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April 2022 Archives
Today is Friday, April 1st, 2022; Karen's Korner #4630
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Several weeks ago, our church friend Sandy alerted us to their family need to have as many of us as possible to pray for her great-niece Gabriella. There had been a serious accident which left the late teen with a brain injury.
"People from all over began praying 24/7 for Gabby," Sandy said. Time progressed with several surgeries. Life supports. But no response. "After two weeks," recalls Sandy, "still absolutely no response."
The family made the gut-wrenching decision to begin the process of removing the life-sustaining equipment. Gabby's twin sister begged the family to wait until their birthdays to do the unthinkable.
The day of the girls' birthdays, doctors came in to the hospital room to begin the process. "The neurologist leaned over Gabby and said, 'How are you?'
For the first time in those two weeks, Gabby opened her eyes. Smiled. And gave the physician two thumbs up, indicating that she was okay!
Sandy's daughter delivered the message to Sandy via a phone call, "Mom, we have our miracle!"
The family had made the decision to not do any additional brain surgery. Doctors and the hospital staff removed all life support equipment from Gabby. "She continues to improve and is responding well," tells Sandy.
Everyone involved knows it is going to be 'quite a journey' ahead of them. "We are believing that our miracle is going to continue," said Sandy. "God always continues what He starts!"
* We all know that not every thing and every one we pray for, ends this way. But their story has renewed my faith, as we are asked to pray for others. We don't know what God has in store for anyone for whom we pray. But we do know He asks us to pray and to believe. And that He will take care of each situation for which we pray!
Dear Father in Heaven, thank You for what You have done and are doing in the life of Gabby and her family. And in the lives of those of us who have prayed and continue to pray for Gabby. Thank You for using this situation to restore our faith and belief in Your Love. Your Power. Your Kindness. Be with us as we journey together. In Jesus' Name. Amen.
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Today is Monday, April 4th, 2022; Karen's Korner #4631
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"O God,
my heart is quiet and confident.
No wonder I can sing your praises!"
~ Psalm 57:7 LAB
* Bible Commentary: "David's (writer) quiet confidence in God contrasted sharply with his enemies' loud lying and boasting. When confronted with verbal attacks, the best defense is simply to be quiet and praise God, realizing that our confidence is in his kindness, love, and faithfulness (57:10). In times of great suffering, don't turn inward to self-pity or outward to revenge,
but upward to God."
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Today is Tuesday, April 5th, 2022; Karen's Korner #4632
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Something written by Anne Graham Lotz and shared with her readers recently:
Changing Your Destiny
"Jesus answered him, 'I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.'"
~ Luke 23:43 NIV
"Even in the blackness of hate and evil swirling around the Cross, the love of God broke through like the rays of the sun on a stormy day. That love shone down on the two thieves crucified on each side of Jesus. Their agony and fury boiled over and spewed out in a venom of curses and taunts hurled at Jesus, challenging Him to save Himself and them.
"But one of the thieves grew quieter and quieter, until finally he rebuked his partner in crime, 'We are punished justly....but this man has done nothing wrong.' And in one of the most moving conversion scenes in human history, the thief turned his face toward Jesus and pleaded in humble faith, 'Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.' And Jesus turned his face toward the thief and promised, 'I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.' In the twinkling of any eye, that thief changed his eternal destiny, he passed from death to life."
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Today is Wednesday, April 6th, 2022; Karen's Korner #4633
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Need a dose of God's Love today? Taken from "100 Things God Loves About You" by Tama Fortner.
Dose #18:
God Loves You -- Imperfections and All
"But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.'"
~ 2 Corinthians 12:9
"So maybe you can't spell Wednesday (Why is there a 'd' in there, anyway?) Or can't boil water. Or you're late everywhere you go. God still loves you.
"Or maybe your struggles go a little deeper than spelling or cooking or clocks. A weakness for gossip? Procrastinating about prayer? A too-short temper with a too-long memory? God still loves you. Why? Because your imperfections are an invitation for His grace. They remind you that you need Him. They let Him work in your life, to make you more like Him. Yes, God still loves you.......imperfections and all.
