I Am...there

Do you need me?
I am there.
You cannot see me, yet, I am the light you see by.
You cannot hear Me, yet, I speak through your voice.
You cannot feel Me, yet, I am the power at work through your hands.
I am at work, though you do not understand my ways.
I am at work, though you do not recognize my works.
I am not strange visions.
I am no mystery.
Only in absolute stillness, beyond self, can you know Me as I am ~ then
but as a feeling and as a faith.
Yet, I am here.
Yet, I hear.
Yet, I answer.
When you need Me, I am there.
Even if you deny Me I am there.
Even in your fears, I am there.
Even in your pain, I am there.
I am there when you pray and when you do not pray.
I am in you and you are in Me.
Only in your mind can you feel separate from Me, for only in your mind
are the myths of "yours" and "mine."
Yet only in your mind can you know Me and experience Me.
Empty your heart of empty fears. When you get yourself out of the
way, I am there.
You can of yourself do nothing, but I can do all.
And, I am in all.
Though you may not see the good, good is there, for I am there.
I am there because I have to be, for I AM.
Only in Me does the world have meaning.
Only in Me does the world take form.
Only because of me does the world go forward.
I am the law in which the movement of the stars and the growth of living
cells are founded.
I am the Love that is fulfilling.
I am the assurance.
I am the peace.
I am the oneness.
I am the law that you can live by.
I am the Love that you can cling to.
I am your assurance.
I am your peace.
I am the one with you.
I AM.
Though you fail Me, I do not fail you.
Though your faith is in Me is unsure, My faith never waivers, because I
know you, because I love you.
BELOVED, I am there.

GOD IS!!!

GOD IS

GOD is Lord Almighty,
Omnipotent King,
Lion of Judah,
Rock of Ages,
Prince of Peace,
King of Kings,
Lord of Lords,
Provider, Protector,
Paternal Leader,
Ruling Lord and
Reigning King of all the Universe.

He is Father,
He is Helper,
He is Guardian,
and He is GOD.

He is the First and the Last,
The Beginning and the End,
He is the Keeper of Creation and
Creator of all He keeps;
The Architect of the universe
And manager of all times.
He always was, He always is,
And always will be ...
unmoved, unchanged, undefeated,
and never undone.

He was bruised and bought healing.
He was pierced and eased pain.
He was persecuted and bought freedom.
He was dead and bought life.
He is risen and brings power.
He reigns and brings peace.

The world can't understand Him,
The armies can't defeat Him,
The schools can't explain Him,
And leaders can't ignore Him.
Herod couldn't kill Him,
Tthe pharisees couldn't confuse Him,
People couldn't hold Him,
Nero couldn't crush Him,
Hitler couldn't silence Him,
The New Age can't replace Him,
and Oprah can't explain Him away!

He is Light, Love, Longevity and Lord.
He is Goodness, Kindness, Gentleness, and GOD
He is Holy, Righteous, Mighty, Powerful and Pure.
His ways are right, His word is eternal,
His will is unchanging,
and His mind is on Me !

He is my Savior,
He is my Guide,
He is my Peace,
He is my Joy,
He is my Comfort.
He is my Lord and He rules my life.
I serve Him because He is GOD
And is worthy to be served.

His bond is love,
His burden is light, and
His goal for me is abundant life.
I follow Him because He is ...
THE Wisdom,
THE Power of the powerful,
THE Ancient of Days,
THE Ruler of rulers,
THE Leader of leaders,
THE Overseer of overcomers,
And Sovereign Lord of all
That was and is and is to come.

Now if that seems impressive to you,
Try this on for size ...
His goal is a relationship with ME!
He will never leave me,
Never forsake me,
Never mislead me,
Never forget me,
Never overlook me,
And never cancel my appointment in
His appointment book!

