WHAT IS THIS WORLD COMING TO?

This girl here,

was sitting at her computer down in the corner by the little

window.  And I was sitting arms length away at my computer,

the big one with the big screen.  We were each doing our

 own thing on our computers.

When "that" girl emailed me to tell me she was hungry and

wanted a snack.

What happened to talking.  You know, communication.

How will we converse if the electricity goes off?

Come quickly Lord Jesus.

TODAY'S PROMISE

"Blessed are the undefiled in the way,
who walk in the law of the LORD.
Blessed are they that keep his testimonies,
and that seek him with the whole heart."
(Psalms 119:1,2 KJV)

"The promises of the Lord can be trusted;

they are as genuine as silver refined

seven times in the furnace."

(Psalms 12:6 GNB)

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)

BOOKS AND MORE BOOKS

"But as for you,

Christ has poured out his Spirit on you.

As long as his Spirit remains in you,

you do not need anyone to teach you.

For his Spirit teaches you about everything,

and what he teaches is true, not false.

Obey the Spirit's teaching, then

and remain in union with Christ."

(1 John 1:27 GNB)

Books, books and more books.

I LOVE BOOKS.

Over the years there have been two things I could not pass up.

Books and tools.

I have had hundreds of books.

Most of these books have been either spiritual in content,

or instructional.

[You think I should have read more of them.  I probably should have!]

One of these books - EXPERIENCING THE DEPTHS OF 

JESUS CHRIST - by Jeanne Guyon

has a thought I want to look into more deeply

and pass on to you.

One of her chapters is written for illiterates, 

people who cannot read.

That's right.  She wrote a chapter for people who cannot read.

She intended that someone who could read, would read it to 

someone who could not read.

The essence of that chapter is, 

you do not need to suffer spiritually because you cannot read.

On page fifteen she says,

"The first thing you must learn, dear friend,

is that 'the kingdom of God is within you.'

(Luke 17:21)

"Never look for the kingdom anywhere but there,

within.  Once you have realized that the kingdom of God is

within you and can be found there, just come to the Lord."

The apostle Paul seems to concur with this,

that is, if you are a "real" Christian and 

the Spirit of God is in you.

"But you do not live as your human nature tells you to:

instead, you live as the Spirit tells you to -

if, in fact, God's Spirit lives in you.

Whoever does not have the Spirit of Christ

 does not belong to him."

(Romans 8:9 GNB)

"Surely you know that you are God's temple

and that God's Spirit lives in you!

.... For God's" temple is holy, and you

yourselves are his temple."

(1 Corinthians 3:16, 17 GNB)

"Don't you know that your body is the temple

of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you

and who was given to you by God?"

(1 Corinthians 6:19 GNB)

Is it possible that those of us who love books

may be looking the wrong place for our guidance.

That is, other people rather than the "Spirit" that 

is within us.

Of course, if it is not God's Spirit in us,

we are in trouble anyway and would only

be mislead further.

Books are good.

But are books causing us to miss the best?

"My child, there is something else to watch out for.

There is no end to the writing of books,

and too much study will wear you out."

(Ecclesiastes 12:12 GNB)

DIAGNOSED BY GOD

"Search me O God,

and know my heart:

try me,

and know my thoughts:

And see if there be any wicked way in me,

and lead me in the way everlasting."

(Psalms 139:23,24 KJV)

CHRISTMAS PREPARATION

Photo courtesy of: www.bigfoto.com

Remember

1. "Jesus is the reason for the season."

If it had not been for Jesus Christ, there would be no Christmas.

Decide

2. Are you going to please Jesus for Christmas

or the merchants.

Consider

3.  While you are doing your Christmas shopping

consider that Jesus, who Christmas is all about,

said,

"Those who love their father or mother

more than me are not fit to be my disciples;

those who love their son or daughter more than me

are not fit to be my disciples."

(Matthew 10:37 GNB)

TODAY'S PROMISE

"And you shall serve the LORD your God,
and he will bless your bread, and your water,
and I will take sickness away from the midst of you.
There will nothing cast their young,
nor be barren, in your land;
the number of your days I will fulfill."
(Exodus 23:25,26 AKJV)

"The promises of the Lord can be trusted;

they are as genuine as silver refined

seven times in the furnace."

(Psalms 12:6 GNB)

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)

MY CROSS

Jesus said,

"If you want to come with me,

you must forget yourself,

take up your cross every day, 

and follow me."

(Luke 923 GNB)

The cross was an instrument of execution.

We all know that.

And many of us understand out of love, devotion

and responsibility giving our selves totally to Christ.

Giving ourselves without reservation to him and his service

and a life of holiness.  Then going forth in the power of

the Holy Spirit.

Now this will go against some "theoryologies".

I know.  I've been there.

But if we will be honest with ourselves we find that life

is like gardening.  A weed is going to crop up.  It may be

the same day, or another year.  But there will be a piece of

root left in the ground.  Or a seed blown in by the wind.

And our life will have a weed(s) in it.

God knows these vessels of clay.  God also knows what

life is going to throw at us.  That is why he said, 

"take up your cross every day,"  Or as another version

says, "daily".

Praise God.  After a time of refreshment with the Lord,

tomorrow will be a new day.  And we will die (again?)

to self, pick up our cross and carry on.