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Today is Thursday, April 7th, 2022; Karen's Korner #4634
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What the Centurion Realized
By Max Lucado
"Matthew 27:54 says, 'When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw…all that had happened, they were terrified and exclaimed, ‘Surely he was the Son of God.'’”
"The centurion was no stranger to finality. But this crucifixion plagued him. As the hours wore on, he didn’t know what to do with the Nazarene’s silence, with his kindness. But most of all, he was perplexed by the black sky in midafternoon. No one could explain it. When Jesus suddenly sliced the silence by calling out, 'It is finished,' it wasn’t a scream. It was a roar—a lion’s roar!
"Perhaps it what made the centurion say what he said. ;This was no normal man. This was the Son of God!' Had the centurion not said it, the soldiers would have. The rocks would have. Surely he was the Son of God!"
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Today is Friday, April 8th, 2022; Karen's Korner #4635
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"Then the crowds spread out their robes along the road ahead of Him, and as they reached the place where the road started down from the Mount of Olives, the whole procession began to shout and sing as the walked along, praising God for all the wonderful miracles Jesus had done.
"'God has give us a King!' they exulted. 'Long live the King! Let all heaven rejoice! Glory to God in the highest heavens!'
~ Luke 19:36 - 38 LAB
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Bible Commentary: "This is the event Christians celebrate on Palm Sunday. The people lined the highways, praising God, waving palm branches, and throwing their cloaks in front of the colt as it passed before them. 'Long live the King' was the meaning of their joyful shouts, because they knew Jesus was intentionally fulfilling the prophecy in Zechariah 9:9. 'Your King is coming ! He is the Righteous One, the Victor! Yet He is lowly, riding on a donkey's colt!' To announce that He was indeed the Messiah, Jesus chose a time when all Israel would be gathered in Jerusalem, a place where huge crowds could see Him, and a way of proclaiming His mission that was unmistakable. The people went wild. Now they were sure their liberation was at hand."
* (See the story also in Matthew 21:1 - 11; Mark 11: 1 - 11; Luke - more completely - 19:28 - 40; John 12:12 - 19.)
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Today is Monday, April 11th, 2022; Karen's Korner #4636
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If we have been to Sunday School, church, or read the Bible, some. A lot. Most of us have heard much of what we listen to or read, more than once.
But we have to be reminded. Often. We forget. Or need to listen one more time.
Such is today's Sarah Young and her "Jesus Calling: Enjoying Peace in His Presence":
"This is the day that I have made. Rejoice and be glad in it. Begin the day with open hands of faith, ready to receive all that I am pouring into this brief portion of your life. Be careful not to complain about anything, even the weather, since I am the Author of your circumstances. The best way to handle unwanted situations is to thank Me for them. This act of faith frees you from resentment and frees Me to work My ways into the situation, so that good emerges from it.
"To find Joy in this day, you must live within its boundaries. I knew what I was doing when I divided time into twenty-four-hour segments. I understand human frailty, and I know that you can bear the weight of only one day at a time. Do not worry about tomorrow or get stuck in the past. There is abundant Life in My Presence today."
~ Psalms 118:24; Philippians 3:13 - 14
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Today is Tuesday, April 12th, 2022; Karen's Korner #4637
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JESUS IN YOUR UPPER ROOM
By Max Lucado
"When the Roman soldiers took Jesus out of the Garden of Gethsamane, Jesus’ followers took off. We don’t know where they went but we do know they couldn’t get him out of their minds. They came back and the church of our Lord began with a group of frightened men in an upper room.
"Sound familiar? How many churches have just enough religion to come together, but not enough passion to go out? Good people. Good intentions. Words. Promises. But while all this is going on, the door remains locked and the story stays a secret.
"What will it take to unlock it? Allow Jesus to come into your upper room and stand before you. Place your hand in the pierced side. Look into those eyes that melted the gates of hell and sent Satan running. Look at them as they look at you. You’ll never be the same."
