October 31/06

Literature Ministries International/Tozer Devotional

Failure and Success: I Refuse to Compete

So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase. Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor.
1 Corinthians 3:7-8

"Dear Lord, I refuse henceforth to compete with any of Thy servants. They have congregations larger than mine. So be it. I rejoice in their success. They have greater gifts. Very well. That is not in their power nor in mine. I am humbly grateful for their greater gifts and my smaller ones. I only pray that I may use to Thy glory such modest gifts as I possess. I will not compare myself with any, nor try to build up my self-esteem by noting where I may excel one or another in Thy holy work. I herewith make a blanket disavowal of all intrinsic worth. I am but an unprofitable servant. I gladly go to the foot of the class and own myself the least of Thy people. If I err in my self judgment and actually underestimate myself I do not want to know it. I purpose to pray for others and to rejoice in their prosperity as if it were my own. And indeed it is my own if it is Thine own, for what is Thine is mine, and while one plants and another waters it is Thou alone that giveth the increase." The Price of Neglect, 104-105."Amen


Do you hear the heart of God in this? Holy Goose Bumps!

Leeland

One of the most melodic and worshipful sounds I have heard in a long while....it just reaches in and pulls you into the sound...I just can't help raise my praise to God when I hear it....over and over again! Check it out!

Lyrics and behind the music info from www.Jesusfreakhideout.com

Sound Of Melodies
by Leeland

Lyrics:
We who were called to be Your people
Struggling sinners and thieves
We’re lifted up from the ashes
And out came the song of the redeemed
The song of the redeemed
The song of the redeemed

Can You hear the sound of melodies
Oh, the sound of melodies
Rising up to You
Rising up to You, God

The sound of melodies
Oh, the sound of melodies
Rising up to You
Rising up to You, God

We have caught a revelation
That nothing can separate us from
The love we received through salvation
It fills your daughters and your sons
Your daughters and your sons

The sound of Your love
The sound of Your love
Is what You’re hearing
The sound of Your sons
The sound of Your sons
You’ve won Your children
The sound of Your love
The sound of Your love
Is what You’re hearing
Your daughters in love
Your daughters in love
You’ve won your children

The sound of melodies
Oh, the sound of melodies
Rising up to You
Rising up to You, God

Words & Music by Leeland Dayton Mooring, Jack Anthony Mooring and Steve Wilson / © 2006 Meaux Mercy (BMI) / Meaux Jeaux (SESAC) / Meaux Mercy, River Oaks Music Company (BMI)

Behind the Song: The first of back-to-back workhorse songs, drummer Mike Smith says, “Every time I hear this song it’s like the first time I’ve heard it—I’m just as excited.” The title track combines rich, heartfelt lyrics with searing passion imbued in Leeland Mooring’s vocals. “The reason I think this song is so powerful,” Leeland says, “is because it’s stating a claim. It’s making a declaration that this is our sound to God. It’s the sound of your people who have been redeemed and saved by grace singing to you, God, or worshiping you, whatever you might want to say. And I think that means more to God than even the constant singing by the angels in heaven.”

His Victorious Indwelling...Today

(So sweet is this ministering to me, still.)

"He is not a man like me that I might answer him, that we might confront each other in court. If only there were someone to arbitrate between us, to lay his hand upon us both, someone to remove God's rod from me, so that his terror would frighten me no more."
Job 9:32-34

You cannot keep up being a Christian for a day: You cannot follow Christ for a single hour. You are not asked to. All you are asked to do is as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord so to keep on walking in Him; drawing from His fullness for all your needs, drawing upon His resources.
Your repentance is inadequate, and always will be; you cannot feel shame and sorrow for sin as you ought to do. But the Lord Jesus can, and does, on your behalf. He has condemned sin in the flesh even though it were His own flesh. He has taken sides with God against sin on your behalf; He has taken sides with you. He is the Daysman between the two (Job 9:33).
You cannot love God as you ought to do. How many honest Christian hearts there are who are constantly bemoaning their lack of love to God! Of course you do not love God as you ought to; you never will. God does not ask for any measure of love from you to obtain salvation, but He asks you to accept His love, and having accepted His love, that love of His to you will be radiated back again from you to Him. Your love is weak and poor enough, and though you loved Him enough to die a martyr's death, your love would be inadequate to the great love wherewith He has loved you.
So I pray you not to be occupied with your own state, your own condition, your own feelings, your own anything, but with Christ.
J. Russell Howden

