Weekly Spiritual Meditations - 10/18

[bluidkiti]

G I F T = God Is Forever There.

There's a bumper sticker that reads: "If you're not feeling God's Presence, who moved?" God exists everywhere. Whenever we feel abandoned by God, remember, it is we who have moved. God is always fully present to us when we remember to open our hearts to that Presence. --Mary Manin Morrissey

We're all going to have winds and waves in our lives but nothing that happens can destroy your life unless you allow it. Work on building conscious contact with God that is stronger than anything in the world, so you don't look to the world as your guidance. Look within and you will find the power and love of God. --Mary Manin Morrisey

No situation is too difficult if God is with you. Lord, we are a perfect team. You provide the tools and I'll provide the labor.

"God sent each person into the world with a special message to deliver, a special song to sing and a special act of love to bestow. No one else can speak my message or sing my song or offer my love.... these are entrusted to me." --Author Unknown

"Everything is laid out for you. Your path is straight ahead of you. Sometimes it's invisible but it's there. You may not know where it's going, but still you have to follow that path. It's the path to the Creator. That's the only path there is."

When we love each other, God lives in us, And His love within us grows ever stronger.

My life has taken many falls and tumbles along the way, but I am learning Lord.

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The Same in Any Language by Sally I. Kennedy
Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. Colossians 3:14
One thing is the same in any language, a smile. Much can be communicated by a smile: a greeting, acceptance, thanks, gratitude.
Tears, also, are the same in any language. Tears can express sorrow and sadness, grief, loss, or pain. Even if you don't speak the same word language, there's a communication shared by tears.
The best thing that's the same in any language is the love of God. God's love transcends any language barrier. And it is the greatest of all love, enduring and lasting forever until the end of time and beyond.
When he was very old, the disciple John wrote for us to read in 2009 these words, 'Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. (1 John 3:18)
Yes, we can share smiles, even tears, and the very best of all is to share love, the love of our amazing, awesome, mighty, and loving God.

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Surprise by Sally I. Kennedy
For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD , "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11
Do you like surprises? Some do, some don't. My husband, not too much. He likes a plan and knowing what comes next. When he had one of the big mile-marker birthdays, I gave him a big surprise party and that's how I found out.
Several years ago I heard a message by Lloyd Ogilvie, who later became chaplain of the United States Senate. It was about a surprise party he had been given. At first, he was upset, because he viewed it as one more interruption in his plans for that day.
Later, after he'd thought about it, he realized that's what life is: a series of interruptions. Kind of like God saying, "Surprise!"
We make plans, God laughs. Life goes on, with our schedules being continuously interrupted. All the while, God "Surprise" has unexpected plans for us, plans for our good.
So next time things don't go quite the way I'd planned and expected, perhaps if I listen I will hear God's voice whispering, "Surprise!!"

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God's Thermal of Encouragement by Steve Troxel
Many of us have experienced that low Spiritual valley where we thought the sun would never shine again. Some were sent quickly into the valley by a very specific event; others drifted slowly to the bottom and can't say by what path they arrived. In either case, we wandered in this gloom until something began to lift us to new heights.
"He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." (Isaiah 40:29-31)
An eagle seems to fly effortlessly through the air with only an occasional flap of the wings. These great birds are experts at finding areas of rising air called thermals which allow them to soar without using any of their own energy.
God uses Spiritual thermals to lift up those who hope and trust in Him. Those who believe the truth of His Word and diligently search for the rising currents through prayer and undeterred worship will be freed from the heavy baggage which prevents upward flight - they will be lifted up by the guidance and strength of God's Spirit.
If we find ourselves back in the valley today, we must continue to seek Him with all our heart and trust that our thermal is on the way. He has promised to strengthen us and cause us to soar once again! And if we're currently flying high in our communion with God, we must give praise and honor to our Heavenly Father; but we must also recognize there are many others in the valley who desperately need a lift - many who are searching and feeling overcome with darkness. As we soar, we must understand that we are never called to fly alone.
God has chosen to use people to accomplish much of His work on earth. He could have chosen other methods; "If they {the people} keep quiet, the stones will cry out" (Luke 19:40), but He chose us.
We are to "encourage one another daily" (Hebrews 3:13). Why? Because there is a valley full of people waiting and hoping for that rising current to lift them up and set them free. We can be a rising current for others with simple words or acts of encouragement which show them God's love and gently lead them back toward His peace.
We have been adopted into the "Family" of God...and our Family needs each other very much! Let's dedicate ourselves to soaring high by worshipping God in absolutely every area of our life. Let's continue to rise to new heights and always look for others in need of God's thermal of encouragement!

