THIS DAY'S . . .

This Day's Thought is really great ...

God is the most obligated being that there is. He is obligated by his own nature. He is infinite in his wisdom; therefore he can never do anything that is unwise. He is infinite in his justice; therefore he can never do anything that is unjust. He is infinite in his goodness; therefore he can never do anything that is not good. He is infinite in his truth; therefore it is impossible that he should lie.

~J. Gresham Machen

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They found rich, good pasture, and the land was spacious, peaceful and quiet.

~1 Chronicles 4:40, The New International Version

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There’s no point in burying a hatchet if you’re going to put up a marker on the site.

~Sydney Harris

God Love the LIttle Children

I don't know if this actually happened, or someone just wrote it, but it is a really precious read. Hope you enjoy as much as I did.

This was written by an 8-year-old named Danny Dutton, who lives in Chula Vista , CA . He wrote it for his third grade homework assignment, to "explain God" I wonder if any of us could have done as well ?

[.... and he had such an assignment, in California, and someone published it, I guess miracles do happen ! .. ]

EXPLANATION OF GOD:

"One of God's main jobs is making people. He makes them to replace the ones that die, so there will be enough people to take care of things on earth.. He doesn't make grownups, just babies. I think because they are smaller and easier to make. That way he doesn't have to take up his valuable time teaching them to talk and walk. He can just leave that to mothers and fathers.."

"God's second most important job is listening to prayers. An awful lot of this goes on, since some people, like preachers and things, pray at times beside bedtime. God doesn't have time to listen to the radio or TV because of this. Because he hears everything, there must be a terrible lot of noise in his ears, unless he has thought of a way to turn it off."

"God sees everything and hears everything and is everywhere which keeps Him pretty busy. So you shouldn't go wasting his time by going over your mom and dad's head asking for something they said you couldn't have."

"Atheists are people who don't believe in God. I don't think there are any in Chula Vista . At least there aren't any who come to our church."

"Jesus is God's Son. He used to do all the hard work, like walking on water and performing miracles and trying to teach the people who didn't want to learn about God. They finally got tired of him preaching to them and they crucified him But he was good and kind, like his father, and he told his father that they didn't know what they were doing and to forgive them and God said O.K."

"His dad (God) appreciated everything that he had done and all his hard work on earth so he told him he didn't have to go out on the road anymore. He could stay in heaven. So he did. And now he helps his dad out by listening to prayers and seeing things which are important for God to take care of and which ones he can take care of himself without having to bother God. Like a secretary, only more important."

"You can pray anytime you want and they are sure to help you because they got it worked out so one of them is on duty all the time."

"You should always go to church on Sunday because it makes God happy, and if there's anybody you want to make happy, it's God!

Don't skip church to do something you think will be more fun like going to the beach. This is wrong. And besides the sun doesn't come out at the beach until noon anyway."

"If you don't believe in God, besides being an atheist, you will be very lonely, because your parents can't go everywhere with you, like to camp, but God can. It is good to know He's around you when you're scared, in the dark or when you can't swim and you get thrown into real deep water by big kids."

"But...you shouldn't just always think of what God can do for you. I figure God put me here and he can take me back anytime he pleases.

And...that's why I believe in God.."

I Remember . . .

Comments on this one are greatly appreciated!

When I was a child, pre-teen, my sister and I shared a bedroom and we had twin beds.  I was forever watching a scary movie and then hollering to my mama in the middle of the night asking if I could get in bed with my sister.  Most of the time, she said "Okay."  But once in a while, she'd bear down and tell me to stay in my own bed.

One particular memory came to me today and it is still as fresh as when it happened.

I was in my bed asleep one night, and the whole house was dark because everyone was asleep.  Something woke me but I didn't open my eyes, because I felt something that had a hold on both my arms and it was squeezing me.  More frightening was the deep, growling breathing that seemed to be within inches of my face.  I held very still and refused to open my eyes.  I was scared to death but it took all the will I had inside me to not move and to not open my eyes!  After a couple of minutes, the hold lifted and I didn't hear the breathing anymore.  I opened my eyes and nothing was there, but I had been scared out of my wits.  So scared that I didn't tell anyone about the experience.  I was probably 9 or 10 years old when this happened.

I felt then as I do now that this was a "demon" of some kind, I don't know.  I would be very interested in your thoughts.  The experience was as real as the nose on my face, and I recall it vividly.  I do not believe I was dreaming.  That was over 40 years ago, and there have been other instances where I believe Satan was trying to bring harm to me and I can describe at three more specific scenarios in detail.

