Category: prayer

He stooped that low

On By Inspirations By KatherynIn prayerLeave a comment

The scripture for today, February 3 (2/3), is Philippians 2:3 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

0000-BK 1-StarSong-CHILD'SCartoonCover-Medium“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.”

This is probably among the top ten hardest-to-keep commands in the Bible. It’s right up there near loving our enemies.

Do we consider people who stand and speak in front of an audience superior to the listeners? Even though the one up front may be all talk and no show? Even though someone in the audience prays for others more than the “leader”? Even though someone in the audience is often awake all night caring for someone who needs him? Even though someone in the audience goes down to the seedy part of town wearing rags and tells about the love of Christ to people in the cellar of life?

But we give in to it. We praise the one standing before an audience and envy all their attention and their title.  Oh, my friend, who is the true leader ~ the audience or someone standing up front? Can we judge ourselves and each other as God does? Can we act as God does?

Jesus was always a server, helping others to be better. The last time he ate with his apostles before his death, he put on an apron and went around washing their feet. Apparently, none of them felt they should stoop so low as to do it. So, the Son of God did it.

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01-StarSong-CHILD'SCartoonCover-SmallA CHILD’S LIFE OF CHRIST:  STAR SONG.  God stooped low and became one of us so he could rise us up.  Even the children loved him.  “Think and Do” at the end of each chapter.  Big letters for the early reader.  Understood by 3-year-olds.  To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this……..  https://bit.ly/3pN6rXV

https://inspirationsbykatheryn.wordpress.com/a-childs-life-of-christ-book-1-star-song/

 

Sacred Delight

On By Inspirations By KatherynIn blessings, death, faith, Heaven, Inspirational, love, praise, prayer, sacrifice, Satan, Thanksgiving, worshipLeave a comment

0-Stephen-Cover-Kindle-MediumAh, Lord God, you are complete goodness, complete logic and truth, complete love and sacrifice, complete light and life.  You make yourself known in every way, sometimes in ways unexpected to the sacred delight of my soul. I look up and am filled with both laughter and awe. I look inward and am filled with your Spirit and your Life. I close my eyes and am filled with the heart of my Maker. I adore you.

Thank you for the honor you have given all Christians to be priests, serving before your throne. I give you the sacrifices of my lips, my hands, my feet.  I give you the wonder of my heart. I offer you my blood if Satan ever causes that day and hour to come, just as you offered your blood. And, when I at last walk through the gate of safety, I will serve you with blissful delight and worship you, for eternity.

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00-Stephen-Cover-Kindle-ThumbnailINTREPID MEN OF GOD.  STEPHEN: UNLIKELY MARTYR.  He was young with a wife and young children.  He had everything to live for.  What caused him to walked into the rulers’ chambers, knowing he would never go home again?  To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this:  https://bit.ly/2XBFXvJ

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Holy Tears

On By Inspirations By KatherynIn attitude, discouragement, ethics, family, forgiveness, healing, Inspirational, judging, Loss, love, patience, prayer, problems, sin, teaching, temptationLeave a comment

The scripture for today, January 28 (1/28), is 1st Chronicles 1:28  s found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

04-Isaac&Jacob-KindleMedium“The sons of Abraham: Isaac and Ishmael.”

Are you a parent with a grown or nearly-grown child who is going in the wrong direction? Have you tried everything you can think of, and nothing is working? Do you know in your heart that you have been a good example and things shouldn’t have turned out like they have?

Abraham has been called the Father of the Faithful. Yet he had one son who followed Jehovah ~ Isaac ~ and one son who followed idols ~ Ishmael. Certainly, Abraham tried everything he could to “talk some sense” into Ishmael. Certainly, he prayed earnestly for Ishmael. So, what went wrong?  He also had two grandsons who fought each other all the time ~ Jacob and Esau.  Again, what went wrong? He was a godly man. His son, Isaac was a godly man?  How could this have happened when they tried to raise their sons right?

Just as God has given each of us free will, our children and grandchildren also have free will. Just as God will never force us to follow him, we cannot force our children to follow God. You did not refrain from having your children because they may have difficulties in their life, and neither did God. And when our children rebel and break our hearts, imagine what God goes through when we rebel and break his heart.

Who knows? Perhaps your child will return to God someday in your old age, or even after you have died.  If your child deep down has a good heart, that is enough for God to work with.

Keep hope alive. And try not to weep too often.

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04-Isaac&Jacob-KindleThumbnailA CHILD’S BIBLE HEROES: ISAAC AND JACOB is a book of hope for dysfunctional families.  Twins Jacob and Esau fought all the time. Then Jacob stole from Esau, so Jacob ran away.  For twenty years they were apart and missed each other and eventually forgave each other.  What a reunion it was.  How happy Isaac must have been.  To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this……….https://bit.ly/3rcRNtZ

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Over and over and…

On By Inspirations By KatherynIn #friendships, blessings, family, Inspirational, joy, judging, patience, praise, prayer, problems, ThanksgivingLeave a comment

02-Samuel-MediumCoverThe scripture for today, January 26 (1/26), is 1st Samuel 1:26f as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

“And she said to him, ‘As surely as you live, my lord, I am the woman who stood here beside you praying to the Lord. I prayed for this child and the Lord has granted me what I asked of him.’ “

Wow!  Hannah prayed for a baby and God gave her a son!  Then she told everyone. How often do you tell someone God has answered your prayer, big or little?

