Weekly Spiritual Meditations - 10/3

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Are you walking through a dark place in your life? Does it seem God has forsaken you? Are you tempted to give up? Don't! Instead choose to trust God, even though disappointment and loss may have made it impossible for you to understand His ways. Like an unerring compass, His Word will guide you safely through the fog of your pain. No matter how great your disappointment, God can turn your heartbreak into hope. Your past does not have to determine your destiny. -- Richard Exley

God is faithful. If He has allowed a trial into your life, you can bank on the fact that He has a reason for having done so. Trust Him with your pain. Trust Him that He has a plan. -- Rebecca Lusignolo

Refuse to settle for anything less than everything God has for you. --Joyce Meyer

God’s silence doesn’t mean His absence. Just because you can’t see or hear God doesn’t negate His presence and active work behind the scenes. Base your movement on Who you know and what you know about Him, not on what you are seeing and feeling at the moment. --Lois Evans

Have you ever considered that God, being God, could put into place a plan that does not depend on your agreement for its success? --Preston Parrish

We have to force ourselves to sit down, to breathe deeply, to listen. But when we do, God empowers us to rise up and accomplish great things for Him. --Dean Merrill

Remember that God is never surprised. He knows the future as thoroughly as He knows the past and has provided for us. He has everything in hand, and we should lean on Him. He will not fall over! --Jill Briscoe

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ADVICE TO A YOUNGER ME by Joseph J. Mazzella
All of us, at some point in our lives, have wished that we could write a letter to our younger selves. We have wished we could pass on the wisdom we have learned and help them to avoid some of the pain and struggles that we have gone through. I think that my own advice to the younger me would be quite simple. This is what I would say.
Wake up earlier more often and take the time to watch the sun rising over the hills. Bend down to smell the flowers in the Spring. Swim more in the Summer. Play in the Fall leaves. Make snow angels every Winter. Turn the TV off in the afternoon and go play with your dogs instead. Don’t rush through those Sunday family dinners. Savor every bite of food and joy in them. Tell your Mom and Grandma you love them every day and hug them every chance you can. Don’t complain about chopping wood with your Dad. Enjoy every moment you have with him. And don’t argue so much with your brothers. Life is too short to spend being miserable.
Stop being so shy. Other people are just like you inside. Smile more. Laugh a lot. Sing often. They are joy creators. Share a kind word every chance you get. Give your inner goodness to everyone. Don’t worry about the future. Instead enjoy this day God has given you. Make the time to play with your young children. One day you will blink and they will be as big as you are. Quit wishing you were rich in money. Yet, rejoice at being rich in heart. Realize that happiness is simple. It is we who are complicated. Know in your heart that God loves you just as you are. Know in your heart that you can love too. Then go out and share your love with the world. When you do you will have the joy you have always longed for.
How I wish I could give this advice to the younger me, but I can’t. He probably wouldn’t have listened anyway. Still, it isn’t too late to follow this advice today and that is all that matters.

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Muddy Path by Sally I. Kennedy
"The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace." Numbers 6:24-26
May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face shine upon us. Psalm 67:1
What a perfect day for a fall hike. We were excited to get outdoors in crisp air and bright sunshine. The path was just wide enough to have been well-traveled when it was a stagecoach trail. I squeezed my fists, trying to capture a little of the wonderful cool dry air.
Barely over the rickety wooden bridge the path began to change from a little bit rocky and dusty to slightly muddy. Shade and shadows from the skinny-trunked aspen trees cast dark coolness onto the path. By the time we were a bit farther, the path became with squishy mud.
On the return, I glimpsed at the brook to the left, humming happily along. From there on back, the path reverted from muddy to dusty but solid and easy to walk on.
The muddy part of the path was not in sunlight: the other was. I thought, "Just a little sunshine makes such a difference."
Sometimes my life begins to resemble a muddy path. It's good for me to remember that a little Son-light on it could make all the difference.
Prayer: When my path gets muddy, Lord, from cares and concerns and stuff in my life, I pray that You will shine on them all, and restore my path. Thank you, Lord. in Jesus' name, amen.

