will not fear when heat comes, but its leaf will be green..." In the natural, as a tree matures
the root structure increases. This helps to support the added height and growth of the tree, and to bring the water and nourishment
the tree needs to survive and continue growing. Spiritually, we must be like the tree. Our roots or our faith must go deeper
to bring stability and promote spiritual growth. The water of the Word brings life, and we receive nourishment. As we understand
and apply the Word of God to our lives, we are able to appropriate God's promises for our life and receive what is ours as
a believer."
(Benny Hinn - The Miracle of Healing)
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