Today's "Jesus Calling:  Enjoying Peace in His Presence"; by Sarah Young. It's a good one. But they all ten to be good!

"Walk with Me
in the freedom of forgiveness.
The Path we follow together is sometimes
steep and slippery.
If you carry a burden of guilt on your back,
you are more likely 
to stumble and fall.
As your request,
I will remove the heavy load from you
and bury it at the foot of the cross.
When I unburden you,
you are undeniably free!
Stand up straight and tall
in My Presence,
so that no one can place more burdens
on your back.
Look into My Face
and feel the warmth of 
My Love-Light shining upon you.
It is this unconditional Love
that frees you
from both fears and sins.
Spend time basking in the 
Light of My Presence.
As you come to know Me
more and more intimately,
you grow increasingly free."

~ Taken from Psalm 68:19; I John 1:7 - 9; I john 4:18

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This is today's Max Lucado in my email box. It comes from his book "Tame Your Thoughts".

We all have thoughts coming into our minds which are negative. Or outright lies. Some of us have more of them. Some of us have only a few. But we all have them at times. That is one thing I like about small groups and sharing. We are not alone, if we are honest!

UPROOT YOUR THOUGHTS

"Ephesians 4:23-24 (CEV) reads, 'Let the Spirit change your way of thinking and make you into a new person.' How? I have a three-word answer to that question: Uproot and Replant.

"Your mind is like a lawn. Your toxic thoughts are like grass burrs. They prompt a predictable chain reaction. These are untruths that lead to false narratives that result in overreactions. They stick and they hurt. They sour your mood and embitter your heart. You might mow them down. Give yourself pep talks. Read a book on positive mental attitude. And, for a day or two or ten, the weeds will disappear. But eventually they return.

"God has a better plan: Yank ‘em out by the roots. Your Father gives you his Word, and he invites you to treat the lies of hell with the words of heaven."

**

Six times throughout the calendar, our minister leads us in a short-term study on some subject. Last night's was week #3 on the topic of 'Self-Esteem'.

I will give a snapshot of what we covered in the one-hour plus class.

"Wanting to be someone else is a waste of the person you are",
was our lead in quote by Marilyn Monroe. While she certainly had a troubled life, the sentence is probably true.

We have a Biblical foundation on which to build each of our individual self-esteems.

We are created in God's image - Genesis 1:27 and James 3:9.

We have a 'divine stamp of value':  'As image-bearers of God. all humans possess a fundamental dignity that is separate from their achievements, possessions, or intelligence. This means a person's worth is intrinsic---it cannot be gained, lost or given by another person'.

Nothing can separate us from God's Love:  'Death can't and life can't. The angels won't, and all the powers of hell itself cannot keep God's love away. Our fears for today, our worries about tomorrow, or where we are---high above the sky, or in the deepest ocean---nothing will ever be able to separate us from the love of God demonstrated by our Lord Jesus Christ when he died for us." (Romans 8:38 -  39) . And John 3:16 tells us of God's sacrificial love which affirm our worth.

And if we have self-worth, we need to be reminded to share that worth with others. Everyone has His self-worth as well. We can discover that self-worth by loving them and helping them. "Your attitude must be like, My Own (Jesus talking), for I the Messiah, did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give my life as a ransom for many." (Romans 20:28).

While we know some of these, we often need to reflect on what God thinks about us. In case, we forget!!

We need to celebrate every day:  I am loved. And so are you!! Thank You, Jesus!

Names for JESUS
From A to Z
Taken from a bookmark
(Installment #2 of 3)

"Image of the Invisible God - (Colossians 1:15)

Joy Unspeakable - (1 Peter 1:8)

King of Kings - (1 Timothy 6:15)

Lord of Glory - (1 Corinthians 2:8)

Merciful Mediator - (Hebrews 2:17)

Never-Ending Love - (Jeremiah 31:3)

Omnipotent One - (Revelation (l9:6)

Prince of Peace - (Isaiah 9:6)

* 

I like them all but one on the list stands our for the most for me - "Prince of Peace" found in Isaiah 9:6 - "For unto us a Child is born; unto us a Son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder. These will be his royal titles: 'Wonderful', 'Counselor', 'The Mighty God,' 'The Everlasting Father', 'The Prince Peace'."