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Today is Wednesday, April 13th, 2022; Karen's Korner #4638
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Join Anne Graham Lotz as we, together, celebrate Easter week:
The Tomb Was Empty!
"Christ died and rose and lived again, that He might be Lord of both the dead and the living."
~ Romans 4:9
"Early Sunday morning, in the inky blackness before dawn, soldiers stood guard over Christ's tomb. Knowing that to go to sleep on duty was an offense punishable by death, the highly trained unit remained alert. Some may have been rolling dice or stoking the fire to keep warm, but there was no questions that all were awake and on duty. Their lives depended on it.
" Suddenly, 'there was a violent earthquake.' If, by chance, the soldiers had been distracted in their night watch, God now had their undivided attention! Almost simultaneously, the predawn darkness was split by a light so brilliant it looked like a laser of lightning! The 'lightning' took the shape of any angel who seemed to reach from heaven to earth. Against the inky blackness of the night the terrifyingly awesome being fearlessly descended, walked over to the stone that blocked the tomb's entrance, flicked away as though it were dust, and then sat on it! And the gaping hole where the stone had been, revealed there was nothing inside the tomb! The tomb was empty!
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Today is Thursday, April 14th, 2022; Karen's Korner #4639
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Something shared with me by my friend Sonja. Some of us have seen it before; some of us have not. At any rate enjoy!
Why Did Jesus Fold the Napkin?
"Why did Jesus fold the linen burial cloth after His resurrection? I never noticed this....
" The Gospel of John (20:7) tells us that the napkin, which was placed over the face of Jesus, was not just thrown aside like the grave clothes. The Bible takes an entire verse to tell us that the napkin was neatly folded, and was placed separately from the grave clothes.
"Early Sunday morning, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and found that the stone had been rolled away from the entrance. She ran and found Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved. She said, 'They have taken the Lord's body out of the tomb, and I don't know where they have put him!' Peter and the other disciple ran to the tomb to see.. The other disciple outran Peter and got there first. He stooped and looked in and saw the linen cloth lying there, but he didn't go in.
"Then Simon Peter arrived and went inside. He also noticed the linen wrappings lying there, while the cloth that had covered Jesus' head was folded up and lying to the side.
" Was that important? Absolutely!
" Is it really significant? Yes!
" In order to understand the significance of the folded napkin, you have to understand a little bit about Hebrew tradition of that day. The folded napkin had to do with the Master and Servant, and every Jewish boy knew this tradition.
" When the servant set the dinner table for the master, he made sure that it was exactly the way the master wanted it...
"The table was furnished perfectly, and then the servant would wait, just out of sight, until the master had finished eating, and the servant would not dare touch that table, until the master was finished. Now, if the master were done eating, he would rise from the table, wipe his fingers, his mouth, and clean his beard, and would wad up that napkin and toss it onto the table.
"The servant would then know to clear the table. For in those days, the wadded napkin meant, 'I'm done.'
But if the master got up from the table, and folded his napkin, and laid it beside his plate, the servant would not dare touch the table, because........... The folded napkin meant, 'I'm coming back!'
"He is Coming Back!" ****
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Today is Friday, April 15th, 2022; Karen's Korner #4640
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"By now it was noon, and darkness fell across the whole land for three hours, until three o'clock. The light from the sun was gone----and suddenly the thick veil hanging in the Temple split apart.
"Then Jesus shouted, 'Father, I commit my spirit to you,' and with those words he died."
~ Luke 23:44 - 46 LAB
* Thank You, Jesus, for what You did for all of us. We know the rest of the story! Your dying on the cross for us, made Good Friday........Good! Your death and resurrection, set You, and all us.....FREE!
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Today is Tuesday, April 19th, 2022; Karen's Korner #4641
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Sharing with you today, an Easter greeting I received yesterday morning - EASTER - from PROeM ministries, the outreach in Poland where they are caring for several hundred Ukraine refugees:
HE IS RISEN!