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DON'T WE ALL Author Unknown
I was parked in front of the mall wiping off my car. I had just come from the car wash and was waiting for my wife to get out of work. Coming my way from across the parking lot was what society would consider a bum. From the looks of him, he had no car, no home, no clean clothes, and no money. There are times when you feel generous but there are other times that you just don't want to be bothered. This was one of those "don't want to be bothered times."
"I hope he doesn't ask me for any money," I thought.
He didn't.
He came and sat on the curb in front of the bus stop but he didn't look like he could have enough money to even ride the bus.
After a few minutes he spoke.
"That's a very pretty car," he said.
He was ragged but he had an air of dignity around him. His scraggly blond beard keep more than his face warm.
I said, "thanks," and continued wiping off my car.
He sat there quietly as I worked. The expected plea for money never came. As the silence between us widened something inside said, "ask him if he needs any help." I was sure that he would say "yes" but I held true to the inner voice.
"Do you need any help?" I asked.
He answered in three simple but profound words that I shall never forget. We often look for wisdom in great men and women. We expect it from those of higher learning and accomplishments. I expected nothing but an outstretched grimy hand. He spoke the three words that shook me.
"Don't we all?" he said.
I was feeling high and mighty, successful and important, above a bum in the street, until those three words hit me like a twelve gauge shotgun.
Don't we all?
I needed help. Maybe not for bus fare or a place to sleep, but I needed help. I reached in my wallet and gave him not only enough for bus fare, but enough to get a warm meal and shelter for the day. Those three little words still ring true. No matter how much you have, no matter how much you have accomplished, you need help too. No matter how little you have, no matter how loaded you are with problems, even without money or a place to sleep, you can give help. Even if it's just a compliment, you can give that.
You never know when you may see someone that appears to have it all. They are waiting on you to give them what they don't have. A different perspective on life, a glimpse at something beautiful, a respite from daily chaos, that only you through a torn world can see.
Maybe the man was just a homeless stranger wandering the streets. Maybe he was more than that. Maybe he was sent by a power that is great and wise, to minister to a soul too comfortable in themselves.
Maybe God looked down, called an Angel, dressed him like a bum, then said, "go minister to that man cleaning the car, that man needs help."
Don't we all?

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A WALK IN THE RAIN Author Unknown
She must have been 6 years old, this beautiful brown haired, freckled-faced Image of innocence. Her Mom looked like someone from the Walton's or a moment captured by Norman Rockwell. Not that she was old-fashioned. Her brown hair was ear length with enough curl to appear natural. She had on a pair of tan shorts and light blue knit shirt. Her sneakers were white with a blue trim. She looked like a Mom. It was pouring outside. The kind of rain that gushes over the tops of rain gutters, so much in a hurry to hit the Earth it has no time to flow down the spout. Drains in the nearby parking lot were filled to capacity and some were blocked so that huge puddles made lakes around parked cars. We all stood there under the awning and just inside the door of the WalMart. We waited, some patiently, others irritated because nature messed up their hurried day. I am always mesmerized by rain fall. I get lost in the sound and sight of the heavens washing away the dirt and dust of the world. Memories of running, splashing so carefree as a child come pouring in as a welcome reprieve from the worries of my day. Her voice was so sweet as it broke the hypnotic trance we were all caught in. "Mom, let's run through the rain," she said.
"What?" Mom asked.
"Let's run through the rain!" she repeated.
"No, honey. We'll wait until it slows down a bit," Mom replied.
This young child waited about another minute and repeated her statement. "Mom. Let's run through the rain."
"We'll get soaked if we do," Mom said.
"No, we won't, Mom. That's not what you said this morning," the young girl said as she tugged at her Mom's arm.
"This morning? When did I say we could run through the rain and not get wet?"
"Don't you remember? When you were talking to Daddy about his cancer, you said, "If God can get us through this, He can get us through anything!"
The entire crowd stopped dead silent. I swear you couldn't hear anything but the rain. We all stood silently. No one came or left in the next few minutes. Mom paused and thought for a moment about what she would say.
Now some would laugh it off and scold her for being silly. Some might even ignore what was said. But this was a moment of affirmation in a young child's life. A time when innocent trust can be nurtured so that it will bloom into faith.
"Honey, you are absolutely right. Let's run through the rain. If God lets us get wet, well maybe we just needed washing," Mom said. Then off they ran. We all stood watching, smiling and laughing as they darted past the cars and yes through the puddles. They held their shopping bags over their heads just in case. They got soaked. But they were followed by a few believers who screamed and laughed like children all the way to their cars. Perhaps inspired by their faith and trust. I want to believe that somewhere down the road in life, Mom will find herself reflecting back on moments they spent together, captured like pictures in the scrapbook of her cherished memories.
Maybe when she watches proudly as her daughter graduates. Or as her Daddy walks her down the aisle on her wedding day. She will laugh again. Her heart will beat a little faster. Her smile will tell the world they love each other.
But only two people will share that precious moment when they ran through the rain believing that God would get them through. And Yes, I did. I ran. I got wet. I needed washing.
To everything there is a season and a time to every purpose under the heaven." Ecclesiastes 3:1