We are as dependent upon God when we speak to one soul as when we preach to a thousand. I have learned this by experience; I have gone to see a sick person in great self-confidence and found I had nothing to say. And then the Lord taught me I must wait upon Him for the message for a single soul as much as when I was going to preach. May we ever remember this, that there may be no trace of self-confidence remaining in the heart.
Edward Dennett

From Insight for Leaders....today

This on-line site has been a blessing to me for a while now....If you brought it to my attention...thanks.

Failure and Success: The Things That Matter

"..that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God." --Philippians 1:10-11

In life there will be found certain great fundamentals, like pillars bearing up the weight of some mighty building....

The wise man will simplify his life by going to the center of it. He will look well to the foundations and, having done that, he will not worry about the rest.

Life as we know it in our painfully intricate civilization can be deadly unless we learn to distinguish the things that matter from those that do not. It is never the major things that destroy us, but invariably the multitude of trifling things which are mistakenly thought to be of major importance. These are so many that, unless we get out from under them, they will crush us body and soul....

Every believer as well as every minister of Christ must decide whether he will put his emphasis upon the majors or the minors. He must decide whether he will stay by the sober truths which constitute the beating heart of the Scriptures or turn his attention to those marginal doctrines which always bring division and which, at their best, could not help us much on our way to the Celestial City.
The Next Chapter After the Last, 11,14.

"Oh God, we are so inundated with distracting things and clamorous voices. Deliver me today from the trifling things and help me to spend every minute of the day on 'the things that matter.' Amen."

Thank you Captain Obvious!

No More Games

I know....I just couldn't help but get into this devotional by Brennan Manning, "Reflections for Ragamuffins". "His Victorious Indwelling" is still probably the one that really does it for me, and just because there is such a wealth of thoughts of some of the greatest writers who are like-minded and weren't afraid to let people know some of the truth that was revealed to them. However, I digress....

Todays devotional by Manning:

"A fringe benefit for the believer en route to higher Christian consciousness is that ninety-nine percent of the emotional suffering caused by his addictive programming to security, sensation, and power disappears from his daily dance. He is able to drop all deceptive manipulative lower-order games - the money game, the security game, the male-female game, the power game, the knowledge game, the expert game, and so forth - and he presents himself simply to others: "Here I am." Free from any false self-image, he says, "It's all I've got."

"Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith unto this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God." Romans 5:1-2

I don't know about the ninety-nine percent......? Lots of lower-order games in his mind, eh? I would think there are so many more. :)

Francine Rivers

Sorry, that I failed to mention the book that I finished reading in the previous post.

This woman writes as one who knows all about grace. Not too many Christian writers take me to the places that she has.

I don't read that much fiction. I get lost in it too easily. Every book that I have read of Rivers is a journey and I have come to love her just by her understanding of the faith that I try to live out daily. This book in particular spoke to me as I have recently seen a 'church' working it's way through a building project and from my perspective it was an interesting comparative. No more said.....I live a simple life.

About the church....

Thoughts from a fictional book that I am reading....Facts being stranger than fiction? Closer to the truth....I think, at times. "The first order of a church.....to teach, have fellowship, break bread together, and pray. A church without walls. It isn't the building that matters or the programs or the numbers. It's not the music or the ritual. It is about relationship with Jesus Christ. Believers make up the temple. They are the church. Christ's resurrection power is revealed through our new lives. Sometimes focus changes when there is a 'building' project on. It becomes about bringing people in to bring money in. It becomes about 'events'. The building of a relationship with Christ is secondary or lost completely. It becomes about a head count...the take at any given service. The Lord destroyed the temple and we keep trying to rebuild it. Maybe it is easier to pour efforts into building a house for God rather than building a relationship with Him. One requires a few years of hard work, but the other asks for a lifetime of commitment. The problem is the building becomes the idol of worship. The programs are the sacred cows. Numbers are the means of evaluating success. Vanity is what it is all about. My church is bigger than your church. My pastor draws a bigger crowd. He is on TV and radio. Next thing you know he has a Bible with his name on it." Guess what I mean is that a church started by praying together. Now the church .....big or small.....does everything but....just my ramblings today. Church falters...when we fail to be the church...when we lose the focus....Jesus Christ!

