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September 2023 Archives
Today is Friday, September 1st, 2023; Karen's Korner #4945
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For the past two weeks our weekly Bible study has looked how to still serve as we age. Everyone in the group is a grandmother.
One of the things we talked about was praying for our grandchildren.
Here is a portion of Psalm 121 which could be a prayer for him/her:
"Jehovah himself is caring for you!
He is your defender.
He protects you day and night.
He keeps you from all evil,
and preserves your life.
He keeps his eye upon you
as you come and go,
and always guards you.."
~ Psalm 121:5 - 8 LAB
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Today is Monday, September 4th, 2023; Karen's Korner #4946
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Happy Labor Day!
"I lie awake at night thinking of you ----
of how much you have helped me----
how I rejoice through the night
beneath the protecting shadow of your wings."
~ Psalm 63: 6 & 7 LAB
* Bible Commentary: "A cure for sleepless nights is to turn our thoughts to God. There are many reasons we can't sleep---illness, stress, worry---but sleepless nights can be turned into quiet times of reflection and worship. We can use them to review how God has guided and helped us."
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Today is Tuesday, September 5th, 2023; Karen's Korner #4947
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A small dose of God's Love taken from "100 Things God Loves About You"; Simple Reminders for When You Need Them Most by Tama Fortner.
Number 39:
GOD LOVES TO HEAR YOUR PRAISES
"Lord, you are my God;
I exalt you and praise your name,
for in perfect faithfulness
you have done wonderful things,
things planned long ago!"
Isaiah 25:1
*
"Birdsong in spring. The gentle sound of falling rain. A child's innocent laughter. There are so many beautiful sounds in this world, but there is none more beautiful to God than the sound of your praises.
:LORD, you are my God....you have done
wonderful things. (Isaiah 25:1)
"There is none like you....you alone are God. (Psalm 86:8, 10)
"Sing His praises out loud. Whisper them softly. Repeat them over and over. They're His most favorite sounds in the world!"
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Today is Wednesday, September 6th, 2023; Karen's Korner #4948
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A recent Max Lucado in my inbox:
OUR SHEPHERD
"God, our Shepherd, doesn’t check the weather; he makes it. He doesn’t defy gravity; he created it. Jesus said, 'God is Spirit.”' He has no limitations. Unchanging. Uncaused. Ungoverned. Don’t we need this kind of shepherd?
"You don’t need to carry the burden of a lesser god—a god on a shelf, a god in a box, or a god in a bottle. No, you need a God who can place 100 billion stars in our galaxy and 100 billion galaxies in the universe. A God who can shape two fists of flesh into 75 to 100 billion nerve cells, each with as many as 10,000 connections to other nerve cells, place it in a skull, and call it a brain. And you have one. He is your Shepherd."
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Today is Thursday, September 7th, 2023; Karen's Korner #4949
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Today's entry by Sarah Young and her "Jesus Calling: Enjoying Peace in His Presence":
"Enjoy the warmth of my Presence shining upon you. Feel your face tingle as you bask in My Love-Light. I delight in you more than you can imagine. I approve of you continuously, for I see you cloaked in My Light, arrayed in My righteousness. There is no condemnation for those who are clothed in Me! That is why I abhor the use of guilt as a means of motivation among Christians.
"Some pastors try to whip their people into action with guilt-inducing sermons. This procedure can drive many people to work harder, but the end does not justify the means. Guilt-evoking messages can undermine the very foundation of grace in a believer's heart. A pastor may feel successful when his people are doing more, but I look at their hearts. I grieve when I see grace eroding, with weeds of anxious works creeping in. I want you to relax in the assurance of My perfect Love. The law of My Spirit of Life has freed you from the law of sin and death."
~ Taken from Isaiah 61:10: Romans 8:1 & 2
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Today is Friday, September 8th, 2023; Karen's Korner #4950
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"Now you have every grace and blessing; every spiritual gift and power for doing his will are yours during this time of waiting for the return of our Lord Jesus Christ. And he guarantees right up to the end that you will be counted free from all sin and guilt on that day when he reeturns. God will surely do this for you, for he always does just what he says, and he is the one who invited you into this wonderful friendship with his Son, even Christ our Lord."
