Weekly Spiritual Meditations - 9/13

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Count it all joy when you experience various trials. Be strong and don’t give up because God will turn your trials into triumphs. Allow Him to use the tough situation to make you stronger and be more like Jesus! ~Malene Mendoza~

Do not fear tomorrow because God is already there..............wow, those simple words can add such ease to our hearts.

No matter how far we may stray, God is always with us to show us the way.

No matter how dark our life becomes, God’s word is the guiding light that keeps us on the right path. We can follow God’s light, and God will lead us home.

No matter what the circumstances look like around us, God will provide. While we may have to wait a little longer, oury road ahead is going to be better than what we see now. God is faithful and has promised to work all things for the good for those who love him.

God created us to enjoy this life. We can thank God in return for this most wonderful gift by making the most of each and every day. Let’s begin today by expressing our love for our wonderful Creator and by loving one another!

Jesus is asking us to trust him with our lives and to go where he commands us. If we look and listen with eyes of faith, we know Jesus’ power will be with us wherever we go. No waters are deep enough to hold us back if we place our trust in the power of Christ. So let us wade into the water — no, step out onto the water — and truly follow the One who calls us.

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Admitting We Need Help Author Unknown
Sign seen in a textile mill, "When your thread becomes tangled, call the foreman." A young woman was new on the job. Her thread became tangled and she thought, "I'll just straighten this out myself." She tried, but the situation only worsened. Finally she called the foreman. "I did the best I could," she said. "No you didn't. To do the best, you should have called me."
How often does our pride and our "self-sufficiency" lead us to try to fix things ourselves when God wants us to come to him first.
"Seek ye FIRST the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you." (Matthew 6:33)

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Life On the Edge Author Unknown
Did you ever come home at 11:30pm for a midnight curfew? It's not likely. As a teenager, I remember waiting on my front steps until 11:59pm before going inside. When given the opportunity, it seems to be in our nature to push the limits to the very farthest degree. How far is too far? How much noise can I make until I push Mom over the edge? How fast over the speed limit can I drive before the police will pull me over? How much can I cheat before getting caught?
We like living on the edge. The problem is that when we do it for too long, we might not realize we're in real danger until it's too late. It's essential that we pay attention to the path we're on. It's like driving on a winding mountain road: as you near the edge, you'll hit a series of warning grooves that cause you to start bumping along. They are there to remind you to get back on the right track. The Christian life is much the same. I used to think some of the rules in the Bible were cumbersome. I have come to realize, however, that it is these very guidelines – like warning grooves on a road – that help keep me from flying over the edge and losing control in my life.
God's commandments and principles are there for our protection so we can experience all God wants us to experience. Typically, when people lose control of their lives, it isn't just one bad decision that launches them off a moral cliff, but a series of poor choices along the way. The Scriptures, the Holy Spirit, and our brothers and sisters in Christ all provide us with the warning grooves and guardrails we need to prevent us from going over the edge.
Thank God today for giving us the help we need to stay on the "narrow road."
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things. – Philippians 4:8

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CAN YOU SLEEP WHEN THE WIND BLOWS? Author Unknown
Years ago a farmer owned land along the Atlantic seacoast. He constantly advertised for hired hands. Most people were reluctant to work on farms along the Atlantic. They dreaded the awful storms that raged across the Atlantic, wreaking havoc on the buildings and crops.
As the farmer interviewed applicants for the job, he received a steady stream of refusals. Finally, a short, thin man, well past middle age, approached the farmer. "Are you a good farmhand?" the farmer asked him. "Well, I can sleep when the wind blows," answered the little man. Although puzzled by this answer, the farmer, desperate for help, hired him.
The little man worked well around the farm, busy from dawn to dusk, and the farmer felt satisfied with the man's work. Then one night the wind howled loudly in from offshore. Jumping out of bed, the farmer grabbed a lantern and rushed next door to the hiredhand's sleeping quarters. He shook the little man and yelled, "Get up! A storm is coming! Tie things down before they blow away!" The little man rolled over in bed and said firmly, "No sir. I told you, I can sleep when the wind blows."
Enraged by the response, the farmer was tempted to fire him on the spot. Instead, he hurried outside to prepare for the storm. To his amazement, he discovered that all of the haystacks had been covered with tarpaulins.The cows were in the barn, the chickens were in the coops, and the doors were barred. The shutters were tightly secured. Everything was tied down. Nothing could blow away. The farmer then understood what his hired hand meant, so he returned to his bed to also sleep while the wind blew.
MORAL: When you're prepared, spiritually, mentally, and physically, you have nothing to fear. Can you sleep when the wind blows through your life? The hired hand in the story was able to sleep because he had secured the farm against the storm. We, as believers in Christ, secure ourselves against the storms of life by grounding ourselves in the Word of God. We don't need to understand, we just need to hold His hand to have peace in the midst of the storms. I hope you sleep well! Enjoy the day! May God Bless You and Yours!