Galatians 5:24,25

"Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
If we live by the Spirit let us also walk by the Spirit." (NASB)

Study notes on these two verses.
"In order to accept Christ as Savior, we need to turn from our sins and willingly nail our sinful nature to the cross. This doesn't mean, however, that we will never see traces of its evil desires again. As Christians we still have the capacity to sin, but we have been set free from sin's power over us, and no longer have to give in to it. We must daily commit our sinful tendencies to God's control, daily crucify them, and moment by moment draw on the Spirit's power to overcome them (see 2:20; 6:14).

God is interested in every part of our lives, not just the spiritual part. As we live by the Holy Spirit's power, we need to submit every aspect of our lives to God - emotional, physical, social, intellectual, vocational. Paul says that because we're saved, we should live like it! The Holy Spirit is the source of your new life, so keep in step with his leading. Don't let anything or anyone else determine your values and standards in any area of your life."

Galatians 6:14
"But may it never be that I would boast; except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world." (NASB)

Study notes on this verse.
"The world is full of enticements. Daily we are confronted with subtle cultural pressures and overt propaganda. The only way to escape these destructive influences is to ask God to help crucify our interest in them, just as Paul did. How much do the interests of this world matter to you? (See 2:20 and 5:24 for more on this concept.)"

Galatians 2:20
"I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me." (NASB)

Study notes on this verse.
"How have we been crucified with Christ? Legally. God looks at us as if we had died with Christ. Because our sins died with him, we are no longer condemned (Colossians 2:13-15). Relationally, we have become one with Christ, and his experiences are ours. Our Christian life began when, in unity with him, we died to our old life (See Romans6:5-11). In our daily life, we must regularly crucify sinful desires that keep us from following Christ. This too is a kind of dying with him (Luke 9:23-25).
And yet the focus of Christianity is not dying, but living. Because we have been crucified with Christ, we have also been raised with him (Romans 6:5). Legally, we have been reconciled with God (2 Corinthians 5:19) and are free to grow into Christ's likeness (Romans 8:29). And in our daily life, we have Christ's resurrection power as we continue to fight sin (Ephesians 1:19-20). We are no longer alone, for Christ lives in us - he is our power for living and our hope for the future (Colossians 1:27)."

Hmmm, someone lead me onto this train of thought yet once again. Commentaries on these passages of Scripture sometimes confuse the Truth....don't you think? It all must be read under the Holy Spirit's leading because otherwise we may take something away with us that is not there.

From "His Victorious Indwelling"....Today

I felt directed to this devotional again today, (even when I just got a new devotional by Manning titled Reflections for Ragamuffins, and you all know how much I love Manning's reflections). :) Well, as you can see there are reasons and healing messages provided as we listen to the directions of the Holy Spirit. May those of you who need to hear His voice, and feel His touch, especially today......reach out to those around you in honesty and truth and joyfully receive what is given to you, by Him, through those who love you. "It is ever a fatal mistake when we measure the difficulties of service by what we are. The question is what God is; and the difficulties that appear as mountains, looming through the mists of our unbelief, are nothing to Him but the occasion for the display of His omnipotent power." Edward Dennett "I rejoice in the afflictions which I bear for your sake, and I fill up what yet is lacking of the sufferings of Christ...on behalf of the church." Colossians 1:24 "Is it not wonderful that the Christ of Calvary came and first lived the life He wants us to live? He came and lived it first, and then through His death, and our death with Him, He desires to live it all out again in us, saying of the poor dark world of men, "Through My children they will understand Me, for there is the same spirit in them as there was in Me." We can see now why Paul was able to say, "I rejoice in the afflictions which I bear for your sake, and I fill up what yet is lacking of the sufferings of Christ....on behalf of the church," and again in Philippians 2:17-18, "Though my blood be poured forth upon the ministration of your faith, I rejoice for myself, and with you all, and do ye likewise rejoice, both for yourselves and with me." Do you "rejoice" when others are poured out for you for Christ's sake? Oh no, you say, I am willing to be spent, but I do not want anyone spent for me! Ah, but it takes much grace for some independent characters to allow anyone to be 'spent out' for them! But Paul said, "Though my blood be poured forth, I rejoice....and do ye likewise rejoice." Neither Paul, nor others, must be robbed of their fruit, when they desire to lay down their lives for others. How it pains when those in need are unwilling to have anything done for them. Take heed lest there be "self" even in this. Christ, for the joy set before Him endured the Cross. There is a joy in sacrifice for others that is divine. "My joy I give unto you!" "Joy" on the eve of Calvary! This is the experiential path. Shall we follow it? You say, Yes? Then let the Holy Spirit manage you, and your circumstances, and carry it out in His own way." Jessie Penn-Lewis