Or do you wander aimlessly from prayer request to prayer request, and let the answers drift away from you unnoticed? Or worse, do you ask others to pray for something, but after once or twice you stop praying for that thing yourself? A year later, someone tells you they are still praying for your something and you have completely forgotten it.

Begin today to keep a list of your prayer requests. Write down the date you first began to pray for each. If your requests are all about yourself, expand. Begin including your neighbors, your co-workers, people you attend church with, your relatives, schools, people in the newspaper.

Then begin a second list of your answers and the dates. You will be amazed how fast your Prayers Answered list grows. Do not let the answers drift away from you unnoticed.

Notice them.

……….Claim them.

………………..Tell others.

And spend the rest of your life telling others and thanking God over and over and…

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02-samuel-thumbnailcoverA CHILD’S BIBLE KIDS:  SAMUEL.  Yes, this was Hannah’s prayer-baby.  Little Samuel finally moved to the tabernacle to be raised the rest of the way by the high priest.  Then Hannah’s prayer baby became the supreme judge of the entire nation.  To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this……….https://bit.ly/2LYgzyA

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I lift up the eyes of my heart and see you afar off

On By Inspirations By KatherynIn death, Inspirational, Life of Christ, love, patience, praise, prayer, sacrifice, Thanksgiving, truth, worshipLeave a comment

0-Stephen-Cover-Kindle-MediumI praise you, my Lord and God, full to overflowing with power and might and glory. No one has power except what you give. No one has truth except what you grant. No one has life except what you provide. Without you there is no light and life, no love or truth. I lift up the eyes of my heart and see you afar off.  I lift up the eyes of my soul and feel you next to me. I am in awe of you. You deserve all worship.

Thank you, Jesus, for coming to show me how to live and how to die. You were stubborn in your love. You insisted on never denying the truth. You insisted on standing when everyone wanted you to fall. Someday if times come to that, grant me the privilege of dying for you just as you did for me. With you, death is but a door to real, true life. I fall at your feet unworthy of your undying love.

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00-Stephen-Cover-Kindle-ThumbnailSTEPHEN: UNLIKELY MARTYR tells of a 17-year-old who runs away when his best friend is crucified for what they had done together.  By the end of the book he is a 28-year-old deacon in the church with wife, children, miraculous powers and everything to live for. What makes him walk into the Sanhedrin’s chambers knowing he will never leave them alive?  To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this……….https://bit.ly/2XBFXvJ

https://inspirationsbykatheryn.wordpress.com/books-more-biblical-historical-novels/book-7-stephen-unlikely-martyr/

 

I wipe my tears away as you did my sins

On By Inspirations By KatherynIn #ransom, Death of Jesus Christ, ego, faith, forgiveness, Inspirational, Loss, love, praise, prayer, sacrifice, sin, Thanksgiving, victory, worshipLeave a comment

Supper-Front Cover-MediumI adore you, Jehovah, God of the universe and God of my heart, my soul, my very being. I will spend my days searching your Word to follow you closer and know you better. When I read your words, I am filled with awe and wonder. You thought of everything to include in it for me. Some is advice, but most are examples of others who rose or fell and why they did. Ah, Lord God, you are the ultimate example of rising and never falling. You are what I strive to be. I will never rise that high, I know this. So I will continue to worship you.

Help me think of others’ feelings when I see them. Help me ask them what they’re doing and feeling every time I contact them. Help me steer the conversation away from me and be all about them.

Thank you, Jesus, for being my Passover Lamb. You died so I wouldn’t have to. Now, every Sunday I eat the representation of your body and think of the sins ~ my sins ~ that caused all your mental and physical anguish. I take a sip of the representation of your blood.  How could I ever take your precious blood for granted? The cup ~ your blood drained from your body ~ was all for me. For me. I fall at your feet and wash them with the tears of my remorse and wipe those tears away as you did my sins.

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Supper-Front Cover-Thumbnail

THE LORD’S SUPPER:  52 READINGS WITH PRAYERS provides personal meditation during our holy communion with our selfless-Lord or public thoughts for those presiding at the table.  Put one in your church library.  To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this……….https://bit.ly/2ZvCTDS

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You brought eternity into my soul

On By Inspirations By KatherynIn #ransom, Bible, Death of Jesus Christ, eternity, forgiveness, healing, Inspirational, Life of Christ, love, patience, persecution, power, praise, prayer, sacrifice, Satan, sin, Thanksgiving, victory, worshipLeave a comment

0-BK 5-FloodGates-Cover-Medium-NewI praise and adore you, Lord God of heaven and earth. Of angels and people. Of stars and beasts. Of galaxies and molecules. So great and so minuscule ~ too large and too small for me to even see. You are in all.  You made all.  Your glory and might and wonders are reflected in all.  You are my Maker, my Defender, the Lover of my soul. You make darkness light. You make rough roads smooth. You make my chains break and fall away. I feel so warm and loved in your presence. You alone are worthy of worship.