When I fall, He lifts me up.
When I fail, He forgives.
When I am weak, He is strong.
When I am lost, He is the way.
When I am afraid, He is my courage.
When I stumble, He steadies me.
When I am hurt, He heals me.
When I am broken, He mends me.
When I am blind, He leads me.
When I am hungry, He feeds me.
When I face trials, He is with me.
When I face persecution, He shields me.
When I face problems, He is the answer.
When I face loss, He provides for me.
When I face death, He carries me Home!

He is everything for everybody,
Everywhere, every time, and every way.
He is GOD,
He is faithful and true,
I am His and He is mine.

My Father in Heaven has already defeated
The father of this world,
And so if your asking why I stand and feel so secure,
Understand this ...
He said it, and that settles it!
GOD is in control,
I am on His side,
And that means all is well with my soul.
Everyday is a blessing for ...

GOD IS!!!

Leadership

When leaders make a mistake, they say, "I was wrong."
When followers make mistakes, they say, "It wasn't my fault."

A leader works harder than a follower and has more time;
a follower is always "too busy" to do what is necessary.

A leader goes through a problem;
a follower goes around it and never gets past it.

A leader makes and keeps commitments;
a follower makes and forgets promises.

A leader says, "I'm good, but not as good as I ought to be;"
a follower says, "I'm not as bad as a lot of other people."

Leaders listen;
followers just wait until it's their turn to talk.

Leaders respect those who are superior to them and tries to learn something from them;
followers resent those who are superior to them and try to find chinks in their armor.

Leaders feel responsibile for more than their job;
followers say, "I only work here."

A leader says, "There ought to be a better way to do this;"
followers say, "That's the way it's always been done here."

My Friends if You are Single...Do Not Despair

Let's take a quick look at the great movers and shakers of the church over the last two millenia.

First, Paul. He took the gospel to the gentiles, was the church's first major missionary and its first and greatest theologian. Paul was a Christian's Christian. Marital status: single.

Augustine: Augustine was the other great thinker of the early church. Most of our theology today is based on Augustine's groundwork. He was the first to articulate the ideas of the Trinity and to expand on Paul's writings on justification by faith. Marital status: single.

Martin Luther: Luther dragged a complacent church back to the bible, and centred it back on God. Marital status: single-ish. Luther was single for most of his ministry. He eventually married an ex-nun to help her leave a convent. In those days, the notion of women working was abhorrent, so the only way for a woman to be housed, fed, etc. was to be married, so Luther married her to give her her freedom. He did little of note after his marriage.

The Protestant reformers: Out of the quartet of John Wesley, Charles Wesley, George Whitfield and Jonathan Edwards, responsible for the great Protestant revivals of the end of the eighteenth century, only Charles Wesley was married.

John Stott: Probably the most influential evangelical Christian writer today. Marital status: single.

Jesus: God himself, who lived a human life to show as an example of how we can live, stayed single.

There are many, many others, but these were, I think, the best known and most influential folk of the whole of church history, and all but one were single for the length of their effective ministry.

I don't know why there seems to be this connection between singleness and Christian greatness. It might be that God feels that he needs to bless people in other ways if they're not blessed by marriage. God always sticks up for the underdog! Or it might be the more mundane reason that single people have more time on their hands, so can accomplish more.

For whichever reason, if God calls you to remain single, then rejoice! He might have greatness in store for you!

The Rock

A man was sleeping at night in his cabin when suddenly his room filled with light and the Savior appeared. The Lord told the man he had work for him to do and showed him a large rock in front of his cabin. The Lord explained that the man was to push against the rock with all his might.

This the man did, day after day. For many years he toiled from sun up to sun down, his shoulders set squarely against the cold, massive surface of the unmoving rock, pushing with all his might. Each night the man returned to his cabin sore and worn out, feeling that his whole day had been spent in vain.

Seeing that the man was showing signs of discouragement, Satan decided to enter the picture by placing thoughts into the man’s mind such as: “You have been pushing against that rock for a long time, and it hasn’t budged. Why kill yourself over this? You are never going to move it.”