*

Thank You,
Father,
for giving each of us Peace.
We need it in our lives,
in our nation,
and in our world.
So help us to look to you
The Prince of Peace.
Amen.

Something written by Max Lucado and in my computer inbox one day last week. His writings are always good. I really liked this one:

OPEN THE BOOK

"I’ve listened to lesser voices. Locker-room know-it-alls. Godless teachers. Messed-up movie stars. Self-absorbed talk show hosts. They don’t know what they are talking about. I need an authoritative voice, an owner’s manual. And so do you.

"I played catcher in Little League baseball, Pony League baseball, and high school baseball. I noticed something: the width of home plate never changed. It was always seventeen inches wide. The width of the plate was permanent.

"So is the truth of God. It’s why Jesus said in John 8:31-32 (NIV), 'If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.' Healthy thinking happens as we submit to Scripture. Do you want to know God’s thoughts about anything? Open the book!"

***

Paul writing in a letter to the people of Thessalonica:

"But we must forever give thanks to God for you,
our brothers loved by the Lord,
because God chose from the very first
to give you salvation,
cleansing you by the work of the Holy Spirit
and by your trusting in the Truth.
Through us he told you the Good news.
Through us he called you to share
in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ."

~ 2 Thessalonians 2:13 & 14 LAB

*

Bible Commentary: "God worked through Paul and his companions to tell the Good News and to call new believers to share in Christ's glory. It seems strange that God works through us---fallible, unfaithful, untrustworthy human creatures. But he has given us the fantastic privilege of accomplishing his great mission---telling the world how to find salvation."

*

Thank You for trusting us
so much to tell others about You.
Help me, help us, to do a better job!
Thank You for loving us,
caring for us,
and sending people into our lives
to share Your Love and
promises in this life 
and the one that is coming!
Amen.

Have a great weekend! It is supposed to be in the  80s and 90s here in north central Iowa!!

A couple of sentences from Joyce Meyer's small book "Fight Like a Christian":

THE BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS

"Ephesians 6:14 says to 'put on the breastplate of righteousness' (NKJV).

"It's sad how many Christians walk around feeling like something is wrong with them For years, I was one of them. If I sinned, I would torment myself (sometimes for weeks!) by allowing myself to feel guilty and condemned.

"However, the Bible says we have been made right with God through Jesus' death on the cross (2 Corinthians 5:21). This means we can have the mindset that says, 'I am a child of God---He loves me, and I am forgiven.'"

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Taken from a bookmark
"Jesus from A to Z": 
(First of 3 installments)

"Abiding Vine (John 15:4)

Bridegroom  (Ephesians 5:32)

Creator  (Colossians 1:16)

Deity   (John 10:30)

Everlasting Life  (John 3:16)

Faithful Friend  (I Corinthians 1:9)

Good Shepherd  (John 10:11)

Hiding Place  (Psalm 32:7)

"I am the Alpha and the Omega." 
(Revelation 1:8)

**

They are all good; the one I like the best Faithful Friend!

"...and He is the one who invited you (us) into this wonderful friendship with His Son even Christ our Lord."
(I Corinthians 1:9b).

A prayer for us today from Stephanie Sample and her "365 Days of Prayer for Women":

LOVE NEVER ENDS
 
"A thousand years in your sight
are like a day that has gone by
or like a watch in the night."
~ PSALM 90:4 NIV

"Lord, to comprehend all you have seen, all you have heard, all you have done---and that you remember it all---is too much. Your wisdom is infinite. Your love is eternal. I've watched the people in my life grow and change, and I say I've loved them 'forever', but you watch and love all of humanity all our lives. That's forever. When I realize I'll be there with you----where love never ends and where there is no time---I'm filled with wonder. I get to spend eternity with you; you designed it that way. I was made for you, and so eternity was made for me! It's so beautiful, Lord, so exciting. I can't wait to be with you and love you forever."

"Are we filled with wonder knowing that we
will spend an eternity with Jesus?"

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