Prayer for Sunday 1/5

Silver Cover-KINDLE-thumbnailHow I praise you, my Lord Jehovah, for your love ~ loving me enough to help me become strong with an ethereal strength. Strength that burns with a divine energy.  When I choose to gather with others and worship instead of watching a ball game, something mystic happens in your world: Satan loses and you win.  When someone is mean and I tell them there’s nothing they can say to get me to stop loving them, Satan loses and you win. Everything Satan does, you can undo.  He can make sick, you can heal. He can cause death, you can bring back to life.  He can make me sin, you can forgive. What an amazing God you are.

Oh, it is hard to thank you for tragedies.  I don’t want them. I want to run from them. But, through them you constantly empower me. The more Satan dumps tragedies on me and I respond by refusing to blame you, the weaker he becomes. Through my tears, when I fight Satan’s tragedies with a smile, a whispered song, a gentle thought, I feel you there with me.  Through my groanings, I thank you for the privilege and that you count me worthy.  Ah, Lord God, I would die for you, just as you died for me.  

.

.

Silver Cover-KINDLE-thumbnail365 SILVER-WINGED PRAYERS: YOUR SPIRIT TO GOD’S provides daily moments with God of praise, repentance, and thanksgiving.  This is book 3 of the TOUCHING GOD series.  The set makes a wonderful gift.  To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this……….https://amzn.to/36wpbS4

.

#tragedies, #survival, #strength, #silverwingedprayersyourspirittogods #persecution, #dartsofsAtan, #spiritualwarfare, #KatherynMaddoxHaddad, #inspiration, #devotional, #worship, #vespers, #meditation,. #godliness, #Christianity, #JesusChrist, #church, #Bible, #Scripture, #HolyBook, #religion, #love, #truth, #faith

Prayer for Saturday 3/4

Supper-Front Cover-ThumbnailLord God in whom I live, I move, and I have my being. I touch you with my spirit, feel your presence with my heart, and hear you in the wind. Oh, to be able to be with you. How I long for that day of days. I care not how I leave this world and enter yours. I care not if it be by disease or injury, whether in peacetime or war, whether while at my ease or by torture. As long as I will be able to see you face to face, this is all that matters.  I try to imagine what your world is like. All I know is that your world is as far beyond my imagination as living in the dark is compared with seeing through rays of sun.

Thank you for friends. No matter how difficult the world gets, you give me friends. A friend is like honey when I am hungry, a stream of living water when I am thirsty, a barrier between me and my disappointments. We mirror each other, we encourage each other, we lift each other up, and in the doing give each other a little bit of heaven on earth. Most of all, you are my Friend and walk with me through life as friends do, hand in hand. Ah, the very thought of walking and talking with my God lifts me to the pinnacle of wonder.

.

.

Supper-Front Cover-ThumbnailTHE LORD’S SUPPER WITH 52 READINGS AND PRAYERS can be used by men presiding over the Lord’s Table or by participants sitting in the pews. Readings are all from the Bible.  To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this……….https://amzn.to/2QmlOHD

 

#prayer, #LordsSupper, #HolyMass, #HolyCommunion, #memorial, #commemoration, #crucifixion, #resurrection, #sacrifice, #forgiveness, #KatherynMaddoxHaddad, #inspiration, #devotional, #worship, #vespers, #meditation,. #godliness, #Christianity, #JesusChrist, #church, #Bible, #Scripture, #HolyBook, #religion, #love, #truth, #faith

Tuesday 12/31 ~ Mind-boggling heaven

The scripture for today, December 31 (12/31), is Luke 12:31 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

Road to Heaven-COVER-KINDLE-THUMBNAIL“But seek his kingdom and these things will be given to you as well.”

The kingdom is already here (Luke 9:27; Colossians 1:13), but heaven is not. That is the final destination of the kingdom. Do you actively seek God’s kingdom? Or do you drift and think God should feel obligated to take you into his heaven? Do you feel like you’re “not so bad”, so God would be bad to not take you into his heaven?

Heaven is God’s home, not yours. God has a door into his home, just like you have a door into your home. God is not required to open his door to just anyone, just like you are not required to open your door to just anyone.  You cannot just show up at the door and smile and assume he will let you in, any more than people who knock on our door and smile can assume you will let them in.

