Saturday, September 25, 2010
Asking the Right Way
When Jesus gave us the Lord’s Prayer he was giving us the information we need in order to have our prayers answered. Right after He praised God’s name, the next line was “Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.”
The Bible tells us Jesus said, “If you abide in me and my words abide in you, you shall ask what you will, and it shall be done unto you.” John 15:7
Of course we cannot literally abide in the man Jesus. He wants us to abide in the spirit of His teachings. The whole spirit of his teachings is that God’s work is manifest through us as individuals. We must always ask in our prayers for things that are good and right. Our prayers are answered when they are in true harmony with God and how do we know when they are in true harmony with God? When the prayer is “Thy will be done” not..”my will be done.”
If there is a financial need is your prayer “God, please help me find a better job making more money to cover my bills?” You have to ask yourself, would that really solve the problem? Maybe the condition you are in is because you haven’t learned how to manage money. So God’s lesson is for you to learn how. In that case the prayer should be, “This is the need, Your will be done.”
If the need is health is your prayer, “God, please make me well?” Maybe the condition was caused because you haven’t developed healthy “habits” and God’s less is for you to learn to be healthier in your lifestyle. Your prayer should be, “This is the need, Your will be done.”
Believe me, in God’s infinite wisdom, He does not need us to make the plan, all He wants us to do is ask believing and he will not disappoint us.
If a “plan” does come to you and you are not sure that it’s God’s guidance, simply take the first step, always praying that if it not God’s will He defeat you in carrying out the plan. This really works and when it happens that it was not God’s plan but your plan and you are left thinking, “ok, that wasn’t right so now what do I do?” God’s way will open up for you and it will be much easier and better than you could ever devise with your own thinking. Maybe God will bring into your life will someone who can help you be a better money manager or someone (even a stranger) who has the same health problem as you and has seen a doctor who specializing in that health problem.
Many of you have already experienced and know “letting go and letting God” really works, so keep praying, believing. Maybe if you haven’t tried it, you will. Thanks letting me share.
The Bible tells us Jesus said, “If you abide in me and my words abide in you, you shall ask what you will, and it shall be done unto you.” John 15:7
Of course we cannot literally abide in the man Jesus. He wants us to abide in the spirit of His teachings. The whole spirit of his teachings is that God’s work is manifest through us as individuals. We must always ask in our prayers for things that are good and right. Our prayers are answered when they are in true harmony with God and how do we know when they are in true harmony with God? When the prayer is “Thy will be done” not..”my will be done.”
If there is a financial need is your prayer “God, please help me find a better job making more money to cover my bills?” You have to ask yourself, would that really solve the problem? Maybe the condition you are in is because you haven’t learned how to manage money. So God’s lesson is for you to learn how. In that case the prayer should be, “This is the need, Your will be done.”
If the need is health is your prayer, “God, please make me well?” Maybe the condition was caused because you haven’t developed healthy “habits” and God’s less is for you to learn to be healthier in your lifestyle. Your prayer should be, “This is the need, Your will be done.”
Believe me, in God’s infinite wisdom, He does not need us to make the plan, all He wants us to do is ask believing and he will not disappoint us.
If a “plan” does come to you and you are not sure that it’s God’s guidance, simply take the first step, always praying that if it not God’s will He defeat you in carrying out the plan. This really works and when it happens that it was not God’s plan but your plan and you are left thinking, “ok, that wasn’t right so now what do I do?” God’s way will open up for you and it will be much easier and better than you could ever devise with your own thinking. Maybe God will bring into your life will someone who can help you be a better money manager or someone (even a stranger) who has the same health problem as you and has seen a doctor who specializing in that health problem.
Many of you have already experienced and know “letting go and letting God” really works, so keep praying, believing. Maybe if you haven’t tried it, you will. Thanks letting me share.
Friday, September 17, 2010
FountainLady.com: How Can I Help You?
FountainLady.com: How Can I Help You?: "The particular need to have concern for one’s neighbors regardless of family connection or religion came from Jesus’ example. Actually it wa..."
How Can I Help You?
The particular need to have concern for one’s neighbors regardless of family connection or religion came from Jesus’ example. Actually it wasn’t part of his teaching, it was central to what is unique in Christ’s message and the whole story that his life represented, that GOD became flesh and dwelt among us. In Christ’s message all materiality and everyone - saint and sinner is God appearing. Unless we honor strangers as well as our own families, that message has no meaning to us, and we cannot call ourselves followers of Christ.
In the parable of the Good Samaritan, the Jews saw a Samaritan, their enemy, take time, money and effort to help a disabled Jew. That represents another principle that is unique to Christianity, forgiveness. We are all off springs of one God and until we help each other, pray for each other, and forgive each other, family or foe, we deny charity and deny that we are all a part of GOD.
