~Friends~

Proverbs 18:19
19 Do a favor and win a friend forever;
nothing can untie that bond.

People come into our lives....for a season (I've read somewhere), but the impact that they make on on our heart lasts a lifetime. I've blogged about finding purpose or having a mission in the life we live daily. Sometimes that mission is only to touch that one person today. Not a long lived mission, but a short term that is only for the moment. If it pursues itself as long term, then blessings to the soul! I wanted to share some of the people I've met...believe me, it isn't all of them! It's just a few that have made a difference and have found the strength to be called to their "mission". Thank you....all of you that I've met and have had the privilege to call you friend for my family.

...Place in our hearts....

We always strive to do God's will in our lives.....let's let Him place it in our hearts instead.

Celebrate The Day!

Easter is over, but our Lord still lives in the hearts of His "Easter People".

"We are called to be an Easter people, a resurrection people…people who proclaim life in a world of death and distraction. May we live together (united, even though we are part of different local communities) as the people of God in the everyday work to which God has called us…"
~Todd Hiestand, (Field Notes on Missional Leadership and Community Formation)

To Celebrate each and everyday, a new day;

a new moment;
a new phase of enhancing the world around us;
a new day to make a difference.
Go....Celebrate.

Isaiah 25:9
^9-10Also at that time, people will say,
"Look at what's happened! This is our God!
We waited for him and he showed up and saved us!
This God, the one we waited for!
Let's celebrate, sing the joys of his salvation.
God's hand rests on this mountain!"

HE HAS RISEN!!

CELEBRATE!!
HE GAVE US HOPE!!


Matthew 28:1-10

¹ After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.

² There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. ³ His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. ⁴ The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.

⁵ The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. ⁶ He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. ⁷ Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.”

⁸ So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. ⁹ Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. ¹⁰ Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”

It Was For You...

John 19:28

...Jesus said, “It is finished.”
With that, he bowed his head
and gave up his spirit.

~Maunday Thursday~

We remember tonight at the Maunday Thursday service at church the Last Supper that Christ shared with his followers. What a wonderful way to share the symbols of what He did for us. Every time my church partakes in the communion service, it touches my soul and reminds me of the life that was given just for me.

1 Corinthians 11:23-26
²³ For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, ²⁴ and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” ²⁵ In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” ²⁶ For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

And so, in remembrance of these your mighty acts of Jesus Christ, we offer ourselves in praise and thanksgiving as a holy and living sacrifice, in union with Christ's offering for us, as we proclaim the mystery of faith.


John 13:1-17

¹ It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.
² The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already prompted Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. ³ Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; ⁴ so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. ⁵ After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.

⁶ He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”

⁷ Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.”

⁸ “No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.”

Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.”

⁹ “Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!”

¹⁰ Jesus answered, “Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet; their whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.” ¹¹ For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean.

¹² When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. ¹³ “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. ¹⁴ Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. ¹⁵ I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. ¹⁶ Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. ¹⁷ Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.

The part of this scripture that really shook me tonight during the foot washing service at church was that Christ knew who betrayed Him, but still washed the feet of Judas. Can we do the same to those that betray us? Can we shed our outward clothing and use them as a towel to dry the feet of those that do us wrong? Are we willing to set aside the hurt and anger to be humble to be a servant to them?

Emptying himself, that our joy might be full, he fed the hungry, healed the sick, ate with the scorned and forgotten, washed his disciples' feet, and gave a holy meal as a pledge of his abiding presence. By the baptism of his suffering, death, and resurrection you gave birth to your Church, delivered us from slavery to sin and death, and made with us a new covenant by water and the spirit.

"Stand On What You Believe"

STAND ON WHAT YOU BELIEVE

DON'T WAIVER

^{Psalm 18:2
2} The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my savior;
my God is my rock, in whom I find protection.
He is my shield, the power that saves me,
and my place of safety.

No matter how big or small you think your Rock is; it is non moving and will be firm beneath your feet. Don't leave the Rock . It's a safe place to be.

~~Hear the Whispers~~

In our daily lives of living in such a rush, we sometimes forget to stop and breath; stop and listen; stop and heal from the day. Our soul needs to be refreshed and heal from the noise of this world. Turn to the whispers of God and breath....deep......heal.

Proverbs 18:8
⁸The words of a whisperer are like dainty morsels,
And they go down into the innermost parts of the body.