Thus giving the man the impression that the task was impossible and that he was a failure, these thoughts discouraged and disheartened the man even more. “Why kill myself over this?” he thought. “I’ll just put in my time, giving just the minimum effort, and that will be good enough.”

And that he planned to do until one day he decided to make it a matter of prayer and take his troubled thoughts to the Lord. “Lord,” he said, “I have labored long and hard in your service, putting all my strength to do that which you have asked. Yet, after all this time, I have not even budged that rock by half a millimeter. What is wrong? Why am I failing?”

To this the Lord responded compassionately, “My friend, when I asked you to serve me and you accepted, I told you that your task was to push against the rock with all your strength, which you have done. Never once did I mention to you that I expected you to move it. Your task was to push. And now you come to me, with your strength spent, thinking that you have failed. But, is that really so? Look at yourself. Your arms are strong and muscled, your back sinewed and brown, your hands are callused from constant pressure, and your legs have become massive and hard. Through opposition you have grown much and your abilities now surpass that which you used to have. Yet you haven’t moved the rock. But your calling was to be obedient and to push and to exercise your faith and trust in My wisdom. This you have done.

“I, my friend, will now move the rock.”

At times when we hear a word from God, we tend to use our own intellect to decipher what he wants, when actually what God wants is just simple obedience and faith in him…

By all means, exercise the faith that moves mountains, but it is still God who moves the mountains.

God, You call us to obedience everyday. Sometimes, I want to see beyond obedience. I want to know why, how and when. Yet, it is usually long after the obedience that I begin to realize what Your plan was back then. So help me just be obedient for today. I am learning, Lord that by being obedient today, I am stronger for tomorrow. In Jesus‘ Name, AMEN!

One

This day and your life will flow according to how you direct it...Here is a hint...Flow with he who is Living Water...JESUS

One song can spark a moment,
One flower can wake the dream.
One tree can start a forest,
One bird can herald spring.

One smile begins a friendship,
One handclasp lifts a soul.
One star can guide a ship at sea,
One word can frame the goal.

One vote can change a nation,
One sunbeam lights a room.
One candle wipes out darkness,
One laugh will conquer gloom.

One step must start each journey,
One word must start each prayer.
One hope will raise our spirits,
One touch can show you care.

One voice can speak with wisdom,
One heart can know what's true.
One life can make the difference,
You see, IT'S UP TO YOU! 

The Barn...

A stranger came by the other day with an offer that set me to thinking. He wanted to buy the old barn that sits out by the highway. I told him right off he was crazy. He was a city type, you could tell by his clothes, his car, his hands, and the way he talked. He said he was driving by and saw that beautiful barn sitting out in the tall grass and wanted to know if it was for sale. I told him he had a funny idea of beauty.

Sure, it was a handsome building in its day. But then, there's been a lot of winters pass with their snow and ice and howling wind. The summer sun's beat down on that old barn till all the paint's gone, and the wood has turned silver gray. Now the old building leans a good deal, looking kind of tired. Yet, that fellow called it beautiful.

That set me to thinking. I walked out to the field and just stood there, gazing at that old barn. The stranger said he planned to use the lumber to line the walls of his den in a new country home he's building down the road. He said you couldn't get paint that beautiful. Only years of standing in the weather, bearing the storms and scorching sun, only that can produce beautiful barn wood.

It came to me then. We're a lot like that, you and I. Only it's on the inside that the beauty grows with us. Sure we turn silver gray too... and lean a bit more than we did when we were young and full of sap. But the Good Lord knows what He's doing. And as the years pass He's busy using the hard wealth of our lives, the dry spells and the stormy seasons, to do a job of beautifying our souls that nothing else can produce. And to think how often folks holler because they want life easy!


They took the old barn down today and hauled it away to beautify a rich man's house. And I reckon someday you and I'll be hauled off to Heaven to take on what- ever chores the Good Lord has for us on the Great Sky Ranch.

And I suspect we'll be more beautiful then for the seasons we've been through here... and just maybe even add a bit of beauty to our Father's house.

