Fear and love

Guiding words

What can we ask for that keeps giving back? WISDOM

From Weekly Wisdom

Every action you take is a seed you sow, and every seed you sow is a harvest you'll reap.
Have you ever had a thought like this: "Nobody would ever notice"? Or this: "It's just a little thing"? But to God, every action -- big or small -- is important, because every action you take is a seed you sow.

For example, say that you tell your boss you worked eight hours when really you only worked six. But on the other hand, it's only two hours, and "nobody will ever notice." However, you're sowing seeds of dishonesty in your life that will reap a harvest of the very same thing.

Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. (Galatians 6:7-8) Don't think that you can lie to someone (i.e. sow a seed of dishonesty), but yet expect to reap a harvest of truth in your life.

Proverbs 22:8 warns that He who sows wickedness reaps trouble.

Therefore, be very careful about how you act in every area of life, because every action you take is a seed you sow, and every seed you sow is a harvest you'll reap.

NIV MATT. 23:11 The person who is greatest among you must be your servant.

Nothing is to strongman you are not alone

Women of the bible (shortened vers.)

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Esther

Her name means: "Ishtar," the Babylonian Goddess of Love, or from the Persian Word for "Star." Her Hebrew Name, "Hadassah," Means "Myrtle"

Her character: An orphan in a foreign land, she was willing to conceal her Jewish identity in a bid for a pagan king's affection. Esther seemed willing to made moral compromises by sleeping with the king and then taking part in a wedding that would necessarily have required her to pay homage to foreign gods. Even so, she displayed great courage in the midst of a crisis. Prior to risking her life for her people, she humbled herself by fasting and then put her considerable beauty, social grace, and wisdom in the service of God's plan.
Her sorrow: To learn that her husband, the king, had unwittingly placed her life and the life of her people in jeopardy.
Her joy: To watch mourning turn to celebration once the Jews enjoyed relief from their enemies.
Key Scriptures: Esther 1-10

Her Promise

God often uses the most unlikely characters to fulfill his purposes. He elevates a Jewish orphan to become queen of a great empire. Esther begins as a nobody and becomes a somebody, a woman who somewhat reluctantly risks her life to make a stand.

Again, God reveals his penchant for using the most unlikely, ordinary people to accomplish his divine purposes. But, you may wonder, could God ever use you to accomplish his purposes, with all your foibles and imperfections, your lack of talent or influence? Yes, he can! He isn't looking for people who are perfect or talented or influential. He is only looking for people who are willing.

Weekly wisdom

Don't run from your trials.
Everyone faces many trials; however, these trials are not in vain. God uses them to do a work in us, developing us into mature Christians.

In James 1:2-4, we are told, Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. In other words, God uses the tough times in life to sharpen us, making us mature and complete Christians.

Furthermore, God will not permit you to remain in the same trials all of your life; in His proper timing He will deliver you. Psalm 34:17 says, The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles.

So don't run from your trials, because the testing of your faith develops you into a mature and complete Christian.

Daily devotions.net

And we have seen and do testify that the Father has sent his Son as the Savior of the world.
(1 John 4:14 NRSV Bible)
I remember a story of a lady who went to a local pet shop. She browsed around for a while and saw a beautiful parrot. She told the owner of the store that she just had to have the parrot. The owner said, "Oh, I can't let you have that parrot." The lady insisted. The owner said, "I'm sorry I can't let you have that parrot. It lets out the worst profanity you could ever image." The lady said, "That's OK. I will train it." The owner finally gave in and sold the parrot.
The lady, with great excitement, takes her new parrot home. She gets the parrot's cage all set up and puts the parrot in the cage. After the parrot checks out its new home, it lets out the worst profanity that you could ever imagine. The lady says, "I'm going to teach you an important lesson." She then takes the parrot out of the cage and puts it into the freezer for a few minutes.

After she takes the parrot out of the freezer, the parrot rubbing its wings says, "I have just one question for you. What did the turkey in there say?"

The turkey in the freezer was no doubt frozen, but we don't have to be frozen in the past. It does not matter what we have done in the past or what mistakes we have made. With Jesus Christ as the king of our lives, we are forgiven and brought into the loving presence of God. That is the best image we can have of Jesus Christ. Now, let's share that image of Christ with others, like others have done for us.