You let people into your home who you have gotten to know and whose motives you trust. Have you given God a chance to get to know you and trust your motives? Are your daily motives to enter heaven, God’s home? Do you even like God?

This life you live on earth is not your permanent life or residence. This is the testing place to see how you handle problems and to see how much your spiritual muscles will end up being. God has plans for Christians in heaven we do not know about. What we do know is that he is not a God of idleness.

Do you live like the earth is all there is? Do you fear hell?  Do you prefer heaven where people will worship all the time? Does that sound boring to you?

You are about to enter a brand-new year. Today, decide to start over fresh and set your new goal: To enter God’s home his way and live with him in staggering, inconceivable, absolute, profound, incredible, astounding, mind-boggling joy.  FOREVER.

.

Road to Heaven-COVER-KINDLE-THUMBNAILTHE ROAD TO HEAVEN begins in the Garden of Eden and by the middle of the book, it is at the Garden of Gethsemane.  From there on, it goes into our heavenly bodies and imagining just what heaven must be like.  Join in the adventure as we use logic and heart to clearly understand the Road to Heaven.  To  BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this……….https://amzn.to/2QBK1sn

.

 

#kingdomofheaven, #kingdomofGod, #GardenofEden, #sin, #ransomfromSatan, #Godmaterialized, #JesuswasGod, #deathofGod, #reedemedfromSatan, #bloodsacrifice, #spiritworld, #physicalworld, KatherynMaddoxHaddad, #inspiration, #devotional, #worship, #vespers, #meditation,. #godliness, #Christianity, #JesusChrist, #church, #Bible, #Scripture, #HolyBook, #religion, #love, #truth, #faith

Monday 12/30 ~ A daring new year’s resolution

The Scripture for today, December 30 (12/30), is Matthew 12:30, as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

Acts of the Apostles-Cover-Thumbnail“He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me scatters.”

What? You can’t just drift along just showing up at church services and that is all? You must gather people to him? Are you sure? Oh, I don’ know enough about the Bible. Besides, I’m too busy.

Deep down inside, do you fear that, if you bring Jesus into a conversation, people will do you great harm and become dangerous enemies? Although in some countries of the world this is true, in most it is not. Those of you in free countries, do you quake at the thought of bringing up Jesus to your friends, and even to strangers? What will they do to you? Kick you? Slug you? Poison your food? What is it you fear?

Those are Satan’s lies. He has gotten into your head and you are believing him. Most people will appreciate a little discussion about Jesus because most people do not attend worship anywhere and know little about the Bible.

Instead of listening to Satan, perhaps you should quake that some of your friends are headed to hell.  Satan puts fear in your heart. Do not give in to Satan. “Perfect love casts out fear” (1st John 4:18).  Do as Jesus did: “Seek and save the lost” (Luke 9:10).

Help your friends who do not know they need help. Overcome your fear for yourself and give in to the fear for their souls. It can be done. Stop watching so much television or playing endless games. Give it a try. If it were your soul, would you want someone to at least try to save you? Rise up! Defy Satan! For your new year’s resolution, dare to be a gatherer of souls.

.

Acts of the Apostles-Cover-ThumbnailEASY BIBLE WORKBOOKS:  ACTS OF THE APOSTLES.  All workbooks are surveys of a book.  Here is a simple fill-in-the blank workbook for Acts.  It gives the exact verse so there’s no hunting.  Caution: It is in the NIV version.  It was set up for weekly group studies where the student does one part of a lesson each day so s/he is ready when the group gets together.  However, it can be used in weekly classes or by homeschoolers, or just lone in private study.  (Note:  I am going through another edit in January.) To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this……….https://amzn.to/2F8BDep

.

.

#personalwork, #homeBiblestudies, #EasyBibleWorkbooks, #savingsouls, #gatherigsouls, #seekandsavethelost, #salvation, #heavenhell, #KatherynMaddoxHaddad, #inspiration, #devotional, #worship, #vespers, #meditation,. #godliness, #Christianity, #JesusChrist, #church, #Bible, #Scripture, #HolyBook, #religion, #love, #truth, #faith

Sunday 12/29 ~ The True Promised Land

The scripture for today, December 29 (12/29), is Deuteronomy 12:29 as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

07-SHADOW-ChildsCartoonSmall“The Lord your God will cut off before you the nations you are about to invade and dispossess.”