Job 26:14
¹⁴ Those are only on the edges of what he does.
They are only the soft whispers that we hear from him.
So who can understand how very powerful he is?"

Be You, Don't Compromise!

~Keep Your Integrity In Tact~

~Stay Firm On What You Believe~
~Keep True To Your Faith~

Proverbs 2:20-22
^20-22 So—join the company of good men and women,
keep your feet on the tried-and-true paths.
It's the men who walk straight who will settle this land,
the women with integrity who will last here.
The corrupt will lose their lives;
the dishonest will be gone for good.

Celebrate! He has come!

We celebrated Palm Sunday today waving Palms and singing "Tell me the stories of Jesus".
The children marched in waving and singing!
It was quite a celebration to start Sunday services with.
Shouldn't all of us celebrate every morning by waving praises to our Savior?
Have the celebration in your heart, Christ has come!

John 12:13
^12-15The next day the huge crowd that had arrived for the Feast heard that Jesus was entering Jerusalem. They broke off palm branches and went out to meet him. And they cheered:

Hosanna!

Blessed is he who comes in God's name!

~Forever Safe~

1 John 2:1 & 2
"And if any man sin we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ, the righteous. And he is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world."

What is it to become a Christian.?It is to employ Christ as your Advocate, by committing your cause entirely to Him. You can not be saved by your works, you can not be saved by your sufferings, by your prayers in any way except by the intervention of this Advocate. "He ever lives to make intercession for you."

He proposes to undertake your cause; and to be a Christian is to at once surrender your whole cause, your whole life and being to Him as your Advocate.

He is an Advocate that loses no causes. Every cause committed to Him, and continued in His hands, is infallibly gained. His advocacy is all-prevalent. God has appointed Him as an Advocate; and wherever He appears in behalf of any sinner who has committed his cause to Him one word of His is sure to prevail. Hence you see,

The safety of believers. Christ is always at His post, ever ready to attend to all the concerns of those who have made Him their Advocate. He is able to save unto the uttermost all that come unto God by Him; and abiding in Him you are forever safe.
~(Charles Finney, SermonIndex.net)

Be Strong and Fight for What's Right!

Be strong and step out with the whole armor of God on.
You can stand up for what is right in this world and fight for it.
Strength, Courage and Hope
will lead your steps to Victory.

Ephesians 6:10-18
¹⁰ Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.

¹¹ Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. ¹² For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers,
against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
¹³ Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.
¹⁴ Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place,
¹⁵ and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.
¹⁶ In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.
¹⁷ Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

¹⁸ And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.With this in mind, be alert and

always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.

"Be Still And Know"

"Close your eyes...reflect on Him....Be Still....And Listen...."

Psalm 46:10
¹⁰ He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth.”


There are times to speak up and take action--but sometimes it's important to just humbly sit back and silently reflect on God's presence. This psalm encourages us to take time to meditate quietly in the assurance that God is in control.

So as your world crumbles around you, the call from Scripture is: don’t flinch in faith in God. Stand still — not because of a self-made confidence, not because you are the most composed person in the face of disaster, not because “you’ve seen it all.” Be still because of what you know about God.

Sing Of Joy!

Psalms 30:1-20

¹ I will exalt you, LORD,
for you lifted me out of the depths
and did not let my enemies gloat over me.
² LORD my God, I called to you for help,
and you healed me.
³ You, LORD, brought me up from the realm of the dead;
you spared me from going down to the pit.

⁴ Sing the praises of the LORD, you his faithful people;
praise his holy name.
⁵ For his anger lasts only a moment,
but his favor lasts a lifetime;
weeping may remain for a night,
but rejoicing comes in the morning.

⁶ When I felt secure, I said,
“I will never be shaken.”
⁷ LORD, when you favored me,
you made my royal mountain^[c] stand firm;
but when you hid your face,
I was dismayed.

⁸ To you, LORD, I called;
to the Lord I cried for mercy:
⁹ “What is gained if I am silenced,
if I go down to the pit?
Will the dust praise you?
Will it proclaim your faithfulness?
¹⁰ Hear, LORD, and be merciful to me;
LORD, be my help.”

¹¹ You turned my wailing into dancing;
you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy,
¹² that my heart may sing your praises and not be silent.
LORD my God, I will praise you forever.

