June 16th thoughts

I'll have to come back to this today b.c the baby just got up...I made this site to journal about my bible study time, over the years I have emailed my thoughts to a few people. I have saved some of them. A friend of mine also used to send me this great devotional called "Morning Tea" some of my bible studys, where I get out the Lexicon and study the passages word for word, come out of those devotionals. And I have shared my thoughts or the nugget I got out of it that day with my friend.

I have a book I read from called "face to face" you read thru it in three months and then rinse lather and repeat, sometimes I get something new out of that. Also I get alot out of www.prayers.org. There is daily prayer and scripture. I don't read it daily...its just another tool I use.

I never know who wants these notes and who does not, so as not to bombard you with my notes and thoughts, I made this site so I would have a place to journal and you would have a place to read.

Today two great worships songs came on....I'll share them with you.

be near by shane barnard
You are allbig and smallbeautifuland wonderfulto trust in grace through faithbut i'm asking to taste...for dark is light to Youdepths are height to Youfar is nearbut Lord, i need to hear from Yoube near, oh Godbe near, oh God of usYour nearness is to us our goodbe near, oh Godbe near, oh God of usYour nearness is to us our good, our goodYour fullness is minerevelation divinebut, o, to tasteto know much more than a pageto feel Your embrace...for dark is light to Youthe depths are height to Youfar is near, but Lordi need to hear from Yoube near, oh Godbe near, oh God of usYour nearness is to us our goodbe near, oh Godbe near, oh God of usYour nearness is to us our good, our good(psalms 73:28; 139)


Voice of Truth by Casting Crowns
Oh what I would do to have The kind of faith it takes to climb out of this boat I'm in On to the crashing waves To step out of my comfort zone Into the realm of the unknown where Jesus is And He's holding out His hand But the waves are calling out my name and they laugh at me Reminding me of all the times I've tried before and failed The waves they keep on telling me Time and time again, "Boy, You'll never win!" "You'll never win!" But the Voice of Truth tells me a different story The Voice of Truth says, "Do not be afraid!" And the Voice of Truth says, "This is for My glory" Out of all the voices calling out to me I will choose to listen and believe the Voice of Truth Oh what I would do to have The kind of strength it takes to stand before a giant With just a sling and a stone Surrounded by the sound of a thousand warriors Shaking in their armor Wishing they'd have had the strength to stand But the giant's calling out my name and he laughs at me Reminding me of all the times I've tried before and failed The giant keeps on telling me Time and time again, "Boy, You'll never win!" "You'll never win!" But the Voice of Truth tells me a different story The Voice of Truth says, "Do not be afraid!" And the Voice of Truth says, "This is for My glory" Out of all the voices calling out to me I will choose to listen and believe the Voice of Truth

But the stone was just the right size To put the giant on the ground.
And the waves aren't looking so high From on top of them lookin' down
I will soar with the wings of eagles When I stop and listen to the sound of Jesus Singing over me
I will choose to listen and believe the Voice of Truth

STAY AWAY FROM THE COMMITTEE!

FROM MORNING TEA

"Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life." Proverbs 4:23 (NIV)

Look out for 'The Committee'! Who are they? The joy-stealers, the enthusiasm-robbers, the vision-killers! They're the folks who've lost their enthusiasm for life, and yours is a source of real irritation to them.

Are you thinking of quitting? You believed you could make a difference until you met 'The Committee'? Then you decided it was easier to adjust your expectations to their opinion and just keep smiling. Don't do it; God has too much for you to do! The safety zone is for those who are exempt from pain but denied pleasure; protected from failure but securely in the grip of boredom. Get up and get out of there while you still can! Listen: '. . . strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die . . .' (Revelation 3:2). Start reading God's promises; they're powerful motivators. Plug in at church. Pray. Rekindle your desire, for ultimately that's what determines your destiny!


Jesus suffered the loss of His disciples, His earthly ministry, His friends, and even His clothes (John 19:23-24). But they couldn't rob Him of '. . . the joy that was set before Him . . .' (Hebrews 12:2). Even while He was dying, He continued to minister. Then He went down into hell and came back up with the lock and keys; and He's your example! Listen again: '. . . guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.' Your greatest treasure isn't in the bank; it's in your heart! So guard it, especially against 'The Committee', for out of your heart comes the strength to keep on living and giving!

Maintain Your Confidence in God

FROM MORNING TEA

". . . I am self-sufficient in Christ's sufficiency." Philippians 4:13 (AMP)

Just because we're destined to do something doesn't mean it'll automatically happen. No, in order to succeed at anything, you must maintain your confidence in God! David writes, "'My times are in Thy hand . . .' (Psalm 31:15). WHAT TIMES? Times when you feel like quitting. Times when you wonder, 'Did God really call me to do this?' Times when you ask, 'Will I ever get through this?' Times when God will have to correct you. Times when you'll have to rise above your circumstances and say, 'I am sufficient in Christ's sufficiency!'