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Have You Sharpened Your Axe? Author Unknown
A young man approached the foreman of a logging crew and asked for a job. “That depends,” replied the foreman. “Let’s see you fell this tree.” The young man stepped forward and skillfully felled a great tree. Impressed, the foreman exclaimed, “You can start Monday." Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday rolled by. Thursday afternoon the foreman approached the young man and said, “You can pick up your paycheck on the way out today. ”Startled, the young man replied, “I thought you paid on Friday.” “Normally we do,” said the foreman. “But we’re letting you go today because you’ve fallen behind. Our daily felling charts show that you’ve dropped from first place on Monday to last place today.” “But I’m a hard worker,” the young man objected. “I arrive first, leave last and even have worked through my coffee breaks!” The foreman, sensing the young man’s integrity, thought for a minute and then asked, “Have you been sharpening your axe?” The young man replied, “No sir, I’ve been working too hard to take time for that!”
Our lives are like that. We sometimes get so busy that we don’t take time to “sharpen the ax.” In today’s world, it seems that everyone is busier than ever but less happy than ever. Why is that? Could it be that we have forgotten how to stay sharp? There’s nothing wrong with activity and hard work. But God doesn’t want us to get so busy that we neglect the truly important things in life, like taking time to pray, to read and study scripture or to listen to “the still small voice of God.” We all need time to relax, to think and meditate, to learn and grow. If we don’t take time to sharpen the axe, we will become dull and lose our effectiveness. Take time today to sharpen your axe!

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STANDING FIRM by Rich McLawhorn
You see it all the time. People achieve success, and then their personal lives seem to fall apart. As someone once said, success has made failures of many men. But does that have to happen?
The September 1996 issue of Standing Firm magazine contains a great story about Bobby Bowden. Bowden is head football coach for Florida State University. His team's winning record places him near the top in wins among active coaches at the Division I level. Bowden's record of successes in bowl games is the highest winning percentage in NCAA history. So he is successful in his chosen career. Whether you are a fan of F.S.U. or not, you have to admit that Bowden is a successful coach.
But there is more to Bowden than the statistics you read in the sports pages. He is a man of faith, and makes no apologies for that. During his team's Friday evening meetings before their Saturday games, Bowden uses valuable time for team devotionals, which he leads. As for his ongoing leadership of the team's staff, each day he meets with his staff for devotions and prayer prior to their regular staff meetings.
Each year, Bowden takes his entire team to a predominantly black church for worship. The following Sunday, he takes the team to a predominantly white church. There is no deception involved--he writes a letter to each athlete's parents or guardian to tell them about the church visits and obtain their approval. "I'm trying to show these kids that they are accepted in church whether they are white or black," Bowden said.
So what is the point of this and the many other ways Bowden walks his walk of faith? Bowden says, "I want to show these kids that you can be a Christian, you can be a God-fearing man, you can abide by the rules, and you can still be successful."
How Does This Apply to Our Lives?
A number of social commentators have asked the questions, "Where are our heroes?" and "Where are the role models for today's youth?" That is because we constantly read about people who were considered heroes, but turned out to be villains who compromised their values and broke the rules.
Is it necessary to compromise your values to make it in life? Bowden's story shows that it is not. No, Bowden is not perfect. But there is a core to his life. Bowden stands firm in his beliefs--and is successful. What is the difference between the Bobby Bowden's of the world, and others? Simply put, some people are like onions. They have no core, just layers. And when you peel away all the layers, nothing is left. Don't glorify the "onions" of the world. Instead, lift up people like Bowden--men and women with a core to their lives, who exhibit integrity and faith. Help them touch others. Encourage them. Pray for them. Finally, build and strengthen your own core. Start by placing your trust and confidence totally in God. Trusting in God does not guarantee you worldly success or great riches, but the Bible teaches that something far more important will result, blessings from God.
"Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him." Job 17:9