"I Believe & Will Never Give Up"

^{Mark 9:23 (The Message)
23}Jesus said, "If? There are no 'ifs' among believers. Anything can happen."

^{Mark 10:27 (The Message)}

²⁷Jesus was blunt: "No chance at all if you think you can pull it off by yourself. Every chance in the world if you let God do it."

All is possible to those who believe within God, because no power can stand against God. But God alone is all-powerful. Belief will not exempt us from suffering. It will not make us popular, nor will it make our earthly life easy. At times, believers of today will be, as many were in the past, called to witness Christ by sufferings.
But belief in God gives us power.
Belief in God gives us life in God Himself.

Standing in God's Rain!

SHOWERS OF BLESSINGS!
Stand in God's blessings Everyday!

Psalm 72:1
...Please stand up for the poor,
help the children of the needy,
come down hard on the cruel tyrants.
Outlast the sun, outlive the moon—
age after age after age.
Be rainfall on cut grass,
earth-refreshing rain showers.
Let righteousness burst into blossom
and peace abound until the moon fades to nothing.

Proverbs 8:32
"So, my dear friends, listen carefully; those who embrace these my ways are most blessed. Mark a life of discipline and live wisely; don't squander your precious life. Blessed the man, blessed the woman, who listens to me, awake and ready for me each morning, alert and responsive as I start my day's work. When you find me, you find life, real life, to say nothing of God's good pleasure.

Sweet Dreams!!

Sweet Dreams!

Psalm 127:2
² It is useless to work so hard for a living,
getting up early and going to bed late.
For the Lord provides for those he loves,
while they are asleep.

Blessings come to us from our Father even when we sleep!

~ Cause ~ Cost ~ Condition ~ Consequences ~

John 3:16
¹⁶ “For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.

For God had a cause...He loved you so very much that He gave His only Son, which cost Him dearly with the condition that you believe in Him so you will not perish but have the consequences of eternal life.

Amazing!!

We should all have a "Cause, a Cost, a Condition, a Consequence"
for our purpose in life every day. Find your cause, expect the cost of giving knowing there are conditions for the consequences you seek.
Think about that.....long and hard. If we all did this, what a difference we
can make in our world!

Laughter...it's good for the soul!

The little joys of life....
Laughter heals the soul!

Psalm 126:2
²We celebrated with laughter

and joyful songs.

In foreign nations it was said,

"The LORD has worked miracles

for his people."

Back To Forgiveness.....

She stood up at the end of her trial, turned and looked at those who brought this injustice to her and said "I forgive you". Even though giggles and chuckles were heard from those with the hearts of malice against her, she kept her composure as she was escorted out in shackles and chains. She knows in her heart as her God knows, she meant it.

A Story About Forgiveness

Matthew 18:21-22
²¹At that point Peter got up the nerve to ask, "Master, how many times do I forgive a brother or sister who hurts me? Seven?"

²²Jesus replied, "Seven! Hardly. Try seventy times seven.

Forgiving one another is the hardest thing to do and the most beneficial. As God's chosen people we are to forgive all grievances we have between one another because of the example set forth to us by Christ.

Colossians 3:12-14

¹²God loves you and has chosen you as his own special people. So be gentle, kind, humble, meek, and patient.

¹³Put up with each other, and forgive anyone who does you wrong, just as Christ has forgiven you.

¹⁴Love is more important than anything else. It is what ties everything completely together.

Look Up At The Stars!!!

Remember the Stars!!

Today I finished a fun filled day grilling hot dogs and hamburgers with the kids and grandkids at my home. Busyness and games kept the day fun and filled with laughter. When all left and the house got quiet again, my husband, best friend and I went outside and gazed up at the clear night sky. The stars were incredibly clear and bright. One can't help in thinking of God and all of His glory. Remember the stars and who put them there for us to awe over and remember, there is a purpose in all of God's creation. He gives us the joy in our heart and uses his creation for His reminders of that.

Matthew 2:9
⁹ When they heard the king, they went; and look, the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stood over the place where the child was. ¹⁰ When they saw the star, they were filled with joy.