~ I Corinthians 1:7 - 9 LAB
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Today is Monday, September 11th, 2023; Karen's Korner #4951
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"My work was to plant the seed in your hearts (Paul writer), and Apollos' (friend); work was to water it, but it was God, not we, who made the garden grow in your hearts. The person who does the planting or watering isn't very important, but God is important because he is the one who makes things grow."
~ 1 Corinthians 3:6 & 7 LAB
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Bible Commentary: God's work in the world involves many different individuals with a variety of gifts and abilities. There are no superstars in the task, only team members performing their own special roles. We become useful members of God's team by setting aside the desire to receive glory for what we do. The praise that comes from people is comparatively worthless; invaluable approval comes from God."
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Today is Tuesday, September 12th, 2023; Karen's Korner #4952
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Something written by Anne Graham Lotz sent in to my inbox several days ago.
LOVE HIM FOR WHO HE IS
"As the bridegroom rejoices over the bride,
so shall your God rejoice over you."
~ Isaiah 62:5 NKJV
"God loves for us to come to Him and ask Him for things. But I wonder what kind of relationship I would have had with my husband if I shared only about fifteen minutes a day with him and spent the first minute or two thanking him for what he had done for me and the rest of the time asking him to do something else for me! I doubt we would have had a very good relatioship! My husbandwanted me to love him simply for who he was. And Jesus Christ, Who is my heavenly Husband, also wants to be loved for Who He is. Not just for what He has done, or may do, but for Who He is in Himself. Woud you make time each day to praise Jesus for Who He is? Read the Bible, gleaning His attributes that you might live your life in praise of Who He is."
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Today is Wednesday, September 13th, 2023; Karen's Korner #4953
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I don't know much about Sarah Young. I am assuming what she told me is correct. At any rate, her writings will go on in the hands and hearts of readers for decades.
In her honor/memory, this is her entry for today:
"Come to me and rest. Give your mind a break from its habitual judging. You form judgments about this situation, that situation, this person, that person, yourself, even the weather---as if judging were your main function in life. But I created you first and foremost to know Me and to live in rich communication with Me. When you become preoccupied with passing judgment, you usurp My role.
"Relate to Me as creature to Creator, sheep to Shepherd, subject to King, clay to Potter. Allow Me to have My way in your life. Rather than evaluating My ways with you, accept them thankfully. The intimacy I offer you is not an invitation to act as if you were My equal. Worship Me as King of kings while walking hand in hand with Me down the path of Life."
~ Taken from Matthew 7:1; John 17:3;
Romans 9:10 - 21; I Timothy 6:15
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Today is Thursday, September 14th, 2023; Karen's Korner #4954
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Taken from "100 Things God Loves About You" by Tama Fortner. "Simple Reminders for When You Need Them Most."
Number 47:
GOD LOVES THE WAY YOU BLOOM
"Consider how the wild flowers
grow. They do not labor or
spin. Yet I tell you, not even
Solomon in all his splendor was
dressed like one of them."
~ Luke 12:27
"Every flower starts with a seed, and every beautiful bloom begins in the dirt. So when your heart is hard from the difficulties of this world, when you're covered with the muck and mire of mistakes---that's not the time to give up. That's the time to give in, to surrender completely to God and His perfect plan.
"Because Hs is the Master Gardener. Just look at the wildflowers---no king ever wore such splendor. Give God your hardened heart, with all its messiness, and let Him help you bloom."
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Today is Friday, September 15th, 2023; Karen's Korner #4955
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Sometimes we can go days and weeks without knowing anyone who has passed away. And then there are other times when there is a number of people we know who have died. Especially in smaller towns where we tend to know or know of about everyone.
That is what is happening the last bit locally.
Here is something the Bible has to say about living and dying:
"The path of the godly leads to life.
So why fear death?"