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THE FENCE Author Unknown
There was a little boy with a bad temper. His father gave him a bag of nails and told him that every time he lost his temper, to hammer a nail in the back fence. The first day the boy had driven 37 nails into the fence. Then it gradually dwindled down. He discovered it was easier to hold his temper than to drive those nails into the fence.
Finally the day came when the boy didn't lose his temper at all. He told his father about it and the father suggested that the boy now pull out one nail for each day that he was able to hold his temper. The days passed and the young boy was finally able to tell his father that all the nails were gone. The father took his son by the hand and led him to the fence. He said, "You have done well, my son, but look at the holes in the fence. The fence will never be the same. When you say things in anger, they leave a scar just like this one. You can put a knife in a man and draw it out.
It won't matter how many times you say I'm sorry, the wound is still there. A verbal wound is as bad as a physical one. Friends are a very rare jewel, indeed. They make you smile and encourage you to succeed. They lend an ear, they share a word of praise, and they always want to open their hearts to us.
But your best friend of all should be Jesus. Show your friends how much you care. Be like Jesus.

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Small Straws In A Soft Wind by Marsha Burns
In a vision I saw people hanging in mid-air. It reminded me of parachutists in mid-air, but they were not falling. They began to reach out and touch one another and join together. And, I heard the Lord say, "My desire is for you, My people, to reach out, interact with each other and join together on a spiritual level rather than just on a natural level." Ephesians 2:19-22 Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.

Even though you have been through a time of tearing down when it seemed like you endured one loss after another in many ways, yet now I will begin to build you up. But, it will not be by your own design or your carnal desires; it will be according to My plans and order. For, I say honestly that there were things that needed to be adjusted, and those adjustments could not have come without a dramatic upheaval with regard to the things that needed to be changed.
Do not mourn for the things you’ve lost, but rather look up and yield to the work of My hands in your life and circumstances. A new and divine order will no longer tear you down, but will build you up and you will be strong!
Now is the time for you to “strengthen the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees, and to make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be dislocated, but rather be healed.” (Hebrews 12:12-13)
You may feel lame, but your attitude and outlook will bring strength and healing. This is certainly no time for you to get stuck in being a victim of this house-cleaning process. It has been good for you spiritually whether you know it or not. And, I will certainly lead you in a way that you have not known and make the crooked paths straight before you.
Take your rightful and strong position in this new season and set yourself by faith and in hope to both sow good spiritual seeds and reap a great and bountiful harvest. Do this consciously and deliberately, for the time has come for the changes you have endured to set the stage for divine order in your life and circumstances, says the Lord.
Isaiah 42:16 I will bring the blind by a way they did not know; I will lead them in paths they have not known. I will make darkness light before them, and crooked places straight. These things I will do for them, and not forsake them.

Watch and pay attention as I continue to provide opportunities for change that will ultimately result in a higher spiritual standard. Yield to these adjustments, for they will make your life better, and you will become a more accurate and effective example of life in the Spirit, says the Lord. I will tweak everything that is out of alignment with truth and life. Be willing and flexible; I will do the rest. Philippians 2:13 for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.

I have called you to be a beacon for those who sit in darkness so they can catch a glimpse of what it is like to be in the light. I want you to be an example of Kingdom Dwellers so that others may come in. This is going to require discipline to make sure that darkness has no place in you, says the Lord. This is a time when you can rise up and take your rightful position as a witness of My love. 1 John 1:5 This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all.

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The Trumpet by Bill Burns
"Set the trumpet to your mouth!" Hosea 8:1
I hear the Lord saying, rise up My children. Come into faith. Forget the failures of the past. Remember who I am. Remember that I am yours and you are Mine. Seat yourself deeply within My heart. For, if you know My heart for you, you will make a determination that I am not only for you; I am with you. I will walk with you through this journey. I will lead and guide you. I will reveal Myself more fully to you. Come today with renewed hope and wrap up the seed that you are now about to sow, in great faith. Plant them deep within your own hearts, the very good ground that I am now providing for you. Come and believe. Come and receive. Come unto Me. Let Me remove from you the stigma of the past. For, in the removing of that stigma, surely hope will grow, and out of that hope will come faith for this season; out of faith will come the blessings in this appointed time, says the Lord.