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DROUGHT SURVIVAL by Sally I. Kennedy
This is what the LORD says…… “blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him. He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit." (Jeremiah 17:5-8)
In our back yard, there is a spot where red and pink Pentas are planted. These flowers are hardy, and do well in our tropical heat. They are colorful, and are butterfly attractors as well.
Flash floods occasionally soak the Pentas. These plants are resilient, however, and after the soggy, drippy leaves dry out, the flowers bloom brilliantly.
More of a problem than too much water, is too little water. We might go for days, or weeks with no rain; sometimes with scorching sun beating down. They can look kind of pitiful, definitely dried up, with the flowers faded, or gone entirely. Yet these plants always bounce back. A bit of rain, a little shade, and they are good to go again.
Some plants are created to withstand drought. Are we?
In the first book of songs, in the Bible, this very thing is addressed. The amplilfied version says it this way: "Blessed, happy, fortunate, prosperous, and enviable is the man who walks and lives not in the counsel of the ungodly, following their advice, their plans and purposes, .. but his delight and desire are in the precepts, the instructions, the teachings of God; he habitually meditates, ponders and studies by day and by night. And he shall be like a tree firmly planted and tended by the streams of water, ready to bring forth its fruit in its season; its leaf also shall not fade or wither; and everything he does shall prosper and come to maturity." (Ps 1:1-3)
We may not be as naturally sturdy as Pentas. Yet if we stay near the River of God, and are continually soaked and watered in His Word, we will not only be able to just make it through droughts, we will flourish in spite of them.

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A Lesson from Larry the Bug Guy by Tom
We have had a problem with ants. They keep coming back. When pest control service people came for the regularly scheduled application we mentioned that we had seen several ants around our kitchen sink and on the cabinets in that area. They spayed and said, “Call us if you see any more ants.”
We saw more more ants. We called. They suggested, “Try vinegar and water and if you still see ants call us.” We tried vinegar and water. We continued to see ants.
We called. The technician returned and used a different chemical. “That should take care of them, but if you see any more call us.”
We continued to see more, and more, and more. We called again. A new “Bug Man” came armed to wage war against the ants. When he walked in the door he exuded with confidence and seemed excited about the battle. He began by catching one ant, smashing it between his thumb and forefinger and sniffing it to determine “the type of ant we are dealing with.” With great enthusiasm he explained that each ant gives off a special scent. Although he told me, I do not remember the type “we are dealing with.” He then proceeded to explain his technique for killing the ants, the chemical he was using, and how it worked. He shared that the ants hunt for food, then communicate with one another when they discover food.
After applying the new dose he began to watch and share how they “are taking the bate” and insisted that I come see a particular group that had swarmed and congregated just above the dishwasher. I am pretty sure he let out a “Yessir!” at this point.
I thanked him for his determination and knowledge. He thanked me for our business, once again explained the nature of the ant, explained what he had done and how it works, and assured me that “This should take care of the problem.”
As he walked to his truck I was reminded of the lesson, not a new lesson, but an old and familiar lesson: We have all been created by God and none of us are exactly the same.
The first verse of the Bible that introduces the creation story in Genesis 1:1 says, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” As the story unfolds we see the detail and the uniqueness of every creature that God created. He created us all and He created us all exactly like He wanted us to be. Ants, humans, dogs and beautiful trees covered in the brilliant colors of autumn.
Thank you Larry, the Bug Man for letting me watch you and listen to you and once again be reminded of what a good thing it is that God created us all to be different. No wonder when God finished His creation He said, “This is good.”

