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January 2012 Archives
Today is Monday, January 2nd, 2012; Karen's Korner #2226
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Welcome to 2012! Some thoughts to kick off your new year!
I have just recently subscribed to daily emails written by Christian minister and well-known author Max Lucado. Here are a couple of recent ones. They are short; to the point. If you'd like to subscribe to receive future ones to your computer, let me know and I will get you the right information:
"Your word is like a lamp for my feet and a light for my path. "
~Psalm 119:105
"God isn’t going to let you see the distant scene. So you might as well quit looking for it. He promises a lamp unto our feet, not a crystal ball into the future. We do not need to know what will happen tomorrow. We only need to know He leads us and we will find grace to help us when we need it."
**
"Now we do not live following our sinful selves,
but we live following the Spirit."
~ Romans 8:4
"Perhaps your childhood memories bring more hurt than inspiration. The voices of your past cursed you, belittled you, ignored you. At the time, you thought such treatment was typical. Now you see it isn’t.
"Now you find yourself trying to explain your past. Do you rise above the past and make a difference? Or do you remain controlled by the past and make excuses?
"Think about this. Your parents may have given you genes, but God gives you grace. Your parents may be responsible for your body, but God has taken charge of your soul. You may get your looks from your mother, but you get eternity from your Father, your heavenly Father. God will give you what your family could never give you!"
****
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Today is Tuesday, January 3rd, 2012; Karen's Korner #2227
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First of two installments taken from a Christmas gift booklet titled "Live and Learn and Pass It On - Volume 2" by H. Jackson Brown, Jr.:
I've learned.....
....that old age is not a defeat,
but a victory;
not a punishment,
but a privilege.
(age 79)
....that life is like a 10-speed bicycle.
Most of us have gears we have never used.
(age 59)
....good or bad,
most things don't last very long.
(age 32)
....I should never have taught my
four-year-old sister how to
load and shoot by BB gun.
(age 12)
....that the easiest way to find happiness
is to quit complaining.
(age 19)
....life with my husband's faults
is hands down better
than life without my husband.
(age 49)
****
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Today is Wednesday, January 4th, 2012; Karen's Korner #2228
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"He will keep in perfect peace
all those who trust in Him,
whose thoughts turn often to the Lord!
Trust in the Lord God always,
for in the Lord Jehovah is your everlasting strength.
He humbles the proud and brings the haughty city to the dust;
its walls come crashing down.
He presents it to the poor and needy for their use.
But for good men the path is not uphill and rough!
God does not give them a rough and treacherous path,
but smoothes the road before them."
~ Isaiah 26:3-7 LB
Bible Commentary: We can never avoid strife in the world around us, but with God we can know perfect peace even in the midst of turmoil. Supported by God's unchanging love and mighty power, we are not shaken by the surrounding chaos. We are never alone when we face tough times. God is there to help us through difficulties, comfort us, and lead us.
****
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Today is Thursday, January 5th, 2012; Karen's Korner #2229
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Just received this poem via email this a.m. from a friend.
It isn't just Thanksgiving when we should 'count our blessings'. It isn't just when things are going the way we'd like them to go that we should be thankful. The key to good mental health and a lack of despondency is to 'always be thankful' - I Thessalonians 5:18:
Your Blessings Are So Many, Lord!
Your blessings are so many, Lord,
To count them one by one
Would take much longer than a day
That has just now begun!
You fill each day with miracles
From dawn to setting sun.
Each night You hear a million prayers
When day's work is done.
You keep this old world spinning
As seasons come and go,
And each one is a masterpiece
That sets our hearts aglow.
You fill the earth with beauty, Lord,
With flowers, shrubs and trees,
And we marvel at Your rainbows
And butterflies and bees.
Your words still give us comfort
For Your promises are true.
Your blessings are so many, Lord,
In everything we do!
~ Poet, Clay Harrison
*
Dear Father in Heaven, thank You for teaching us to be thankful; we want thankful hearts and minds. Thank You for a new year and all the promises it brings; we praise in advance for 2012. Thank You for Your Love which is new every day. Thank You that You give us a future and a hope. Thank You for our families and our friends. Help us to never take anything for granted; most of all You! In Jesus' Name. Amen.
