Shalom, welcome to October 15^th


><//>--------------------Thought for the Day

Am I deeply grateful to the Lord for what He has done for me in granting me all that He is and opening up an entirely new Life for me?  Being in Christ has made it possible for me to carry on other interests in business and in various other associations with people.  He has made a full life possible for me.  A life in which all my activities were now made important by being in Him.  All facets of my life have been made fuller by His inclusion in them.  In play, in labor, and in hobbies of various kinds He is there to be glorified.  I cannot desert the Lord with other activities, because I simply bring Him into them with me.

Do I realize that I could have nothing worthwhile without the Lord?


><//>--------------------Meditation for the Day

Feel Plenty

Live in My Secret Place and there the feeling is one of full satisfaction. You are to feel plenty. The storehouses of God are full to overflowing, but you must see this in your mind.

   Be sure of this before you can realize it in material form.

   Think thoughts of plenty. See yourselves as Sons and Daughters of a King. I have told you this. Wish plenty for yourselves, and all you care for and long to help.


><//>--------------------Prayer for the Day

Father, we pray we may have a sense of the Eternal value of the work that we do and the life that we live. We pray that we may not only work and live for now, but also for Eternity. Amen.


A Disciple's Reflections:  Worry, Worry, Worry

"So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Today's trouble is enough for today." \
– Matthew 6:34

Beloved, I have a friend who was one of the world's great worriers. Everything troubled her. The glass was always half empty. She put the worst construction on almost everything. And sometimes, she was right – life is like that.

I remember trying to talk her out of worrying about things. I even remember reminding her about what Jesus says in the 6th chapter of Matthew – not to worry about life but to remember that God cares about and for us. Of course, nothing would change her mind although the conversation, itself a cause for much worry, was probably helpful.

It seems that worrying is just some people's nature. Other people get by without much of it. They seem to have a carefree "everything is going to work out" mentality. Most of us seem to float back and forth between the extremes. It all depends on how our particular day is going.

And that is really Jesus' point.

Lots of people remember the earlier verses of this chapter from Matthew. They know that the line "consider the lilies of the field" is somewhere in the Bible. But I wonder if many people know about verse 34. That the philosophies of groups like Alcoholics Anonymous – to live one day at a time – is also a biblical notion.

To live one day at a time... wouldn’t that be great beloved?

We live in the TODAY and let the failures, the faults, the hurts of the past fade away into the midst of yesterday. We graciously forget that there is a tomorrow to worry about; to let time move on without our pushing it along. To take life one day at a time, one decision at a time... When worries come, we must offer them up to God and let Him take care of them. When decisions are made, relax and trust that we will make the right one. And if we don't, that we'll be able to recover from the wrong one.

Most important here is to remember that because of grace we can and we must admit when we are wrong.  This is not a human leaning.  We remember that even Adam tried to hide that wrong that he had done.  We will too unless we fervently and powerfully force ourselves to face our wrongs and allow ourselves to be corrected.  This is also why it is important that we come under accountability to least one other mature like-minded believer.

To live one day at a time means that we don't have to worry so much about those weighty ideas like "always", "never" and "forever." Those are great big words that belong only on God's shoulders – normally they are too much for us to bear, and we don't have to bear them. Such words don't belong in today's vocabulary. "Today" words are limited to things like "now", "next" and "for the time being."

We have lots of things to be concerned about. We always will - but when we live one day at time we get to choose, "Do I really want to worry about that NOW or can it wait awhile?" Imagine how much more energy we'll have if we can limit our attention to what is right before us today  – God will take care of the past, the future, and us, today.

We better understand, precious one, what is meant when we say the Lord grants us "new grace" each day.  Never do we take the guilt of yesterday's mis-steps into the new day, nor do we concern ourselves with the prospect of tomorrow.  We live each day aware of the truth in all things moving ever forward and upward more and more into the likeness of the One we so adore.

Let us see ourselves as the children of a Loving Father.  Once we've done the best we can in any particular moment, let us put our trust in God for the rest.

Let us pray: Gracious Lord, we know it is not good for us to worry. Help us to consider today as if today is all there is. Help us focus on the issues You bring before us today. Help us enjoy the life we will lead today. Lead us where You want us to go and carry us when we get tired. In Jesus' name. Amen.


Resentment – A Luxury We Cannot Afford

"A fool gives full vent to his anger, but a wise man keeps himself under control."
– Proverbs 29:11

Anger is like worry in that it resolves absolutely nothing and it causes strife. But more than oneself, anger almost always affects others. And if one is provoked and yields to anger, then great damage can be done. Oh sure, anger takes on many forms, but it never serves a positive purpose whenever or wherever it is applied. We see that in those who so hate the U. S., and claim, so foolishly, that it's God's will.

Any fool can vent anger, but it is truly a wise man that stays calm in the face of provocation. And the temptations to anger are many, from distress in personal relationships, to an injustice of any kind, from harmful words said, to slanderous actions taken, from trials to tribulations, from carelessness or callousness, to hostility or maliciousness, from bigotry to hatred, from discouragement to loneliness, from helplessness to hopelessness.

It is a fool who gives in to anger, but James tells us (James 1:20),"for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires." Anger is contrary to goodness, to which I believe most will agree. Yet we all have our moments when we are most vulnerable to this trap of the devil. Today, if we feel the urge to succumb to anger, remember that anger resides in the lap of fools. May we have the strength today to seek the righteous life that God desires and remain calm, cool, and collected when under fire. To use the old adage, "Life is too short" for anger of any kind. For this too shall pass.

"But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips." 
– Colossians 3:8 


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Please have a blessed day, be hopeful, be encouraged, and know you are not alone.

“God Calling” compiled by A. J. Russell.
"Twenty-Four Hours A Day" Hazelton – adapted.
Kerry Nelson writes Worry, Worry, Worry.
Greg Candelaria writes Continued Anger – A Luxury We Cannot Afford.
Barry Gray writes A Disciple’s Reflections.