Sometimes it is easier to forgive a stranger than to forgive our closest love one. We alienate ourselves from family because of some perceived slight or words spoken and interpreted in the wrong context. These hurts build and build until they reach insurmountable heights. If we have a problem with forgiving others, we can begin to solve the problem in a way that has nothing to do with forgiveness…appreciation. The best way to forgive is to start appreciating, appreciating the good in others. Everyone has some virtue, because we are all made in the image of GOD.
Perhaps throughout his whole life, Jesus’ message was “Appreciate yourself, add to yourself by seeing the good in your brother. Then you will see it in yourself. Then will you include everyone in your love.”
In the parable of the Good Samaritan, the Jews saw a Samaritan, their enemy, take time, money and effort to help a disabled Jew. That represents another principle that is unique to Christianity, forgiveness. We are all off springs of one God and until we help each other, pray for each other, and forgive each other, family or foe, we deny charity and deny that we are all a part of GOD.
Sometimes it is easier to forgive a stranger than to forgive our closest love one. We alienate ourselves from family because of some perceived slight or words spoken and interpreted in the wrong context. These hurts build and build until they reach insurmountable heights. If we have a problem with forgiving others, we can begin to solve the problem in a way that has nothing to do with forgiveness…appreciation. The best way to forgive is to start appreciating, appreciating the good in others. Everyone has some virtue, because we are all made in the image of GOD.
Perhaps throughout his whole life, Jesus’ message was “Appreciate yourself, add to yourself by seeing the good in your brother. Then you will see it in yourself. Then will you include everyone in your love.”
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Its Not Why, But How We Handle Things
So many times after a tragedy we hear the words, “Why did God allow this to happen to me? I am a good person and try to live the right kind of life..why me?” and the reply. “We don’t always understand God’s will, but we know he allowed this to happen for a reason.” WRONG. God didn’t make the choice that led to the circumstances or consequences that we find ourselves in. He gave us free will and a conscious so we could make choices. Sometimes we are so burdened and grief-stricken by things that happen because of other people choices we might feel that God is punishing us for some forgotten and unforgiven sin, but I believe that God is so loving and caring that He forgives me for all my shortcomings every time I acknowledge them and ask for forgiveness. It’s ourselves who won’t forgive ourselves. We can feel sad, but not guilty for circumstances that happened because of a bad choice.
When you are faced with a problem, instead of trying to get God to do something about it, simply think about what God is, health, happiness, fulfillment, peace, harmony, companionship and as long as you have the “breath of life” in this body, God’s spirit is right here in you. If God is all these things and He is in you, how can you be anything but perfect? It does no good to try to ‘talk’ God into doing something about your discord, only you can do this.
God is my Father, He made me. His plan is for me to be happy, healthy, caring and to be his work manifest here on earth. This is I do daily by accepting his guidance, leadership and direction in each and every choice I must make each day. God uses us to make things happen…it’s up to us to make sure we use God’s choices in our lives.
When you are faced with a problem, instead of trying to get God to do something about it, simply think about what God is, health, happiness, fulfillment, peace, harmony, companionship and as long as you have the “breath of life” in this body, God’s spirit is right here in you. If God is all these things and He is in you, how can you be anything but perfect? It does no good to try to ‘talk’ God into doing something about your discord, only you can do this.
God is my Father, He made me. His plan is for me to be happy, healthy, caring and to be his work manifest here on earth. This is I do daily by accepting his guidance, leadership and direction in each and every choice I must make each day. God uses us to make things happen…it’s up to us to make sure we use God’s choices in our lives.
Friday, September 10, 2010
Remember the Important Things
A story is told about a man who was very lonely and felt a great void in his life. He decided that he would buy a bird and thereby have something that would talk to him in the evenings when he returned home from work.
He went into the pet ship and the owner of the shop showed him his very most talkative bird. “You will need a bird cage I’m sure,” said the shop owner to the man, “we have those also.” The man took the bird and the cage home and after a couple of days the bird still had not spoken a word, so the man went back to the pet shop to company to the owner. “Oh,” said the owner, “the bird is used to having a ladder to climb on, I sell those, take one home to your bird and I’m sure he will talk.” After another couple of days the bird had still not spoken a word, so the man went back to the pet store to tell the owner. “Oh,” said the man “He probably needs a mirror, I sell those, here take this home and put it in the cage, and then I’m sure the bird will talk.”
“Well, he had better talk, “said the man,” this bird has cost me a fortune and has not been one bit of company.” Upon returning home he placed the mirror in the cage and the bird, seeing his reflection in the mirror and thinking it was another bird, mustered up his last bit of strength and said, “Good luck, maybe the shop owner will remember to sell him some bird seed before it’s too late for you.”