***
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Today is Friday, January 6th, 2012; Karen's Korner #2230
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Something written and emailed by Joel and Victoria Osteen; might be a good thought to help begin the new year:
Get Your Fire Back
"For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you…"
(II Timothy 1:6, NIV)
"I believe that God has planted seeds of greatness on the inside of every one of us. We all have dreams and desires, things we want to accomplish; things we want to see changed. But so many times, life has a way of stealing our dreams. We go through disappointments, face adversity, things don't turn out as we would like. Too often, we just end up settling for second best. But God doesn't want us to settle for second best. He wants us to be determined, press on, and pursue the greatness that's on the inside. We should never let "good enough" be good enough!
"I want to encourage you today to stir yourself up and get your fire back. Start speaking victory over your future. If one dream has died, dream another dream. Put yourself in a positive, faith-filled environment. Get around people of excellence who live passionately. Fan the flame that is in you so you can move forward into all God has in store for you!
"Father in heaven, I come to You today giving You my disappointments, setbacks, hurts, and broken dreams. I ask that You restore my passion and vision for the future. Let Your flame burn brightly in me now and forevermore. In Jesus' Name. Amen."
***
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Today is Monday, January 9th, 2012; Karen's Korner #2231
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As I was driving, doing some errands around town on Friday, I caught parts of a radio broadcast from a talk show on a Christian radio station. I can't tell you the name of the show nor the name of the man being interviewed.
All I know is that what was being said was thought provoking and gave me cause for pause.
It seems this guy had always been envious of others from the time he could remember. So much so that he was a member of the Communist Party in America. He had only been married for a matter of months, when he had a conversion experience that caused him to become a loyal follower of Jesus. "I can honestly say that almost immediately that envy I had always felt was removed," he said. His life did a complete turnaround.
Helping the poor and needy became a mainstay of his life.
Within the last year, he had decided to see if he could learn first-hand what it was like to be homeless. He chose Washington D.C. to 'become a homeless person'.
He told the interviewer that in his parts of several days of 'role play', it didn't take very long to network with other homeless people. He learned how to get around. Where to get the next meal. How to find needed clothes. While the food he and others like him were given, wasn't 'five star', "it was hot and it was good".
One thing he noted in the time was that no one came along side him to find out more about him and his current plight. "No one asked me how it happened I was now homeless," he said. "No one asked if there were ways that they could help me climb out of my present situation." He said he was 'waited on' so much by some of the people, that he wasn't even asked to clear his own plate and table area.
"I felt sort of like our family dog," he said. "Our family takes good care of our dog, but we don't ask very much from him to earn his keep."
When he ate breakfast at a large church in the metro area, one attractive young gal asked him if there was something else she could get for him, he said, "Yes, I'd like a Bible."
Her response, "Did you say bagel?"
He repeated his request. She didn't know where she could get him one. He didn't get a Bible.
He was fed and clothed. He appreciated what others did for him. But he wasn't sure if a hand out was better than a hand up would have been. He determined, in his future, he would attempt to meet even more needs of people than the physical ones to people who are homeless......
Dear Father in Heaven, thank You that you help each of us with all the needs in our lives. You know that our needs are more than physical; we have needs which are also emotional, intellectual, financial, spiritual. If and when we have people in our lives with needs of any kind, help us to ask the right questions, attempt to give the right answers, and meet needs at levels only You can help us to determine! You have the ability to 'set all the captives free'....from every ill that comes our way! In Jesus' name. Amen.
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Today is Tuesday, January 10th, 2012; Karen's Korner #2232
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Second part of two installments taken from a Christmas gift booklet titled "Live and Learn and Pass It On - Volume 2" by H. Jackson Brown, Jr.:
I've learned.....
....you shouldn't judge people too quickly.
Sometimes they have good reason for the way they act.
(age 22)
....if you pray for your enemies,
you will stop hating them.
(age 74)
....I like to plant my neighbors' favorite flowers in my flower boxes
so that they can see and enjoy them too.
(age 50)
....that my grown children remember and treasure
the things we did
rather than the things we bought them.
(age 65)
......all people have both good and bad traits.
The secret to a happy marriage is to focus on
my spouse's good traits.
(age 60)
....what we have done for ourselves alone dies with us.
What we have done for others and the world
remains and is immortal.