Why would a good God drive people (the Amorite nations) from their own land so that other people (the Jews) could live there? Way back in Genesis 15, God promised Abraham that his descendants would possess the land he lived in as a wanderer; but first, they would be enslaved in a foreign country some 400 years. During that time, they would multiply. Indeed, they did grow from 70 of Abraham’s grandchildren to over three million.

Then it would be time for his descendants to possess the land. Why so long in the future?  Verse 16 explains it: “For the sin of the Amorites has not yet reached its full measure.” God always gives people plenty of time to repent and change.  But the Amorites continued to do horrible things including child sacrifices to appease their gods.

The Jews did finally possess the Promised Land, but God warned them, “If you defile the land, it will vomit you out as it vomited out the nations that were before you” (Leviticus 18:28). Indeed, they did eventually defile the land with horrible things including child sacrifice to appease the gods they traded the real God for. So, God kept his promise and sent them into exile in Assyria and Babylon.

Today, just as Abraham searched for a country and city not made with hands, join him.  Regardless of the condition of the nation you live in on earth, look ahead to that same country and city not made with hands.  Look ahead to the true Promised Land, the spiritual Promised Land ~ heaven. And it will be forever good.

.

07-SHADOW-ChildsCartoonThmbnailA CHILD’S LIFE OF CHRIST: SHADOW OF DEATH gently tells of Jesus hurting on the cross, then dying, then coming back to life to live forever.  For the Christian, Death is gentle. Death is a glow of sunshine in the valley and a shining door into heaven.  To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this……….https://amzn.to/37iVMdW

 

.

.

#sin, #childsacrifice, #appeasethegods, #paganism, #Amorites, #PromisedLand, #Abraham, #EgyptSlavesa, #IsraelitesJews, #promises, #repentance, #forgiveness, #idolatry, #governments, #ShadowOfDeath, #TheyMetJesusa, #AChildsLifeofChrist, #KatherynMaddoxHaddad, #inspiration, #devotional, #worship, #vespers, #meditation,. #godliness, #Christianity, #JesusChrist, #church, #Bible, #Scripture, #HolyBook, #religion, #love, #truth, #faith

Tuesday 12/17 ~ Fight the Good Fight

The scripture for today, December 17 (12/17), is Revelation 12:17 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

07-Samson-KindleThumbnail“Then the dragon was enraged at the woman and went off to make war against the rest of her offspring ~ those who obey God’s commandments and hold to the testimony of Jesus.”

Verse 9 says the dragon is also the serpent which is also Satan.

Are you one of those people who seem to be enraged all the time? You may have long ago given up on being able to change.  But you can direct your anger. If you want to be enraged at someone, be angry at Satan. Go to war with Satan. Rage at everything he is doing. Lash out at everything he stands for.

Are you angry at the church or at God? Keep that energy and switch sides. Be a spiritual warrior, a Christian soldier of the Lord.

Have you tried and just cannot get rid of anger in your life? You may mellow in your old age, but that mellowness is a long way off. You have never experienced rage until you have understood Satan. He is enraged at you. He is enraged at anyone who loves God or good people. Go ahead. Get on God’s side, enroll in the army of the Lord, and use your anger against Satan.

Does it work? Paul said in 1st Timothy 1:13, “I was a violent man.” Yet, he saved the souls of thousands of people Satan held hostage all over southern Europe, as he “fought the good fight”.

.

07-Samson-KindleThumbnailA CHILD’S BIBLE HEROES: SAMSON was a judge over Israel.  Yes, we hear about his selfishness, but he was also a one-man army against the kingdom’s enemies.  He had anger issues but learned to direct his anger.  Samson fought the enemy alone.  And, between amazing demonstrations of strength, he lived a little like John the Baptist out in the wilderness and people came to him to make judgments over their problems.  He did this for forty years.  Let us not forget the good Samson did.  To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this……….https://amzn.to/2tsOZjg

.

.

#angerissues, #losetemper, #prayerwarrior, #armyoftheLord, #Samson, #KatherynMaddoxHaddad, #inspiration, #devotional, #worship, #vespers, #meditation,. #godliness, #Christianity, #JesusChrist, #church, #Bible, #Scripture, #HolyBook, #religion, #love, #truth, #faith

 

Friday 12/13 ~ Our God-Shaped Emptiness

The scripture for today, December 13 (12/13), is Ecclesiastes 12:13 as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

Pearls Cover-Palms-300dpi-Thumbnail“Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.”