If Christ hadn't risen, faith, prayer and hope would be without meaning
If Christ hadn't risen, the grave would be the end of everything
If Christ hadn't risen, the world would be forever infected with evil
BUT
He rose to give our lives meaning
He rose to give us eternal security
He rose to buy back and renew creation
And we can't keep silent about it.
This Easter we hope Jesus renews your hearts and fills you with joy hope and peace
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Today is Tuesday, April 19th, 2022; Karen's Korner #4642
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"When He (Jesus) comes back He will take these dying
bodies of ours and change them into glorious bodies like His own, using
the same mighty power that He will use to conquer all else
everywhere."
~ "Philippians 3:21 LAB
Bible Commentary: "The bodies
we receive when we are raised from the dead will be like Christ's
resurrect body. If we could select our new bodies, what kind would we
choose -- strong, athletic, beautiful? Paul (writer0 explains that we
will be recognized in our resurrected bodies, yet they will be better
than we can imagine, for they will be made to live forever. We will still
have our own personalities and individualities, but these will be
perfected through Christ's work. Scripture does not say what our
resurrected bodies will be able to do, but we know they will be perfect,
without sickness or disease."
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Today is Wednesday, April 20th, 2022; Karen's Korner #4643
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Taken from "100 Things God Loves About You" by Tama Fortner. Number 36:
GOD LOVES THE WAY YOU LEAN ON HIM.
"God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble."
~ Psalm 46:1
"Ever-present. Think about that for a moment---how many things in your life are truly ever-present? Friendships may come and go. Jobs can change in an instant. Even family may move away or, worse, turn away.
"But God is never transitory. He doesn't come and go. He never changes (Hebrews 13:8). And though you may sometimes turn from Him, He doesn't turn from you. He's always there, every-present, waiting to be your refuge and your strength. So lean on Him---He loves it."
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Today is Thursday, April 21st, 2022; Karen's Korner #4644
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Fun to watch as GOD is part of our every day lives. He is here and there every where in the 'world' at times.
Here are a couple of recent 'spottings' by me recently.
A Dennis the Menace cartoon in our newspaper a few weeks ago. Dennis is saying his prayers before he goes to sleep with a teddy bear at his left and an open storybook on front of him on his bed.
"Even if my friends gang up on me.....I'm never outnumbered because You're always on my side."
*
A license plate in the parking lot of our local hospital and clinic said 2ACTS38. What does Acts 2:38 say:
"Peter replied, 'Each one of you must turn from sin, return to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; then you also shall receive this gift of the Holy Spirit.'"
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Today is Friday, April 22nd, 2022; Karen's Korner #4645
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Today's inspirational thought by Max Lucado:
THE GLADDEST NEWS
"Grace is simply another word for God’s reservoir of strength and protection. Not occasionally or miserly, but constantly and aggressively, wave upon wave. We barely regain our balance from one breaker of grace, and then—bam—here comes another!
"We dare to stake our hope on the gladdest news of all: if God permits the challenge, he will provide the grace to meet it. We never exhaust his supply. God has enough grace to solve every dilemma you face, wipe every tear that you cry, and answer every question you ask.
“'He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also graciously give us all things?' (Romans 8:32). Having given the supreme and costliest gift, how can he fail to lavish upon us all he has to give?"
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Today is Monday, April 25th, 2022; Karen's Korner #4646
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"That is what is meant by the Scriptures which say that no mere man has ever seen, heard or even imagined what wonderful things God has ready for those who love the Lord."
~ 1 Corinthians 2:9 LAB
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Bible Commentary: We cannot imagine all that God has in store for us both in this life and for eternity. He will create a hew heaven and a new earth (Isaiah 65:17; Revelation 21:1), and we will live with him forever. Until then, his Holy Spirit comforts and guides us. Knowing the future that awaits us should give us hope and courage to press on in this life, to endure hardship, and to avoid giving in to temptation. This world is not all there is."
