Scripture for Sunday, December 25 (12/25)

The scripture for today, December 25 is Proverbs 12:25 as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

000-BOOK 1-STAR SONG-PRINT COVER-Small“An anxious heart weighs a man down, but a kind word cheers him up.”

Yesterday, did you see anyone sitting alone looking downcast? Go back there today. S/he may not be there, but someone else may be. It may be a gathering place for the lonely, the discouraged. Smile at them and whisper, “Jesus loves you.” Have a conversation with them and show them they are worthy of your time.  Listen to them. Share with them.

Do you periodically see “beggars” at a certain location? They may squander donations or use them to buy food. Either way, being a beggar isn’t people’s life’s goal. You do not know their story. Everyone has a story. Their hearts are anxious about something.

Give them a little change, maybe wrap it in a verse from the Bible.  Ask them if they have family and if their family would accept them back. If so, encourage them to “go home.” Tell them you will pray for them. Smile at them, and whisper, “Jesus loves you.”

Today, do you know of a place where travelers usually stay or gather? Are any of them there today, stranded and cannot get home? Go there, prepared to give each of them something special, or even invite them to your home for a Christmas feast.

Jesus encouraged and helped the downhearted. So can we. Dare to be a star shining on them in their darkness. Dare to show Jesus to the downhearted.

#Downhearted #Discouraged, #Beggars, #Sharing, #Cheering, #Loving

Scripture for Saturday, December 24 (12/24)

The scripture for today, December 24, is Luke 12:24 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

“Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn, yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds!”

In many nations right now, things are financially strained. Luxuries? No. To be able to live until tomorrow? Probably.

Which is more valuable? To impress men or impress God? A life dedicated to things impresses men. A life dedicated to doing good things impresses God.

Oh, Jesus. You had such a way of explaining the Father’s relationship God wants with us, his creation. He loves us so. Such love. Such undying, everlasting love.


PS ~ Those of you with children, and you cannot get them much for Christmas: Write IOU’s to them and put each one in a box. Wrap each with typing paper if you don’t have Christmas paper. And with a red or green crayon, draw a ribbon on top. What’s on the IOU’s? “One hour of coloring with you.” “One hour of playing ball with you.” “Three hours of hiking with you.” “Two hours of baking cookies with you.” Give yourself for Christmas!

#Blessings, #Life, #Poverty, #Thanksgiving, #Christmas, #Peace, #Nations, #Government, #JoyAnyway #GiftOfLife, #Value, #HeavenlyFather

Scripture for Friday, December 23 (12/23)

The scripture for today, December 23, is 1st Samuel 12:23 as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:


HS-COVER-KINDLE-GOLD“As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by failing to pray for you. And I will teach you the way that is good
 and right.”

It’s a sin not to pray for others!

Do your prayers get bogged down in the mire of me’s? Do you wonder why you can’t pray for more than a couple minutes ~ five on a good day? Satan gets you to do this; he is the enemy of prayer because he knows how powerful it is.

Who is on your prayer list? Pray for people by name. Your neighbors. People you work with. Your government officials ~ both good and bad. People in a nursing home. People in your congregation. People in the military. People being persecuted, imprisoned and even killed because they are Christians. Missionaries. Children in an orphan home. Sales people at the store. Local school teachers.

Pray for 15 minutes a day. Half an hour. An hour. It’s oh so easy when we stop praying only for self and pray for others.

Pray for them by name. And tell them that you do. Some people have never been told, “I am praying for you”.

Let us not sin by praying only for “me”.

#Prayer, #Selfishness, #GoodWill, #Love, #Power

Scripture for Thursday, December 22 (12/22)

The scripture for today, December 22, is 1st Samuel 12:22 as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

0-BOOK 3-HEARTS AFIRE-COVER“For the sake of his great name, the Lord will not reject his people, because the Lord was pleased to make you his own.”

Amazing love of God. It pleases him to make us his own. It pleases him! 

We the lowly. 

We the weak. 

We the inconsistent. 

We the sinners.

Let us reply, “My soul is overwhelmed with joy.”

#LoveOfGod, #MercyOfGod, #GraceOfGod, #Sins

Scripture for Wednesday, December 21 (12/21)

The scripture for today, December 21, is Matthew 12:21 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

000-BOOK 1-STAR SONG-PRINT COVER-Small“In his name the nations will put their hope.”

Revelation 21:2, 9, & 26 says something similar regarding the New Jerusalem which is the Bride of Christ which is the Church: “The glory and honor of the nations will be brought into it.”