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Practice Days by Steve May
Monday Memo from PreachingLibrary.comIn his book Today Matters, John Maxwell talks about asking legendary basketball coach John Wooden, who had won 10 national championships while at UCLA, what he missed most about coaching.
Wooden's response? "Practice," he said. "What you do in practice determines your level of success. I used to tell my players, 'You have to give 100% everyday. Whatever you don't give, you can't make up for tomorrow. If you give only 75% today, you can't give 125% tomorrow to make up for it.'"
Much of what we'll do today could be labeled 'practice,' though we're more likely to call it preparation: preparing for the next meeting, the next message, the next ministry event. It's amazing how much life consists of getting ready. Wooden's words remind us that we don't have the luxury of coasting through these "non-game days."
Even our practice days deserve 100%.
Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men...(Colossians 3:23)

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Do-overs are Allowed by Katherine Walden
In my late teens, I was blessed to be mentored by two powerful women. They also mentored young inmates had come to know Christ while incarcerated. Most of these young men were first-time offenders and found themselves in trouble due to drug addiction and rebellion. Their fledgling foray into the legal system terrified them. The calm, gentle, yet no-nonsense discipleship method used by Opal and Myrtle wooed even the most hardened of hearts into the kingdom. Revival spread through the jail.
As new believers left the prison, they were not bereft of fellowship. Myrtle rented an old house in the downtown core, cleaned it up, then found suitable house parents to watch over the unofficial halfway house. Every week, dozens of young Christians crammed into the living room of the old house to join the housemates for a time of fellowship, worship and bible study. There was no sense of ‘them’ and ‘us’; we were all brothers and sisters in Christ. We were all redeemed through the blood of the Lamb.
A crimson thread ran through the stories of the young men I met through the halfway house ministry. Most experienced profound rejection as a result of their poor choices. A few grew up in church but drifted away in their teen years. Others ran away to escape from abusive environments. Regardless how each young man arrived, they all found themselves at the Cross. They all knew they were powerless to change their lives. They all believed, with the power of God’s redeeming love and the support of a loving community, they could triumph over addiction, bitterness, unforgiveness and self-hatred.
Unfortunately, a few of my friends slipped back into self-destructive behaviours on more than one occasion. However, when they humbly admitted they messed things up, we welcomed them back with open arms. As they submitted to discipleship and graciously accepted the consequences of their actions, they knew they were unconditionally loved and accepted.
As a result of these second chances, many wounded young adults transformed their lives. Former addicts became pastors and missionaries. Rebellious teens returned to school and eventually became doctors and business leaders. Young women were healed and restored and became influential role models in their communities. Young men grew in their faith and mentored others to grow strong in Christ, by passing on to others what had been given to them – unconditional love.
On the weekends, most of us headed down to a Christian coffeehouse and fellowshipped into the wee small hours. During those years, I learned how to pray for others through observation and hands-on experience. I learned how to see past the bad manners, poor hygiene and rough shells that protected wounded hearts. I saw miracles take place before my eyes. Deliverance, physical healings, lives transformed. I was exposed to all sorts of people: active drug addicts, alcoholics, runaways, college students, con artists, kids from the suburbs, members of the First Nations and influential businessmen.