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Today is Wednesday, April 27th, 2022; Karen's Korner #4647
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Taken from "365 Days of Prayer for Women" by Stephanie Sample.
This entry was from a week ago (April 20):
Defeat is Impossible
"Then you will prosper, if you take care to fulfill the statutes and judgments with which the Lord charged Moses concerning Israel. Be strong and of good courage; do not fear nor be dismayed."
I Chronicles 22:11 NJKV
"Lord, what's it like to win every single time---to know going into the contest that you cannot lose? I have to admit something: I am afraid of defeat. I'm afraid of looking weak, of getting hurt, or not knowing where to go afterward. Father, give me your assurance that defeat is impossible, and I have nothing to fear. Even if things don't work out the way I want, I'll have avoided all the wasted hours of worry and doubt, and my confidence---your confidence----will reassure me that what seems like loss is actually part of the plan, that my victory is still ahead. I am looking for your assurance, Lord. This fear is getting heavy, and I'm ready to set it aside.
"How can you make a point of setting your fear aside?"
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Today is Thursday, April 28th, 2022; Karen's Korner #4648
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This inspirational thought was written by Max Lucado and sent to his readers on Monday:
PROVISION OF GRACE
“’' Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far, and grace will lead me home.' When John Newton penned this promise, he did so out of personal experience. His greatest test came the day he buried his wife, Mary. He’d loved her and prayed his death would precede hers. But his prayer was not answered.
"Yet, on the day Mary Newton died, John Newton found strength to preach a Sunday sermon. The next day he visited church members. Later he officiated at his wife’s funeral. He grieved, but in his grief he found God’s provision. He later wrote, 'The Bank of England is too poor to compensate for such a loss as mine. But the Lord, the all-sufficient God speaks, and it is done. Let those who know Him, and trust Him, be of good courage.'
"My friend, disease, calamity, and trouble populate your world. But they do not control it. Grace does."
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Today is Thursday, April 28th, 2022; Karen's Korner #4649
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This inspirational thought was written by Max Lucado and sent to his readers on Monday:
PROVISION OF GRACE
“’' Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far, and grace will lead me home.' When John Newton penned this promise, he did so out of personal experience. His greatest test came the day he buried his wife, Mary. He’d loved her and prayed his death would precede hers. But his prayer was not answered.
"Yet, on the day Mary Newton died, John Newton found strength to preach a Sunday sermon. The next day he visited church members. Later he officiated at his wife’s funeral. He grieved, but in his grief he found God’s provision. He later wrote, 'The Bank of England is too poor to compensate for such a loss as mine. But the Lord, the all-sufficient God speaks, and it is done. Let those who know Him, and trust Him, be of good courage.'
"My friend, disease, calamity, and trouble populate your world. But they do not control it. Grace does."
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Today is Friday, April 29th, 2022; Karen's Korner #4650
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People familiar with the Bible know that Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John know that all four of the books tell the story of Jesus' life from varying points of view.
Most Karen's Korner readers know that I call myself a Bible reader, not a Bible scholar.
At Easter time, I was reading through the book of Luke. I noticed that Jesus' miraculous birth didn't even take up two full chapters. His bring crucified, dying, and raising back to life takes up three chapters (22 - 24).
So that leaves 20 chapters (3 - 21) telling about Jesus' time here on earth. Wouldn't you think His birth and death would deserved more attention?
What is your theory on the difference? Mine ist hat while Jesus' entrance and exit was vital to His existence, He came to show us the Way. His Way. Of compassion, caring, healing, relating to His Father, of love for us and others. We needed to know. He wanted to teach us.
In John 14:6, Jesus said, "I am the Way -- yes, and the Truth, and the Life. No one can get to the Father except by means of Me."
The Bible commentary on that verse says, "Jesus says He is the only way to God the Father. Some people may argue that this is too narrow. In reality, it is wide enough for the whole world, if the world chooses to accept it. Instead of worrying how limited it sounds to have only one way, we should be saying 'Thank you God, for providing a sure way to get to you!"
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