May today there be peace within you. May you trust God that you are exactly where you are meant to be. I believe that friends are quiet angels who lift us to our feet when our wings have trouble remembering how to fly. 

Changing the World

When I was a young man, I wanted to change the world.

I found it was difficult to change the world, so I tried to change my nation.

When I found I couldn’t change the nation, I began to focus on my town.

I couldn’t change the town and as an older man, I tried to change my family.

Now, as an old man, I realize the only thing I can change is myself, and suddenly I realize that if long ago I had changed myself, I could have made an impact on my family. My family and I could have made an impact on our town. Their impact could have changed the nation and I could indeed have changed the world.

Be Tremendous today 

Know who you are...

I Am …
A child of God (Romans 8:16)
Redeemed from the Hand of the Enemy (Psalms 107:2)

Forgiven (Colossians 1:13-14)
Saved by Grace through Faith (Ephesians 2:8)
Justified (Romans 5:1)
Sanctified (I Corinthians 6:11)
A New Creature (II Corinthians 5:17)
Partaker of His Divine Nature (II Pete…r 1:4)
Redeemed from the Curse of the law (Galatians 3:13)

Delivered from the Powers of Darkness (Colossians 1:13)

Led by the Spirit of God (Romans 8:14)
A Son of God (Romans 8:14)
Kept in Safety Wherever I Go (Psalms 91:11)
Getting All My Needs Met by Jesus Christ (Philippians 4:19)

Casting All My cares upon Jesus (I Peter 5:7)
Strong in the Lord and in the Power of His Might (Ephesians 6:10)

Doing All Things through Christ Who Strengthens Me (Philippians 4:13)

An Heir with God and a Joint Heir with Jesus (Romans 8:17)

Heir to the Blessings of Abraham (Galatians 3:13-14)

Observing and Doing the Lord’s Commandments (Deuteronomy 28:12)

Blessed Coming in and Blessed Going out (Deuteronomy 26:6)

An Heir of Eternal Life (I John 5:11-12)
Blessed with All Spiritual Blessings (Ephesians 1:3)

Healed by His Stripes ( I Peter 2:24)
Exercising My Authority over the Enemy (Luke 10:19)

Above Only and Not Beneath (Deuteronomy 28:13)
More than a Conqueror (Romans 8:37)
Establishing God’s Word Here on Earth (Matthew 16:19)

An Overcomer by the Blood of the Lamb and the Word of My Testimony (Revelation 12:11)

Daily Overcoming the Devil (I John 4:4)
Not Moved by What I See (II Corinthians 4:18)
Walking by Faith and Not by Sight (II Corinthians 5:7)

Casting Down Vain Imaginations (II Corinthians 10:4-5)

Bringing Every Thought into Captivity (II Corinthians 10:5)

Being Transformed by Renewing My Mind (Romans 12:1-2)

A Laborer Together with God (I Corinthians 3:9)

The Righteousness of God in Christ (II Corinthians 5:21)

An Imitator of Jesus (Ephesians 5:1)
The Light of the World (Matthew 5:14)
Blessing the Lord at All Times and Continually praising the Lord with My Mouth (Psalms 34:1) 

Easy - Difficult

Easy is to get a place in someone's address book.
Difficult is to get a place in someone's heart.

Easy is to judge the mistakes of others.
Difficult is to recognize our own mistakes.

Easy is to talk without thinking.
Difficult is to refrain the tongue.

Easy is to hurt someone who loves us.
Difficult is to heal the wound...

Easy is to forgive others
Difficult is to ask for forgiveness

Easy is to set rules.
Difficult is to follow them...

Easy is to dream every night.
Difficult is to fight for a dream...

Easy is to show victory.
Difficult is to assume defeat with dignity...

Easy is to admire a full moon.
Difficult to see the other side...

Easy is to stumble with a stone.
Difficult is to get up...

Easy is to enjoy life every day.
Difficult to give its real value...