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To Complain or Not to Complain
Do everything without complaining or arguing. Philippians 2:14
“Ain’t it Awful.” Those were the words printed across the top of the chart my daughter Sheryle brought home from Sunday school when she was 10. That day, her Bible teacher emphasized not complaining.
Sheryle attached the chart to the front of the fridge. Vertically, the grid had each family member’s name, and horizontally, the days of the week. She said she would monitor the family. If anyone complained, she’d say “Ain’t it awful” and place a mark by the name of the offender.
I smiled, thinking how much the children needed this lesson. Later Sunday afternoon, I dropped a bowl of cookie dough. Guess who whined? Me.
My daughter, the self-appointed president of the complaint department, said, “Ain’t it awful,” and I received the first black mark on the chart.
Aggravations may arrive in bunches. They often cluster into a single hour, clamoring for attention. Glitches in paper work, a hangnail, or a flat tire. All can seem monstrous.
When frustrations mount, it’s tempting to tattle to someone and gripe about the latest mishaps. Resist complaining because grumbling is contagious. The story of 12 scouts who explored the land of Canaan is in Numbers chapter 14: when the twelve men returned to their families, ten complained about giant warriors in the land. They in turn “made the whole community grumble“(vs. 36).
Griping focuses on what is wrong, instead of on what is going right, the blessings from God. Charles Hodge says, “The really happy man is one who enjoys the scenery when on a detour.” This past week my can opener disappeared. I literally opened cans with a stout knife and metal meat mallet. Do not try this at home. The good about that situation: I had food. I had tools, and I didn’t even nick a finger.
In that same week while driving in heavy traffic, a fire ant assaulted my sandaled toes. I endured his stinging complaint for nearly a mile before it was safe enough to eliminate the problem. A blessing to focus on: one less fire ant in the world. Sorry, fire ant lovers.
So many times in preaching, teaching and writing, problems are identified, but solutions are not offered. The apostle Paul offered remedies to tetchy problems. When he wrote his letter to the Philippians he was in a Roman prison. Early in his correspondence he said, “Do everything without complaining or arguing.” Paul was under guard, confined, restricted, incarcerated, but again and again, at least eight times, he encouraged the Philippians to rejoice.
Near the end of Paul’s letter, he gives the antidote to complaining: “Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things” (4:8). He also gave credit to God for enabling him to say, “I have learned to be content in all circumstances” (4:11).
I taped another “Ain’t it awful” chart on my refrigerator — a reminder to think about the good in life, even if detour signs go up this week. --Author Unknown