Friendships~

"Betrayal is the violation of an expressed or perceived trust by a person or persons with whom a person relies upon for some aspect of his or her life." (Wikipeida)

At times, we find people in our lives that we seem to connect with and enjoy sharing quality time. With these people, we grow and learn to trust with confidence that the friendship is real and is a part of our lives. Honesty, truthfulness and trust can be broken at any moment. When a 'better' offer of friendship appears... or selfishness seems more important than caring anymore...When does the friendship end and the betrayal start? Jesus had his heart broken when Judas betrayed. He became selfish and listened to the 'wrong crowd' that convinced him it was right. Jesus never let the friendship go, Judas did.

John 13:21
²¹ After Jesus had said this, he was deeply troubled and declared openly,
I am telling you the truth: one of you is going to betray me.

Christ will never, every leave you alone. He will never, ever betray or turn his back on you. He will always be the best friend you can every have.

2 Corinthians 5:17
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

One thing Evil enjoys doing is throwing the past in our face. He will often send people into our lives to accomplish this; even those close to us. But if you are in Christ, you aren’t who you used to be. Old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. Evil has nothing on you!

Live Life With Triumph!!

God can hold you tight and won't let you slip or fall...He will keep you raised in a life of
Victory and Triumph!

Psalms 118:15
^5-16 Pushed to the wall, I called to God;
from the wide open spaces, he answered.
God's now at my side and I'm not afraid;
who would dare lay a hand on me?
God's my strong champion;
I flick off my enemies like flies.
Far better to take refuge in God
than trust in people;
Far better to take refuge in God
than trust in celebrities.
Hemmed in by barbarians,
in God's name I rubbed their faces in the dirt;
Hemmed in and with no way out,
in God's name I rubbed their faces in the dirt;
Like swarming bees, like wild prairie fire, they hemmed me in;
in God's name I rubbed their faces in the dirt.
I was right on the cliff-edge, ready to fall,
when God grabbed and held me.
God's my strength, he's also my song,
and now he's my salvation.
Hear the shouts, hear the triumph songs
in the camp of the saved?
"The hand of God has turned the tide!
The hand of God is raised in victory!
The hand of God has turned the tide!"

Every answer to our prayers is an evidence that the Lord is on our side; and then we need not fear what man can do unto us; we should conscientiously do our duty to all, and trust in him alone to accept and bless us. Let us seek to live to declare the works of God, and to encourage others to serve him and trust in him. Such were the triumphs of the Son of David, in the assurance that the good pleasure of the Lord should prosper in his hand.
(Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary)

Make A Commitment

"Be committed...to yourself, your heart, your family, your friends, your work, your God"

If we really love the Lord, we will put HIM first and will make every effort we can to obey HIM. To do this we must put all of our ideas and wants to the side and ask HIM for guidance. The first of two commandments are stipulations in how to love God, with all thy heart, soul, and mind. It is up to us on how we decide to choose. The choice is clearly stated on what God wants us to do, but now it's your move.
(http://www.iamnotofthisworld.com/2-Articles/8-Thoughts-for-the-Day/88)

2 Corinthians 9:13
¹³You will honor God through this genuine act of service because of your commitment to spread the Good News of Christ and because of your generosity in sharing with them and everyone else.

1 Kings 8:61

⁶¹May your hearts be committed to the Lord our God. Then you will live by his laws and keep his commands as you have today.”

Luke 6:22
²²Blessed are you when people hate you, avoid you,
insult you, and slander you
because you are committed to the Son of Man.

2 Chronicles 15:7
⁷But you must remain strong and not become discouraged. Your actions will be rewarded.”

Revelation 22:12
¹²“I’m coming soon! I will bring my reward with me to pay all people based on what they have done.

Follow the direction of the gifts God has given you;
Integrity
Faith
Grace
Strength
Love

Psalm 15

A psalm by David.

¹O Lord, who may stay in your tent?
Who may live on your holy mountain?

²The one who walks with integrity,
does what is righteous,
and speaks the truth within his heart.

³The one who does not slander with his tongue,
do evil to a friend,
or bring disgrace on his neighbor.

⁴The one who despises those rejected by God
but honors those who fear the Lord.

The one who makes a promise and does not break it,
even though he is hurt by it.

⁵The one who does not collect interest on a loan
or take a bribe against an innocent person.

Whoever does these things will never be shaken.