Easy is to promise something to someone.
Difficult is to fulfill that promise...

Easy is to say we love.
Difficult is to show it every day...

Easy is to criticize others.
Difficult is to improve oneself...

Easy is to make mistakes.
Difficult is to learn from them...

Easy is to weep for a lost love.
Difficult is to take care of it so not to lose it.

Easy is to think about improving.
Difficult is to stop thinking it and put it into action...

Easy is to think bad of others
Difficult is to give them the benefit of the doubt...

Easy is to receive.
Difficult is to give.

Easy to read this.
Difficult to follow.

Easy is to keep the friendship with words.
Difficult is to keep it with meanings. 

GOD can not lie...Believe in HIS promises

Our Thinking vs. God’s Promises

“It’s impossible.”
All things are possible. (Lk. 18:27)

“I’m too tired.”
I will give you rest. (Mt. 11:28-30)

“Nobody really loves me.”
I love you. (Jn 3:16)

“I can’t go on.”
My grace is sufficient. (II Cor. 12:19)

“I can’t figure things out.”
I will direct your steps. (Prov. 20:24)

“I can’t do it.”
You can do all things in Christ. (Phil 4:13)

“I’m not able.”
I am able. (II Cor. 9:8)

“It’s not worth it.”
It will be worth it. (Rom. 8:28)

“I can’t forgive myself.”
I forgive you. (I Jn. 1:9 & Rom. 8:1)

“I can’t manage.”
I will supply all your need. (Phil… 4:19)

“I’m afraid.”
I have not given you a spirit of fear. (II Tim. 1:7)

“I’m always worried and frustrated.”
Cast all your cares on Me. (I Pet. 5:7)

“I don’t have enough faith.”
I’ve given everyone a measure of faith. (Rom. 12:8)

“I’m not smart enough.”
I give you wisdom. (I Cor. 1:30)
“I feel all alone.”
I will never leave you or forsake you. (Heb. 13:5)

If you need a bible go here http://www.blueletterbible.org 

The Tree

A carpenter was hired to help restore an old farmhouse. After he had just finished a rough first day on the job, during which a flat tire made him lose an hour of work, his electric saw quit, and his ancient pickup truck refused to start. 

While driving him home, he sat in stony silence. On arriving, he issued an invitation to his employer to meet his family. As they walked towards the front door, he paused briefly at a small tree, touching tips of the branches with both hands. When opening the door, he underwent an amazing transformation. His tanned face was wreathed in smiles and he hugged his two small children and gave his wife a kiss.

Afterward he walked his employer to the car. They passed the tree and his employer's curiosity got the better of him. He asked him about what he had seen him do earlier.
"Oh, that's my trouble tree," he replied. "I know I can't help having troubles on the job, but one thing's for sure, troubles don't belong in the house with my wife and the children. So I just hang them up on the tree every night when I come home. Then in the morning I pick them up again."

"Funny thing is," he smiled, "when I come out in the morning to pick 'em up, there aren't nearly as many as I remember hanging up the night before."

19 Horses

One rich man owned 19 horses when he died. In his last will and testament he had written that upon his death, half the horses he owned should go to his only son; one fourth to the village temple and one fifth to the faithful servant. The village elders could not stop scratching their heads. How can they give half of the 19 horses to the son? You cannot cut up a horse. They puzzled over this dilemma for more than two weeks and then decided to send for a wise man who was living in a neighboring village.

The wise man came riding on his horse and asked the villagers if he can be of any help to them. The village elders told him about the rich man's last will and testament which stated that half of the (19) horses must be given to his only son, one fourth must go to the temple and one fifth to the faithful servant.

The wise man said he will immediately solve their problem without any delay whatsoever. He had the 19 horses placed in a row standing next to one another. Then he added his own horse as the 20th horse. Now he went about giving half of the 20 horses that is ten horses to the son. One fourth of 20-that is 5 horses were given to the temple committee. One fifth of twenty-that is 4 horses were given to the faithful servant. Ten plus five plus four made 19 horses. The remaining 20th horse was his own which he promptly mounted, spoke a few inspiring words, and rode back home.