Reflection of Something

Sometimes you can't sleep and you put on a C.D. and it just blows you away. That was me in the wee hours of the morning. This one is a keeper.

My Jesus......Todd Agnew

Which Jesus do you follow?
Which Jesus do you serve?
If Ephesians says to imitate Christ
Why do you look so much like the world?
Cause my Jesus bled and died
He spent His time with thieves and liars
He loved the poor and accosted the arrogant
So which one do you want to be?

Blessed are the poor in spirit
Or do we pray to be blessed with the wealth of this land
Blessed are they that hunger and thirst for righteousness
Or do we ache for another taste of this world of shifting sand
Cause my Jesus bled and died for my sins
He spent His time with thieves and sluts and liars
He loved the poor and accosted the rich
So which one do you want to be?

Who is this that you follow
This picture of the American dream
If Jesus was here would you walk right by on the other side
Or fall down and worship at His holy feet

Pretty blue eyes and curly brown hair and a clear complexion
Is how you see Him as He dies for Your sins
But the Word says He was battered and scarred
Or did you miss that part?
Sometimes I doubt we'd recognize Him

Cause my Jesus bled and died
He spent His time with thieves and the least of these
He loved the poor and accosted the comfortable
So which one do you want to be?

Cause my Jesus would never be accepted in my church
The blood and dirt on His feet would stain the carpet
But He reaches for the hurting and despises the proud
I think He'd prefer Beale St. to the stained glass crowd
And I know that He can hear me if I cry out loud

I want to be like my Jesus!
I want to be like my Jesus!

Not a posterchild for American prosperity,
But like my Jesus
You see I'm tired of living for success and popularity
I want to be like my Jesus
But I'm not sure what that means
To be like You Jesus
Cause You said to live like You, love like You
But then You died for me
Can I be like You Jesus?
I want to be like my Jesus.....

Unchanging One: Todd Agnew

I looked for love in every single situation
For something, for someone
That would last a lifetime,
A love that never dies
And I find.......

You know when I wake,
When I rise,
When I pray,
When I curse You
And You love me the same
You know when I stumble and fall,
You're there through it all
The only unchanging one

I looked for faith on the edge of my roof
No fear, Daddy's here
Still I struggle to trust You
With the rest of my life
When I could just fly

You know when I wake,
When I rise,
When I pray,
When I curse You
And You love me the same
You know when I stumble and fall,
You're there through it all
The only unchanging One

I looked for God.

You know when I wake,
When I rise,
When I pray,
When I curse You
And You love me the same
You know when I stumble and fall,
You're there through it all
The only unchanging One

You know my inmost being
You know my deepest scars
You know my darkest secrets
You know and You love me
and You love me the same.

Grrrr.......hmmmmmmmzzzzzz

Wide range of emotions today. My dad is in hospital....my car fried a coolant something or other hose and is in the car hospital. Of course, I work all weekend....joy in all circumstances is hard to live out sometimes. Send a prayer our way. :)

Grace Walk Conference

Think about this!

Putting out a plug for one of my favourite ministries.
November 3rd and 4th, 2006
Lincoln Rd. Chapel
Waterloo, Ontario

Check out the rest of the details on the website: www.gracewalkcanada.org

GRACE WALK CANADA“ Sharing the Love & Life of Jesus Christ”
Grace Walk CONFERENCE
With:
Steve McVey and Michael Zenker
If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to phone or email at:
(519) 210-0075 or gracewalkcanada@gto.net