Dear God, thaw out my hard heart that I may truly live with Jesus as my king. In Jesus Name, Amen.
Ron Newhouse

Words of reflection

"When we look at what we want and then compare it with what we have, we will be unhappy. When we think of what we deserve rather than of what we have, we will thank God." A. Tremblay

Wednesday

Blessed is anyone who endures temptation. (James 1:12 NRSV Bible)
None of us is beyond temptation. It is a foolish Christian who treats temptation as no threat, believing he or she cannot fall. We are all susceptible at times, and if we are not vulnerable in one area, we usually are in some other.
During the early days of the Civil War, body armor became a bit of a fad, especially in the North. Some of this body armor did not work very well. In other words, it failed to stop bullets. Some of it actually saved some lives, however. The danger lay in believing it made one invincible.
Paul writes in Galatians 6:1, "My friends, if anyone is detected in a transgression, you who have received the Spirit should restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness. Take care that you yourselves are not tempted."
Dear God, guard me from temptation, and keep me from falling into the trap of thinking I am invincible. In Jesus name, Amen.
Ron Newhouse

Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life. (John 6:35 NRSV Bible)
When we allow Jesus Christ into our lives we become different people. We become more Christ-like in our attitude and behavior.
According to German folklore there once was a wicked man who wore the mask of a saint to woo and win the saintly girl he loved. Years later when a castoff girl friend discovered the deception, she challenged him to take off the mask in front of his beloved and show his face for the sorry thing he was. He did what he was told only to discover that underneath the saint's mask, his face had become the face of a saint.
The food Jesus offers us is the eternal food, the food that will change us. Jesus said, "The one who eats this bread will live forever."
God of all things, thank you for sending the bread of life for me. In Jesus name, Amen.
Ron Newhouse

Verse of the day

Exodus 15:2 The LORD is my strength and song, and he is become my salvation: he is my God, and I will prepare him an habitation; my father's God, and I will exalt him.

I can do all I want, but it isn't enough

Zechariah 4:6 He said to me, "This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: 'Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,' says the LORD Almighty."

Simple today..... not by any any means physical can we overcome evil. Sin isn't about "whipping it out of you" or "beating the sin out of someone" . It is only by GOD'S  power can it happen.
In the words of Paul "
But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me." 2 Cor. 12:9

Paul writes, "And I was still unknown by sight to the churches of Judea that are in Christ; they only heard it said, 'The one who formerly was persecuting us is now proclaiming the faith he once tried to destroy.' And they glorified God because of me." (Galatians 1:22- 24 NRSV Bible)
Notice in our scripture reading today that the people did not glorify Paul. They glorified God because they knew that real change comes as a gift from God.
There is a story of a Daddy Longleg that was trying to get free from a spider web under a chair. The Daddy Longleg had seven free legs and one leg that was caught in the web. The Daddy Longleg would pull and pull trying to free itself only it couldn't get enough traction on the slick concrete floor. So every time it would gain a little ground, it would slide back to the same place it started. This went on for about 5 minutes. The onlooker felt so sorry for the poor fellow he reached down and set him free.
We are much like that Daddy Longleg. We are trapped in sin. It may be only one little area of our life that we have not yet yielded to Christ. But like that Daddy Longleg we gain a little ground spiritually, only to slide back frustrated and disappointed in our inability to make any significant change. May we give our all to follow in the footsteps of our savior Jesus Christ. - daily devotions.net

Dailydevotions.net 13july2016

So God created humankind in his image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. (Genesis 1:27 NRSV Bible)
Have you ever heard the phrase, "God doesn't make junk?" God can make a castle out of what we think is junk. In fact, God loves making castles out of what we think is junk. If there is anybody reading this today who feels like your life is nothing but junk, you are just the person God is looking for. You can make God's day. Let God turn what you think is junk into something beautiful and majestic.
There is a story of a doctor who tried to place a stethoscope on a little girl's heart, telling her that she wanted to listen to it.
"Oh, no!" the little girl protested. "My heart is in my back."
"Where did you get that idea?" the doctor asked.
"Well, when I do something good, Grandma pats me on the back and says, 'Bless your little heart.'"
Grandmas always seem to give their hearts to their grandchildren. God has given us God's heart through Jesus who turns our junk into a blessing.
Dear God, please continue to turn my junk into something beautiful. In Jesus name, Amen.
Ron Newhouse

You are cared for

Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

You are never alone. Someone is thinking about you always. No matter how low, how high,how sad, or happy. Someone wants the best for you. It doesn't feel that way at times..... but faith is not about seeing but believing. When you think all hope is lost. When you think you can't do it anymore.