Long after I moved from my hometown, I stumbled upon an article in a national newspaper about one of the young men who had I met during my coffee-house ministry days. I honestly can’t remember if Pat had been in trouble with the law before he came to know the Lord, but I do know he lived on the streets as a panhandler for several years. But I remember his gratitude toward the God of second chances even more. Pat showed his gratefulness by quietly serving behind the coffee bar, washing dishes and tidying up. Eventually, that dish-washing ministry evolved into the beginning of a flourishing network of inner-city churches that have touched thousands of lives. In recognition of his service to the underprivileged, Pat received the ‘Order of Canada’, one of the highest honours a civilian Canadian can receive. Today, Pat continue to give credit to all those who had not written him off as just a kid from the streets. He continues to live his life in gratitude to the One who gave him a second chance.
God of second chances, when we think we have gone too far and that there is no possible way that you would ever take us back, your forgiveness is there the moment we turn to you. May we carry Your heart to those who society has labeled as beyond redemption. When we are tempted to write off those who have betrayed us, give us the same heart You displayed to Peter after his betrayal. Give us the wisdom, patience, grace and long-suffering needed to walk alongside those who return to us, battered and bruised. May we be your instruments of restoration.

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CLINGING TO THE ROCK by Marcia Lee Laycock
"And let us consider how we may SPUR one another on toward love and good deeds." Hebrews 10:24
The far north is a place where things are pared down, taken to the lowest common denominators of life. Rock, water, sun, insects and wind. And of course, in the winter, snow and ice. It is a place where the word survival is never far from one's thoughts.
It was a marvel to me how the tiny delicate flowers of Baffin Island could survive. There is very little soil yet they spring up and cling to solid rock. Vibrant dwarf fireweed, saxifrage, anemones and the ever-present Arctic cotton. The tundra seemed to be in motion as they swayed in the constant wind, lifting their heads toward a far-away sun. We stepped around them, our heads bent in homage, our camera shutters clicking.
As I moved across that barren landscape I couldn't help but think of the barren landscape of cancer I have been wandering in. The similarities are stark. There isn't much to hang onto at times. The winds of fear and loss seem always in my face and the sun can seem oh so far away. But I stared at a bright yellow anemone and took heart. If this little one can survive in this, her desolate place, then so shall I in mine, by doing what she does season after season. Cling to the rock.
My Rock is more solid and everlasting than those slowly disintegrating across the tundra. My Rock speaks and comforts and holds my hand. My Rock carries me when my knees buckle and cradles my head when I just need to cry. My Rock hides me in its cleft and sets my feet on a firm foundation.
And when I "lift up my eyes to the hills," and ask, "Where does my help come from?" He answers - "My help comes from the Lord, Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip, He who watches over you will not slumber ... The Lord watches over you, the Lord is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day nor the moon by night. The Lord will keep you from all harm, He will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming going both now and forevermore" (Psalm 121:1-8).