Matthew 11:28

²⁸ Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

Our shoulders should be sore from carrying the burdens of others. I once saw an example of carrying burdens. A young woman was holding two books. Someone came along and gave her 3 more books to hold. It was difficult, but not too hard holding 5 books. Then, someone came along and piled 3 more books on top of the 5 she already had. Okay, it was getting tough holding the stack steady. One more person came and stacked 3 more books on top. This is a total of 11 hardback books! She was struggling to carry and hold the books without dropping them. Soon a person came to her and took 6 books from her and they both walked away together. It's nice to know when someone wants to help carry the burdens. It makes them lighter for you.....Christ will carry ALL of them for you. Give them to Him...He is offering to carry them everyday for you!

Galatians 6:2
²Help carry each other’s burdens. In this way you will follow Christ’s teachings.

Are you willing to help carry some of the heavy burdens for others? Should we not be living the life of Christ daily? Many people are 'heavy laden' with their worries and issues of daily living. What can YOU do to lighten their burden??

Matthew 23:4-12 ⁴
They pile heavy burdens on people's shoulders and won't lift a finger to help. ⁵Everything they do is just to show off in front of others. They even make a big show of wearing Scripture verses on their foreheads and arms, and they wear big tassels ^[a] for everyone to see. ⁶They love the best seats at banquets and the front seats in the meeting places. ⁷And when they are in the market, they like to have people greet them as their teachers. ⁸But none of you should be called a teacher. You have only one teacher, and all of you are like brothers and sisters. ⁹Don't call anyone on earth your father. All of you have the same Father in heaven. ¹⁰None of you should be called the leader. The Messiah is your only leader. ¹¹Whoever is the greatest should be the servant of the others. ¹²If you put yourself above others, you will be put down. But if you humble yourself, you will be honored.

Led By Light~~

Isaiah 42:16

¹⁶I will lead the blind on roads

they have never known;

I will guide them on paths

they have never traveled.

Their road is dark and rough,

but I will give light

to keep them from stumbling.

This is my solemn promise.

We don't know what the road may be like while walking down it with our Lord.

We just need to know that He is with us and we can just keep moving forward..

Find your purpose.....Move forward.....Let the light lead.....

Here I Am....Take Me....

^{1 Corinthians 16:14
14}Show love in everything you do.

Malachi 2:5
⁵I blessed him with a full life, as I had promised, and he kept his part of the agreement by honoring me and respecting my name.

^{John 15:13
13}The greatest way to show love for friends is to die for them.

Hosea 12:6
⁶So return to your God. Patiently trust him,
and show love and justice.

Be The Life~

DEAR JESUS, help me to spread Thy fragrance everywhere I go. Flood my soul with Thy spirit and love. Penetrate and possess my whole being so utterly that all my life may only be a radiance of Thine. Shine through me and be so in me that every soul I come in contact with may feel Thy presence in my soul. Let them look up and see no longer me but only Jesus. Stay with me and then I shall begin to shine as you shine, so to shine as to be a light to others.

Enjoy your coffee....every drop. Make the most of the life you have everyday by
Giving...
Sharing...
Caring...
Loving...
Live the Life you were meant to live..

Galatians 6:8-10

⁸If you follow your selfish desires, you will harvest destruction, but if you follow the Spirit, you will harvest eternal life. ⁹Don't get tired of helping others. You will be rewarded when the time is right, if you don't give up. ¹⁰We should help people whenever we can, especially if they are followers of the Lord.

Unconditionally.....Love......

Love with a life open to God.....

1 Timothy:3-7
^3-4On my way to the province of Macedonia, I advised you to stay in Ephesus. Well, I haven't changed my mind. Stay right there on top of things so that the teaching stays on track. Apparently some people have been introducing fantasy stories and fanciful family trees that digress into silliness instead of pulling the people back into the center, deepening faith and obedience.

^5-7The whole point of what we're urging is simply love—love uncontaminated by self-interest and counterfeit faith, a life open to God. Those who fail to keep to this point soon wander off into cul-de-sacs of gossip. They set themselves up as experts on religious issues, but haven't the remotest idea of what they're holding forth with such imposing eloquence.

~

The more I think about it, the more I realize
there is nothing more artistic than to love others.
Vincent Van Gogh

Receive the Gifts!!

Every good thing comes from God!

Accept!
Receive!
Enjoy!
Share!

James 1:16-18

¹⁶ Do not be deceived, my dear friends!¹⁷ Every good gift and every perfect present comes from heaven; it comes down from God, the Creator of the heavenly lights, who does not change or cause darkness by turning.¹⁸ By his own will he brought us into being through the word of truth, so that we should have first place among all his creatures.