(age 89)
....when you are really stressed out,
the cure is to put two miniature marshmallows
up you nose and try to snort them out.
(age 11)
****
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Today is Wednesday, January 11th, 2012; Karen's Korner #2233
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Some readers may have heard the whole story before; others part of it. Maybe some don't know any part of it. Read on; passed along from Al and Ron Bennett:
Pam's Story
In a recent email, I read about a woman named Pam, who knows the pain of considering abortion. More than 24 years ago, she and her husband Bob were serving as missionaries to the Philippines and praying for a fifth child. Pam contracted amoebic dysentery, an infection of the intestine caused by a parasite found in contaminated food or drink. She went into a coma and was treated with strong antibiotics before they discovered she was pregnant.
Doctors urged her to abort the baby for her own safety and told her that the medicines had caused irreversible damage to her baby. She refused the abortion and cited her Christian faith as the reason for her hope that her son would be born without the devastating disabilities physicians predicted. Pam said the doctors didn't think of it as a life, they thought of it as a mass of fetal tissue.
While pregnant, Pam nearly lost their baby four times but refused to consider abortion. She recalled making a pledge to God with her husband: If you will give us a son, we'll name him Timothy and we'll make him a preacher.
Pam ultimately spent the last two months of her pregnancy in bed and eventually gave birth to a healthy baby boy August 14, 1987. Pam's youngest son is indeed a preacher. He preaches in prisons, makes hospital visits, and serves with his father's ministry in the Philippines. He also plays football. Pam's son is Tim Tebow.
The University of Florida's star quarterback became the first sophomore in history to win college football's highest award, the Heisman Trophy. His current role as quarterback of the Denver Broncos has provided an incredible platform for Christian witness. As a result, he is being called The Mile-High Messiah.
Tim's notoriety and the family's inspiring story have given Pam numerous opportunities to speak on behalf of women's centers across the country. Pam Tebow believes that every little baby you save matters. I pray her tribe will increase!
May the peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you always!
~~ Dr. Gerald B. (Jerry) Kieschnick
President Emeritus, The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod
***
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Today is Thursday, January 12th, 2012; Karen's Korner #2234
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Isaiah was a prophet writing to call the nation of Judah back to God.
"The Lord God called you to repent,
to weep and mourn
and shave your heads in sorrow for your sins,
and to wear clothes made of sackcloth to show your remorse.
But instead, you sing and dance and play,
and feast and drink.
'Let us eat, drink,and be merry,'
you say:
'What's the difference,
for tomorrow we die.'
The Lord Almighty has revealed to me that this sin
will never be forgiven until the day you die."
~ Isaiah 22:12-14 LB
Bible Commentary: "The people said, 'Let's eat, drink and be merry' because they had given up hope. Today, we see people giving up hope as well. There are two common responses to hopelessness: despair and self-indulgence. But this life is not all there is, so we are not to act as if we have no hope. The proper response is to turn to God and trust in His promise of a perfect and just future in the new world He will create."
***
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Today is Friday, January 13th, 2012; Karen's Korner #2235
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Recently I subscribed to a daily email service written and mailed by Max Lucado, a popular Christian author. His writings are short and to the point. Because they are so compact, I am forwarding two of the daily delicacies to you today which I have received recently(I am saving quite a few of them so hang on!):
What Are You Worried About?
"I was young, and now I am old, but I have never seen good people left helpless or their children begging for food. " ~ Psalm 37:25
What are you worried about?
We worry about the IRS, the SAT, and the TSA!
We worry that we won’t have enough money. And when we have enough money, we worry that we won’t manage it well.
We worry that the world will end before the parking meter expires. We worry what the dog thinks if he sees us step out of the shower. We worry that someday we’ll learn that fat-free yogurt was fattening!
Honestly now. Did God save you so you would fret? Would he teach you to walk just to watch you fall?
Would he be nailed to the cross for your sins and then disregard your prayers? Come on!
Is scripture teasing us when it reads, “He has put his angels in charge of you to watch over you wherever you go?” (Psalm 91:11)
I don’t think so either!
**
Thank You
"Thank the Lord because
he is good. His love continues forever."
~ Psalm 106:1
Unfortunately, saying “thank you” isn’t all that common.
And yet, it’s what worship is all about.
