The scripture for today, June 18 (6/18), is 2nd Chronicles 6:18a as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:
“But will God really dwell on earth with men? The heavens, even the highest heavens, cannot contain you.”
Did you ever want to see God, to talk to him face to face? Perhaps something bad had just happened in your life, and you had this urge to bawl him out, then let him explain why. Or did you ever want to touch God? Perhaps you were so very lonely that you desperately needed his arms around you, and feel his touch as he brushed away your tears.
But, if you could see him and touch him, it would mean that he could not be with others in the world at that time and could not hear anyone else’s prayers at that time except yours. Try to be grateful that you cannot see and touch him for now. He is always available to you, regardless of where you are in this vast world and regardless of how many others are praying to him at that moment.
How he can sort out all our prayers at once is mind-boggling. How he can be everywhere at once is amazing. How he can love each one of us as though we were the only person in the world is miraculous and incredible.
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BIBLE PUZZLES FOR YOUNG AND OLD. Secret Codes: Numbers represent letters. Crossword Puzzles: Some are easy, some a little harder. Fill in the blanks: This puzzle gets people to open their Bibles and read famous passages for themselves. Word Search: From very young to very old. Puzzles to keep you delighted for hours. And great for parties, home schoolers, bulletins, ice breakers, homebound. To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this………. http://bit.ly/Bible-Puzzles https://inspirationsbykatheryn.wordpress.com/links-to-some-of-my-fun-bible-stuff/bible-puzzles-for-young-and-old/
The scripture for today, June 17 (6/17), is Matthew 6:17 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:
“But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face.”
This is interesting because Jesus did not say “If, you fast,” but rather “When you fast.” It was as though he was teaching us to take for granted that we would fast ~ it would be second-nature to us. In a sense, it is, for when most people go through a sudden tragedy such as loss of a loved one, they often cannot eat.
But what about voluntary fasting? The early church sometimes fasted. Acts 13:2 says a congregation in Antioch, Syria, fasted and worshipped, then chose men to go out as missionaries. Queen Esther fasted before going to the king uninvited with a request he might not like (Esther 4:16). Isaiah 58:3 says people fasted in order to humble themselves.
Some people respond, “I’d die if I had to fast.” Perhaps that’s kind of the idea. We know we would die if we went without food long enough. So perhaps one day of fasting is a way of saying, “God, I would die for you if I had to.” Yes, fasting is a humbling experience and frightening to some people. But perhaps that is the point.
Is something important coming up that you know you will be urgently praying about? Once you skip one meal, you will have conquered your desire to eat. Then, with your brain not having to concentrate on digesting food, it will be able to focus more on that important thing happening in your life. Your prayers will be more focused. You will be more focused with your eyes more clearly on God.
So, take a shower, comb your hair, put on some nice clothes, and look like you have something important to do. Then fast.
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I praise you, Lord God of my heart. You are my king, my Father, my Creator, my Life, my Betrothed, the Lover of my soul. You are all I need and all everyone else needs. I came from you and find peace only when I go back to you. You made me, I am yours. I belong to you and long to return to you. I worship you both now and forever.
Forgive me for not sharing what you are with more people and showing them what you can make of them. You can make their life beautiful. How dare I keep it a secret!
Ah, my Lord, I cannot thank you enough for giving me your Bible. Within its pages is glory. It brims with delight, for I never have to guess what you’re thinking. They are your love letters to me. You are always on my mind. Sometimes I can hardly wait to join you in your home when I will know what you are like face to face. What a day that will be. Home coming! The angels and cherub and all of heaven will rejoice when I arrive, but none will rejoice more than I. What a wonder you are in the brilliance of your glory and majesty.
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LOVE LETTERS OF JESUS & HIS BRIDE, ECCLESIA. Look over their shoulder at their love letters [chapters in Song of Solomon] beginning with the time he finds her in the clutches of Satan and pays the terrible blood ransom to free her. He takes her to their Garden and they fall even more in love. Then on to the times she wanders away and he follows her to bring her back to him. Their story ends with Ecclesia desperately calling to him, “Come, Lord Jesus.”. He replies, “I am coming soon.” To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this: https://bit.ly/LoveLettersOfJesus https://inspirationsbykatheryn.wordpress.com/love-letters-of-jesus-his-bride-ecclesia-2/
The scripture for today, June 12 (6/12), is Luke 6:12 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:
“One of those days, Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God.”
How in the world did Jesus think of enough things to say that he could pray all night? Most of us, on a good day, only manage a 5-minute prayer. The next verse says that the next morning he selected his twelve apostles. Aha! He had a list. He had probably spent at least half an hour each praying about them by name, as well as about others he was considering. Jesus knew what his apostles would be facing someday. Which ones would be loyal enough, stubborn enough, strong-willed enough to someday in the future endure persecution, torture (skinned alive, beaten to death, burned), and martyrdom for him?
Who do you pray for by name? Do you have a prayer list? How about opening the newspaper and praying for all those people in the news ~ perpetrators, victims, causes, governments, situations? Or everyone you work with? Or everyone your children go to school with? Or all their teachers and administrators? Or the clerks in the stores you go to regularly? Or members of an organization you belong to? Or every member of your congregation? What about countries where people become Christians at risk of their freedom and even their lives?
There are always people in need of prayer. And one of the joys of such a prayer life is now and then telling people whom you know that they are in your prayers, or writing a note to someone who is a stranger to you telling them that you pray for them.