Think about it, so many times our lives are filled with things we think will make us happy, but the truth is, sometimes we forget the most important thing, to put God first in our life.
Trust in the Lord and do good; so will you dwell in the land, and verily you shall be fed. Psalms 37:3
He went into the pet ship and the owner of the shop showed him his very most talkative bird. “You will need a bird cage I’m sure,” said the shop owner to the man, “we have those also.” The man took the bird and the cage home and after a couple of days the bird still had not spoken a word, so the man went back to the pet shop to company to the owner. “Oh,” said the owner, “the bird is used to having a ladder to climb on, I sell those, take one home to your bird and I’m sure he will talk.” After another couple of days the bird had still not spoken a word, so the man went back to the pet store to tell the owner. “Oh,” said the man “He probably needs a mirror, I sell those, here take this home and put it in the cage, and then I’m sure the bird will talk.”
“Well, he had better talk, “said the man,” this bird has cost me a fortune and has not been one bit of company.” Upon returning home he placed the mirror in the cage and the bird, seeing his reflection in the mirror and thinking it was another bird, mustered up his last bit of strength and said, “Good luck, maybe the shop owner will remember to sell him some bird seed before it’s too late for you.”
Think about it, so many times our lives are filled with things we think will make us happy, but the truth is, sometimes we forget the most important thing, to put God first in our life.
Trust in the Lord and do good; so will you dwell in the land, and verily you shall be fed. Psalms 37:3
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Aspirations
From the birth of her fine strapping son, the mother had dreamed that he would become an Olympic swimmer. The son grew in strength and height and by practicing every day he became the very best swimmer.
On the day before a big competition, mother and son went to the ocean for a dress rehearsal. As her son swam confidently into the magnificent ocean the proud mother watched.
Soon he was so far away from the shore she could barely see him, when suddenly he began to flail his arms and she could see that he was in trouble she began to scream for someone to help her. A man came to stand by her side and she pleaded with him to help her son. He agreed to help the woman and they stood on the shore and watched the young man in the water thrash and flail with both arms making the waters around him froth with his struggles.
Finally the young man became very still and began to slip beneath the waters. The man on the shore dived into the waters, swam out to the semi-conscious young man and brought him safely back to shore. After performing artificial respiration, the young man opened his eyes and looked into the face of his distraught mother. The mother gave a sign of relief and looked at the man who had saved her son. "Oh thank you, thank you for saving my son," said the mother, and then with a little irritation in her voice she said, "but tell me, why did you wait so long?" The man answered, "Well I knew I could reach him in time, but I had to wait until he stopped struggling and trying to save himself or he would probably have drowned both of us."
It is simple, and so many of us wear ourselves out with the struggle, if we just let go and let God, He has the answer to any problem and He has promised us through Jesus, that if we just ask and believe He will show us the way.
"And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, This is the way, walk in it" Isaiah 30:21
"Light will shine on your ways: Job 22:28
On the day before a big competition, mother and son went to the ocean for a dress rehearsal. As her son swam confidently into the magnificent ocean the proud mother watched.
Soon he was so far away from the shore she could barely see him, when suddenly he began to flail his arms and she could see that he was in trouble she began to scream for someone to help her. A man came to stand by her side and she pleaded with him to help her son. He agreed to help the woman and they stood on the shore and watched the young man in the water thrash and flail with both arms making the waters around him froth with his struggles.
Finally the young man became very still and began to slip beneath the waters. The man on the shore dived into the waters, swam out to the semi-conscious young man and brought him safely back to shore. After performing artificial respiration, the young man opened his eyes and looked into the face of his distraught mother. The mother gave a sign of relief and looked at the man who had saved her son. "Oh thank you, thank you for saving my son," said the mother, and then with a little irritation in her voice she said, "but tell me, why did you wait so long?" The man answered, "Well I knew I could reach him in time, but I had to wait until he stopped struggling and trying to save himself or he would probably have drowned both of us."
It is simple, and so many of us wear ourselves out with the struggle, if we just let go and let God, He has the answer to any problem and He has promised us through Jesus, that if we just ask and believe He will show us the way.
"And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, This is the way, walk in it" Isaiah 30:21
"Light will shine on your ways: Job 22:28
Monday, September 6, 2010
A Little More Faith
The magazine made it look great AND easy. There was a picture of a large green, grassy lawn with a full description of this special drought resistant, high quality, organic grass and turf seed, which had been specially tested and guaranteed to grow in our area. Pretty expensive, but when you compared that picture with our front lawn (which looked like a WW2 battlefield when the workmen finished building our home) it was worth it and besides, the sample I had received and planted was already beginning to take hold. So, we went for it…nothing ventured you know?