Worship is when you’re aware that what you’ve been given is far greater than what you can give. Worship is that awareness that were it not for his touch, you’d still be hurting, bitter and broken. Worship is the half-glazed expression on the parched face of a desert pilgrim as he discovers that the oasis is not a mirage.
When we try to make a science out of worship—we can’t do it. No more than we can “sell love” or “negotiate peace.”
Worship is a voluntary act of gratitude offered by the saved to the Savior, by the healed to the Healer, and by the delivered to the Deliverer.
Worship is the “thank you” that refuses to be silenced.
**
Sunday might be a good day to say 'thank you'
when we go to church as one big universal church family!
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Today is Monday, January 16th, 2012; Karen's Korner #2236
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A couple of the sayings from the small, table book titled "A Book of Joy" by Thomas Kinkade:
"The supreme happiness of life
is the conviction
that we are loved."
~ Victor Hugo
*
"Give yourself a perk:
Condition yourself for joy
by doing little things
that you love on a regular basis."
~ Thomas Kinkade
*
"I've learned from experience
that the greatest part of our happiness
or misery
depends on our dispositions
not our circumstances."
~ Martha Washington
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"Surely goodness and mercy
shall follow me
all the days of my life;
and I will dwell
in the house of the Lord
forever."
~Psalm 23:6 KJV
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"Happiness is the realization
of God in the heart.
Happiness is the result of praise and thanksgiving,
of faith, of acceptance, a quiet tranquil realization
of the love of God."
~ White Eagle
*
"You don't need long distance to revel
in natural beauty.
All you have to do ,
most of the time,
is go outside and look at the sky."
~ Thomas Kinkade
***
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Today is Tuesday, January 17th, 2012; Karen's Korner #2237
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Some thoughts written by former Clarion resident Chris Lousias; enjoy:
The Righteous Judge
Most Christians have heard that if you want to be sure that you are praying the will of God that we should take a Bible verse or two and pray it from a personal perspective. Because it is the absolute Word from God’s mouth, we are sure to be in His will.
So when we pray for our children as they leave for school we might pray “Dear Lord take my precious ones and shelter them under your protective wing today.” Or maybe for some illness that won’t let up, we will pray “by His stripes we are healed”. Those are all prayers under the will of God, but really they don’t take much of any action on our part, they are mostly receiving end prayers.
What do you suppose would happen if we started praying scriptures like Psalm 9:7-8 which says: “The LORD reigns forever; he has established his throne for judgment. He will judge the world in righteousness; he will govern the peoples with justice. “
So maybe our prayer would be something like this:
“Father God, judge me righteously Lord for the deeds I do today, in Jesus’ name, amen.”
Perfectly acceptable for praying the will of God, but when we step out that door today what will our day be like knowing what we just prayed and the implications of what we prayed? This prayer takes a concerted effort on our part to live a Kingdom life, a life that truly will glorify God and prove his sovereign reign in our life.
Instead of frustration we will show patience and compassion on the first day check-out girl at Walmart.Instead of gossip, we will stay our mouth with intimate knowledge of a situation that we know of first hand. (Did it ever occur to anyone that there is more “power” in being able to NOT speculate on what is going on around us then to be the first one to spew what we half know?”
Instead of erupting with negative speech and discouraging our spouses and families' we will lift them up and seek peace in the household.
Let's be an active participant in the one little sentence prayer we prayed that morning for those of us who BELIEVE in the power of our God to answer the prayers that are in His will!
I challenge all of us today to pray a prayer that we have to take an active role in.
A prayer that will truly glorify God because of the way we interact in His Kingdom; a prayer that puts God on the receiving end.
***
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Today is Wednesday, January 18th, 2012; Karen's Korner #2238
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By now, readers are probably getting the idea that I don't always 'tune in' a radio broadcast or television show. Sometimes I get in the middle of them, when I am driving or when I am moving through the remote offerings.
It happened to me again last week when I landed in the middle of a Dr. David Jeremiah television broadcast. I don't know the name of his message nor the name of the book from which he was quoting.
He was mentioning that sometimes our words and those we repeat, without knowing the facts, but can discourage us.
Here were a couple:
" People today aren't as interested in attending church as they are choosing instead, going to sporting events!"
FACT: "Each Sunday in the United States, 102 million people attend church. Annually, 94 million people attend all professional sporting events combined.
