Quote Of The Day

                                                                                                      Story of the day:  Spiritual Battle

   In the past few weeks, I have come across a lot of people who have been experiencing some troubled times in their lives.  And although our troubles could probably not come close to what a man in the Bible named Job experienced, those tough times can be hard to cope with and often lead us to question why sometimes.  The following story puts theses times into perspective and left me encouraged so I thought I would share it with you all.  The short story is entitled Job’s Birthday and was written by Julie Ackerman.

   “Death, divorce, and disease could be called the three D’s of misery.  They slice through life like a tsunami of sorrow, raising doubts and destroying dreams.

   Recently, a friend and I agreed that the previous year was one that we both would just as soon forget.  Each of us had suffered one of the three.

   Our conversation brought Job to mind.  In a short period of time, he lost his children, his health, his wealth, and his wife’s respect.  Job’s distress was so great that he pleaded, “May the day perish on which I was born” (Job 3:3).  Job wanted God to erase not just a year, but all memory of his existence!  He had enjoyed years of success and respect.  Now, he questioned the purpose of living (3:20).

   Job wanted to die and be forgotten, but instead God made sure his name and story would be remembered forever.  Rather than give Job what he asked for, God gave future generations what they would need—an inside look at the spiritual battle between God and Satan.  The result is a God inspired document about suffering that has comforted countless people.

   When what we fear actually happens, we know, thanks to Job, that God can use it for good.” 

Quote of the day:  Our Daily Bread

“Our highest good may come from our deepest suffering.”

Bible verse of the day:  Job 42:2

“I know that You can do everything, and that no purpose of Yours can be withheld from You.”

Prayer:

Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank You for such a blessed weekend.  Father, I pray for those that may be experiencing rough times in their life today.  I pray that during these times that they call out to You and that You will turn their situation around and use it for good.  Father, there have been times in my life where I have called out to You and have wondered why, but because of Your faithfulness and the truth that was revealed to me, You stood by me through my suffering and I grew stronger because of it.  Because of Your Grace and Mercy, I know that when troubled times come, that You will be my Rock.  I thank You for this day and the promise of tomorrow!

In Jesus Name I pray,

Amen 

                                                                                                               Story of the day:  Strange thing about sheep

   Phillip Keller, once a shepherd himself, in his book A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23, “relates that the strange thing about sheep is that because of their makeup, it is almost impossible for them to be made to lie down unless four requirements are met.  First, due to their timidity, they must be free from all fear.  Next, because of their sociability, they must be free from friction with others of their kind.  Third, they must be free from flies or parasites if they are to relax.  Lastly, they will not lie down unless free from hunger.  It is only the shepherd who can provide release from all these anxieties.  As our Good Shepherd, the Lord meets all these needs for us, so that we can “lie down in green pastures,” with our souls restored by His care.”

Quote of the day:  Author Unknown

“Peace is not the absence of trouble.  Peace is the presence of God.”

Bible verse of the day:  Psalm 23:1

“The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want.”

Prayer:

Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank You for being my Shepherd.  Because of You, I can rest assured that my needs will be taken care of and that I, just like the sheep, can freely lie down in green pastures without a worry.  Father, You are with me every single day of my life and because of that, I shouldn’t fear anything.  Thank You for comforting me when I need comforting and for restoring me when I need restoration.  Father, I thank You for this day and I pray for guidance and wisdom in all that is brought my way this day.

In Jesus Name I pray,

Amen

                                                                                                                            Story of the day:  Are you clinging?

   My father loves to build.  He adds on to his home, installs air conditioning units, runs electricity,  whatever the task, he can read about it and do it.  I would have to call him a jack of all trades.  Sometimes these extra curricular activities brings on height challenges.  They’re more challenging for me, than my father, because I am afraid of heights.  

   “Have you ever had to paint a second or third story of a house?  You get about halfway up that double or triple extension ladder and it begins to bend and bounce with your every movement.  Then you start wondering about the ladder and its footing and where you will end up when it crashes to the earth so far below you.  So, in fear and terror, you stop where you are and cling to the ladder, looking neither up nor down.

   Eventually you realize that you must paint the house and that you can’t reach it from where you are.  So, mustering up all your courage and recalling that you have never seen such a ladder fall over, you conquer the next rung and inch your way to the next, then the next.  Finally you reach the top of the ladder and cling to it for your life.  Now that you’ve arrived, you ask yourself how you can take one hand off the ladder to use the paintbrush and not plummet to the earth below.  But you do.  You begin.  After a bit of scraping, the wood soaks up the paint.  You whistle and admire the fine job you are doing.  Soon the terror is forgotten.

   You’ve learned an important lesson of life from this.”  Just like my father, new tasks can be challenging and ”no matter what high responsibility you take on, it’s scary, very scary, but only until you start working.”

Quote of the day:  Author unknown

“He who deliberates fully before taking a step will spend his entire life on one leg.”

Bible verse of the day:  Mark 9:23

“Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.”

Prayer:

Dear Heavenly Father,

Sometimes things in life can be scary, especially when it’s new and something I have never done before.  Father, the responsibilities that are placed before me, may I step out by faith and overcome any fear that is hindering my task.  I thank You for this day!

In Jesus Name I pray,

Amen