Love With All Your Heart!

Love one another!

Matthew 22:37-40

³⁷ Jesus answered,
Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.³⁸ This is the greatest and the most important commandment.³⁹ The second most important commandment is like it:
Love your neighbor as you love yourself.⁴⁰ The whole Law of Moses and the teachings of the prophets depend on these two commandments.

Find Your Riches!

What we put in our lives that takes more presence in our soul than the presence of our Father, takes away our eternity with Him. Whether it be money, cars, people or status...if it is the only thing we strive for, God will have no room in your heart. Don't be obsessive of things...or of others gain. Take the gifts that God has in his hands for you and be blessed beyond measure! Have the life of Christ living everyday in your heart. You will become the richest and most fulfilled soul on Earth!

Mark 10:25 (New International Version)

²⁵ It is easier for a camel to go through the eye
of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”

~Jesus Leadership Expectations~

What are the expectations that Jesus sees in us?
*Humble your heart
*Be a follower
*Find greatness in service
*Take risks
*Take up the towel
*Share responsibility

^12-17Then he said, "Do you understand what I have done to you? You address me as 'Teacher' and 'Master,' and rightly so. That is what I am. So if I, the Master and Teacher, washed your feet, you must now wash each other's feet. I've laid down a pattern for you. What I've done, you do. I'm only pointing out the obvious. A servant is not ranked above his master; an employee doesn't give orders to the employer. If you understand what I'm telling you, act like it—and live a blessed life. (John 13:15-17, The Message)

We Have The Blessings!

Sometimes we miss the blessings God our Father is trying to offer us. Do we recognize them when they come before us? Do we know what they look like or where to find them? Our heavenly Father works in ways we sometimes don't understand. The blessings are at times in unusual places where we least expect it. Look for your blessings....they are there for you to receive....just look up....and receive.

Ephesians 1:3-6
^3-6How blessed is God! And what a blessing he is! He's the Father of our Master, Jesus Christ, and takes us to the high places of blessing in him. Long before he laid down earth's foundations, he had us in mind, had settled on us as the focus of his love, to be made whole and holy by his love. Long, long ago he decided to adopt us into his family through Jesus Christ. (What pleasure he took in planning this!) He wanted us to enter into the celebration of his lavish gift-giving by the hand of his beloved Son.

*Striving For the Inner Beauty Of Christ*

1 Corinthians 13

Love is kind and patient,

never jealous, boastful,

proud, or rude.

Love isn't selfish

or quick tempered.

It doesn't keep a record

of wrongs that others do.

Love rejoices in the truth,

but not in evil.

Love is always supportive,

loyal, hopeful,

and trusting.

Love never fails!

We should all strive to Love the way Christ loved us...to give our all as Christ gave all...

To live as our Christ lived......

He loves us unconditionally, should we not do the same?

A Servant's Heart

Servant Leaders give up personal rights to find greatness in service to others....

Mark 10:42-45

⁴² 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. ⁴³ Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, ⁴⁴ and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. ⁴⁵ 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.”

I have been going to a study on Servant Leadership the past couple of months. It is quite intriguing to learn how Christ was a great leader, but yet a servant to all. He sets the example for us. Greatness does not come with power, but with a humble heart. All of us need to look at the life of Christ and let His example shape us into a useful vessel for His glory. He sets in place many opportunities every day for us to be used by Him....we just need to have a servant's heart and be aware of the needs around us.

~Clean Before My Lord~

~CLEAN BEFORE MY LORD~

2 Timothy 2:21 (New American Standard Bible)

²¹Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from these things, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work.

Always strive to be clean before our Lord. Your days will be filled with opportunities to do His will and His good works. Shun the evil that tries to grab your ankles and drag you down to it's level. Allow our Lord to cleanse the soul everyday so that the Holy Spirit can live in our hearts and be the helper and guide that He promised He would be.

^{Psalms 51
10} Create in me a clean heart, O God.
Renew a loyal spirit within me.
¹¹ Do not banish me from your presence,
and don’t take your Holy Spirit from me.

¹² Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
and make me willing to obey you.
¹³ Then I will teach your ways to rebels,
and they will return to you.
¹⁴ Forgive me for shedding blood, O God who saves;
then I will joyfully sing of your forgiveness.
¹⁵ Unseal my lips, O Lord,
that my mouth may praise you.