When the King James Version was published in the early 1600s, they italicized all words that were not in the old documents of the Bible. The word “duty” above was not in the original. Translators inserted it to help us understand the original. But perhaps, in this case, it did not help. Fearing God is the whole of man ~ not our duty, but our essence.

Fearing the Lord is a gift. Isaiah 11:2 predicted regarding Jesus:

“The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him ~

     “…the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding,”

          “…the Spirit of counsel and of power,”

               “…the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord.”

Solomon had tried everything to find happiness, as he explained in his book of Ecclesiastes ~ Pleasure (ch. 2), hard work (ch. 3), advancement (ch. 4), riches (ch. 5). None brought him true happiness.  Eventually, he concluded that only one thing can bring that happiness deep down inside where no one and no situation in life can touch it ~ God. God is the whole of man ~ if we let Him be.

Why? Ecclesiastes 3:11 explains it richly: “He has also set eternity in the hearts of men.” Another way to view this is “There is a God-shaped emptiness in everyone’s heart.” Fill your mind with the Word of God. Then God will fill your heart and being, and make you feel complete.

.

Pearls Cover-Palms-300dpi-Thumbnail365 PEARLS OF WISDOM: GOD’S SOUL TO YOURS.  Start your day with one Proverb and one passage from Job, Psalms, Ecclesiastes, or Song of Solomon. Keep them on your heart to help guide your day. These are the wisdom of God. This is book two in the TOUCHING GOD trilogy on inspirational thoughts, wisdom, and prayers. Beautiful original artwork on the cover and artistic font on the inside.  A perfect gift for all occasions.  To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this……….https://amzn.to/34h4Zl1

.

.

#fear, #emptiness, #things, #power, #selfishness, #love, #humility, #healing, #Proverbs, #Psalms, #Ecclesiastes, #Job, #Song of Solomon, #meaningoflife, #KatherynMaddoxHaddad, #inspiration, #devotional, #worship, #vespers, #meditation,. #godliness, #Christianity, #JesusChrist, #church, #Bible, #Scripture, #HolyBook, #religion, #love, #truth, #faith

Wednesday 12/11 ~ God be with our teenagers

(Oops.  We did today’s yesterday.  So, today we will do yesterday’s.)

00-Stephen-Cover-Kindle-ThumbnailThe scripture for today, December 10 (12/10), is Job 12:10 as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

“Is not wisdom found among the aged? Does not long life bring understanding?”

Let’s talk a moment about teenagers. Many adults joke that their teen is 16 going on 60. What know-it-alls they’ve become! Let’s look at the situation this way. They may have bodies that have grown to that of an adult. But minds grow much slower, and they must give their minds a chance to catch up.

As adults, it is our responsibility to help their minds catch up. Know enough about the Bible that you can apply scriptures to their activities and interests and friends. You may wish to make a list of your teenager’s activities, interests, and friends, and then list a scripture next to each. Proverbs is an excellent book to start with. Then when the occasion arises, be ready (even if you have to sneak into the other room a minute to consult your list) to instill some wisdom.

This way, it is not you speaking, but God speaking. God said, “My word will not return to me void” (Isaiah 55:11). And God is older and wiser than all of us.

.

00-Stephen-Cover-Kindle-ThumbnailSTEPHEN: UNLIKELY MARTYR begins with Stephen as a wreckless 17-year-old coward. He is idealistic but always goes about proving his point in the wrong way ~ speaking when he should not, trying when he should give up, frustrated, brazen.  Go along with Stephen as he gradually matures until, at the age of 28 with a wife and two children, he walks into the death chamber (Sanhedrin council chambers) and keeps them busy with his accusations until his friend can escape.  To BUY NOW, click a book cover or PASTE THIS………https://amzn.to/2t3I53z

.

.

#teenagers, #youngadults, #Stephen, #immaturity, #maturity, #wisdom, #martyr, #knowledge, #wisdom, #patience, #parents, #mothers, #moms, #fathers, #dads,  #blog, #katherynmaddoxhaddad, #inspiration, #devotional, #worship, #vespers, #meditation,. #godliness, #Christianity, #JesusChrist, #church, #Bible, #Scripture, #HolyBook, #religion, #love, #truth, #faith

Monday 12/9 ~ God is so proud of you!

