Month: September 2018

Praying

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This is one of my recent prayers for others.

Prayer can be difficult for us at times. We have heard so many comments about how to pray that we can find ourselves feeling inadequate. There are so many ways to pray and any prayer is heard no matter what.

Recently I have used the book Praying in Color and am enjoying a new prayer style to add to my list. I am no artist but using our hands, eyes and mind seems to help us focus.

Gracious Lord, help us to pray in every way possible…with our voice, with our minds, with our hands and any other way. AMEN

If you would like to try this the book is available on Amazon.

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Our guide book

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The Bible contains the word of God it is NOT the word of God.  ——-unknown

How important is the Bible for us? Very important. It is our guide book on our spiritual journey. It tells the stories of those who have gone before. It lays out the path for us in the person of Jesus Christ….but in itself is not the journey.

guide-book

Amazing God, you have given us much wisdom in the Bible. Help us to read and digest it’s meaning and …most importantly… apply it to our lives. AMEN

Learn from pain

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Out of pain and problems have come the sweetest songs, and the most gripping stories.

Billy Graham

When you read the Bible you discover that the stories are about problems. If there is no trial there is no story. We all suffer pain of some kind. Life is not free of pain but if we are careful we can learn from the pain and use it to help someone else. Each person’s story in the Bible is there for a reason…so that we can learn from it. We can also learn from our own stories and those around us.

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Loving God, you can us many stories in the Bible to learn from. Help us learn from our own and the ones we hear each day. AMEN

What is grace?

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1-13-Grace-DefinitionDo we really understand grace? Do we get that this gift is greater than any we have ever received or ever will. The fact that grace is a free gift of God does not remove us from responsibility. It is not a get out of jail free card. Grace carries with it the fact that God loves us so much that we are given this gift before we respond…..and respond we must. Living out the message of Christ and follow his word is our response.

Generous God, you are willing to give us the gift of grace without any promise on our part. Help us to respond with hearts full of love and willingness to be your hands and feet. AMEN

 

 

Don’t live in vain

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If I can stop one heart from breaking,
I shall not live in vain;
If I can ease one life the aching,
Or cool one pain,
Or help one fainting robin
Unto his nest again,
I shall not live in vain.——————Emily Dickinson

This is exactly what we are called to do each and every day! We are God’s hands and his voice. Live it out!

Bob-Marley-Quote-Live-for-yourself-and-you-will-live-in-vain-Live

Expectant God, you keep waiting for us to understand how to live life. Help us to do it. AMEN

Turn the other cheek

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“An eye for an eye will only make the world blind” ~Mahatma Gandhi

This is an oft quoted piece from the Bible found in Exodus and in Matthew 5 after the beatitudes. The meaning is different that what we usually think. It is about retaliation but calls for only an eye to be taken for an eye. No more. In Matthew Jesus tells us what we really need to do.

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Matthew 5: 38-42

38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ 39 But I say to you, Do not resist an evildoer. But if anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also; 40 and if anyone wants to sue you and take your coat, give your cloak as well; 41 and if anyone forces you to go one mile, go also the second mile. 42 Give to everyone who begs from you, and do not refuse anyone who wants to borrow from you.

Loving Lord, you call us to let go of our anger and put revenge aside. Help us to do so. AMEN

God’s power

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This has been a difficult time for me but God’s grace is always with us. What a wonderful verse to understand that God understands our weaknesses and continues to hold us with his love.

Loving God, we are so blessed that you are always with us. We can feel your grace and love in the most difficult times. AMEN

Do we recognize happiness

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Perhaps if one really knew when one was happy one would know the things that were necessary for one’s life. ——————-Joanna Field

charlie brown happy

I am not sure we know what true happiness is. We keep looking for something perfect when it is the day to day pleasures that bring happiness. God does not expect us to live a life of sadness and sorrow.  He wants us to be happy.  See the small things in each day.

Generous God, you give us small pleasures each day. You show us moments of happiness. Help us to see them. AMEN

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God will hold you up!

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This song has been around for a while and is one of my favorites. It is by Michael Joncas.

This video cites the singer but not the writer.

God is always there to hold us up. 

You who dwell in the shelter of the Lord
Who abide in His shadow for life
Say to the Lord, “My Refuge
My Rock in Whom I trust.”

Refrain
And He will raise you up on eagle’s wings
Bear you on the breath of dawn
Make you to shine like the sun
And hold you in the palm of His Hand

You need not fear the terror of the night
Nor the arrow that flies by day
Under his wings your refuge
His faithfulness your shield

For to His angels He’s given a command
To guard you in all of your ways
Upon their hands they will bear you up
Lest you dash your foot against a stone

Refrain
And He will raise you up on eagle’s wings
Bear you on the breath of dawn
Make you to shine like the sun
And hold you in the palm of His Hand

God expects

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No pessimist ever discovered the secrets of the star, or sailed to an uncharted land, or opened a new heave to the human spirit. ————————-Helen Keller

All through the Bible God calls on the most unexpected people to do wondrous things. Usually they start by saying no I can’t but God doesn’t take no for an answer. He knows what we can do and expects us to do it. Never think you are not good enough for what God plans. You CAN do it!.

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Expectant God, you have made us and know what we can do. Help us to see that too. AMEN