~ Psalm 12:28 LAB
* Bible Commentary: "For many, death is a darkened door at the end of their lives, a passageway to an unknown and feared destiny. But for God's peoplle,death is a bright doorway to a new and better life. So why do we fear death? Is it because of the pain we expect, the separation from loved ones, the surprise of it? God can help us deal with those fears. He has shown us that death is just another step in the continuing eternal life we began when we started to follow him. Death is not final; it is the first step into eternity."
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Today is Monday, September 18th, 2023; Karen's Korner #4956
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"Heaven and earth
shall disappear,
but my words
stand sure forever."
~ Mark 13:31 LAB
(Jesus speaking)
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Bible Commentary: "In Jesus' day the world seemed very concrete and dependable, giving the impression of permanence. Nowadays many people fear its destruction by nuclear power. Jesus tells us, however, that while we can be sure the earth will pass away, the truth of his words will never be changed or abolished. God and his Word provide the only stability in our unstable world. How shortsighted to spend so much of our time learning about this temporary world and accumulating its possessions, while neglecting the Bible and its eternal truths."
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Today is Tuesday, September 19th, 2023; Karen's Korner #4957
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Today's entry taken from "365 Days of Prayer for Women" by Stephanie Sample:
DELIGHT IN WEAKNESS
"That is why,
for Christ's sake,
I delight in weakness,
in insults,
in hardships,
in persecutions,
in difficulties,.
For when I am weak,
then I am strong."
2 Corinthians 12:10 NIV
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" Wonderful God, when I am at my worst, you are at your best. The lower I get, the higher you raise me---when I remember to take your hand. Thank you, Lord, for never withdrawing it. As long as it takes and as low as I sink ,you are there with your infinite strength to pull me from my weakness. You don't let me get too comfortable down here, especially when I start to think of the bottom here, especially when I start to think of the bottom of this pit as my home. If it's a pit of sin, you offer forgiveness; if it's sickness, you offer healing; it it's persecution and hardship, you offer rescue. You are so faithful, God! I give you all the glory.
"Do you need God to rescue you from something?"
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Today is Wednesday, September 20th, 2023; Karen's Korner #4958
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A 'Max Lucado" from last week:
'
"Grace is God on the move saying, “I’m with you and will watch over you wherever you go. I will not leave you until I have done what I promised you.' Jacob certainly felt it was. After God appeared to him, Jacob said, 'Surely the Lord is in this place and I did not know it.'
"How many people can say the same? They are unacquainted with the God who meets us. They believe in a God who created the world but not a God who’s involved in the world. A God who made the universe but not a God who makes a difference in the day-to-day. Christian atheists they are.
"God was—and is—speaking to you. That is him, standing at the top of the ladder. Sending angels to help you. Receiving the angels who deliver your prayers.
"God never gives up on you."
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Today is Thursday, September 21st, 2023; Karen's Korner #4959
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"Our bodies have many parts,
but the many parts make up only one body
when they are all put together.
So it is with the 'body' of Christ."
~ 1 Corinthians 12:12 LAB
* Bible Commentary: "Paul (writer) compares the body of Christ to a human body. Each part has a specific function that is necessary to the body as a whole. The parts are different for a purpose, and in their differences they must work together. Christians must avoid two common errors: 1) being too proud of their abilities, or 2) thinking they have nothing to give to the body of believers. Instead of comparing ourselves to one another, we must use our different gifts, together, to spread the Good News of salvation."
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Today is Friday, September 22nd, 2023; Karen's Korner #4960
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One prayer none of us ever has to pray: "God, will you love me today?"
Why? Because He just does!
But living in our every day, work-a-day world, we need to be reminded that He loves us. It's easy to forget!
Taken from "100 Things God Loves About You" by Tama Fortner. "Simple Reminders for When You Need Them Most"; number 54:
GOD LOVES HIS HANDIWORK
"For we are God's handiwork
created in Christ Jesus to do
good works, which God prepared
in advance for us to do."
~ Ephesians 2:10
"God created the sun to give His world heat and light. He created the rain to give it water. He filled it with fruits and goods to nourish and sustain. All the beauty and wonder and majesty of this world are His handiwork...... But the creation He loves best? The creation He sent His Son to save? The creation He trusts to do the works of His will? YOU! Because when God wanted a creation to serve Him and to glorify His name....He created you. His wonderful, beautiful handiwork.