Thank you, Jesus, for all your sacrifices. Over and over you sacrificed ~ heaven, a normal childhood, being a suspected bastard, being hounded by would-be assassins for two years. You went in and out of hiding. You dared them to live what they demanded of others. They hated you for it. They tortured you, insulted you, crucified you. Then death and hell.  So much. Because of my sins. My sins. You never gave up on me. Satan tried to destroy you. No one can destroy God.  You destroyed him. You destroyed my sins. Your persistence brought light into my life.  Your love brought eternity into my soul. Your love is unfathomable.

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THEY MET JESUS:  FLOOD GATES.  Jealous leaders feel threatened by Jesus.  The people follow him everywhere.  He is feeding them free.  Healing them free.  Teaching them free.  Even commanding demons. He must be crushed. He must be destroyed.  Spreading rumors about him has not worked.  Blaming him for breaking the law has not worked.  He must be killed.  To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this……….https://bit.ly/2XsOXDS

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My soul soars with you

On By Inspirations By KatherynIn #friendships, Daily, ego, Inspirational, love, praise, prayer, Satan, Thanksgiving, victory, worshipLeave a comment

0-Cover-MediumI praise you, eternal God, who always was and always will be. You are all light and love and truth. You are the way that takes me from troubles on earth to safety in your realm. You are the way that leads me through dry deserts of sighs, meadows of everyday doings, mountains of victory.  You are alive in my heart and my soul soars to you.

Yesterday I bragged to people about something I made. Forgive my sins of attitude so I can be more like you. Instead of bragging on myself, help me brag on others.

Thank you, God, for your Bible that tells of your dealings with mankind so I can know what you expect of me. Thank you for your amazing love. You let me learn from my own mistakes. Afterward, you let me return to you and say, “You were right” and love me all the more. Thank you for fighting for me in a spirit realm to which I have never been and do not understand. And taking my place and encountering Satan in that realm and crushing his head. How can I, so weak, thank you?  I worship you.

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I am so far superior to you

On By Inspirations By KatherynIn prayerLeave a comment

0-Mefiboset-KINDLE MediumThe scripture for today, January 19, is James 1:19a as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

“Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires.”

There was a book published a few years ago entitled, Hurt People Hurt People.

Has anyone ever tried to console you by saying, “I know how you feel”?  Did you lash back at them saying something like, “How dare you think you know how terrible I feel!” or “How dare you think you understand the ordeal I went through!” or “How dare you treat me like that!” ?

Those are accusing words. And what do they accomplish? It’s almost like bragging. “My hurt is so far above your hurt, you could never come up to my superior level.”

You may feel justified in explaining how badly you were treated by someone. But, in reality, it makes the hurt keep going and going and going…. Perhaps this is an accusing cycle you’ve been in for a long time with someone.

Which one of you is going to stop the cycle?

Satan is the accuser (Revelation 12:10).  God is the forgiver.  Even Jesus forgave his killers. When you have been hurt, be ready to listen to the other person’s hurt instead of accusing them. And in the process, “bring about the righteous life that God desires.”

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MEFIBOSET: CRIPPLED PRINCE had every right to be bitter.  Crippled for life at age two, orphaned, denied the throne of his grandfather, King Saul, and pursued by his grandfather’s enemies.  Despite all this, he refused to wallow.  With the good looks of his heritage and mellow disposition of his father, he won friends where ever he went.  To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this……….https://bit.ly/2ywrqJi

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The stars sing their praises

On By Inspirations By KatherynIn Bible, Daily, family, forgiveness, Inspirational, patience, power, praise, prayer, Satan, temptation, Thanksgiving, worshipLeave a comment

02-Noah-KindleMediumThe stars praise you, oh God, with their singing. The mountains praise you with their rumbling. The meadows praise you with their whisperings. The oceans praise you with their ebb and flow in tune with the rest of the universe. Ah, my Lord, to be with you without Satan always trying to lure me away from you. His lies won’t work, Lord! I will not let them. And when I am weak, you will stand between us not let him get to me. Nothing praises Satan except emptiness, shadows and hollow egos. All things good and grand and glorious and praise you now and forever.

Lord, sometimes I eat too much. Why do I do that? The taste is with me but a moment, then whisks away and I have to take another bite to get it back. And another. And another. Help me eat until I am no longer hungry instead of when I am full and about to burst.

Thank you for my family and friends. Thank you for the animals that sometime show more love than do humans. And for birds that hop around and flutter and fly and sing to me. And the fish that wiggle and splash and sparkle. And touch ~ the softness of cotton, the smoothness of silk. Bumpy tree bark and smooth flower pedals. And knowing for sure that spring will return some day.

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02-Noah-KindleThumbnailA CHILD’S BIBLE HEROES: NOAH. Fun, large-print book that even has dashes between syllables in long words for early readers. THINK & DO at the end of each of the ten chapters. Can be understood beginning age three. To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this……….https://bit.ly/36yPMip

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