The villagers were simply dumfounded, full of disbelief and filled with admiration. And the parting words of the wise man were inscribed in their hearts and minds which they greatly cherished and passed on to their succeeding generations till today.

The wise man said: In our daily lives, in our daily affairs, simply add God's name and then go about facing the day's happenings. Ever come across problems in life that are seemingly insurmountable? (Like the villagers, do we feel that such problems cannot be solved?).

The wise man continued: Add the God Principle in our daily lives and the problems will become lighter and eventually will disappear. In the manner of the ice which, with the addition of the heat principle will turn into water, and that will eventually evaporate as steam and disappear. And how do we add God's name in our daily lives? Through prayers, filled with true love and devotion with sincerity of purpose and dedication that only total faith can bring about. Meditation is a powerful means of directing the mind Godward.

But without true love and devotion entering into it, it remains like a boat without water. It is not difficult to push a boat that is floating in water, but extremely hard to drag the same boat on dry land.

Fasting...

Fast from judging others;
Feast on Christ dwelling in them.
Fast from emphasis on differences;
Feast on the unity of all life.
Fast from apparent darkness;
Feast on the reality of all light.
Fast from thoughts of illness;
Feast on the healing power of God.
Fast from words that pollute;
Feast on phrases that purify.
Fast from discontent;
Feast on gratitude.
Fast from anger;
Feast on patience.
Fast from pessimism;
Feast on optimism.
Fast from worry;
Feast on God's providence.
Fast from complaining;
Feast on appreciation.
Fast from negatives;
Feast on affirmatives.
Fast from unrelenting pressures;
Feast on unceasing prayer.
Fast from hostility;
Feast on non-resistance.
Fast from bitterness;
Feast on forgiveness.
Fast from self-concern;
Feast on compassion for others.
Fast from personal anxiety;
Feast on eternal truth.
Fast from discouragement;
Feast on hope.
Fast from facts that depress;
Feast on verities that uplift.
Fast from lethargy;
Feast on enthusiasm.
Fast from suspicion;
Feast on truth.
Fast from thoughts that weaken;
Feast on promises that inspire.
Fast from shadows of sorrow;
Feast on the sunlight of serenity.
Fast from idle gossip;
Feast on purposeful silence.
Fast from problems that overwhelm;
Feast on prayer that sustains.

DO

There it is. Now it's gone. A chance to do something, say something, make a difference, or make no difference at all except for having the chance and taking it.

I call them the "Shoulda Dones."

I shoulda done this or I shoulda done that.

I often talk about living life fully. Making every moment count. I tell you not to live this day as if it were your last, but to live it like it was the first day. A day so full of surprise and opportunity that the mere thought of having another day, makes you jump out of bed excited.

I love the "stop and smell the roses" people.

I love to read about people who saw a need and decided to fill it.

I rejoice in the stories I read about people who stopped running the rat race and did what they loved to do.

I remind you to always kiss them goodnight, tell them "I love you!," say "thanks" and mean it and smile, really smile a lot.

Today will bring you many chances to...

o Say "I love you" or "Thank you!"

o Stop what you are doing and do something silly

o Buy flowers and give them away to strangers

o Pay for a stranger's breakfast

o Run ahead to hold the door

o Let a driver cut in front of you

o Call a friend you haven't spoken with in a long time

o Check on a neighbor

o Paint, write, or sing out loud

o Dance to the music in the mall

Life was meant to be LIVED...not worried about, stressed over, endured. Hard times come...but they also go. The constant is that for the time we have here...LIVE your life, and make it pleasing to the one who gave HIS life for you...The one who offers you eternal life.

JESUS loves you, wants you to be happy, and most importantly wants to be with you forever...Just choose to accept , follow, live for HIM...don't make that choice a "Shoulda Done"... DO!!! BE Blessed