GOD loves you and wants the best for you. HE sees further than you can imagine. Trust. Love. Til the end.

Peace, hope, love.....
-dje

Verse

Psalm 42:2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?

Dailydevotions.net

Jesus said, "So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Today's trouble is enough for today."(Matthew 6:34 NRSV Bible)

Do you know why many people worry? Worry is a substitute for faith. Worry does for some people what faith does for others. Have you heard anybody say, "Don't tell me it doesn't help to worry. Most of the things I worry about never happen!" They really mean it. Some people are genuinely concerned that if they fail to worry, that which they fear will happen.
In a Peanuts cartoon, Linus was talking to Charlie Brown and observed: "I guess it's wrong always to be worrying about tomorrow. Maybe we should think only about today." Charlie Brown replied, "No, that's giving up. I'm still hoping that yesterday will get better."
What we need to do is to focus our attention on the things that are really important. Our families, for example. Many of us are more fortunate than we deserve with our families. We've got great kids though they may get on our nerves from time to time.
Whether or not they still live at home. I know I am very thankful for Matt and Michele. They have been a real blessing to me. We may not live in Beverly Hills or the Trump Tower, but our house is warm and full of God's grace. And most important, we need to focus on our relationship with God through Jesus Christ.
Jesus calls us to focus on what is really important.

Other seeds fell on good soil and brought forth grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. (Matthew 13.8 NRSV Bible)
A Western reporter interviewed Boris Yeltsin once. When asked what gave him the courage to stand firm and help insure the fall of Communism in the former U.S.S.R., Yeltsin credited the story he had read of Lech Walesa, the electrician who helped bring democracy to Poland several years ago.
Similarly, Walesa has stated that he was inspired by reading accounts of the civil rights movement in this country, led by the late Dr. Martin Luther King.
Dr. King has indicated that he was spurred to action when he learned of the courage of one woman, Rosa Parks, who simply refused to sit in the back of the bus.
We seldom know the potential of the seed we will sow. God gives us seeds. It's up to us how we are going to use the seeds we are given. If we water and nurture the seed, however, at harvest time the yield will be fantastic, beyond belief.
Lord Jesus, help me to sow seeds of love and hope. In your name I pray. Amen.
Ron Newhouse - dailydevotions.net

pause
Faithfulness can seem impossible sometimes. There are so many things God hopes for us to do and not do. We wonder how we can possibly live up to the letter of the law.

But when we really dig down, the spirit of the law is not so difficult. God loves us and empowers us to love back to God and out to others. That’s it: love is the law.
listen
The Lord your God will help you succeed in everything you do—in your own fertility, your livestock’s offspring, and your land’s produce—everything will be great! Because the Lord will once again enjoy doing good things for you just as he enjoyed doing them for your ancestors, and because you will be obeying the Lord your God’s voice, keeping his commandments and his regulations that are written in this Instruction scroll, and because you will have returned to the Lord your God with all your heart and all your being.

Deuteronomy 30:9-10
- from D365

30June2016

Proverbs 3:3 Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart

Kinda funny how mercy and truth is in the same sentence. We are told, "truth hurts". Or "stop being so nice with them, tell them the truth!"                 

These two attributes are not exclusive to each other. Without mercy, aka giving someone better than "they deserve" , we just become stuff uptight people. Without truth, we become rubber, bend to everything.

I was always taught that you  can be correct in everything, but if you do it wrong it is wrong.

We must remember the point is not just correcting the problem or telling the truth. It is doing it in a merciful and loving way.

29 june 2016

John I 3:21-22 Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God and receive from him anything we ask, because we obey his commands and do what pleases him.

   D365-pause                                 
Life gets noisy. Sit for a moment in the eye of your storm. Close your eyes. Feel and hear yourself breathe.
                                                  
Take absolute confidence in one thing — God’s got this.

This moment, this day, this life — God’s got this.

D365 27Jun2016

pause
Life gets noisy. Sit for a moment in the eye of your storm. Close your eyes. Feel and hear yourself breathe.

Take absolute confidence in one thing — God’s got this.

This moment, this day, this life — God’s got this.

D365

pause
Freedom is a noun.

Freedom means being exempt from external control.

Christ preached freedom, lived freedom, and offered freedom to all.

