Saturday's inspirational thought from Anne Graham Lotz:

 

"Heaven is a big place! 'In my Father’s house are many mansions” – room enough for anyone and everyone who chooses to be a member of God’s family!

"So please feel free to invite your entire family –

* including in-laws and out-laws,
* every one of your friends,
* all of your neighbors,
* the total population of your city,
* your state, your nation –
* everybody in the whole wide world!

"Heaven is a great big place where all are invited to come!
Invite the world!"

***

A friend recently mailed me the monthly newsletter from KJYL radio, our local Christians radio station, with the note "something for Karen's readers?"

I like it when readers have good ideas of what I could share. So here it is:

"There is a mousetrap in the corner of my office that...even though it is 'set'....has little chance of success.

"In fact, it would take a mouse with a brain smaller than a mouse accidentally walking across the little pressure plate to risk any serious harm.

"To reassure the squeamish, our studio does not have serious mouse problems. However, with our studio building surrounded by open acreage, we will inevitably see a few mice when the weather turns cold in the fall. Our usual response is to set a few traps, catch the culprits, and it is 'case closed' for another year.

"It was during one of those seasons that I set the mousetrap in my office, properly baited and set for destruction. A week or so later, I noticed that the bait had been stripped by some nimble (or is it reckless?) mouse. I never bothered to rebait the trap. Nor have I removed the trap from its corner...which, as every woman knows.....is a total guy thing.

"And so the mousetrap sits in the corner with only the slimmest of changes of actually accomplishing its created purpose.

"As the mousetrap caught my eye the other day, I started thinking of it as a metaphor of our efforts of capturing souls for the Kingdom of God. As believers, our spiritual life has been 'set' with the tension and holy fear of the knowledge of the eternal destination of a soul who does not received the free gift of salvation through Jesus Christ. Even so, most of us remain 'bait less' when it comes to evangelism. Or, even worse, we 'bait' our witness with all manner of kitschy human gewgaws that only repel those we are seeking to attract and win to Christ.

"What does a property baited witness look like? While I won't be so foolish as to dictate a formula, I do know that it needs to be designed by the Holy Spirit and rich with the aroma of honesty, life and love."

*

My friend concluded her note with these words "I am mulling the thought of being a 'baited Christian'.

Some of the things in our 'world' which seems to have stood the test of time,, are now considered out of touch or out of date. As a friend of mine says sometimes, "What is good is now bad.. What is bad is now good." Every felt that way?

Bible Commentary:  "Christ is the only security in a changing world. Whatever may happen in the world, Christ remains forever changeless. A Christian, then, is absolutely secure, because he stands on the firmest foundation in the universe - Jesus Christ."

***

"If the Lord is the shepherd who leads the flock, goodness and mercy are the two sheepdogs that guard the rear of the flock. Psalm 23:6 says, 'Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life…' Goodness and mercy. Not goodness alone, for we are sinners in need of mercy. Not mercy alone, for we are fragile, in need of goodness. We need them both. Goodness and mercy. If that duo doesn’t reinforce your faith, try this phrase: 'all the days of my life.' 

"What a huge statement. Goodness and mercy follow the child of God each and every day. Think of the days that lie ahead. What do you see? God will be at your side. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me—not some, not most, not nearly all—but all the days of my life."

***

I was the recipient of a nice note pad from our Australian daughter and family at Christmas time. Fun sayings at the top of each page. Vintage graphics of bicycles, airplanes, horse drawn carriages at each bottom corner.

Enjoy a couple of the sayings with me:

Sweet memories warms our hearts.

*

Smile lights up the world like sunshine.

*

Dream is the light of life.
Try the best.

*

Love is a light that never dims.

***

****

Today's entry from Sarah Young's "Jesus Calling:  Enjoying Peace in His Presence" is good. So is yesterday's. All of them are hard not to like.

They were first printed in 2004 and read like today's newspaper. Probably because the world and what happens in it, doesn't change much!

I am choosing to share yesterday's - February 8:

"I am above all things;  your problems, your pain, and swirling events in this every-changing world. When you behold My face, you rise above circumstances and rest with Me in heavenly realms. This is the way of Peace, living in the Light of My Presence. I guarantee that you will always have problems in this life, but they must not become your focus. When you feel yourself sinking in the seas of circumstances, say 'Help me, Jesus!' and I will draw you back to Me. if you have to say that thousands of times daily, don't be discouraged. I know your weakness, and I meet you in that very place."

~ Taken from Ephesians 2:6; Matthew 14:28 - 32

****

Pretty familiar Bible Verse:
 

"This is the day the Lord has made.
We will rejoice and be glad in it.

~ Psalm 118:24 LAB

*

Bible Commentary:  "There are days when the last thing we want to do is rejoice. Our mood is down, our situation out of hand, our sorrow or grief overwhelming. We can relate to the writers of the psalms who often felt this way. But no matter how low the psalmists got, they were always honest with God about how they felt. And as they talked to God, their prayers ended in praise. When we don't feel like rejoicing, tell God how we feel. We will find that God will give us a reason to rejoice."

*

And the final verse (29) of chapter 118:
 

"Oh, give thanks to the Lord,
for He is so good!
For His lovingkindness is forever."

*

Celebrate our relationship to Jesus.  "I am the righteousness of God through Christ Jesus!" Whether I feel like it, act like it, or not!

"My heart, body and soul are filled with JOY!" the Bible says.

God has given us so much 'stuff':  His love, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, mercy, grace. The list is long!

I like Psalm 23:1. Our most familiar one is "The Lord is My Shepherd, I shall not want." But we sometimes want a bunch of stuff we don't have; may never will! My Life Application Bible says, "Because the Lord is My Shepherd, I have everything I need!" Might be a big difference.

So what I a favorite Bible verse of yours? Want to share it?? And I will share it with Karen's Korner readers.

First of all, I want you to know that I am going to be away from my computer for several weeks. This is the last Karen's Korner until the first of March.

I will miss all of you and the opportunity to share!

I have had a handful of responses from Karen's Korner readers as to their favorite Bible verses in response to yesterday's korner. I am sure that I will have more coming and many of you have thought of one but didn't email a response. We all have favorites!

Deb. J. who has been a beautician by trade shared:

Proverbs 31:30.  " Grace is deceitful beauty is vain but a women that feareth Jehovah she shall be praised "

*
Miriam J. who has had her share of health issues typed:

 PHILIPPIANS 4:13:  "I CAN DO ALL THINGS THROUGH CHRIST JESUS WHO STRENGTHENS ME!!!"

*
From Shelley F.:

Luke 1:37:  “For nothing is impossible with God.”

* 
From Judy R., who typed 'because I have a problem with being quiet, I love Psalm 46":
 
"Be still and Know I am God."

* 

And from Jane W.: who reminded me and all of us:

"Don't forget to say 'thanks' every morning!"

***