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GG and the Gotcha Game By Pamela Perry Blaine
“Now don’t scare her,” I cautioned as Ben crept along the hallway and peeked into Great Grandma’s room. This was my grandson, Ben’s, modus operandi each time he came to see his Great Grandma at the care center. He would ask me to lag behind so he could try to enter her room alone and unnoticed. He liked practicing his spy skills.
“Gotcha!” he said as he stealthily tiptoed into the room and peeked around the door. As I neared the room, I heard GG exclaim, “I knew it was you, you rascal…you can’t sneak up on me!”
Ben immediately darted into the room and pulled up a folding chair to where he was practically nose-to-nose in front of GG.
Ben and GG are great friends and they both like games. Ben often brings action figures with him and he divides them up into ranks of good guys and bad guys.
“Who is this one with the mask and green face?” GG asked as Ben handed her an action figure for her side of the army.
“He’s an alien knight from another planet and my warrior knight is going to defeat him.” Ben replied.
“I don’t like him, he looks mean.” GG frowned.
“Okay, you can have a different one,” Ben offered.
“No, you’re trying to trick me.” GG replied suspiciously as she held up her action figure readied for battle.
There were lots of sound effects from Ben as the battle progressed and GG was not to be outdone as she slyly moved her action figure from behind a Kleenex box on the table. Next, she moved her alien knight toward Ben’s warrior knight and jumped on him, “Wheeee…Gotcha!” GG exclaimed with a twinkle in her eye.
The war continued for a long time until finally the knights returned to their respective planets.
Next, Ben went to the nurse’s station and asked for some cups and came back with some empty pill cups that were used to dispense pills to the residents. He pulled up a small table and began to play the old “pea under the shell” game. He didn’t have any shells or peas, so he used the paper pill cups and he borrowed a ring that I was wearing. He placed the ring under one of the three pill cups and moved them, weaving them about on the table as he told GG to watch carefully and pick the one with the ring under it. “I know where it is, I know…I know,” GG would repeat over and over as he moved the little cups around.
Try as he would, Ben could never beat GG at the shell game. Each time the ring was revealed under a cup Ben would growl and GG would scream until I began wondering if the staff would come and throw us all out.
As the game progressed, the cups got mangled up a bit and GG grinned playfully and threw one at Ben and said, “Bing!…Gotcha!” Then the war was on once again as they threw the paper cups at each other. (I have this on video if anyone is interested.)
“Wait, I’m out of bullets”, GG proclaimed as she looked in her chair for more paper cups.
“Okay, you two”, I said as I thought GG might be getting tired as I knew Ben could keep this up all day. “We probably need to go home soon.”
“Do you want to go to the dining hall for Bingo today or are you too tired?” I asked GG as I knew it was nearing time for bingo to begin.
“Oh, yes, I want to go, I’m not tired.” GG said.
“I’ll push you in your wheelchair.” Ben offered and down the hallway they went with Ben going a little too fast but GG was enjoying it. “Don’t you go the wrong way or we’ll be late,” she admonished Ben. As they reached the place where GG always sat for Bingo, Ben began helping her get her bingo cards ready.
“No, not the blue ones, the red ones, they’re my favorite,” GG said as Ben began covering the “free spaces” with blue milk bottle caps. Ben teased her by switching the color of the caps when she looked away and GG pretended to slap his hands as she switched them back.
One of the workers at the care center came over and told me, “Ben is so good for her. She brightens up the minute he comes to see her.”
Ben was only here for a few weeks to visit and everyday he wanted to go visit GG. Sometimes she told him about days gone by and how she rode a horse to school. Ben told GG about riding horses at Rodeo Bible Camp and what he learned about horses and about God. She liked hearing about Bible camp and encouraged Ben. GG has known Jesus personally for many years and she reads her Bible that sits by her chair every day.
The day came when we were to leave for the long road trip to take Ben home to his family. Ben said, “We have to go see GG before I leave.”
I’m glad Ben has fun with GG and there’s no generation gap between them. I reminded Ben that these were special times with GG because not everyone gets to know great grandparents because they have passed on or because they don’t live close. What a blessing and treasure GG is to have her in our lives and hear her stories and learn from her wisdom.
Ben doesn't seem to even notice that his great grandmother has memory problems. If she repeats things, forgets things, or asks questions over again, he just answers as if it's the first time she has ever mentioned it. GG often holds up her thumb and forefinger and tells us that her memory is “about an inch long”. That’s okay, she may not remember what she ate for dinner or where her room is but she remembers what’s most important. She remembers her love of God, family, and friends, and she remembers to watch out for Ben and “Gotcha!”

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Small Straws In A Soft Wind by Marsha Burns
You must quiet your soul and clear your mind and emotions of everything that is upsetting. Refuse to allow the lies of the enemy to permeate your thinking, for this will keep you from being able to walk and live in the Spirit. It is of vital importance to stay calm and collected if you are positioning yourself by faith to receive all that I have provided for your well-being, says the Lord. Be strong and courageous! Romans 4:20 He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God.

Many of you, My people, are awakening to a new level of intimacy with Me, says the Lord. But, you must be alert and aware that the enemy of your souls will release lies and a spirit of lethargy to convince you that it takes too much effort to walk in the Spirit. Refuse to go back or give up. The discipline that it takes is well worth the progress that you are making. Proverbs 15:19 The way of the lazy man is like a hedge of thorns, but the way of the upright is a highway.

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The Trumpet by Bill Burns
"Set the trumpet to your mouth!" Hosea 8:1
Only believe, My dear children, and all things will become possible to you. These are the days in which I will demonstrate Myself to you. These are the days in which My fire shall indeed fall. These are the days in which the anointing that I have promised shall come to you. These are the days that shall be called the days of victory. For the chosen ones, the beloved ones who walk in My ways, those who will fulfill their destiny by walking this path of obedience, says the Lord. Now come; come on get up from where you are. Get up and come forth. Walk on this road that I am preparing for you. Walk and you shall see. Walk and you shall hear. Walk and you shall be delivered. Walk and you shall be healed. For, these are those days that you have desired to see and have yearned for. Only believe.

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God's Creation by Joyce C. Lock
However God created you,
He didn't make a mistake.
Adding gifts and talents,
Passion is His to create.
Out of our weakness,
His strength is ours to take...
Multiplying His precious seed,
All for the Kingdom's sake.

