"Listen closely to my prayer,
O God.
Hear my urgent cry. 
I will call to you whenever
trouble strikes,
and you will help me.

"Where among the heathen gods
is there a god like you?
Where are their miracles?
All the nations---
you made each one ---
will come and bow before you, Lord,
and praise your great and holy name.

For you are great,
and do great miracles.
You alone are God."

~ Psalm 86:6 - 10 LAB

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Bible Commentary:   "The psalm writer was asking God to revive his people. God is capable of reviving both churches and individuals. He can pour out his love on us, bringing us back to loving him. If we need renewal in our churches, families, or our personal spiritual lives, we need to ask God to give us a fresh touch of his love and kindness.

"The God of the Bible is unique! He is alive and able to work mighty miracles for those who love him. All man-created deities are powerless before him because they are merely inventions of the mind, not living beings. The Lord alone is 'worthy to receive the glory and the honor and the power' (Revelation 4:11). While people around the world believe in many heathen deities, we never have to fear that God is only one among many or that we may be worshiping the wrong God. The Lord alone is God."

****

Monday's Max Lucado:

CONFIDENT IN HIM

"Yes, life stinks. But it won’t forever. As one of my friends likes to say, 'Everything will work out in the end. If it’s not working out, it’s not the end.'

"In the meantime, don’t overreact. Psalm 37:7 (NLT) says, 'Be still in the presence of the Lord, and wait patiently for him to act. Don’t worry about evil people who prosper or fret about their wicked schemes.' This is a toxic world. But neither do we join the Chicken Little chorus of gloom and doom: 'The sky is falling, the sky is falling!'

"Somewhere between Pollyanna and Chicken Little, between denial and blatant panic, stands the levelheaded, clear-thinking, still-believing follower of Christ. Psalm 27:3 says, 'My heart shall not fear—though war arise against me, yet I will be confident!'

"Confident in Him."

****

Recently read a 100-page book by Joseph Prince. The little booklet titled "Healing Scriptures" had about 100 Bible verses, complete with artwork and various fonts and sizes of type.

We tend to think of 'healing' as only physical. But sometimes there is emotional, mental, or spiritual healings as well. It is pretty obvious that God cares for us and wants us well!

Here are a couple of Prince's verses:

"O Lord my God,
I called to you for help
and you healed me."

~ Psalm 30:2 NIV

*

""He nurses them
when they are sick,
and soothes their
pains and worries."

~ Psalm 41:3 LB

*
"But I will restore you to health
and heal your wounds,"
declares the Lord."

~ Jeremiah 30:17 NIV
*

Several of the Side Notes, vertical one-liners in the margins of the October/November issue of OUR IOWA magazine:

"Churches are filled 
with willing people - 
some willing to work
and the rest willing to let them."

*
"In the midst of difficulty
lies incredible opportunity."

*
"The best sermons are lived,
not preached."

*
"Some people think
they are generous
because they give free advice."

*
"No kind  action
ever stops with itself.
One kind action
leads to another."
~ Amelia Earhart

*
"Always do right---
this will gratify some people
and astonish the rest."

*
"Our greatest weakness lies 
in giving up.
The most certain way to succeed
is always to try
just one more time."
~Thomas Edison

****

We are in the midst of a sermon series at our church worship services weekly. It is the book of ! Peter which is five chapters. We don't take a whole chapter every week.

I decided to read that chapter and am a bit ahead of our worship verses. Today's Karen's Korner is a bit familiar but the words ring true in our daily lives. We need to be reminded:

"Let Him have all your worries and cares, for He is always thinking about you and watching everything that concerns you."

~ I Peter 5:7 LAB

*

Bible Commentary:  "Carrying your worries, stress, and daily struggles by yourself shows that you haven't trusted God fully with your life. It takes humility, however, to recognize that God cares, to admit your need, and to let others in His family help you. Sometimes we think that struggles caused by our own sin and foolishness are not God's problem. But when we turn to Him in repentance, He will bear the weight even of those struggles. Letting God have your worries is active, not passive. Don't submit to circumstances, but to the Lord who controls those circumstances."

****

At our Sunday School class last week, we looked at the topic "Jesus is the Great I Am". "Jesus claims to be the eternal God."

God calls Himself "I AM WHOM I AM" (Exodus 3:14) when He was talking to Moses in the burning bush. Jesus was recorded as claiming to be, "I AM".