Did you catch that? Per week verses per year!
* Young people just don't attend church today. It's all older people."
FACT: "For every 100 people between the ages of 70 - 79; there are 170 people attending church in the United States who are between the ages of 20 - 29."
He had a list of facts like that. Very positive; not those that we tend to repeat from one to another - without necessarily knowing the true numbers. (I'll have to confess: I am one of those 'repeaters'.)
If you want to verify those couple of items, you'll have to contact Dr. David Jeremiah and his ministry. I was just a 'stop by' viewer.
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Today is Thursday, January 19th, 2012; Karen's Korner #2239
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"As they (Jesus & disciples) went a woman
who wanted to be healed came up behind and touched him,
for she had been slowly bleeding for twelve years,
and could find no cure
(though she had spent everything she had on doctors).
But the instant she touched the edge of his robe,
the bleeding stopped.
"Who touched me?" Jesus asked.
Everyone denied it,
and Peter said, "Master, so many are crowding against you......."
But Jesus told him,
"No, it was someone who deliberately touched me,
for I felt healing power go out from me."
When the woman realized that Jesus knew,
she began to tremble and fell to her knees before him
and told him why she had touched him and that now she was well.
"Daughter," he said, "your faith has healed you. Go in peace."
~Luke 8:43-48 LB
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Bible Commentary: Many people surrounded Jesus as he made his way through the crowds. It was virtually impossible to get through the mass of people, but one woman fought her way desperately through the crowd in order to touch Jesus. As soon as she did so, she was healed.
What a difference between the crowds that contact Jesus and the few that reach out and touch him! Many people are faintly familiar with him, but nothing in their lives is changed or bettered because of this vague acquaintance. It is only the touch of faith that releases God's healing power.
Are you only slightly acquainted with God, or are you reaching out to him in faith, knowing that touching him will bring healing for your soul and spirit?
******
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Today is Friday, January 20th, 2012; Karen's Korner #2240
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I like it when others want to share; others want to write down their thoughts.
Someone I don't know called me a week or so ago; "Could I use what she wrote, if she mailed some writings to me?" she asked.
Send them to me.
Below is a couple of her writings; others I will be including in Karen's Korners in the weeks ahead:
"Thank You Lord for loving me.
For waking me up to the reality of the evils
I lived amidst.
Thank You for my life with You.
Thank You for blessing my life and turning it
into a life worth living.
*
Thank You Lord for blessing us with this beautiful day.
Please give us guidance so we can be beautiful Your way.
Bestow us with Your Love.
Fill our lives with love from above.
Keep us loving and kind towards our fellow man.
Help us share Your light and uplift men from darkness when we can.
Help us guide them to the pathway to You.
Help us show them the doorway that they can go through.
~ Just M.E.
Margaret
***
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Today is Monday, January 23rd, 2012; Karen's Korner #2241
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Another installment from Max; Max Lucado that is! Now that I am getting daily writings sent to my computer, you will get a dose or two, now and then!
Here are two from last week:
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Let Him
“Go after a life of love as if your life depended on it—because it does.” I Corinthians 14:1 (The Message)
Loosen up. Don’t you have some people to hug, rocks to skip, or lips to kiss? . . .
It’s time to retire. Not from your job, just retire from your attitude. Honestly, has complaining ever made the day better? Has grumbling ever paid the bills? Has worrying about tomorrow ever changed it?
Let someone else run the world for a while.
**
You Are Not Alone
When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. Psalm 56:3
God said, “I will not forsake my people!”
The Lord is with us. And with Him near—everything is different. Everything!
Even a serious illness. Even death. You aren’t facing illness or death alone—the Lord is with you.
You may be facing marital struggles, but you aren’t facing them alone. The Lord is with you!
You may be facing debt, but you aren’t facing debt alone. The Lord is with you.
Your family may turn against you, but God won’t.
Your friends may betray you, but God won’t.
You may feel alone in the wilderness, but you are not. He is with you!
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Today is Tuesday, January 24th, 2012; Karen's Korner #2242
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This is a daily devotional email (in part) forwarded to me several months ago by Kim Marker. It is written by James McDonald.
I have to ask myself, "Who am I actively praying for today?"