We have the opportunity to live into the freedom of Jesus Christ and also the responsibility to work toward ensuring others may live into their God-given freedom. Let the Spirit move in, around, and through you today, that you might live freely in Christ our Lord

Daily devotions 6/22/2016

He is not here; for he has been raised, as he said.
(Matthew 28.6 NRSV)
Over a thousand years ago, a Spanish kingdom was under attack by foreign invaders. For many years, one small fort withstood all assaults, thanks to a remarkable leader called El Cid. When their great leader died, his followers had an idea. They dressed his body in his armor, tied a sword in his hand, and placed his corpse on his horse. With El Cid's body in the lead, the Spanish forces charged. But they were quickly defeated, for this act fooled no one. A desperate trick that collapsed led to despair instead of victory.
There will always be those who insist that this was the strategy of the early church--a dead leader, dressed in armor, propped up on a horse with sword in hand. "Tell people," the chief priests said to the soldiers following Christ's resurrection, "that his disciples came while you were asleep and stole his body. That way if the story of his disappearance reaches the governor's ears you won't get into trouble." (Mt. 28:14) Thus from the very beginning, the explanation was advanced that the disciples had stolen Christ's body in order to invent the story of his resurrection.
Never has a less satisfactory solution been proposed to a difficult problem. The reason this explanation was not persuasive then is the same reason it is not persuasive now. It simply does not fit the facts. Christ is alive and nothing can change that fact!

God of the living, thank you for making me alive through Jesus Christ. Amen.
Ron Newhouse

Daily devotions.net 6/21/2016

Do not be alarmed; you are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has been raised; he is not here."
(Mark 16.6 NRSV)

Occasionally we are like terrible-tempered Lucy in the PEANUTS comic strip. Lucy comes into the room where Linus is watching TV. He says to her, "I was here first, so I get to watch what I want." Without a word Lucy marches to the set and flips the channel to her program. Linus protests. "Hey!" Assuming her best know-it-all stance, Lucy states, "In the 19th chapter of the book of Matthew it says, `Many that are first will be last, and the last first.'" Linus' response to this paradox sounds like something you or I would say. He mutters, "I'll bet Matthew didn't have an older sister!"
Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Jesus were the first one's to reach Jesus' tomb early on the first day of the week some two thousand years ago. They may have been the first ones there, but they most certainly felt like Linus who had been dumped on. They felt that all their efforts and work with Jesus had simply left them last in their community. But, in fact, they would be the first to hear: "Read all about it: Jesus is alive." Jesus is indeed alive, as Jesus lives in our hearts.

Dear Jesus, live in me today and always, moment by moment, day by day. Amen.
Ron Newhouse

Look ahead from daily devotions.net

But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you.
(John 14.26 NRSV)

Dwight L. Moody once to his audience, "Tell me, how can I get the air out of the tumbler (glass) I have in my hand?" One man said, "Suck it out with a pump." The evangelist replied, "That would create a vacuum and shatter it." Finally, after many futile suggestions, Moody picked up a pitcher and filled the glass with water. "There," he said, "all the air is now removed." He then explained that victory for the child of God does not come by working hard to eliminate destructive thoughts and habits, but rather by allowing the Holy Spirit to take full possession.
Look ahead to what God has in store for you. Fill your life with God’s hope!
Dear God, thank you for the hope you give to me each day through the power of your Holy Spirit. In Jesus name, Amen.
Ron Newhouse

1 Thessalonians 5:11
New International Version

Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.

Responsibility

Genesis 3:12 And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat.

This seems to be the thread of life... when in doubt, blame someone else. The battle of the sexes? No, it's a he said,she said kinda life. Sin is this, it is the great divider. Like taking that one brick out of a foundation, it causes the whole house to collapse.Sin takes away our self responsibility. The point wasn't who "did it first" it's about taking responsibility and accepting it. Then you can move on .

1 Chronicles 29:11
New International Version

Yours, Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. Yours, Lord, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all.

Live live

Ephesians 5:2 Live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

It doesn't say to live a life if love with people you like. Nor with people who like you or you get along with.  

Just says to live a life of love. Though the world collapses on us. Though everyone hates us. Good or bad. Happy or sad times. 1. Live a life ..... don't stay stuck in mire which kills you slowly. Make a life . 2. Love- whether or not you receive it.       This is how we live as CHRIST  did.

So you think you are perfect?

Romans 3 : 23for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.