OUTLINE OF THE CONFERENCE
Have you ever asked yourself this question… what does God want from me? The answer… He just wants you!! Not your promises, not your good intentions, not your Christian service. Everything else will take care of itself when we rest in His arms, allowing Him to act through us. What a joy and relief. It isn’t a passive lifestyle, but a peaceful one where we actively rest in Him and He does it all! It is a walk of grace, and it really is amazing!
There are eight sessions included in the Grace Walk Conference

Session One: Miserable Mediocrity

Session Two: Darkness Before Dawn

Session Three: A Brand New Me

Session Four: A Dead Old Man

Session Five: Free From The Law

Session Six: Victory is a Gift

Session Seven: Experiencing His Life

Session Eight: Living In Grace

Many Christians are imprisoned by a spiritual inferiority complex. As you listen to the truths taught you will begin to see yourself as God sees you - as His child, a saint, a work of art, righteous and forgiven! This is the message of the Grace Walk.


This two day conference (9 hours) will help you experience life the way God intends for it to be. The focus of this conference is to help you understand your identity in Christ and learn how to walk in grace, allowing Him to continually live His life through you.

Maybe see you there!

Down for the Count...

You know there are few teacher/pastors who have (through Jesus) have taught me so much about this walk in Christ as Frank Friedman. He knows not the things he brings into my life, but God does. He uses him mightily to reveal passages of Scripture that have tripped me up or made me question. His phrase by phrase teaching of the Word, as I am open to the Holy Spirit's leading....brings understanding to me. He teaches Jesus in every thing he says. I am not enamored by his presence, manner or appearance as I have never seen the man. He speaks of relationship with Jesus and others and despite his inevitable imperfections.....we all have 'em friends :), he speaks of how this translates to our relationship with others. The word I have from God about this man is spoken Truth. I know that time and experience have seasoned this man to be used by God. He brings joy to my devotional life. He leads me to Jesus to go deeper into His Life. Some thoughts that he brought me to today. "You don't have to tell me how your walk in Christ is going.....We can tell that just by how you treat the people around you...yep, right again. If you don't yield yourself to the resource from where all life flows from, get back to Him, to Jesus.....this ministry costs each one of us...but the cost is worth the reward. We must live according to His agenda, not ours. The hope that is ours in Jesus is what allows us to look to others and sharing Him and the hope He gives us, the result of that. The heart of Christ has a heart for others. A true shepherd will be concerned with the people of the church and their well-being. A single minded spirit, a seasoned spirit, a tested spirit." He brings me back into the ring, even though it is easier to be out of it despite me wanting in my flesh to stay out, I must be in it, I want to be in it because that is where He wants to be.... living in and through me.

Worship

From Frank's teaching this week.....I like this...simple...succinct. "Worship - Our response to His revelation. There is no correct response to His revelation. But there has to be a response - or you haven't received God's revelation."

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

TRUST HIM WITH RUTHLESS TRUST Faith in the person of Jesus and hope in His promise. In spite of all disconcerting appearances, we stare down death without nervousness and anticipate resurrection solely because Jesus has said, "You have my word on it. Two choices . Believe it or not. " Brennan Manning.

EMPTY ME

BY JEREMY CAMP

Holy Fire burn away, my desire for anything That is not of You and is of me. I want more of You and less of me. Holy Fire burn away, my desire for anything That is not of You and is of me. I want more of You and less of me. Empty me, Empty me. Fill, won't You fill me, with You, with You. Holy Fire, burn away, my desire for anything That is not of You and is of me. I want more of You and less of me. Empty me, Empty me. Fill, won't You fill me, with You, with You, empty me now, Jesus. Well won't You empty me, well won't You empty me now. I want more, I want more, I want more of You, Jesus. I want more, I want more. Thank You, Jesus. Thank You, Jesus. Thank You, Jesus. Holy Fire, Holy Fire, Holy Fire, Holy Fire. picture by http://www.ebibleteacher.com/

Galatians 2:19-21 (I most definitely have been crucified with Christ)

