A SHORT MEDITATION

Image courtesy of: www.Pixabay.com   

There are a number of things I thoroughly enjoy in life

besides eating.  One of them is watching the hawks in

this area soar around the sky.  Another is being outside

when a storm front comes in. [If it is not too cold.]

This morning sitting on the front porch, enjoying the 

incoming storm front, I saw a hawk soaring above having

a great time.  It was not high, giving me as good look.

I noticed that it keep it's self pointed into the wind, or

the storm if you prefer.  It was taking advantage of the 

storm for it's self.  Shortly more hawks joined it.  There

were a total of seven hawks in a group out for a "joy

fly" in the storm.

What do I learn from this?

God said through St. James:

"Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you

encounter various trials, knowing that the

testing of your faith produces endurance.  And

let endurance have its perfect result, so that you

may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing."

(James 1:2-4 NASB)  

Yesterday was just such a day for me.  It was Monday.

You know about Mondays.  It seemed that everything

I touched went wrong, backwards, to the dogs.  Each

machine gave me trouble and seemed to have other

problems in addition the the one I was attempting to

repair.

But I did remember the above admonition.  It was 

tough.  But throughout the day I kept reminding 

myself of the above Scripture and endured. (Sort of) 

Then last night after some rest and refreshments,

it came back to me real clearly.  On two different

machines that were driving me nuts, God (Not my

mind) clearly lead me in directions that were not 

even in my thinking.  You and I both know that

they begin to work properly then.

When the day was over,

I was able to count it all joy.

TODAY'S PROMISE

"But the Lord is faithful,

and he will strengthen you

and keep you safe from the Evil One.

And the Lord gives us confidence in you,

and we are sure that you are doing and

will continue to do what we tell you.

May the Lord lead you into a greater

understanding of God's love

and the endurance that is given by Christ."

(2 Thessalonians 3:3-5 GNT)

******************

"The promises of the Lord can be trusted;

they are as genuine as silver refined

seven times in the furnace."

(Psalms 12:6 GNT)

1. Meditate on God's Promises.

2. Plead the Promises at the throne of Grace.

3. Act in Faith that God Will Perform His Promises.

(William Gurnall)

PRAISE THE LORD ANYWAY

About three days ago three of the neighbor's sheep got into

our yard.  And yesterday it was seven of his sheep in our yard.

Now my opinion is that sheep are neat critters.  Also the more

they eat - the less there is to mow or trim.  Cool, right?

Bring them on neighbor.

But my wife has a different opinion.  She actually spent some 

money on a bunch of plants.  Hard earned money and lots of it.

That's beyond my comprehension.  But it's a fact.

The sheep are the neighbor's.  And on that side the fence is his.

But he is a busy man.  So all I could do was say, "Yes dear.  As 

soon as I come back from the barber in the morning I'll fix the fence.

[Or something like that.]

That was yesterday.

[This is the day that the Lord has made.]

This morning early on my way to town - there were thirteen sheep 

in the yard.  Hey the day is just starting.

And were the fence needs repair there is a LARGE briar bush.

With lots and lots of thorns.

 I rode one of my motorcycles to the barber shop.  (The old back road 

one to gas it while in town.) The parking lot is on a good slope.  So

I pulled up close to the door.

When leaving I got in too big of a hurry and did not back down far

enough to get off the slope.  You guessed it.  I dumped it right there 

on the slope - on the right side.

The barber helped me get it back up.  Got it on it's kick stand to 

try starting it, but I was still on the slop.  It rolled forward off 

the stand and dumped it on the left side this time - with my left

foot pinned under it.  (Praise God for such an exciting day.)

You can see what it did to the windshield.

And this is oil all over the right side from the broken valve cover.

Hey, PRAISE GOD I was not hurt and it rode home O.K.

Even before leaving the house I had determined to spend a little more

time in the "Word" when I got back.  So after parking the bike in the 

shop I went straight into the office and started reading where I had left

off.  I read only two verses and then read,

"We also boast of our troubles, because we know that trouble

produces endurance, endurance brings God's approval,

and his approval creates hope."

(Romans 5:3,4 GNB)

THANK YOU JESUS FOR ALL THE ENDURANCE YOU

CREATED IN ME TODAY AND THE HOPE YOU GAVE 

ME THROUGH IT.