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Famous Last Words by Alan Smith
Consider these quotes from the past:
"This 'telephone' has too many shortcomings to be seriously considered as a means of communication. The device is inherently of no value to us." - Western Union internal memo, 1876.
"Everything that can be invented has been invented." - Charles H. Duell, Commissioner, U.S. Office of Patents, 1899.
"The wireless music box has no imaginable commercial value. Who would pay for a message sent to nobody in particular?" - David Sarnoff's associates in response to his urgings for investment in the radio in the 1920s.
"I think there is a world market for maybe five computers." - Thomas Watson, Chairman of IBM, 1943
"Computers in the future may weigh no more than 1.5 tons." - Popular Mechanics, forecasting the relentless march of science, 1949
"I have traveled the length and breadth of this country and talked with the best people, and I can assure you that data processing is a fad that won't last out the year." - The editor in charge of business books for Prentice Hall, 1957
"But what ... is it good for?" - Engineer at the Advanced Computing Systems Division of IBM, 1968, commenting on the microchip.
"There is no reason anyone would want a computer in their home." - Ken Olson, President, Chairman and Founder of Digital Equipment Corp., 1977
"640K ought to be enough for anybody." - Bill Gates, 1981
It's amazing that we've accomplished so much technologically in this country considering the pessimistic views held by many (even more amazing when you consider that some of the achievements eventually came from people who at one time held the pessimistic views themselves).
What is your vision for the future? What would you like to accomplish? More to the point, what would you like to see God accomplish through you? There will likely be someone around you ready to tell you that "it can't be done", or "we've tried that before with no success", or "it's too much trouble".
And they may be right. Or they may have a "grasshopper complex" like the ten spies in Numbers 13 who were unable to see what God could accomplish because they were looking so intently at the obstacles in their way.
"Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen." (Ephesians 3:20-21)
May the God who can do more than we can even imagine (and I can imagine a lot!) be with you this day.

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Small Straws In A Soft Wind by Marsha Burns
The next phase of your spiritual progression is beginning to unfold. Position yourself for the greatest benefit of the season by getting your priorities in order and developing righteous values. Move away from self-absorption to consider and esteem one another. Be honest and righteous in every area of life--relationships, finances, goals and desires. I am the light that will guide you through the darkness that covers the earth, says the Lord.
Philippians 2:3 Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.

Deliberately deal with things that distract you from seeking My face with a whole heart. These are critical times in your spiritual development and supernatural progression. This is a time when you need to get your head screwed on straight--to become clear in your thinking and calm in your emotions so that your attitudes, motives and actions line up with the truth of My word, says the Lord. Become one with Me. 2 Corinthians 10:4-6 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled.

Hunker down and maintain your spiritual position as you resist the temptation to yield to outside pressure and the opinions of others. Take a defensive stance against the schemes of the enemy to disrupt. Be cautious and make sure that your plans do not become a departure from security or safety, says the Lord. Stay covered. Ephesians 6:11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

Come here. Come with Me. Follow Me. Many of My people have been given a mantle--a calling and purpose. But, when things became too challenging, the mantle became contaminated with things of the world and of the natural realm. The garment is no longer fit for the work of My kingdom, says the Lord. Come again for a new garment, which will require renewed commitment to do what I called you to do before the perversion of purpose by the flesh. Revelation 3:18 "I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see."

Now is a time when you can make the necessary adjustments to get back on track spiritually. Your course correction will come when you focus on that which brings life, vitality, and eternal perspective. The requirement is that you move deeper in the flow of My Spirit, says the Lord, and stop puddling around in the shallowness of religious exercise. This is not about getting by, but reaching beyond your grasp. Philippians 3:13 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead.

If you are going to move ahead in spiritual progression, you cannot allow the past to define your future. Set yourself to begin again now with a fresh, clean slate--uncontaminated by past failures or even past victories. Let kingdom truth mold your new life, day by day, hour by hour, minute by minute. Establish yourself in vital, intimate relationship with Me, says the Lord. This is freedom! 2 Corinthians 3:17 Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.