Friends Who Pray For You
"I thank God whom I serve, as did my ancestors, with a clear conscience, as I remember you constantly in my prayers night and day." — 2 Timothy 3
"I’m more persuaded than ever that God’s work in my life is a direct answer to the prayers of people.
"When I was in high school, our pastor assigned a senior to every student in the student ministry. I was assigned to a woman named Evelyn White. All through high school I would go over to her house about once every other month, and she would say, 'Oh James, let me pray for you.' And she would place her hand on me and pray. I had never heard anyone pray like that. She would ask Him to use my life. She would pray against sin in my life. And she prayed for purity, a good attitude, and perseverance. She called out to God for me!
"The lifetime lesson I learned from Evelyn is that we don’t have to go through the Christian life alone. The Lord places friends around us, sometimes unexpected friends, who pray for us—who lift up our name before ''the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need' (Hebrews 4:16).
"Before Harvest Bible Chapel ever began, we’d be on our knees calling out to God. Do you know who we were praying for? You! We were praying that God would allow us to reach you and impact your life. Even then, we were asking God to cultivate in our hearts an understanding of what it would really mean to minister to you and to care for you (through a variety of ministries and outreaches)...
"You have friends who love you and pray for you. We are your friends and we love you and we pray for you. Persevere in doing what is right—someone is praying for you. "
"Father in heaven, What an amazing gift it is that You call Your people to pray for one another! Forgive me for not appreciating the impact others’ prayers have had on my life. Your Word says that Your Son lives to intercede for the saints. Help me to realize that when I pray for others, I am most like Your great Son, Jesus Christ. In Jesus’ name, Amen."
****
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Today is Wednesday, January 25th, 2012; Karen's Korner #2243
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This Bible verse talks about tackling a job. Who among us hasn't spent more time thinking about or dreading doing some job than actually doing that task. This verse and commentary tells us to 'just get started':
"Be strong and courageous
and get to work.
Don't be frightened by the size of the task,
for the Lord my God is with you;
He will not forsake you.
He will see to it that everything is finished correctly."
~ I Chronicles 28:20 LB
Bible Commentary: King David advised Solomon not to be frightened about the size of his task as king and builder of the Temple. Fear can immobilize us. The size of a job, its risks, or the pressure of the situation can cause us to freeze us to do nothing. One remedy for fear is found here---don't think about fear, just get to work. Getting started is often the most difficult and frightening part of a job.
***
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Today is Thursday, January 26th, 2012; Karen's Korner #2244
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" REACTION to DISTRACTION "
Why is it when we are drawn into prayer
Distraction and noise can be found there?
Our minds easily wander from our good intention;
Refocusing upon Jesus is a necessary prevention.
Distraction undisciplined carries a price;
A soul's more valuable than a toss of the dice.
Wisdom can be found in the Bibles we read
The Word of God within we'd do well to heed.
Open up often to Proverbs and Psalms
The wisdom inside soothes and calms
Far better than sensual balms.
We can pray in a quiet room or a sandy beach
Listening to the Holy Spirit gently teach,
Urging us to do all that is right and good
Loving others and ourselves as Jesus would.
There seems to be much ado about nothing,
When what we ought to do is do something
That raises minds, hearts, and souls
To much higher and loftier goals.
Folding our hands or kneeling in prayer
Deep in our hearts our souls we bare,
If we come to the Father with true contrition
Confessing sins of omission and commission,
We are forgiven and must make amends
To those we've hurt in the flock He tends.
There is one Shepherd and one flock
Some day soon the gate He'll lock.
Not one more to enter, nary a one;
When the mighty trumpet blast is done
The flock of sheep will follow the Son.
Let us not be caught off guard
Nor from heaven eternally barred.
Get right with God before it's too late
Do it now; don't procrastinate.
Ready the soul with reverent care,
Stifle distraction by heartfelt prayer.
Focus upon the things of God often
Pray a hardened heart may soften.
Be a disciple and evangelize
We can do it, let's visualize
And realize
It's all about Jesus
Who loves to please us;
THANKS and PRAISE
be to
CHRIST JESUS !
© Mel Patterson, written 8-13-07
***
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Today is Friday, January 27th, 2012; Karen's Korner #2245
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Today's 'korner' is a daily inspirational thought send to computers by Joel & Victoria Osteen titled "What's Your Attitude in Adversity?"