Some people have never heard their names in prayer. Some people have never even been told that someone prays for them.
God loves to answer prayer. Do you love prayer?
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TOUCHING GOD. SILVER-WINGED PRAYERS: YOUR SPIRIT TO GOD’S. I dare you to pray for 50 people, 100 people, 500 people. You do not need to explain each person’s needs. God knows them. If all you can do is bring their names before the throne of God, then do that. May these prayers help you along the way to connect with your Maker, your God, the Lover of your Soul. To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this: https://bit.ly/SilverWingedPrayers https://inspirationsbykatheryn.wordpress.com/365-silver-winged-prayers-your-spirit-to-gods/
Lord, you never forget me. You have so much to do in the universe to keep the stars in their heavens, the planets in their orbits, and the seas in their bounds. More, you are always thinking about me. I am always on your mind. You watch me and do all that is necessary to guide me, though you leave the choice up to me. You are so boundless in knowledge and wisdom, yet you respect my decisions ~ right or wrong. Even when my decisions are wrong, you do not interfere. You give me room to think and change my mind. I lift up my hands in praise to you. You are the Great God of the universe, Ruler of heaven & earth and King of my heart.
Your eyes were so sleepy on the day you were born. Ah, what a journey you had made. By the time the wise men found you, your eyes were big and wide and full of curiosity. As you grew up, your eyes looked intently at what was around you and a vague memory approached of you having made it all. As a full-grown man, your eyes looked with pity on the sick, the crippled, the diseased, the handicapped and you healed them all. Then one day those eyes were filled with tears as you looked down from the cross at people bragging they were at last killing you. Those tears blended with your blood fell on the hearts of mankind. I kneel before you, my tears mingling with yours and I worship you.
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THEY MET JESUS: SHADOW OF DEATH. The priests thought they had killed him. The Romans thought they had killed him. Satan thought he had killed him. Wrong. They had all been wrong. You cannot kill God. In holy defiance, he re-entered that mangled body, renewed it, and came back to life to live on forever. To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this……….https://bit.ly/ShadowOfDeath-7 https://inspirationsbykatheryn.wordpress.com/historical-novel-about-jesus/book-7-shadow-of-death-adults-childs-versions/
You are the God of beauty to my senses, magnificence to my heart, awesomeness to my mind. You made me, and how I long to return to my Maker. Your hands formed me. Your breath brought life to my body. Your spirit made my soul eternal. When I die, I will only change worlds. When I die, I will enter into your wondrous eternal home and bask in the light of your love, the tenderness of your touch, the wonder of your very presence.
Thank you, Lord God, for all you have done to save me from the punishment for my sins ~ hell, an eternal living death. An existence where Satan’s masquerade is over. An existence with no light, no goodness, no patience, no love. A place with no walls of salvation, no streets to walk on, no foundations for a bottomless existence. An existence without God is horrid. You have prodded and poked mankind to lure us away from hell. You do everything possible and keep us for yourself but so many believe Satan’s lies that you hate them. Your love is a tower that cannot collapse. It is a wall that cannot be penetrated. A fortress that cannot fall. How can I thank you?
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THE LORD’S SUPPER: 52 READINGS WITH PRAYERS. Excellent to keep by the communion table to be used by those presiding. Also, members can order their own copy for their personal meditation while partaking of this holy moment every Sunday while partaking of the Lord’s Supper — the great reminder. To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this……….https://bit.ly/LordsSupper52 https://inspirationsbykatheryn.wordpress.com/the-lords-supper-52-readings-with-prayers/
Ah, my Lord God. People accuse you of using them as pawns in the game of beating out Satan. People accuse you of having a life of ease in heaven while we do all the struggling here on earth. Not so! You are always at work in the background keeping Satan’s emissaries away from us as much as we allow you to. You are always watching people follow Satan’s rebellious ways with artificial laughter as they destroy their lives and blame you for it. Do they not see? Do they not understand that you go through more pain and heartache than the world ever dreams of as you watch us fall into the pit because they wouldn’t pay any attention to you, afraid you would ruin their fun. Oh, how you suffer for us, how you suffer for me. It boggles my mind to understand the love and passion you have for me. I must wear you out as you rush ahead of me and around me, trying to get me to turn back to you. Your grace is as high as the stars at the pinnacle of the universe. I worship you.
Your love, Oh God, is like the ocean. When I need you the most, the tide moves in closer and refreshes my soul. When it is time for me to work on an assignment from you to help people blaming you for their problems, the tide ebbs and moves out to tend to someone else. Then, when I need refreshed by you, here comes the tide flowing in again. Just like clockwork. You are never far away. I can always depend on you. You never change. You are from eternity to eternity. How can I begin to thank you?
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SILVER-WINGED PRAYERS: YOUR SPIRIT TO GOD’S. This third book in the trilogy, Touching God, is suggested prayers to end your time of devotion. Each prayer encourages praise, confession of sins, and thanksgiving. The sins included in this book are from the many lists of sins scattered through the Bible, especially the New Testament. Set aside time every day for prayer. It may be all in the morning, all in the evening, or scattered throughout the day. May these prayers help you along the way to connect with your Maker, your God, the Lover of your Soul. To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this: https://bit.ly/SilverWingedPrayers https://inspirationsbykatheryn.wordpress.com/365-silver-winged-prayers-your-spirit-to-gods/