NASB "For through the Law I died to the Law, so that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me. I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness comes through the Law, then Christ died needlessly." NKJV "For I through the law died to the law that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ, it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain." THE MESSAGE (17-21) (I added in 17 and 18 here....just because I love the way it is written :) ) "Have some of you noticed that we are not yet perfect? (No great surprise, right?) And are you ready to make the accusation that since people like me, who go through Christ in order to get things right with God, aren't perfectly virtuous, Christ must therefore be an accessory to sin? The accusation is frivolous. If I was "trying to be good," I would be rebuilding the same old barn that I tore down. I would be acting as a charlatan. What actually took place is this: I tried keeping rules and working my head off to please God, and it didn't work. So I quit being a "law man" so that I could be God's man. Christ's life showed me how, and enabled me to do it. I identified myself completely with him. Indeed, I have been crucified with Christ. My ego, is no longer central. It is no longer important that I appear righteous before you or have your good opinion, and I am no longer driven to impress God. Christ lives in me. The life you see me living is not "mine," but it is lived by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I am not going to go back on that. Is it not clear to you that to go back to that old rule-keeping, peer-pleasing religion would be an abandonment of everything personal and free in my relationship with God? I refuse to do that, to repudiate God's grace. If a living relationship with God could come by rule-keeping, then Christ died unnecessarily." NEW LIVING TRANSLATION "For when I tried to keep the law, it condemned me. So I died to the law - I stopped trying to meet all its requirements - so that I might live for God. My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not treat the grace of God as meaningless. For if keeping the law could make us right with God, then there was no need for Christ to die." AMPLIFIED "For I through the Law (under the operation of the curse of the Law) have (in Christ's death for me) myself died to the Law and all the Law's demands upon me, so that I may (henceforth) live to and for God. I have been crucified with Christ (in Him I have shared His crucifixion): it is no longer I who live, but Christ (the Messiah) lives in me; and the life I now live in the body I live by faith in (by adherence to and reliance on and complete trust in) the Son of God. Who loved me and gave Himself up for me. (Therefore, I do not treat God's gracious gift, as something of minor importance and defeat its very purpose): I do not set aside and invalidate and frustrate and nullify the grace (unmerited favor) of God. For if justification (righteousness, acquittal from guilt) comes through (observing the ritual of) the Law, then Christ (the Messiah) died groundlessly and to no purpose and in vain. (His death was then wholly superfluous)." NEW CENTURY VERSION "It was the law that put me to death, and I died to the law so that I can now live for God. I was put to death on the cross with Christ, and I do not live anymore - it is Christ who lives in me. I still live in my body, but I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself to save me. By saying these things I am not going against God's grace. Just the opposite, if the law could make us right with God, then Christ's death would be useless."

blah, blah, blah

Henri Nouwen on leadership....as cited by Brennan Manning in ABBA'S CHILD......

"Christian leaders cannot simply be persons who have well-informed opinions about the burning issues of our time. Their leadership must be rooted in the permanent, intimate relationship with the incarnate Word. Jesus, and they need to find there the source for their words, advice, and guidance....Dealing with burning issues easily leads to divisiveness because, before we know it, our sense of self is caught up in our opinion about a given subject. But when we are securely rooted in personal intimacy with the source of life, it will be possible to remain flexible but to confront without being offensive, gentle, and forgiving without being soft, and true witnesses without being manipulative."

Food for thought....we are all leaders in my mind....the PH of D...only allowing more thinking to interfere with the Source of where all thinking needs to come from. The School of God....all book learning helps....if we keep it in perspective through the lens of Jesus....as He is all we really need, in all and through all. Simplistic, thank God, yes it is!

Where else would He be?

I do so love the Psalms....and He is with me....in me....and I am in Him. There can be no hiding, no fleeing, nowhere He is not....and this psalm....with so much in it about so much of Him and what He is and has done for me .....touched me today. Psalm 139:7-12 (NKJV) Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend into heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there. If I take the wings of the morning, And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, Even there Your hand shall lead me, And Your right hand shall hold me. If I say, "Surely the darkness shall fall on me," Even the night shall be light about me; Indeed, the darkness shall not hide from You, But the night shines as the day; The darkness and the light are both alike to You.

Who is you?

"Be who you is, 'cause if you ain't who you is, you is who you ain't."

Unknown

Finally today....

