Thanksgiving Day Psalms 108:5

Be exalted, O God, above the heavens, and let your glory be all over the earth. Psalm 108:5

I am so thankful that this is true. God's glory is everywhere. May God be with you today.

Prayer Friday Psalm 108:4

For great is your love, higher than the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the skies. Psalm 108:4



Mighty Creator, Living Christ, Searching Holy Spirit, We are so blessed.

Lord, you provide us with amazing blessings all around us, yet we are so dense as to not recognize them. You give us all, starting with life, and we don't look.

Please open our bodies, our minds, our spirits, so we can perceive your glory and care.

Lord please protect all who travel this busy week.

We love you, our Living Christ. Holy Spirit, lead our actions to fit that love.

Lord, yours is the earth and heavens, help us be faithful to you and yours.

Amen

The Bountiful Storehouse

The Lord will open the heavens, the storehouse of his bounty, to send rain on your land in season and bless all the work of your hands. Deuteronomy 28:12

I love Christmas, however, I refuse to get caught up in the "process". More on that later. Right now, my thought is I love Thanksgiving. When I think of this celebration I think of the song whose words include "Bless this house oh Lord I pray. Keep it safe by night and day." I think of the word bounty, of storehouse, of the words yellow, orange and brown.

In this passage in Deuteronomy the Israelites are learning what God will do for them if they obey the Lord their God and carefully follow all his commandments. Well, God opened the storehouse of his heavens and out of his bounty God sent us Jesus. God will send us the flowing water of the Holy Spirit and bless our works of love if we obey the greatest commandment brought by our Living Christ. Love our Creator with all our heart and love our neighbor as we love our self.

God's bounty is timeless and limitless, our love should be also. As we go into Thanksgiving let's dwell on and in our Creator's bountiful storehouse and be so thankful that it spills out through us to all those around us.

Prayer Friday

At that time Jesus said, "I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth." Matthew 11:25

Loving Creator, Living Christ, Wonderful Holy Spirit, please hear our prayer.
We are blessed with such a beautiful day to which we wake up. Thank You for all the opportunities You will put before us. We are surrounded with Your love every second of this day.
Lord, thank You for all of the workers in the health field. We know that it is with Your wisdom that they are trained and the skill they have comes from You. You are not only the healing, but the healer. Thank You for the discovered knowledge that guide these people, and for the wisdom yet to be discovered. We are truly blessed by these workers.
Please be with all that are going though medical test today and those that are being treated.
We are aware all day that You give us our breath, don't let us waste it. In the name of the Living Christ, AMEN.

A Little More on Witnessing

Remember the things I have done in the past. For I alone am God! I am God, and there is none like me. Isaiah 46:9

The tournament is over, I was nothing but consistent, improved one shot the second day! But, I had a great time. I really enjoyed the three gals with whom I was paired, there was a lot of laughter.
A couple of thoughts about yesterday's post...witnessing is a perfect time to "remember the things I have done". Not only do you have a chance to lead another closer to God, you yourself have a chance to remember, as you relate your beliefs, all the things God has done for you. All the times God has shown you the way. So it is a two way path, side by side; tell/remember. What a beautiful path to walk.
Also, keep in mind your witness is added to all the other ones God has arranged for this person. It is not all up to you, you may be the first to share with the other or the last, so don't get discouraged. You are one of a great cloud of witnesses. That always gives me comfort and strength when I tell some one else the Great Story.
We don't have to shout or get in someones face...we just need to listen for the right question, remember what God has done for us, answer the question, and then thank God for the opportunity and all the others in the cloud with you.

Trouble Witnessing? Just Listen

A truthful witness gives honest testimony, but a false witness tells lies. Proverbs 12:17

I am in the second day of a two day tounament. Didn't do too good yesterday. No, that is not the truth, I did very well on 15 holes and very poorly on three. On most of the good holes I couldn't have done better, but, boy oh boy, on those stinky ones I could half my scores and still improve! Bad.
To me these two days of golf are a great chance to witness. Now, four or five years ago I could not have said that. I was afraid to witness, I was embarrassed. Basically I didn't know how to do it. I was afraid I would say the wrong thing or give the wrong information. But I think I have now found the key, at least for me. Listening and telling the truth.
First, I usually don't initiate the subject. I listen for The Question. When you spend time with folks, have conversation say on the golf course, in waiting rooms, at parties there are usually many chances to listen. Really focus on what the other is saying. Most often they will ask you what you would do about something or other. How you would respond to a friend causing a problem, what would you do about a child that is going astray. People really like to talk about their hurts and problems. Listen to them, first, this is a chance to show them someone cares. Second, it is a chance to speak of love and forgiveness.
As far as giving the correct information, all you can do is give honest testimony about how love and forgiveness have worked in your life. The Holy Spirit will take what you say and make it useful to the other.
Just listen to what others are saying and asking. Then honestly respond to them with God's love. That is a witness.

Pray With Me Friday: Psalm 9:10

Those who know your name will trust in you, for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you. Psalm 9:10

Most loving Creator, Living Christ, Great Counselor hear our prayer.
You have surely blessed us with a beautiful day. Whether we have crisp, cold air, rain, snow, clouds or sunny skies we know You are there. We are blessed with the breath we take in, the sights of our eyes and the beat of our heart. Thank You for life. Thank You for a friend or many friends, for we know you have put them in our lives.
Lord, in those times we forget You or think we cannot feel Your presence, help us to remember this Psalm. You never forsake us. You are here with us now and will be with us forever.
Lord, let us be a light to this world, that those You bring to us see You shining in our lives and faces. Put in our mouths the answers to their questions about You. Let us turn no one away from You, because of our actions. We who know your love want all to know it.
In the name of our Living Christ, AMEN.

The Greatest Gift Is Love

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. 1Corinthians 13:13

As this day progresses, I want all of you to know that I love each of you beyond politics, beyond national boundaries, beyond church ties and religious beliefs. We are all the children of a gracious and loving Creator, who is beyond our imagination to grasp. We are loved in a manner so huge we cannot wrap words or thoughts around it.
So love and be loved today.

His Patients

The Lord is not slow about his promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you. 2Peter 3:9

I am slowly getting back into shape after a while off from golf because of my ankle. Slowly getting back into shape after two many meals consumed on the trip to New York. Slowly getting the house back into shape after too many days away. I control the "slowly" in these sentences. I can speed all of them up by my actions or throw myself a curve and slow them down. I have done both.
How impatient do you get when you turn a problem over to God and it is not resolved quickly enough for your satisfaction? Do you stew, worry, whine, pout? Are you going thorough one of those waiting periods right now? Are you waiting for a healing in your body, mind, spirit; deep down in your soul?
"The Lord is not slow". Wait, pray, wait, pray. Your Creator loves you and will take care of you with love and grace in God's will. Don't count your impatiences as God's slowness.
Step out in faith that you are loved and God is and will be with you in every step.