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The Trumpet by Bill Burns
"Set the trumpet to your mouth!" Hosea 8:1
Come on now, believe and receive that which I have promised. Spread your spiritual wings, even like the eagle on the earth spreads his wings so that he can be moved by the wind of My spirit to higher places; places of vision, places that you can see from, places that you can know from, and places that you can hear from. For, these days are indeed perilous; nevertheless, they are also the days of glory I have spoken about in My word when My glory comes to rest upon a people so that they are prepared for everything that takes place and they are prepared to go on with Me into the glory of this time and this season. So come. Come and join. Come and be one with Me, says the Lord.

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"The Secret" By Ralph Cushman
I met God in the morning
When the day was at its best,
And His Presence came like sunrise,
Like a glory in my breast.
All day long the Presence lingered,
All day long He stayed with me,
And we sailed in perfect calmness
O'er a very troubled sea.
Other ships were blown and battered,
Other ships were sore distressed,
But the winds that seemed to drive them,
Brought to me a peace and rest.
Then I thought of other mornings,
With a keen remorse of mind,
When I, too, had loosed the moorings,
With the presence left behind.
So, I think I know the secret,
Learned from many a troubled way:
You must seek Him in the morning
If you want Him through the day!

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Draw Closer to God by Doreen Robinson
When the sun is shining brightly,
And our life is running smoothly.
We find it easy to smile and be pleased,
To praise and give thanks to God.
But when dark clouds begin to gather,
And our life looks grim and bleak.
We begin to grumble and complain,
And blame God when things go wrong.
It is when the clouds are the darkest,
That we should draw closer to God.
For he is the silver lining in every cloud,
The light in the center of our world.

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He who is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will reward him for what he has done. Proverbs 19:17

But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness. 2 Peter 3:13

Every word of God is pure: He is a shield unto them that put their trust in Him. Proverbs 30:5

“And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” Colossians 3:17

I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone - for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. 1 Timothy 2:1-4

"Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who trusteth in him." Psalm 34:8

"Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth." Psalm 46:10

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. Psalm 3:5-6

Teach me to do your will, for you are my God; may your good Spirit lead me on level ground. Psalm 143:10

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CAN YOU SLEEP WHEN THE WIND BLOWS? Author Unknown
Years ago a farmer owned land along the Atlantic seacoast. He constantly advertised for hired hands. Most people were reluctant to work on farms along the Atlantic. They dreaded the awful storms that raged across the Atlantic, wreaking havoc on the buildings and crops.
As the farmer interviewed applicants for the job, he received a steady stream of refusals. Finally, a short, thin man, well past middle age, approached the farmer. "Are you a good farmhand?" the farmer asked him. "Well, I can sleep when the wind blows," answered the little man. Although puzzled by this answer, the farmer, desperate for help, hired him.
The little man worked well around the farm, busy from dawn to dusk, and the farmer felt satisfied with the man's work. Then one night the wind howled loudly in from offshore. Jumping out of bed, the farmer grabbed a lantern and rushed next door to the hiredhand's sleeping quarters. He shook the little man and yelled, "Get up! A storm is coming! Tie things down before they blow away!" The little man rolled over in bed and said firmly, "No sir. I told you, I can sleep when the wind blows."
Enraged by the response, the farmer was tempted to fire him on the spot.
Instead, he hurried outside to prepare for the storm. To his amazement, he discovered that all of the haystacks had been covered with tarpaulins. The cows were in the barn, the chickens were in the coops, and the doors were barred. The shutters were tightly secured. Everything was tied down. Nothing could blow away. The farmer then understood what his hired hand meant, so he returned to his bed to also sleep while the wind blew.
MORAL: When you're prepared, spiritually, mentally, and physically, you have nothing to fear. Can you sleep when the wind blows through your life? The hired hand in the story was able to sleep because he had secured the farm against the storm. We, as believers in Christ, secure ourselves against the storms of life by grounding ourselves in the Word of God. We don't need to understand, we just need to hold His hand to have peace in the midst of the storms. I hope you sleep well! Enjoy the day! May God Bless You and Yours