Here are several claims while Jesus walked this earth:

"I am the bread of life."
(John 6:35)

*
"I am the light of the world."
(John 8:12)

*
"I am the door of the sheep."
(John 10:7)

*
"I am the good shepherd."
(John 10:11)

* 
"I am the resurrection and the life."
(John 11:25)

*
"I am the way, and the truth, and the life."
(John 14:6)

*
"I am the true vine."
(John 15:1, 15:5)

**

In the writing it suggested that sometimes in our prayers, we could thank God for being some of those things. (i.e. "thank You that You are the light of the world"; "thank You that You are our good shepherd!"

Installment #2 from the small book "Happy Thoughts:  333 Thoughts to Make You Happy" by Suzanne Beilenson & Lisa Berman.

#213
"Not buying a dress
because it's too expensive;
going back later
and finding it on sale
in your size."

#128
"Laughing so hard you cry."

#315
"Not owing anybody money."

#247
"Hearing a baby's first words."

#18
"Getting an air mail letter."

#5
"Waking up
and nothing hurts."

#259
"When you lost your wallet 
and someone calls to tell
you he found it."

# 93
"When the leaves turn colors."

#212
"Fresh-baked warm bread."

#41
"Finding a bouquet
of flowers
waiting on your doorstep."

***

Now make your own list!

"It is better
to trust the Lord
than to put
confidence in men."

~ Psalm 118:8 LAB

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Bible Commentary:  "Pilots put confidence in their planes. Commuters place confidence in trains, cars, or buses. Each day we must put our confidence in something or someone. If we are willing to trust a plane or car to get us to our destination, are we willing to trust God to guide us here on each, and to our eternal destination? Do we trust Him more than any human being? If not, why not?"

*****

I received a magnet with a nice prayer in the mail a bit ago. I really liked what it had to say and will put it on my refrigerator with a collection of other things.

What a blessing it is to me:

A SPECIAL PRAYER OF
BLESSING FOR YOU.

Dear God,
bless this home
with Your peace and love.
May all who enter here
experience Your calming
embrace. May we be filled
with kindness, patience,
and  understanding toward
one another, and may we
always seek to bring joy and
harmony into our home.
Amen.

***

While Sarah Young's "Jesus Calling:  Enjoying Peace in His Presence" flip-style 'calendar" sits on my computer desk. I don't always read its messages to me.

But yesterday's (October 22), I thought was particularly good. I wanted to share it with you today!


"No matter what your circumstances may be, you can find JOY in My Presence. On some days Joy is generously strewn along your life path, glistening in the sunlight. On days like that, being content is as simple as breathing the next breath or taking the next step. Other days are overcast and gloomy, you feel the strain of the journey which seems endless. Dull gray rocks greet your gaze and cause your feet to ache. Yet Joy is still attainable. Search for it as for hidden treasure.

"Begin by remembering that I have created this day , it is not a chance occurrence. Recall that I am present with you whether you sense My Presence or not. Then, start talking with Me about whatever is on your mind. Rejoice in the fact that I understand you perfectly, and I know exactly what you are experiencing,. As you continue communicating with Me, your mood will gradually lighten. Awareness of My marvelous Companionship can infuse Joy into the greyest day."

~ Psalm 21:6; Proverbs 2:4


***

Something written by Max Lucado and in my computer's inbox several weeks ago. Enjoy!

VICTORY IS SECURE

"Some years ago I attended a San Antonio Spurs basketball game. It was the final game of the regular season, and it was unique because it did not matter. The Spurs had already won their division. The game had no bearing on their standings.

"The game intrigued this preacher. I saw a sermon illustration waiting to happen. Christians occupy the same spot that the Spurs did. According to the Bible, we’ve already won. According to prophecy, victory is secure. According to the message of grace and the death of Christ on the cross, no one can snatch us from our Father’s hand.

:So how do we behave in the meantime? Well the Spurs were a good example. They were relaxed, confident, and happy, and they won the game. In these last days show up, play hard, and be happy. After all, the victory is secure.:

***

Election time is getting closer. Here are a couple of more prayer possibilities taken from 'Billy Graham's Evangelistic Associations '30 Day Prayer Guide":

DAY 3:

"Nationwide transformation must begin in individual hearts. Pray for God to bring repentance and widespread renewal to the church so that believers will boldly share His love with others----and ask Him to draw lost people across our country to faith in Jesus Christ."

"If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.'

~ 2 Chronicles 7: 14

*

DAY 12:

"Pray for the men and women in our news media. Pray for truthful and unbiased reporting so that voters have access to accurate and timely information."

"Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord, but those who act faithfully are his delight."

~ Proverbs 12:22

*

DAY 15:

"Pray for your mayor and for your governor. Ask God to give them good judgment in the many decisions they make that affect the lives of people in your city and state."

"The king's heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord; he turns it wherever he will."

~ Proverbs 21:1

*

DAY 17:

"Pray for the hundreds of federal judges across America who rule on matters that will affect our nation  for years to come. Ask God to guide them with wisdom, justice, righteousness, and equity."

"Speak the truth to one another; render in your gates judgments that are true and make for peace."

~ Zechariah 8:16

****

"Fix your thoughts on what is true and good and right. Think about things that are pure and lovely,
and dwell on the fine, good things in others.
Think about all you can praise God for
and be glad about it."

~ Philippians 4:8 LAB

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Bible Commentary:  "What we put into our minds determine what comes out in our words and actions. Paul tells us to fill our minds with thoughts that are 'true and good and right'. Examine what we are putting into our minds through television, books, movies, and magazines (Nowadays - social media, facebook, etc.). Replace harmful input with wholesome material. Above all, we should read God's Word and pray. We are to ask Him to help us focus our minds on what is good and pure. It takes practice, but it can be done."

***

Today's entry in "365 Days of Prayer for Women" by Stephanie Sample:

BEYOND REASON

"What should we say about this?
If God is for us,
no one can defeat us."
~ Romans 8:11 NCV

"God, my general, my captain, my father, my friend, as I consider all you are to me, I realize I cannot fail. I recognize the power I have as your child, and I am encouraged beyond all human reason. If only I could lose my human reason entirely and rely solely on your promise. I can---with your help. But am I brave enough to ask? Do I have the courage to surrender my own logic to the upside-down ways of your kingdom? Let's find out together, Lord. Help me lay logic aside and pick up faith! Logic says I'm losing, but I prefer your truth. With you on my side, I cannot be defeated.

"THOUGHT:  If God is for you who can defeat you?"

****

Our elections are going to be finalized on this coming Tuesday. While our attention is focused so much on our presidential election, there are many more elections affecting our lives.

A couple more prayers taken from a "30 Day Prayer Guide for Our Nation and Elections" put out by Billy Graham Evangelistic Association.

DAY 22

"Loneliness has become epidemic around the globe and in our nation. Suicide rates are also rising. As many silently struggle on their own---including the sick and elderly---ask God to comfort the hurting, to move Christians to care for forgotten neighbors, and to give hope where there doesn't seem to be any. Pray that elected officials will be sensitive to this growing concern affecting our nation and that God's people will reach out to the the lonely with the hope of the Gospel."

"The Lord your God is with you wherever you go."

~ JOSHUA 1:9

*
DAY 23

"School board members across our country are directly responsible for choosing curriculum that will educate and influence children, teens, and young people. Pray that the Lord will call believers to run for their local school board and ask Him to guide these men and women as they impact the next generation."

" I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I  will counsel you with my eye upon you."

~ PSALM 32:8

*
DAY 28

"Pray for men and women in our military, that the Lord would draw many of them to Himself and protect them as they defend our nation. Pray that leaders in our federal government will protect the religious freedom of Christians in our armed forces."

"In your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you."

~ 1 PETER 3:15

*
DAY 29

"God's Word encourages Christians to stay aware of the needs of those around them.. Take time to consider the specific issues facing your neighborhood, community, and church. Pray that our elected leaders will have hearts of compassion and take action as needed to protect the 'least of these'."

"Seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you....and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare."

~ JEREMIAH 29:7

****

Recently I was in an ecumenical Bible study with a number of gals. The topic (book) was "Draw the Circle:  The 40 Day Prayer Challenge" by Mark Batterson.

I really enjoyed it and for a first time, I am re-reading it. At the end of each 40 day challenge, Batterson has a simple challenge from the reading.

Here are several of them:

"Most of us are educated 
way beyond
the level of our obedience.

*
"Don't just pray about it,
do something about it.

*
"Sometimes God's no
simply means not yet.

*
"If you are looking for excuses,
you will always find one.

*
"Our prayers don't die when we do.
God answers them forever.

*
"Prayer is the difference
between you fighting
for God
and God 
fighting for you.

*
"If you want to see God move,
make a move.

*
"Most of us don't get what we want
because
we don't know what we want.

* 
"Sometimes God
delivers us from our problems;
sometimes God delivers us 
through our problems."

***