Final words today are from Brennan Manning.....from Ruthless Trust. "Home is where the heart is. Home is a place of welcoming love, nonjudgmental acceptance, kisses, and hospitality - elements that induce a profound sense of belonging." "Make your home in me, as I make mine in you" (John 15:4). "If anyone loves me he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we shall come to him and make our home with him" (John 14:23). "You realize, don't you, that you are the temple of God, and God himself is present in you?" (1 Cor. 3:16). "Your body, you know, is a sacred place, the place of the Holy Spirit" (1 Cor. 6:19). "The stupendous mystery of the indwelling triune God! Ruthless trust is choosing to be a homebody. As you exhale breath throughout the day, let AH be a simple reminder of your true domicile. My gracious Lord has shown me that the best way to strip fear of its awesome power is to be a homebody, to stay home in the palace of Nowhere." God, I love this man's thoughts and writing! He writes of those things my heart holds close and treasured. He stumbles through this life holding on to the Hand of God with a grip that is loose and tentative but in truth .... will never release. And so ends the ramblings of this saint for today. In Him, I remain.

Prayer for today

Psalm 25:1-10 To you, O LORD, I lift up my soul. I trust in you, my God! Do not let me be disgraced, or let my enemies rejoice in my defeat. No one who trusts in you will ever be disgraced, but disgrace comes to those who try to deceive others. Show me the path where I should walk, O LORD; point out the right road for me to follow. Lead me by your truth and teach me, for you are the God who saves me. All day long, I put my hope in you. Remember, O LORD, your unfailing love and compassion, which you have shown from long ages past. Forgive the rebellious sins of my youth; look instead through the eyes of your unfailing love, for you are merciful, O LORD. The LORD is good and does what is right; he shows the proper path to those who go astray. He leads the humble in what is right, teaching them his way. The LORD leads with unfailing love and faithfulness all those who keep his covenant and obey his decrees. "Jesus does not give recipes that show the way to God as other teachers of religion do. He is himself the way." Karl Barth

Song for today: FROM THE INSIDE OUT

By Hillsong United album: United We Stand (2006) A thousand times I've failed Still Your mercy remains And should I stumble again I'm caught in Your grace Everlasting. Your light will shine when all else fades Never ending. Your glory goes beyond all fame Your will above all else My purpose remains. The art of losing myself In bringing You praise Everlasting. Your light will shine when all else fades Never ending. Your glory goes beyond all fame.

In my heart and my soul
Lord I give You control.
Consume me from the inside out.
Lord let justice and praise
Become my embrace
To love you from the inside out.

Everlasting.
Your light will shine when all else fades.
Never ending.
Your glory goes beyond all fame.
And the cry of my heart
Is to bring You praise.
From the inside out
Lord my soul cries out.

YOUR IDENTITY IN CHRIST

Just a reminder for those of us who can only appropriate our identity over time and by repetitive review..... because sometimes it just doesn't feel like....suck it up....it is the truth....He says so. Taken from Neil T. Anderson's book... Victory Over the Darkness. I will highlight one section at a time.....receive slowly and apply and live in freedom, as Christ is life to you and to me. Who I Am in Christ I Am Accepted John 1:12 I am God's child. John 15:15 I am Christ's friend. Romans 5:1 I have been justified. 1 Corinthians 6:17 I am united with the Lord Jesus Christ, and I am one spirit with Him. 1 Corinthians 6:20 I have been bought with a price. I belong to God. 1 Corinthians 12:27 I am a member of Christ's Body. Ephesians 1:1 I am a saint. Ephesians 1:5 I have been adopted as God's child. Ephesians 2:18 I have direct access to God through the Holy Spirit. Colossians 1:14 I have been redeemed and forgiven all of my sins. Colossians 2:10 I am complete in Christ. MORE TO COME........

On Porcupines and Vultures

Found this gem today as I was .....hmmm .... what was I doing?....doesn't matter....from one of the good guys...Max Lucado. "Does bumping into certain people leave you brittle, breakable, and fruitless? Do you easily fall apart? If so, your love may be grounded in the wrong soil, it may be rooted in their love (which is fickle) or in your resolve to love (which is frail). John urges us to rely on the love God has for us (1John 4:26). He alone is the power source. Many people tell us to love. Only God gives us the power to do so. We know what God wants us to do. "This is what God commands....that we love each other" (1 John 3:23). But how can we? How can we be kind to the vow breakers? To those who are unkind to me? How can we be patient with people who have the warmth of a vulture and the tenderness of a porcupine? How can we forgive the moneygrabbers and backstabbers we meet, love, and marry? How can we love as God loves? We want to. We long to. But how can we? By living loved." from A Love Worth Giving