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You're Welcome Lord By Dottie Brewer
I know You're always with me;
You see everything I do.
But I like to keep in mind
How others view You, too.
With Your glorified body
You don't need to use the door.
You can come in through a window,
Or even through the floor.
Regardless how You enter
My dear Lord, I pray You find
Upon my walls and tables,
But utmost on my mind
Things that are pure and holy,
And my heart is fixed on You;
Grateful for my salvation
And leading souls to You.
For I desire to please You
My Adonai, loving King.
You're why I'm so happy --
You gave me cause to sing.

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I am a sinner, Lord by Linda Hill
Shine your light on me
Give me the strength and courage
To be ALL you want me to be
Send down Your tender mercy
Let your love shine through
Show me the right road to take
To lead me back to You
Wash my sins white as snow
Mold me according to your plan
Oh Lord, just make me worthy
To touch Your nailed scarred hand
I give you a broken down body
Mend it Lord, I pray
Shower Your blessings on me
Let nothing stand in Your way
I'm laying my sins at Your feet, Lord
They aren't coming back with me
I praise your name, dear Jesus
I give You All the glory
Through the blood I am forgiven
By the Bible I understand
Oh Lord, just make me worthy
To touch Your nailed scarred Hand
I humbly stand before You, Lord
Hear my voice, I pray
I know I am not promised
Another hour, another day
Walk beside me, guide my steps
Don't let me stumble and fall
When I walk beside my Lord
I want to be standing TALL
I give you the rest of my life, Lord
Use it to glorify You
May Your word shine through me
In all I say and do
Allow me to lead others, Lord
Help them to understand
Oh Lord, just make me worthy
To touch Your nailed scarred hand.

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"He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge." Psalm 91:4

8 “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord. 9 “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts. Isaiah 55:8-9

25 “I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake; And I will not remember your sins. Isaiah 43:25

19 “God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good? Numbers 23:19

Meditate on These Things
8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. 9 The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you. Philippians 4:8-9

16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 19 Do not quench the Spirit. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-19

The Race of Faith
12 Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:1-2

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THE VISITOR Author Unknown
One day, a man went to visit a church. He arrived early, parked his car, and got out. Another car pulled up near him, and the driver told him, "I always park there. You took my place!"
The visitor went inside for Sunday School, found an empty seat, and sat down. A young lady from the church approached him and stated, "That's my seat! You took my place!" The visitor was somewhat distressed by this rude welcome, but said nothing.
After Sunday School, the visitor went into the church sanctuary and sat down. Another member walked up to him and said, "That's where I always sit. You took my place!" The visitor was even more troubled by this treatment, but still said nothing.
Later, as the congregation was praying for Christ to dwell among them, the visitor stood, and his appearance began to change. Horrible scars became visible on his hands and on his sandaled feet. Someone from the congregation noticed him and called out, "What happened to you?"
The visitor replied, "I took your place."

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Lord, I thank You for strengthening me today and every day as I face various trials and tribulations. Thank You, that Your joy is my strength. I pray that You help me to guard my mind and my heart so that when an attack comes, I can quickly dismiss it and turn to You instead. Amen.

