David Avenges the Gibeonites 1 Now there was a famine in the days of David for three years, year after year; and David inquired of the LORD. And the LORD answered, “It is because of Saul and his bloodthirsty house, because he killed the Gibeonites.â€
It took David three years to ask God if there was a particular reason for the famine. When we face a difficult circumstance, should we ask God why it's happening? The tendency is to assume, "It's a fallen world; bad things just happen." Perhaps we should ask God to reveal if there's anything we did to bring about the difficulty, anything we need to repent of or make amends for. In this case, Saul had done something bad, and the famine was the result. When David made things right, the famine ceased. What areas of your life could use some examination?
Six year old Brandon decided one Saturday morning to fix his parents pancakes. He found a big bowl and spoon, pulled a chair to the counter, opened the cupboard and pulled out the heavy flour canister, spilling it on the floor.
He scooped some of flour into the bowl with his hands, mixed in most of a cup of milk and added some sugar, leaving a floury trail on the floor which by now had a few tracks left by his kitten.
Brandon was covered with flour and getting frustrated. He wanted this to be something very good for Mom and Dad, but it was getting very bad. He didn't know what to do next, whether to put it all into the oven or on the stove, (and he didn't now how the stove worked!).
Suddenly he saw his kitten licking from the bowl of mix and reached to push her away, knocking the egg carton to the floor.
Frantically he tried to clean up this monumental mess but slipped on the eggs, getting his pajamas white and sticky.
And just then he saw Dad standing at the door. Big crocodile tears welled up in Brandon's eyes. All he'd wanted to do was something good, but he'd made a terrible mess. He was sure a scolding was coming, maybe even a spanking. But his father just watched him.
Then, walking through the mess, he picked up his crying son, hugged him and loved him, getting his own pajamas white and sticky in the process.
That's how God deals with us. We try to do something good in life, but it turns into a mess. Our marriage gets all sticky or we insult a friend or we can't stand our job or our health goes sour. Sometimes we just stand there in tears because we can't think of anything else to do. That's when God picks us up and loves us and forgives us, even though some of our mess gets all over Him. But just because we might mess up, we can't stop trying to "make pancakes," for God or for others. Sooner or later we'll get it right, and then they'll be glad we tried...
So please pass some of this grace and love to others, when they are trying new and challenging things. Remember, it might be your son one day who you find making a mess out of your kitchen because he loves you enough to "make pancakes."
"My grace is sufficient for you" (2 Corinthians 11:9).
If you are older than 35, you may recall the early days of the space program. I remember the early spacecraft launch with John Glenn. One of the most exciting and tense moments of his return to earth was his re-entry to the earth's atmosphere. I recall the diagram on television of the heat shield on the capsule that had to withstand incredible temperatures to avoid complete destruction. There was a blackout period for several minutes in which mission control had no radio contact. He was in the "black hole." It was a tense time. Either he would make it through, or the spacecraft would burn up in the atmosphere. There were several minutes of silence that seemed like an eternity. Then, mission control would shout with joy when they reestablished contact with the spacecraft. It was a time of rejoicing.
Have you ever had a time when you were in the black hole spiritually in your life? I have. The pressure was unbearable. No sense of God's presence. No sense of anything going on around you. God was about as far away as the man in the moon -- at least from my perspective. I think every Christian who is called to make a significant difference in his world experiences times like these. These are the times when we question the reality of God, the love of God, the personal care of God. And He demonstrates to us that He was there all the time. These are "faith experiences" that God does in every person who is called to a higher level of relationship with Him. These times are needful to know that we have the "heat shield" that can withstand the incredible heat that comes when we follow Him with a whole heart. A heart that is "suicidal" in our commitment to fully follow His ways. Elijah had that spirit. He left his 12 oxen and burned them so that He would not have the opportunity to return to anything if God didn't come through.
