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Today is Friday, October 15th, 2021; Karen's Korner #4550
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Daily devotional sent out by Dr. David Jeremiah, long-time pastor at a California church, radio personality, and conference speaker. Date was Tuesday, October 12.
"For the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea."
~ Isaiah 11:9
*
"In 2013, may liberal thinkers boasted in the apparent success of the socialist government of Venezuela. Journalist David Sirota said the U.S. should envy the work of Hugo Chavez, and celebrities celebrated his socialist cause----celebrities like Sean Penn, Danny Glover, Oliver Stone, and Michael Moore. But constitutional rights were suspended in 2016, and now a third of the citizens of Venezuela don't have enough food to eat. Nearly one in five are eating garbage. Over five million people have fled, and Americans who set foot in Venezuela are subject to kidnapping and extortion.
"Why is socialism so attractive to so many people? It eventually turns governments into gods. Socialism ultimately fails because productivity declines when one person's labor is given to another. God's Word values the importance of work and the integrity of God-given rights.
"One day Jesus Christ will govern the world, and His knowledge will touch every life. Until then, let's work hard to be productive, and let's guard ourselves against destructive philosophies."
"The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people's money."
~ Margaret Thatcher
***
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Today is Thursday, October 14th, 2021; Karen's Korner #4549
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Yesterday's entry from Sarah Young and her "Jesus Calling; Enjoying Peace in His Presence"; written as if Jesus is talking directly to its readers:
"Beware of seeing yourself through other people's eyes. There are several dangers to this practice. First of all, it is nearly impossible to discern what others actually think of you. Moreover, their views of you are subject to each viewer's spiritual, emotional, and physical condition. The major problem with letting others define you is that it borders on idolatry. Your concern to please others dampens your desire to please Me, your Creator.
"It is much more real to see yourself through My eyes. My gaze upon you is steady and sure, untainted by sin. Through My eyes you can see yourself as one who is deeply, eternally loved. Rest in My loving gaze, and you will receive deep Peace. Respond to My loving Presence by worshiping ey in spirit and in truth."
~ Taken from Hebrews 11:6; John 4:23 - 24
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Today is Wednesday, October 13th, 2021; Karen's Korner #4548
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Quotes from 'Side Notes', taken from the October/November 2021 OUR IOWA magazine. Shared in the outside margins, vertically:
"A word to the wise
isn't as good as
a word from the wise."
*
"Look at what you have left,
not what you have lost."
*
"You are an old-timer
if you remember when folks
sat down to dinner
and counted their blessings
instead of calories.
*
"If you don't know where you are going,
you'll wind up someplace else."
~ Yogi Berra
*
"There is no greater joy
than making a difference in someone's life."
*
"A child's greatest period of growth
is the months after
you've purchased new school clothes."
*
*"Life is not holding a good hand;
life is playing a poor hand well."
~ Danish proverb
***
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Today is Tuesday, October 12th, 2021; Karen's Korner #4547
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"That evening Jesus' disciples went down to the shore to wait for him. But as darkness fell and Jesus still hadn't come back, they got into the boat and headed out across the lake toward Capernaum. But soon a gale swept down upon them as they rowed, and the sea grew very rough. They were three or four miles out when suddenly they saw Jesus walking toward the boat! They were terrified, but he called out to them and told them not to be afraid. Then they were willing to let him in, and immediately the boat was where they were going!"
~ John16:16 - 21 LAB
* Bible Commentary: "When Jesus came to the disciples during a storm, walking on the water, he told them not to be afraid. We often face spiritual and emotional storms and feel tossed about like a small boat on a big lake. In spite of terrifying circumstances, if we allow Christ to take control in our lives, he can give us peace in the midst of any storm.
"Faith is the mindset that expects God to act. When we live with this expectation, we can overcome our fears."
***
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Today is Monday, October 11th, 2021; Karen's Korner #4546
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A Privileged Position
“You are my friends if you do what I command.”
~ John 15:14 NIV
By Anne Graham Lotz
“What could be a greater privilege than to have Jesus call us His friend? If I told you that the Queen of England was my friend, you would probably snicker. And rightly so. But if the Queen stated that, ‘Anne Lotz is my friend,’ it would be impressive. It would indicate a relationship based on personal knowledge that she publicly affirmed.