~In Christ Alone, Is Peace~

Psalm 42:5 (The Message)

⁵ Why are you down in the dumps, dear soul?
Why are you crying the blues?
Fix my eyes on God—
soon I'll be praising again.
He puts a smile on my face.
He's my God.

A Joy For The Soul!

Ash Wednesday
A Joy For The Soul

Ash Wednesday is the beginning of Lent for Western Christian churches. It's a day of penitence to clean the soul before the Lent fast.

Churches hold special services at which worshipers are marked with ashes as a symbol of death and sorrow for sin.

Ash Wednesday services

The service draws on the ancient Biblical traditions of covering one's head with ashes, wearing sackcloth, and fasting.

The mark of ashes

In Ash Wednesday services churchgoers are marked on the forehead with a cross of ashes as a sign of penitence and mortality.

The use of ashes, made by burning palm crosses from the previous Palm Sunday, is very symbolic.

God our Father, you create us from the dust of the earth.

Grant that these ashes may be for us a sign of our penitence, and a symbol of our mortality.

Traditional Ash Wednesday prayer

God our Father, you create us from the dust of the earth.

Grant that these ashes may be for us a sign of our penitence, and a symbol of our mortality.

The minister marks each worshiper on the forehead, and says remember you are dust and unto dust you shall return, or a similar phrase based on God's sentence on Adam in Genesis 3:19.

The modern practice in churches nowadays, as the ashes are being administered, is for the minister to say something like Turn away from sin and believe the gospel.

Keeping the mark

At some churches the worshipers leave with the mark still on their forehead so that they carry the sign of the cross out into the world.

At other churches the service ends with the ashes being washed off as a sign that the participants have been cleansed of their sins.

Symbolism of the ashes

The marking of their forehead with a cross made of ashes reminds each churchgoer that:

• Death comes to everyone
• They should be sad for their sins
• They must change themselves for the better
• God made the first human being by breathing life into dust, and without God, human beings are nothing more than dust and ashes

Beginning on Ash Wednesday, Lent is a season of reflection and preparation before the celebrations of Easter. By observing the 40 days of Lent, Christians replicate Jesus Christ's sacrifice and withdrawal into the desert for 40 days. Lent is marked by fasting, both from food and festivities.
Churches that observe Lent use it as a time for prayer and penance. Only a small number of people today fast for the whole of Lent, although some maintain the practice on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. It is more common these days for believers to surrender a particular vice such as favourite foods or smoking. Whatever the sacrifice it is a reflection of Jesus' deprivation in the wilderness and a test of self-discipline.

~A Light In The Darkness~

~A light in the darkness~

There will always be light in the darkness...
"The JOY of the LORD is My Strength...."

Book Of Job:

What Have I Done Wrong?

²²Have I ever asked any of you

to give me a gift

²³or to purchase my freedom

from brutal enemies?

²⁴What have I done wrong?

Show me,

and I will keep quiet.

²⁵The truth is always painful,

but your arguments

prove nothing.

²⁶Here I am desperate,

and you consider my words

as worthless as wind.

²⁷Why, you would sell an orphan

or your own neighbor!

²⁸Look me straight in the eye;

I won't lie to you.

²⁹Stop accusing me falsely;

my reputation is at stake.

³⁰I know right from wrong,

and I am not telling lies.

Today I Complain Bitterly

¹Job said:

²Today I complain bitterly,

because God has been cruel

and made me suffer.

³If I knew where to find God,

I would go there

⁴and argue my case.

⁵Then I would discover

what he wanted to say.

⁶Would he overwhelm me

with his greatness?

No! He would listen

⁷because I am innocent,

and he would say,

"I now set you free!"

⁸I cannot find God anywhere--

in front or back of me,

⁹to my left or my right.

God is always at work,

though I never see him.

¹⁰But he knows what I am doing,

and when he tests me,

I will be pure as gold.

¹¹I have never refused to follow

any of his commands,

¹²and I have always treasured

his teachings. ^{[a] 13}But he alone is God,

and who can oppose him?

God does as he pleases,

¹⁴and he will do exactly

what he intends with me.

¹⁵Merely the thought

of God All-Powerful

¹⁶makes me tremble with fear.

¹⁷God has covered me

with darkness,

but I refuse to be silent. ^[b]