The Apostle Paul asked God to remove the heat from his own life one time. God's answer was not what he wanted to hear, "But He said to me, My grace - favor and loving kindness and mercy - are enough for you, (that is, sufficient against any danger and to enable you to bear the trouble manfully); for My strength and power are made perfect - fulfilled and completed and show themselves most effective - in your weakness. Therefore, I will all the more gladly glory in my weakness and infirmities, that the strength and power of Christ, the Messiah, may rest - yes, may pitch a tent over and dwell - upon me!" (2 Corinthians 11:9 Amplified).
How's your heat shield today? Can it withstand the heat that would want to burn up everything in your life not based in Him? Christ said that "My grace is sufficient." Is that really true in your life?
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. -- Philippians 2:3
Humility is recognizing who God has made us to be and using that to serve and redeem others. Living in humility as Jesus did, we don't just practice the golden rule, but we go one step better -- we treat others better than we would treat ourselves. Because we're unworthy or unfit? No! Jesus was worthy and glorious, but he counted others better than himself when he sacrificially gave himself to redeem them. It's a high standard. It's a hard standard. It is not for wimps. But it is ultimately glorious (hint, read down through verses 9-10 and remember that the same type of reward will be given to the faithful!).
PRAYER: Almighty God, thank you for adopting me as your child and making me holy and precious to you. Please help me to see myself as you do, and then, as one of your precious children, empower me to serve others in ways that help them see your glory. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
Let everything that hath breath praise the Lord, praise ye the lord. &nb sp; &nb sp; &nb sp; &nb sp; Psalm 150:6
God looked down upon His creation and saw that it was good. In time, God's creation looked back and saw that God was good. Together they formed a unity of love and devotion. Through their covenant, all creation was brought into harmony. The Lord loves His children, and many of His children love him back. Praise the Lord with all of your being. With each breath you take, remember that the Lord is God. Nothing you do is done apart from Him. Wherever you go, God is there. He will never leave those who love Him. He gives us new years and new challenges, and He helps us grow and learn. As we approach the new year, we can enter it confident that God goes forth with us. Praise the Lord, one and all. The Lord has been very good to His children.
I thank You for the year just past - the challenges and joys - and I look forward to the future, asking Your blessing upon it. Be with me, Lord, and with all my loved ones. Keep me in Your care. Shine Your light upon my path, and make me acceptable in Your sight. Amen.
As you go about your day try and do at least one small act of kindness for someone you already know or even a total stranger,someone in passing etc.
Sometimes by just asking someone "How are you dong today?" it may give them an opportunity to express good or bad feelings. But it least it shows them you cared enough to ask, that may just be the "Bright" spot of his or her day.
It can be a cold cruel world out there at times, show some love!!!
Happy Birthday Jesus Solo The Birth of Jesus (Matthew 1:18-25 from the Message) The birth of Jesus took place like this. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. Before they came to the marriage bed, Joseph discovered she was pregnant. (It was by the Holy Spirit, but he didn't know that.) Joseph, chagrined but noble, determined to take care of things quietly so Mary would not be disgraced.While he was trying to figure a way out, he had a dream. God's angel spoke in the dream: "Joseph, son of David, don't hesitate to get married. Mary's pregnancy is Spirit-conceived. God's Holy Spirit has made her pregnant. She will bring a son to birth, and when she does, you, Joseph, will name him Jesus—'God saves'—because he will save his people from their sins." This would bring the prophet's embryonic sermon to full term: Watch for this—a virgin will get pregnant and bear a son; They will name him Immanuel (Hebrew for "God is with us").Then Joseph woke up. He did exactly what God's angel commanded in the dream: He married Mary. But he did not consummate the marriage until she had the baby. He named the baby Jesus.