I believe God has been with me all of my life, or else I would have been killed a long time ago.  Maybe I will reveal those stories at some point, I'm unsure at the moment.

Peace be with you,
Abbey

THE HOLY BIBLE

For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ.

~Titus 2:11-13

I focus on the phrase " . . . in the present age, . . ". The Bible is so amazing in that it is a timeless collection of writings.  I have never read anything from The Holy Bible that made no sense "in the present age."

What are the ways that you live self-controlled, upright and Godly in your own life?  What are the worldly things that you need to release from your life in order to live according to what God has asked of us all?  Two questions to ponder, and I will be pondering them within my own life along with you.

Be Blessed,
Abbey

"Journey Deeper Into God's Word"

I found a new blog via my membership on Facebook.  Rev. Mark Brown offers daily scriptures and reflections.  I have been following for a while now, so I wanted to first put his blog on my sidebard under "Blogs I Follow", and second, I wanted to post this interesting response that he had to a question posed to him.  It was taken from his blog, "Journey Deeper Into God's Word":

I was chatting to a friend yesterday who shared with me about his family, how his aunties, uncles and cousins have struggled terribly with serious illness, death, and divorce. He asked me the question, ‘Mark how do you encourage people like this to read the Bible?’ Wow that got me thinking. Then late last night something came to me:

‘How do I encourage people to read the Bible? I become the Bible to those around me. I speak the Bible, the Word being always on my lips. Not quoting chapter and verse, but opportunities and promises.’

In being immersed in the Bible, the words became part of who I am. They infuse my attitude and my actions. Over time, I don’t so much think, ‘now what is the Biblical approach here?’ I just do it. But not in my own strength, my own authority, but through Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit. My true authority is only in Jesus, regardless of my titles, degrees or whatever leadership role I might hold.

So that is why I spend so much time every day reading the Bible. I seek to be immersed in the Word so that it becomes part of my thinking and my actions. I seek to live the Word, that who I am reflects the love of God.

As my ministry has grown, I receive more and more comments of appreciation. This is very cool to receive! But actually I realise that the reason my ministry is growing isn’t me, but God working through me. For that reason I give praise to God.. I am just a vessel!

To God be all glory, honour and praise!

God bless,

Rev Mark Brown

THIS DAY'S . . .

As you probably have read, Tolstoy is one of my favorites, and this description of his musings perfectly frame why I find him so interesting: 

" . . . But realism is not the peculiar artistic feature in which Tolstoy excels, as other writers deepened his descriptions and were equally good at vivid description;  rather, it is Tolstoy's gifted method of picturing life which most pleasingly and exactly corresponds to our sense of time."

Not to forget that Leo Tolstoy is the author of War and Peace and Anna Karenina, the latter of which he said after its completion that he had put everything inside of him into it and there was nothing left of which to write. You might want to Google his bio; I think you will be surprised. Now on to "This Day's . . ."

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Christ revealed to humanity those things which their best selves already knew: that people are equal because the same spirit lives in all of them…Learn from the small children, behave like children, and treat all people on an equal basis, with love and tenderness.

~Leo Tolstoy

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I know that my Defender lives, and in the end he will stand upon the earth. Even after my skin has been destroyed, in my flesh I will see God. I will see him myself; I will see him with my very own eyes. How my heart wants that to happen!

~Job 19:25-27, The New Century Version

HEARTLIGHT

VERSE:

Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

~Matthew 11:28-30

THOUGHT:

I guess we could call it the irony of discipleship. To follow Christ means that we give up everything and follow him. To follow Christ means that we receive untold blessings in this life and eternal life with God in the life to come. So is it hard? Yes, sometimes it is. But life is hard. Is the burden light as Jesus promised? Yes, because we know our lives are not lived in vain, that we are living life as God intended it, and when life is over, it isn't really over! We get to go home and be with our Lord!

PRAYER:

Give me courage, O God, to face the challenges that I must confront. Give me charity to deal appropriately with those I meet. Give me thankfulness for all that you have done to bless me. Give me clarity to see that living for Jesus is the best of all choices. In the name of the Lord Jesus I pray. Amen.

In God We Trust

Little children can do the most amazing things with such joy and fun. You were little once too, and knew how to turn everything into a game. So, turn your work into a... game, and you will find joy and satisfaction in it. What are some ways you can start being playful with work?