The scripture for today, December 9 (12/9), is 2nd Corinthians 12:9 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

0-Mefiboset-KINDLE Thumbnail“But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.”

Oh, how much we need to be reminded of this scripture. Everyone has weaknesses of some kind. Do you complain about the hand you were dealt? Do you lament the country you were born in, the family you were born into, the physical limitations you were born with, the mental, emotional or physical deficiencies you ended up with?

This is your chance! Your grand and glorious chance. Those weaknesses! Go around others with the same weakness you have with joy in your heart, gladness on your lips and a continual gleam in your eyes!  Let God’s strength shine in your weakness!

When people begin to sympathize with you, interrupt them and tell them how much God loves you, and how much God loves them! Encourage your “encouragers.” Let them go away from you with a new understanding of the blessings of weakness! And perhaps be a little more thankful for their own weaknesses.

Lucky you! You are one of the chosen!  God will be glorified in you.  He is so proud of you!

.

0-Mefiboset-KINDLE ThumbnailMEFIBOSET: CRIPPLED PRINCE was the grandson of King Saul crippled for life the day his grandfather and crown prince father, Jonathan, died.  Denied the throne at age 11 when his uncle, the last King of Israel died, his family sent him far away from the king’s enemies. Through the years, he avoided being killed by doing tricks upside down on his crutches. He successfully wooed a girl in Ur where they were first introduced to frisky camel rides and the unexpected.  An inspiring book for everyone who is handicapped.  To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this………. https://amzn.to/3518cGB

.

 

.

#handicaps, #crippled, #amputation, #crutches, #weaknesses, #badbreaks, #unfairness, #badgovernment, #poverty, #poor, #jobloss, #employment, #power, #Mefiboset, #Mephibosheth, #Saul, #Jonathan, #David, #enemies, #katherynmaddoxhaddad, #inspiration, #devotional, #worship, #vespers, #meditation,. #godliness, #Christianity, #JesusChrist, #church, #Bible, #Scripture, #HolyBook, #religion, #love, #truth, #faith

 

 

Sunday 12/8 ~ The meaning of life

The scripture for today, December 8 (12/8), is Ecclesiastes 12:8 as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

Pearls Cover-Palms-300dpi-Thumbnail” ‘Meaningless! Meaningless!’ says the teacher. ‘Everything is meaningless!’ “

About thirty-five years ago some Christians in England did a sidewalk survey in the downtown of a major city. One of their inquiries was: “What question about your life do you ask the most?”. The answer almost always was, “Why am I here? What is life all about?”.

The entire book of Ecclesiastes is about all the things that the richest and most powerful man in the world did in order to have an enjoyable and fulfilling life: He built palaces and grand temples, he cultivated great gardens, he imported tons of gold and precious stones and fabrics from around the globe, he had numerous wives and mistresses, he built the largest army and navy in the world, he studied every possible subject. At the end, he said it was all meaningless.

The meaning of your life is that you were born to die and walk through a gate. This life is temporary. It is your proving ground. This life is the foyer of the life you will have eternally ~ a life in heaven or hell. You were not put here just to have fun, but rather to live in the very presence of your Maker and take many people as possible with you to the home of God, your Maker, the Lover of your soul. That is the meaning of life.

.

Pearls Cover-Palms-300dpi-Thumbnail365 PEARLS OF WISDOM: GOD’S SOUL TO YOURS contains daily excerpts from Proverbs plus one passage from Job, Psalm, Ecclesiastes, or Song of Solomon.  This is one of three books in the devotional TOUCHING GOD SERIES. Original artwork on the covers and poetic font inside.  A beautiful gift book for Christmas and all through the year.  To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this………. https://amzn.to/2rvxON8

.

.

#discouragement, #Christmas, #trilogy, #devotionals, #inspiration, #deathgates, #Job, #Psalms, #Proverbs, #Ecclesiastes, #SongOfSolomon, #yearly, #365, #whyamIhere, #meaningoflife, #inspirationalbooks, # katherynmaddoxhaddad, #inspiration, #devotional, #worship, #vespers, #meditation,. #godliness, #Christianity, #JesusChrist, #church, #Bible, #Scripture, #HolyBook, #religion, #love, #truth, #faith