"Comrades, This is Vaughn Moore, with a strange story about a soldier boy and a deck of cards... During the North American Campaign, a bunch of soldier boys had been on a long hike, and arrived in a little town called Kasinok. The next morning being a Sunday, several of the boys went to church. A sergeant commanded the boys in Church, and after the Chaplain had read the prayer, the Text was taken up next. Those of the boys who had Prayer Books took them out, but this one boy had only a deck of cards, and so he spread the out. The Sergeant saw the cards, and said "Soldier, put away those cards. After the services were over, the soldier was taken prisoner and brought before the Provost Marshal.
The Marshal said, " Sergeant, why have you brought this man here!" " For playing cards in church, Sir" "And what have you to say for yourself, Boy?" "Much Sir", replied the Soldier. The Marshal replied "I hope so , for if not, I will punish you more severely than any man has ever been punished".
The soldier said, "Sir, I have been on march for about six days, and I have neither Bible, nor Prayer Book; but I hope to satisfy you Sir, with the purity of my intentions. And with that, the boy started his story... You see Sir, When I look at the Ace... It reminds me that there is but one God, and the Deuce... It reminds me that the bible is divided into two parts, The Old and The New Testaments, and when I look at the Trey...I think of the Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit. When I see the Four...I think of the four evangelists who preached the Gospel: there were Mathew, Mark, Luke and John. And when I see the Five... It reminds me of the five virgins who trimmed their lamps, there were 10 of them; five who trimmed their lamps, five were foolish and were shut out. And when I see the Six... It reminds me that in six days God made this great Heaven and Earth. When I see the seven...It reminds me that on the seventh day, God rested from His great work. And when I see the Eight...I think of the eight righteous persons that God saved when He destroyed this earth. There was Noah, his wife, and their son and their wives. And when I see the Nine... I think of the lepers Our Savior cleaned, because it was nine out of ten who didn't even thank Him. When I see the Ten... I think of the Ten Commandments that God handed down to Moses on a table of stone. When I see the King... It reminds me that there is but one King of Heaven - God Almighty. And when I see the Queen... I think of the blessed Virgin Mary, who is Queen of Heaven. And when I see the Jack of Knaves...It is the Devil. When I count the number of spots on a deck of cards, I find 365, the number of days in a year. There are 52 cards, the number of weeks in a year. There are four suits, the number of weeks in a month. There are 12 picture cards, the number of months in a year. There are 13 tricks, the number of weeks in a quarter.
"So you see Sir, my pack of cards serves me as a Bible, Almanac and Prayer Book."
With a tear, the Marshal just waved the soldier away.
DECK OF CARDS Recorded by T. Texas TylerTraditional Arrangement
When you're young, everything about Christmas is magical. But when you're an adolescent, things start to get more complicated. And when you're an adolescent spending the holidays in a shelter or mental health facility receiving treatment, you could really use some help restoring your faith in Christmas magic.
While you're doing your holiday shopping this year, consider picking up a small gift for a teenager spending the holidays away from home, in an unfamiliar and scary environment. Your gift will distributed to teens spending the holidays in Morris County Youth Shelter, or receiving treatment at St. Clare's Hospital Behavioral Health Service for reasons such as abuse, neglect / parent rejection, self mutilation, eating disorders, anxiety, depression, or a suicide attempt.
Suggested items include, but are not limited to:
* A comfy, fun pillow or pillow case
* Festive Pajama pants
* Fun patterned socks
* Boxer Shorts
* A cute looking journal & glitter pens
* Stationery, Fun Pens, & Stickers
* Scented Lotions & Body Washes
* Bath Loofahs & Scented Soaps
* Nail polish
* Flavored Lip Balm
* Playing Cards
* Board Games
* Age Appropriate Books
* Batteries
Items can either be give to me directly if you know me, or mailed to:
Heather Wyman, Creative Arts Therapist
50 Morris Avenue
Denville, NJ 07834
~PLEASE READ & REPOST OR PASS ON TO ANYONE YOU THINK WOULD BE INTERESTED IN PARTICIPATING! THANKS & HAPPY HOLIDAYS!~