Matthew 7 : 3 “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 4How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? 5You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

Back to work again

Wow, sometimes it seems that nothing on this earth is sane. Many wake up and get ready for work. We shower, dress, grab a bite, a coffee , donut, bagel, or something. Then off to work. Then back home, doing whatever it is we do then. How many times, though, do we stop and look at what we are doing? Why am I working? Why am I doing what I'm doing? Is this my life work, sleep, eat, repeat?

Sure, people go to "church" and do "church stuff" and do "good stuff" . Yet, what is it we are really doing?
Are we waking up thanking GOD for another night and morning of life? Do we have a constant dialogue with GOD? Are our words interlaced with building people up? Or is our life empty ?

Deuteronomy 11: 18-23
¹⁸ Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. ¹⁹ Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. ²⁰ Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates, ²¹ so that your days and the days of your children may be many in the land the Lord swore to give your ancestors, as many as the days that the heavens are above the earth.
²² If you carefully observe all these commands I am giving you to follow—to love the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him and to hold fast to him— ²³ then the Lord will drive out all these nations before you, and you will dispossess nations larger and stronger than you.

I believe, we get so caught up in our desires, we forget that as Christians we have one thing to interlace our lives in. when I say lives, it isn't when I wake up and when people see me or I'm "visible" to others. It is a constant like breathing.  This is true work. The payment for this is much greater than our jobs now. Sure, don't quit working. Not even close. What I mean, is the true work is the work that is done, inside, outside, and all around. 24hrs a day..... everyday.....

May the Peace and power of GOD help you meet this.

Peace, Love, Strength,Blessings, and Guidance

-------------------------- FIN-------------------------------------

I haven't written in a while, Dan. Don't know what to tell you. You gotta try harder.

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Prayer

Ah, well, GOD, it's me again. Yeah. I have been around, but not in YOU. Not enough talking to YOU. IT's so easy to let Satan smokescreen our lives. "Yeah, you aren't killing anyone right? You went to church Sunday whoopty doo for you. You don't throw things or slam walls.  You have less anger issues." " you aren't as bad as you were before. See, you are good now....."
GOD, I'm not good! Anything "good" I do, well it's only due to YOUR ability and not giving up on me. I'm just me..... like Paul states about not looking back but going towards the goal..... it's a constant race, not just one where BOOM i'm done now. Oh how I fail you.....
I'm sorry. Help me let go and stop trying to do things on my own. Thank you for those put in my life in order to show me that there is always work to do on myself and I can still be a help to others.

I pray for my parents, they have struggles, but they never seem to let it get to them because they rely on YOU. I pray for their struggles to lessen. For Sam's parents that her mom and step dad and res tof family were sowed with her love and committment to YOU. Shoot, she made them pray at dinner, something i have not seen her do before. Very humbling. I pray for her whole family.
I pray for Zelda, goodness she scares me. I have no idea what I'm doing and I don't want her to make the same mistakes I made. May YOUR light shine through us to her as she grows.
I also, pray for work, it seems so different. I don't know what i'm doing, and I'm scared I'm going to mess things up.
I pray for Andrea's family, all of them. Parents, siblings, spouse, everyone. Never will my heart not have love. Maybe one day we will meet again.

I thank YOU for life. For another day of seeing how awesome and powerful YOU are. Please, give us strength to do all that is needed. SO many lights have been dimmed in this world, due to our loss of committment. Light up the heavens with YOUR love.

In YOUR SON"s name I ask these things. Amen.
 

Today's devotional thanks to Daily Devtions.net

From :

http://www.devotions.net/devotions/05may/31.htm

Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are going into the kingdom of God ahead of you.”
(Matthew 21.31 NRSV)

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Jesus told the chief priest and elders of the temple, "Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are going into the kingdom of God ahead of you." What Jesus told them was unthinkable. These men were the best people in the land. Yet Jesus said tax collectors and prostitutes were going into the kingdom ahead of them. You see, these officials had used their religion to insulate themselves against God. They had their traditions. They had their rules. They really had no need for God. The folks at the bottom of society, on the other hand, had nothing--except God. True, they had said "no" to God sometime in the past, but if they said "yes" now, it was not too late. The officials, on the other hand, had once said "yes," but they had never let God into their lives. Jesus reminded these officials of the preaching of John the Baptist. "Tax collectors and the prostitutes believed (John)," Jesus said, "and even after you saw it, you did not change your minds and believe him." Change was possible even for these men, but they were too blind to see. They did not realize that the message of repentance was for them, too, as it is for each one of us.

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God of love, change me today by the power of your love. Amen.

Ron Newhouse