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Today is Monday, September 25th, 2023; Karen's Korner #4961
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Today's korner is taken from Sarah Young's "Jesus Calling: Enjoying Peace in His Presence". It is yesterday's September 24.
Many of you have her books and writings. Mine is a perpetual flip calendar:
"Live first and foremost
in My Presence.
Gradually you will become
more aware of Me
than of people and places
around you.
This awareness will not
distract from your relationships
with others.
Instead, it will increase
your ability to give love
and encouragement to them.
My Peace will permeate
your words and demeanor.
You will be active in the world,
yet one step removed from it.
You will not be easily shaken,
because Me enveloping Presence
buffers the blow of problems.
"This is the path I have set before you.
As you follow it wholeheartedly,
you experience
abundant Life and Peace."
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~ Taken from Psalm 89:11;
Psalm 16:8;
2 Peter 1:2
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Today is Tuesday, September 26th, 2023; Karen's Korner #4962
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I pick a book of the Bible and begin to read a chapter or a portion of one, each day. Right now I am reading 1 Corinthians. Most of us know about chapter 13 - The Love Chapter.
This morning I read a portion of chapter 15 - "The Resurrection Chapter". Paul (writer) was trying to dispel some Greek beliefs that Jesus had not raised from the dead:
"But the fact is that Christ
did actually rise from the dead,
and has become the first of millions
who will come back to life again some day."
~ verse 20 LAB
* Bible Commentary; "There will always be people who say Jesus didn't rise from the dead. Paul assures us that many people saw Jesus after his resurrection, including more than 500 Christian believers. The resurrection is a historical fact. Don't be discouraged by doubters who deny the resurrection.
"Those related to Christ are Christians, who by faith become Christ's brothers and sisters and share in his resurrection. Because Christ did rise from the dead, we now have the certainty that we who are believers will be resurrected as well."
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Today is Wednesday, September 27th, 2023; Karen's Korner #4963
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Moving farther through the Resurrection Chapter 15 of 1 Corinthians. As we get older and our bodies are more limited:
"Our earthly bodies which die and decay are different from the bodies we shall have when we come back to life again, for they will never die. The bodies we have now embarass us for they become sick and die, but they will be full of glory when we come back to life again. Yes, they are weak, dying bodies now, but when we live again they will be full of strength. They are just human bodies at death, but when they come back to life they will be
superhuman bodies."
~ verses 42 - 44
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Today is Thursday, September 28th, 2023; Karen's Korner #4964
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Today's Max Lucado:
God Delivers Life through Brokenness
"Other people hang calendars and favorite quotes; I have a framed X-ray. The picture is an axial view of a decimated hip. A jarring car crash left it broken in two places. The breakage was just one of several the victim suffered. Doctors feared for her life, and they feared for the life of her child. An unborn, seven-month-old infant occupies center stage of the X-ray, floating blissfully unaware of the breakage around him.
"Dr. Michael Wirth, who gave me the image, said, 'We wondered, ‘Can both mother and child survive? If not, do we take the mother and lose the child? Lose the mother and save the child?’' They never had to make the choice. The mother lived, the baby was delivered, and Michael kept the X-ray as a reminder: God delivers life through brokenness. Broken families, hearts, dreams—even broken people."
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Today is Friday, September 29th, 2023; Karen's Korner #4965
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Several 'sideliners' taken from the October/November 2023 OUR IOWA issue; vertical one-liners in the margins of various pages:
"There is no greater treasure than a good friend."
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"Before repeating anything
a little bird told you,
be sure it wasn't a cuckoo."
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"Few things are more delightful
than grandchildren
fighting over your lap."
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"In the game of life,
don't stay in the bleachers....
get down on the field."
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"Faith is believing the possible....
and trusting the impossible."
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"Exercise?
I thought you said extra fries!"
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"Grief can take care of itself,
but to get the full value of joy,
you must have somebody to share it with."
~ Mark Twain
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