“Jesus did more than say you and I could call Him our friend. He promises He will call us His friends! Now that’s impressive! That’s a privileged position!”
***
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Today is Saturday, October 9th, 2021; Karen's Korner #4545
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"I was glad for the suggestion
of going to Jerusalem,
to the Temple of the Lord."
~ Psalm 122:1 LAB
* Sorry for no Karen's Korner yesterday; I was away from my computer.
This Bible verse talks about 'going to the Temple' and worshipping together. We have lots of ways and opportunities to worship together, especially after COVID. In person at church, over the internet, you tube, facebook, television.
Tomorrow is the day. Let's JUST DO IT!
*
Bible Commentary: "Going to God's house can be a chore or a delight. For the psalmist, it was a delight. As a pilgrim to one of these great religious feasts, he was excited to worship with God's people in God's house. We may find worship a chore if we have sin in our lives or if our love for God has cooled. But if we are close to God and enjoy his presence, we will hunger to worship and praise him. Our attitude toward God will determine our view of worship."
***
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Today is Thursday, October 7th, 2021; Karen's Korner #4544
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"How to Pray for Other Christians"; taken from a graphic in my Life Application Bible. "How many people in our lives could be touched if we prayed in this way?"
It comes from Colossians 1:3 - 11. Pick someone in your life you might like to pray for as you go through this list:
"Be thankful for their faith and changed lives (3).
Ask God to help them know what He wants them to do (9).
Ask God to give them deep spiritual understanding (9).
Ask God to help them live for Him (10).
Ask God to give them more knowledge of Himself (10).
Ask God to give them strength for endurance (11).
Ask God to fill them with joy, strength, and thankfulness (11)."
***
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Today is Wednesday, October 6th, 2021; Karen's Korner #4543
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A daily devotional in my inbox several weeks ago by Max Lucado:
GOD IS WITH US
"God is with us. Prophets weren’t enough. Apostles wouldn’t do. Angels won’t suffice. God sent more than miracles and messages. He sent himself; he sent his Son. 'The Word became flesh and dwelt among us' (John 1:14).
"Jesus has been where you are; he can relate to how you feel. And if his life on earth doesn’t convince you, his death on the cross should. He understands what you are going through. No one penned it more clearly than did the author of Hebrews. 'Jesus understands every weakness of ours, because he was tempted in every way that we are. But he did not sin! So whenever we are in need, we should come bravely before the throne of our merciful God. There we will be treated with undeserved kindness, and we will find help' (Hebrews 4:15–16 CEV)."
****
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Today is Tuesday, October 5th, 2021; Karen's Korner #4542
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COVID has had a way to divide us on how we think about it. And what we do to control it. We all know that if we get it, it can have devastating effects.
Do we take the shot to help control it? Or not? Even doctors disagree on who should or should not take the shot. Some say if someone has had the virus, there is enough antibodies so that a shot is not necessary.
Now we are terminating people from where they work if they have chosen not to take the shot. Regardless of his/her health, previous encounters with COVID, or personal beliefs.
Not sure that those decisions are helping our divisions any.
Like everything we need to pray about what is happening to us. As many to most of us have done in the past and are doing.
Dear Heavenly Father, like everything in our lives, we need Your help and guidance. Give us Your direction, Your love, and Your care. We seek to do Your will for our lives. We seek Your grace and mercy for those who think and believe differently than we do. Help us to be quick to listen and slow to speak. We want to learn from one another. And from You. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen.
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Today is Monday, October 4th, 2021; Karen's Korner #4541
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I tend to avoid reading Psalm 119, the longest chapter in the Bible. When I am charging through a book of the Bible and get to this one. Oh, my, all 176 verses.
But when I start to read it, I find what is written is great, I really enjoy it!
My particular version was printed in the mid-1970s. So fifty years ago and it is just as relevant now as it was then. Or maybe when it was written hundreds of years ago.
"I am completely discouraged---I lie in dust.
Revive me by your Word."
~ Psalm 119:25 LAB
*
Bible Commentary: "How can God's Word revive us? Our world is full of evil; God's Word revives us with the promise of victory over evil. Our world says we are worthless without certain looks or possessions; God's Word gives us value by telling us that God created us and loves us. Our world is full of discouragement; God's Word encourages us. Our world has no real lasting answers; God's Word give satisfying, eternal answers. We can read it and be revived!
***
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