Makes me think of a conversation I had earlier this week with Jeff Farwell. Jeff met with an ag accident in the early part of last year's harvest season. He was caught in an auger and lost a portion of his left leg. We were talking in our hospital's lobby, as he made his way to one of his 'several days each week therapy', learning how to use his 'new' leg.
Jeff has gotten a lot of community 'gossip' about how positive his attitude is, in spite of his 'adversity'.
I said to him, "Jeff, I don't know if you are 'down' or not, but people are really exclaiming about your positive attitude."
"No," he said. "I am just so happy to still be here. Doctors in Des Moines sent back a note and told me that most people in my situation don't make it. I had lost 3/4 of all my blood. I am glad I am still alive!"
What's Jeff's attitude in adversity?
Very good; thank you, God!!
What's Your Attitude in Adversity?
"Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Savior"
(Habakkuk 3:17-18, NIV)
"We all face challenges, difficulties, and times when things don't go our way. God doesn't send these storms, but He will allow us to go through certain things in order to shape our character and prove our faith. Really, it's in our times of difficulty that we grow and develop.
"God wants to use the tough times in our lives to do a work in us. He wants to strengthen and develop us. Our attitude in times of adversity is the evidence of our maturity. Are we going to treat people right even when we’re being mistreated? Are we going to stay full of joy even when the bottom falls out? Are we going to be faithful even in the dry seasons of our lives when we don't see anything good happening?
"It may take more effort. You may have to work harder to keep a good attitude, but remember, attitude is the key to your promotion. As you keep that positive attitude of faith and expectancy, even in times of adversity, God will deliver you and move you forward into the destiny He has prepared for you!
"Heavenly Father, I want to grow spiritually and be more like You. I choose to trust You in times of adversity knowing that You are working things out for my good. Renew a right attitude within me by Your Spirit. In Jesus' Name. Amen."
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Today is Monday, January 30th, 2012; Karen's Korner #2246
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"When she (Queen of Sheba) discovered how wise he (King Solomon) was,
and how breathtaking the beauty of his palace,
and how wonderful the food at his tables,
and how many servants and aides he had,
and when she saw the spectacular uniforms
and his stewards in full regalia,
and saw the size of the men in his bodyguard,
she could scarcely believe it!"
~ 2 Chronicles 9:3 & 4 LB
Bible Commentary on these two verses: God had promised that Israel would prosper if Solomon followed Him as David did. As long as Solomon remained loyal to God, God blessed Israel abundantly. God also honors His promises to us, and His Word guarantees include certain conditions. God's promises and blessings are guaranteed as long as we do not break our agreement with Him. If we do, the promises no longer apply and may even be used against us in judgment.
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Today is Tuesday, January 31st, 2012; Karen's Korner #2247
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As you can tell, I am enjoying getting daily devotionals from Max Lucado. They are short; you can't miss the point. Short enough that I save some of them and forward a couple of them to 'korners' readers now and then. Today is one of those days:
Your Failures
The righteousness of God is revealed through faith in Jesus Christ, to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God…Romans 3:22
Perhaps the heaviest burden we try to carry is the burden of mistakes and failures. What do you do with your failures?
Even if you’ve fallen, even if you’ve failed, even if everyone else has rejected you, Christ will not turn away from you.
Psalm 68:19 says, “Praise the Lord, God our Savior, who helps us every day.” Every day!
Christ came first and foremost to those who have not hope. He goes to those no one else would go to and says, “I’ll give you eternity!”
Only you can surrender your concerns to the Father. No one else can take those away and give them to God.
What better way to start the day than by laying your cares at Jesus’ feet?
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Pray About Everything
Call to me in times of trouble. I will save you, and you will honor me. Psalm 50:15
Want to worry less? Then pray more!
Rather than look forward in fear—in worry—look to God. Jesus taught people that it was necessary for them to pray consistently and never quit.
Paul told believers, “Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart.”
James said, “Are any among you suffering? Keep on praying about it!”
Regarding prayer, the Bible never blushes. Rather than worry about anything, “pray about everything!”
Everything? Diaper changes and dates? Business meetings and stopped up bathtubs?
Schedules and flight delays? Procrastinations and prognostications?
Really?
Pray about everything!
~ Both by Max Lucado
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