It was already mid June when our expensive see arrived and as you might remember, this year we went directly from winter to summer..not much cool spring weather. So mid June was hot and dry, but we sowed our seed and proceeded to water and fertilize it. Daily we checked on the progress, nothing yet. Mid July, a few sprigs of something came up in our flowerbeds, not exactly where we wanted if it was grass. We didn't know for sure because we weren't even sure what our grass would look like as seedlings. Late July, the rain came, not soft gently rain, but torrential rains and with nothing to hold the top soil we experienced lots of 'wash'. OK, so maybe the seed was not a good idea, we better do something else. So we sodden just around the area where the most wash had occurred and we spent about the same amount of money on sod as we had on the seed..WE kept saying to me (seed was after all, my idea) that we really messed up on that decision and wasted a lot of money. It is now November and guess what, we have little sprigs of grass cropping up all over the place, millions of little springs..so now we're thinking 'with just a little bit of faith and a few less doubts we could have saved ourselves a lot of trouble and expense.'
Letting go and letting God is a lot like that ..things happen in God's good time, not ours! But be assured, it will happen and it will be the right time and the right thing for us if God is in charge. God intervenes in the affairs of men by invitation only, Prayer.
For We Walk by Faith, Not by Sight …2 Corinthians 5:7
It was already mid June when our expensive see arrived and as you might remember, this year we went directly from winter to summer..not much cool spring weather. So mid June was hot and dry, but we sowed our seed and proceeded to water and fertilize it. Daily we checked on the progress, nothing yet. Mid July, a few sprigs of something came up in our flowerbeds, not exactly where we wanted if it was grass. We didn't know for sure because we weren't even sure what our grass would look like as seedlings. Late July, the rain came, not soft gently rain, but torrential rains and with nothing to hold the top soil we experienced lots of 'wash'. OK, so maybe the seed was not a good idea, we better do something else. So we sodden just around the area where the most wash had occurred and we spent about the same amount of money on sod as we had on the seed..WE kept saying to me (seed was after all, my idea) that we really messed up on that decision and wasted a lot of money. It is now November and guess what, we have little sprigs of grass cropping up all over the place, millions of little springs..so now we're thinking 'with just a little bit of faith and a few less doubts we could have saved ourselves a lot of trouble and expense.'
Letting go and letting God is a lot like that ..things happen in God's good time, not ours! But be assured, it will happen and it will be the right time and the right thing for us if God is in charge. God intervenes in the affairs of men by invitation only, Prayer.
For We Walk by Faith, Not by Sight …2 Corinthians 5:7
Sunday, September 5, 2010
A Little Bit of History
In 1995 I moved to a little country village that was located 7 miles east of the nearest city. Although it only had one place of business, a gas station, diner, and small grocery all in one building, it did have one old historic building. A beautiful old wooden church building that was built in 1867 situated in the middle of an old cemetery with headstones dated from 1865. One room, pitted old oak floors, 4 ceiling to mid waist glass windows on each side, solid wooden pews, and a small platform with a speaker's podium. You can still see the pitted bullet holes in the boards behind the platform where an actual shootout reportedly took place inside the church. After all this town was the birthplace of Clyde Barrow of the infamous Bonnie and Clyde team
If this old church could only talk! It started out with a Presbyterian congregation, then became a Baptist church, then weathered a tornado in 1960 and was repaired. It wasn't until years later that the old steeple was discovered hidden in the attic and placed in its rightful position on the roof. The last recorded church service was held in 1961. It seemed a shame that such a beautiful and inspirational old church should stand silent and alone. The other part of the story is that my house was the second house of three situated on the gravel road that dead ended into the church/cemetery grounds. It was easily within walking distance from my house.
My husband and I petitioned the cemetery committee to allow church services on Sunday mornings and with their permission we organized a revolving group of laymen from every denomination to alternately lead our little community in worship. Before long our little church was full to capacity again and the Christmas Candle lighting ceremony was standing room only. That was by the way, some of the best years of my life.
The point of this little bit of history is to explain the blogs that I am going to publish. Back then each week I sent out a newsletter to the congregation, they seemed to enjoy these little bits of wit and wisdom and recently while cleaning, I ran across the Church Folder. After looking over them, I decided I wanted to share these messages with anyone interested.
· A Little More Faith
· Aspirations
· Handling Opportunities
· Remember the Important Things
· It's Not What Happens to Us, But How We Respond
· How Can I Help You?
· The Plan
· Don't Miss the Point
· Stoic Faith
· What Do I Do?
· How Much Do I Trust Him?
· What Do I Have to Do?
· Gratitude
· A Brighter Fresher Mind
· Just Give Him the Letters
Friday, September 3, 2010
A Perfect Solution for Electrical Concerns:
 |
| Fairy Solar Powered Outdoor Fountain |
Jody Foster http://www.fountainlady.com/fountain.aspx
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