The nation you live in may not be in good hands right now, or it may be thriving with high morals, or it may be diving into poverty. But your nation can hope ~ hope in Jesus, the Prince of Peace and King of kings.

Never lose hope. You are just one person, but there is great power in one. Jesus came to provide that hope. In your own way, in your own life, use your power of one. 

Show your nation how it can hope, how it can have glory, how it can have honor. 

#Nations, #Government, #Corruption, #Hope, #PrinceOfPeace, #KingOfKings, #Morality, #Poverty, #Faith

Christmas Books – budget wise

Jesus is born into a violent world with skirmishes on the highways and fighting in the cities. Sometimes in desperation Joseph cries out, “God, help me protect our Son!”

Available for $3.99 on Kindle or various prices for paper at linked discount bookstore. Buy now for Christmas. Click here: http://bit.ly/2aUZlvchttp://bit.ly/2aUZlvc

8 Christmas gift books: THEY MET JESUS. Click here to learn more about this popular heart-warming series in adult’s, child’s and large-print versions: http://bit.ly/2hkde9ihttp://bit.ly/2hkde9i

Start with just the first book (the Christmas story) or buy all 8 at once.

Available for $2.99 each on Kindle, or paper for various reasonable prices at linked discount bookstore. Click link above.

The magi see the strange star and travel the world seeking its meaning from the gods. Finally, they give in to Michel and search the prophets of Jehovah. What happens after they see the child Jesus and return to Parthia?

Available for $3.99 on Kindle or various prices for paper at linked discount bookstore. Buy now for Christmas. Click here: http://bit.ly/2hFNbf8

 

Scripture for Tuesday, December 20 (12/20

The scripture for today, December 20, is 2nd Corinthians 12:20b as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

0-cover-kindle-new-medium“…. I fear that there may be quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, factions, slander, gossip, arrogance and disorder.”

It can happen among well-meaning people trying to accomplish the same good work but from a different angle. Do we insist our way is the best way, and people will be lost if the committee/congregation doesn’t do things our way? Do we then get hurt and think (or say) everyone else doesn’t love the lost like we do? Then are we tempted to just drop out?

A good test when personalities clash is to ask ourselves, “Would this congregation survive without me?” Of course, it would. It did before we came and would after.

A good solution: If our heart is set on a certain good work, but no one else’s heart is, do what we can alone. We don’t need a committee to follow our heart.

Let us prefer one another, honor one another, and love one another. We are family ~ God’s family.

#Quarrels, #Jealousy, #Ego, #Temper, #Heart, #GoodWorks

Christmas books for you

Christmas gift books: THEY MET JESUS. Click here to learn more about this popular heart-warming series in adult’s, child’s and large-print versions: http://bit.ly/2hkde9i

Start with just the first book (the Christmas story) or buy all 8 at once.

Available for $2.99 each on Kindle, or paper for various reasonable prices. Click link above.

Jesus is born into a violent world with skirmishes on the highways and fighting in the cities. Sometimes in desperation Joseph cries out, “God, help me protect our Son!”

Available for $3.99 on Kindle or various prices for paper. Buy now for Christmas. Click here: http://bit.ly/2aUZlvc

The magi see the strange star and travel the world seeking its meaning from the gods. Finally, they give in to Michel and search the prophets of Jehovah. What happens after they see the child Jesus?

Available for $3.99 on Kindle or various prices for paper. Buy now for Christmas. Click here: http://bit.ly/2hFNbf8

 

 

Scripture for Monday, December 19 (12/19)

The Scripture for today, December 19, is Romans 12:19 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

inside-cover-medium“Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: ‘It is mine to avenge; I will repay,’ says the Lord.”

Thank God he took away the old Law of Moses and gave us the new Law of Jesus Christ instead. Under the Law of Moses, they often had to take revenge themselves. They had to stone adulterers and children who were disrespectful to their parents. If someone killed a relative, they were obligated to go out and kill that person. If someone knocked the eye or tooth out of a relative, they were obligated to go out and take that person’s eye or tooth.

Now God says forgive and do good to your enemy (verse 20-21). That’s what God did to us ~ we who once were his enemies as sinners. As we are merciful to others, he is merciful to us. 

Forgiveness is not condoning evil, but wishing the best for whoever did something bad to you. Hard to do? Indeed! But, with God, anything is possible. So, let go of it. Let go of them. Let God take care of it. He has released you of that burden. Released you to “overcome evil with good”. 

#Vengence, #Revenge, #Vendetta, #Resentment, #Hatred, #Ego, #Forgiveness, #Love

Scripture for Sunday, December 18 (12/18)