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Read Through The Bible
1 Chronicles 16
The Ark Placed in the Tabernacle
1 So they brought the ark of God, and set it in the midst of the tabernacle that David had erected for it. Then they offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before God. 2 And when David had finished offering the burnt offerings and the peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord. 3 Then he distributed to everyone of Israel, both man and woman, to everyone a loaf of bread, a piece of meat, and a cake of raisins. 4 And he appointed some of the Levites to minister before the ark of the Lord, to commemorate, to thank, and to praise the Lord God of Israel: 5 Asaph the chief, and next to him Zechariah, then Jeiel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Mattithiah, Eliab, Benaiah, and Obed-Edom: Jeiel with stringed instruments and harps, but Asaph made music with cymbals; 6 Benaiah and Jahaziel the priests regularly blew the trumpets before the ark of the covenant of God.
David’s Song of Thanksgiving
7 On that day David first delivered this psalm into the hand of Asaph and his brethren, to thank the Lord: 8 Oh, give thanks to the Lord! Call upon His name; Make known His deeds among the peoples! 9 Sing to Him, sing psalms to Him; Talk of all His wondrous works! 10 Glory in His holy name; Let the hearts of those rejoice who seek the Lord! 11 Seek the Lord and His strength; Seek His face evermore! 12 Remember His marvelous works which He has done, His wonders, and the judgments of His mouth, 13 O seed of Israel His servant, You children of Jacob, His chosen ones! 14 He is the Lord our God; His judgments are in all the earth. 15 Remember His covenant forever, The word which He commanded, for a thousand generations, 16 The covenant which He made with Abraham, And His oath to Isaac, 17 And confirmed it to Jacob for a statute, To Israel for an everlasting covenant, 18 Saying, “To you I will give the land of Canaan As the allotment of your inheritance,” 19 When you were few in number, Indeed very few, and strangers in it. 20 When they went from one nation to another, And from one kingdom to another people, 21 He permitted no man to do them wrong; Yes, He rebuked kings for their sakes, 22 Saying, “Do not touch My anointed ones, And do My prophets no harm.” 23 Sing to the Lord, all the earth; Proclaim the good news of His salvation from day to day. 24 Declare His glory among the nations, His wonders among all peoples. 25 For the Lord is great and greatly to be praised; He is also to be feared above all gods. 26 For all the gods of the peoples are idols, But the Lord made the heavens. 27 Honor and majesty are before Him; Strength and gladness are in His place. 28 Give to the Lord, O families of the peoples, Give to the Lord glory and strength. 29 Give to the Lord the glory due His name; Bring an offering, and come before Him. Oh, worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness! 30 Tremble before Him, all the earth. The world also is firmly established, It shall not be moved. 31 Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad; And let them say among the nations, “The Lord reigns.” 32 Let the sea roar, and all its fullness; Let the field rejoice, and all that is in it. 33 Then the trees of the woods shall rejoice before the Lord, For He is coming to judge the earth. 34 Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever. 35 And say, “Save us, O God of our salvation; Gather us together, and deliver us from the Gentiles, To give thanks to Your holy name, To triumph in Your praise.” 36 Blessed be the Lord God of Israel From everlasting to everlasting! And all the people said, “Amen!” and praised the Lord.
Regular Worship Maintained
37 So he left Asaph and his brothers there before the ark of the covenant of the Lord to minister before the ark regularly, as every day’s work required; 38 and Obed-Edom with his sixty-eight brethren, including Obed-Edom the son of Jeduthun, and Hosah, to be gatekeepers; 39 and Zadok the priest and his brethren the priests, before the tabernacle of the Lord at the high place that was at Gibeon, 40 to offer burnt offerings to the Lord on the altar of burnt offering regularly morning and evening, and to do according to all that is written in the Law of the Lord which He commanded Israel; 41 and with them Heman and Jeduthun and the rest who were chosen, who were designated by name, to give thanks to the Lord, because His mercy endures forever; 42 and with them Heman and Jeduthun, to sound aloud with trumpets and cymbals and the musical instruments of God. Now the sons of Jeduthun were gatekeepers. 43 Then all the people departed, every man to his house; and David returned to bless his house.

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Father, I honor You and love You. You are my dear friend who never leaves me. You know my heart like no one else does. You know what I struggle with in my walk with You. You know all of my secrets and desires. I trust You my Lord with my life. I know You honor total obedience to You. Keep me ever so close to You so I won't stray. I dwell in the secret place where I can rest and You speak to my heart about many things. I know you are coming quickly and you want us on the straight and narrow pathway. We are going to walk on a tightrope and You will balance out our life as we obey Your will. Don't pass me by Jesus. I will take any crumb from Your table you want me to do. The crumbs from Your table are more powerful than anyone can think of. I just want others to see You in me and NOT me. Not me. I want others to see Your love through me. I want You to shine brightly through me Lord.

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Dear Father, I thank You that in Your generosity You withhold nothing from me that is good, and in Your wisdom You don't give me everything that I want.

Wherever you are in life, whatever you've done, you can begin again. If you do not have Jesus in your life and wish to ask Jesus into your life please go to this link now to do so: http://www.bluidkiti.com/forums/showthread.php?t=130 .
Jesus is calling you to live a life that matters.