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O Lord my God, when the storm is loud, and the night is dark, and the soul is sad, and the heart oppressed; then as a weary traveler, may I look to you; and beholding the light of your love, may it bear me on, until I learn to sing your song in the night. Amen. --George Dawson

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Read Through The Bible
Ezra 6
The Decree of Darius
1 Then King Darius issued a decree, and a search was made in the archives, where the treasures were stored in Babylon. 2 And at Achmetha, in the palace that is in the province of Media, a scroll was found, and in it a record was written thus: 3 In the first year of King Cyrus, King Cyrus issued a decree concerning the house of God at Jerusalem: “Let the house be rebuilt, the place where they offered sacrifices; and let the foundations of it be firmly laid, its height sixty cubits and its width sixty cubits, 4 with three rows of heavy stones and one row of new timber. Let the expenses be paid from the king’s treasury. 5 Also let the gold and silver articles of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took from the temple which is in Jerusalem and brought to Babylon, be restored and taken back to the temple which is in Jerusalem, each to its place; and deposit them in the house of God”— 6 Now therefore, Tattenai, governor of the region beyond the River, and Shethar-Boznai, and your companions the Persians who are beyond the River, keep yourselves far from there. 7 Let the work of this house of God alone; let the governor of the Jews and the elders of the Jews build this house of God on its site. 8 Moreover I issue a decree as to what you shall do for the elders of these Jews, for the building of this house of God: Let the cost be paid at the king’s expense from taxes on the region beyond the River; this is to be given immediately to these men, so that they are not hindered. 9 And whatever they need—young bulls, rams, and lambs for the burnt offerings of the God of heaven, wheat, salt, wine, and oil, according to the request of the priests who are in Jerusalem—let it be given them day by day without fail, 10 that they may offer sacrifices of sweet aroma to the God of heaven, and pray for the life of the king and his sons. 11 Also I issue a decree that whoever alters this edict, let a timber be pulled from his house and erected, and let him be hanged on it; and let his house be made a refuse heap because of this. 12 And may the God who causes His name to dwell there destroy any king or people who put their hand to alter it, or to destroy this house of God which is in Jerusalem. I Darius issue a decree; let it be done diligently.
The Temple Completed and Dedicated
13 Then Tattenai, governor of the region beyond the River, Shethar-Boznai, and their companions diligently did according to what King Darius had sent. 14 So the elders of the Jews built, and they prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo. And they built and finished it, according to the commandment of the God of Israel, and according to the command of Cyrus, Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia. 15 Now the temple was finished on the third day of the month of Adar, which was in the sixth year of the reign of King Darius. 16 Then the children of Israel, the priests and the Levites and the rest of the descendants of the captivity, celebrated the dedication of this house of God with joy. 17 And they offered sacrifices at the dedication of this house of God, one hundred bulls, two hundred rams, four hundred lambs, and as a sin offering for all Israel twelve male goats, according to the number of the tribes of Israel. 18 They assigned the priests to their divisions and the Levites to their divisions, over the service of God in Jerusalem, as it is written in the Book of Moses.
The Passover Celebrated
19 And the descendants of the captivity kept the Passover on the fourteenth day of the first month. 20 For the priests and the Levites had purified themselves; all of them were ritually clean. And they slaughtered the Passover lambs for all the descendants of the captivity, for their brethren the priests, and for themselves. 21 Then the children of Israel who had returned from the captivity ate together with all who had separated themselves from the filth of the nations of the land in order to seek the Lord God of Israel. 22 And they kept the Feast of Unleavened Bread seven days with joy; for the Lord made them joyful, and turned the heart of the king of Assyria toward them, to strengthen their hands in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel.

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Father, help us to seek righteousness and within that, righteous thinking. Guide us in Your truth and let us not be guided by our selfishness. --The Voice

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