Listen: '. . . David encouraged himself in the Lord . . .' (1 Samuel 30:6). Don't wait for others to come along and encourage you. Learn to do it for yourself! David had no one to believe in him, so he believed in himself. If you don't believe in yourself, you don't believe in God, for God can do through you only what you believe Him to do.

'I wish I had your confidence,' you say. No, confidence is something you decide to have. You learn about God - about His love, His ways, His power - then you decide to believe Him. When you do, you've got confidence; it's that simple.

So, be confident about your ability in Christ. Believe you hear from God and that He's leading you. Expect people to like you and you'll discover that more of them do. Be bold in the Lord. See yourself as a winner because of Him. Rise up today and declare, '. . . I am self-sufficient in Christ's sufficiency' (Philippians 4:13 Amp).

Staying Sane in a Changing World Part 2

FROM MORNING TEA.

". . . We've been thrown down, but we haven't broken." 2 Corinthians 4:9 (TM)

Shellys notes:

2 Cor 4....that is one of my favorite passages in the bible.

Vs. 1 Seeing we have this ministry, (wow were you looking for a ministry...its been given to you...you HAVE IT, it is already in your possession. The lexicon says...to have and to hold...as wearing...to hold ones self to a thing to lay hold of it, to adhear or cling to....) as we have received mercy, we faint not.


But prior to this in 2 Cor 3 it says:

Vs. 17-18 17Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. (Where the Spirit of the Lord is, THERE IS FREEDOM!)

Back to Chapter 4:6-9

6For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness,"made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.

7But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.

8We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair;

9persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.


Robert Orben says, 'Sometimes I feel like the whole world's against me, but I know that's not true - some of the smaller countries are neutral!' We all want to live stress-free without having to work at it, but it can't be done. Here are 15 things you can do to make your life better:

(1) take time each day to pray and read God's Word: it'll transform your outlook!
(2) take a holiday. If you look like your passport photo, you probably need one!
(3) cut back on caffeine; what goes up must come down!
(4) eat right - a balanced diet isn't having a biscuit in each hand!
(5) exercise 3-5 times a week for 30 minutes; it's nature's 'magic bullet' for stress
(6) develop better time-management habits;
(7) make room in your life for fun
(8) get eight hours sleep when possible
(9) maintain your sense of humor. 'A cheerful disposition is good for your health; gloom and doom leave you bone-tired' (Proverbs 17:22 TM).
(10) start counting your blessings. David said, 'I m overcome with joy because of Your unfailing love . . .' (Psalm 31:7 NLT)
(11) when you talk to yourself, say nice things (Daily Affirmations!!)
(12) simplify your life by eliminating 'clutter.' If you haven't used it for two years, you probably don't need it!! (so true..its time to go thru the closets!)
(13) develop a sense of purpose by setting personal goals
(14) forgive; grudges are too heavy to carry: 'If you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive [you]' (Matthew 6:15 NLT)
(15) read the end of the book - we win!

Staying Sane in a Changing World

From Morning Tea

"I'm awake all night - not a wink of sleep; I can't even say what's bothering me." Psalm 77:4 (TM)

When you can't sleep - it's time to stop counting sheep and start talking to the Shepherd! Here are some Biblical stress-relievers to live by:

1) Let go of what no longer works. Paul says: '. . . let us strip off every weight that . . . hinders our progress . . (Hebrews 12:1 NLT). The trouble is that we hate giving up what we do well. So, we focus on doing things right and end up failing to do the right things. Then we wonder why we don't succeed. There are limits to what you can carry. Letting go of what doesn't work frees you up to focus on what does.

(2) Don't let change paralyze you. In new situations our first inclination is to slow down, play it safe and buy ourselves some time. Sometimes that's wise but most times we just fall further behind. Being overly cautious makes you freeze, like a deer caught in the headlights. The Bible says that God '. . . gives power to the faint, and strengthens the powerless' (Isaiah 40:29 NRS). So trust Him and move forward, instead of giving in to the impulse to 'just do nothing.'

(3) Approach the future with confidence. Recent events have everybody on edge, but as a child of God you can say, 'I can lie down and sleep soundly because you, Lord, will keep me safe' (Psalm 4:8 CEV). The truth is, you can't build a decent argument for giving in to fear; the only way to prepare for tomorrow - is by adjusting and living fully today!