Lord, give me strength and wisdom to live this day as I ought.
Give me...
strength to overcome every temptation which may come to me,
strength to do well every task which is assigned to me,
strength to shoulder every responsibility which is laid upon my shoulders,
Give me...
wisdom to know when to speak and when to keep silent,
wisdom to know when to act and when to refrain from action,
wisdom to know when to speak my mind and when to hold my peace.
So bring me to the end of this day in goodness, in happiness and in peace. Amen.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Thursday, March 26, 2009
In All Kinds Of Weather
When Jesus sent His disciples out, He gave them this promise: “I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matt. 28:20). Literally, the word always means “all the days,” according to Greek scholars Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown.
Jesus didn’t simply say, “always,” but “all the days.” That takes into account all our various activities, the good and bad circumstances surrounding us, the varied responsibilities we have through the course of our days, the storm clouds and the sunshine.
Our Lord is present with us no matter what each day brings. It may be a day of joy or of sadness, of sickness or of health, of success or of failure. No matter what happens to us today, our Lord is walking beside us, strengthening us, loving us, filling us with faith, hope, and love. As He envelops us with quiet serenity and security, our foes, fears, afflictions, and doubts begin to recede. We can bear up in any setting and circumstance because we know the Lord is at hand, just as He told Paul in Acts 18:10, “I am with you.”
Practice God’s presence, stopping in the midst of your busy day to say to yourself, “The Lord is here.” And pray that you will see Him who is invisible—and see Him everywhere. — David H. Roper
Seek the Lord while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near. —Isaiah 55:6
Jesus didn’t simply say, “always,” but “all the days.” That takes into account all our various activities, the good and bad circumstances surrounding us, the varied responsibilities we have through the course of our days, the storm clouds and the sunshine.
Our Lord is present with us no matter what each day brings. It may be a day of joy or of sadness, of sickness or of health, of success or of failure. No matter what happens to us today, our Lord is walking beside us, strengthening us, loving us, filling us with faith, hope, and love. As He envelops us with quiet serenity and security, our foes, fears, afflictions, and doubts begin to recede. We can bear up in any setting and circumstance because we know the Lord is at hand, just as He told Paul in Acts 18:10, “I am with you.”
Practice God’s presence, stopping in the midst of your busy day to say to yourself, “The Lord is here.” And pray that you will see Him who is invisible—and see Him everywhere. — David H. Roper
God’s unseen presence comforts me,
I know He’s always near;
And when life’s storms besiege my soul,
He says, “My child, I’m here.” —D. De Haan
Seek the Lord while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near. —Isaiah 55:6
March 25, 2009
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
A person who can't submit to authority has no business being in authority
Romans 13:1-2 says, Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves.
It is clear that submission to authority is a key requirement for being in authority. Rebelling against authority is rebelling against God because God has instituted that authority. God will not bless someone who rebels against Him. Thus, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also because of conscience (Romans 13:5).
Furthermore, the Bible instructs you to obey your leaders and submit to their authority (Hebrews 13:17). This means that even if you disagree with your pastor, you ought to submit to him out of respect for God.
Therefore, submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every authority instituted among men (1 Peter 2:13). Submit yourself to authority because a person who can't submit to authority has no business being in authority.
Weekly Wisdoms for the week of March 23, 2009
http://www.christnotes.org/ww.php?d=2009-03-23
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Personality Tests - Get to know yourself better
Your view on yourself:
You are down-to-earth and people like you because you are so straightforward. You are an efficient problem solver because you will listen to both sides of an argument before making a decision that usually appeals to both parties.
The type of girlfriend/boyfriend you are looking for:
You like serious, smart and determined people. You don't judge a book by its cover, so good-looking people aren't necessarily your style. This makes you an attractive person in many people's eyes.
Your readiness to commit to a relationship:
You prefer to get to know a person very well before deciding whether you will commit to the relationship.
The seriousness of your love:
You are very serious about relationships and aren't interested in wasting time with people you don't really like. If you meet the right person, you will fall deeply and beautifully in love.
Your views on education:
Education is very important in life. You want to study hard and learn as much as you can.
The right job for you:
You're a practical person and will choose a secure job with a steady income. Knowing what you like to do is important. Find a regular job doing just that and you'll be set for life.
How do you view success:
Success in your career is not the most important thing in life. You are content with what you have and think that being with someone you love is more than spending all of your precious time just working.
What are you most afraid of:
You are concerned about your image and the way others see you. This means that you try very hard to be accepted by other people. It's time for you to believe in who you are, not what you wear.
Who is your true self:
You are full of energy and confidence. You are unpredictable, with moods changing as quickly as an ocean. You might occasionally be calm and still, but never for long.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
He who is not content with what he has will not be content with what he wants
Life may seem like a race to accumulate more money, more wealth, more status, and more possessions. Sadly, many people are very greedy and look only for ways to get more for themselves, thinking, "If I could just get this certain thing, then I would be happy."
However, greed is not the path to contentment. Greed is when you always want a little bit more. Yet, greed causes you to never be satisfied, because you always want more and as soon as you get what you want, you want even more. And so you never get what you want, because what you really want is contentment.
The old cliche "money cannot buy happiness" really is true.
It is no wonder Ecclesiastes 5:10 says, Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income.
Likewise, Hebrews 13:5 tells us: Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." In other words, God is enough to keep any person content and joyful.
The fact that God is always with you and that He will never leave you ought to be a cause of great joy in your life.
The apostle Paul knew how to be content. In Philippians 4:11-13, he said, I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength.
In other words, Paul said that regardless of his immediate circumstances he could be content. Why? Because he lived his life through Christ and in Christ. In short, Paul knew that the secret of being content is God!
If you don't have peace and joy right now where you are in your life, please understand that getting more things will not give you contentment. Instead, you need to seek God, because He is the source of true contentment. Then, once you have established God as the source of your contentment, you can be content in any and every situation.
Weekly Wisdoms for the week of March 16, 2009
http://www.christnotes.org/ww.php?d=2009-03-16
http://www.christnotes.org/ww.php?d=2009-03-16
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
I don't know what tomorrow holds, but I know who holds tomorrow
Obviously, we have no way of knowing what our future will be; however, as Christians, we know the one who knows--God.
We should not worry about the future, because our times are in His hands (Psalm 31:15). In other words, God will give you what you need when you need it.
Therefore, it is no surprise that Jesus repeatedly tells us not to worry: "Do not worry about tomorrow" (Matthew 6:34).
Again, Jesus emphasized that God loves and cares for us, and we therefore should not worry about our life: "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?" (Matthew 6:25-27).
Although you don't know what God has in store for you, be assured that He has a good plan for your life (see Romans 8:28). Because He has such a good plan for you, there is no need to worry about life. Although you don't know what tomorrow holds, you have the opportunity to know the one who holds tomorrow!
We should not worry about the future, because our times are in His hands (Psalm 31:15). In other words, God will give you what you need when you need it.
Therefore, it is no surprise that Jesus repeatedly tells us not to worry: "Do not worry about tomorrow" (Matthew 6:34).
Again, Jesus emphasized that God loves and cares for us, and we therefore should not worry about our life: "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?" (Matthew 6:25-27).
Although you don't know what God has in store for you, be assured that He has a good plan for your life (see Romans 8:28). Because He has such a good plan for you, there is no need to worry about life. Although you don't know what tomorrow holds, you have the opportunity to know the one who holds tomorrow!
Weekly Wisdoms for the week of March 9, 2009
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