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If I Had Only Known byJulie Pendergast
If I had only known
the road would be so long
I would have danced a little slower
I would have sang a different song
If I had only known
when I was young and free
I would have made so many different choices
Taken better care of me
If I had only known
the road would be so long
I would have stood in the rain longer
Moved far away from here
Walked on a beach in the moonlight
Watched the sun set into night
It is not for me to know how long the road will be
I need to thank God for the blessings
He has indeed bestowed on me
I will dance a little slower
And sing a different song
For God is traveling by my side
He has been there all along

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"It is good to praise the Lord and make music to your name, O Most High." Psalm 92:1

Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Savior. The Sovereign LORD is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to go on the heights. Habakkuk 3:17-19

Keep on loving each other as brothers. Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it. Remember those in prison as if you were their fellow prisoners, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering. Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral. Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you. "So we say with confidence, "The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?" Hebrews 13:1-6

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teachings. It is good for our hearts to be strengthened by grace, not by ceremonial foods, which are of no value to those who eat them. Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise--the fruit of lips that confess his name. And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased. Pray for us. We are sure that we have a clear conscience and desire to live honorably in every way. I particularly urge you to pray so that I may be restored to you soon. May the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. Hebrews 13:8-9, 15-16, 18-21

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." Matthew 11:28-30

"The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their cry." Psalm 34:15

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The Sound Your Soul Needs to Hear by Dr. James C. Denison
Three years ago more than fifty believers from Park Cities Baptist Church and other congregations gathered for a "silent retreat." A silent retreat is very simply a time set aside to listen to God.
From 9:00 in the morning until 2:00 in the afternoon, we kept silent before God. We considered the Scriptures, meditated, and sat still before God. In this discipline, we obeyed the clear mandate of Scripture: "the Lord is in his holy temple; let all the earth be silent before him" (Habakkuk 2:20); "Be silent before the Sovereign Lord, for the day of the Lord is near" (Zephaniah 1:7); "Be still before the Lord, all mankind, because he has roused himself from his holy dwelling" (Zechariah 2:13); there is "a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak" (Ecclesiastes 3:7).
To spend an hour or a day in silence before the Father, begin by confessing your need of His presence and mercy. Ask His Spirit to cleanse you from anything which would keep you from listening to His voice. Perhaps this prayer, given to us at the retreat, will help you as it helped me:
"Most merciful God, I confess that I have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what I have done, and by what I have left undone. I have not loved you with my whole heart; I have not loved my neighbors as myself. I am truly sorry and I humbly repent. Have mercy on me and forgive me; that I may delight in Your will, and walk in Your ways, to the glory of Your Holy Name. In Jesus name, Amen."
Why not make some time today to allow the Spirit to cleanse your soul before the Father? Pray these words in sincerity to Him. Claim His mercy and His grace. Ask His Spirit to speak to your soul. And He will.

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Lord, I thank You, that You always take care of me, even if I don’t always see what You are doing right this moment. I pray, that You help me to trust You no matter what, because You make all things work together for the good of those who love You. Help me to know when I need to take action and when I just need to wait on You. Amen.

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Read Through The Bible
1 Chronicles 21
The Census of Israel and Judah
1 Now Satan stood up against Israel, and moved David to number Israel. 2 So David said to Joab and to the leaders of the people, “Go, number Israel from Beersheba to Dan, and bring the number of them to me that I may know it.” 3 And Joab answered, “May the Lord make His people a hundred times more than they are. But, my lord the king, are they not all my lord’s servants? Why then does my lord require this thing? Why should he be a cause of guilt in Israel?” 4 Nevertheless the king’s word prevailed against Joab. Therefore Joab departed and went throughout all Israel and came to Jerusalem. 5 Then Joab gave the sum of the number of the people to David. All Israel had one million one hundred thousand men who drew the sword, and Judah had four hundred and seventy thousand men who drew the sword. 6 But he did not count Levi and Benjamin among them, for the king’s word was abominable to Joab. 7 And God was displeased with this thing; therefore He struck Israel. 8 So David said to God, “I have sinned greatly, because I have done this thing; but now, I pray, take away the iniquity of Your servant, for I have done very foolishly.” 9 Then the Lord spoke to Gad, David’s seer, saying, 10 “Go and tell David, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord: “I offer you three things; choose one of them for yourself, that I may do it to you.”’” 11 So Gad came to David and said to him, “Thus says the Lord: ‘Choose for yourself, 12 either three years of famine, or three months to be defeated by your foes with the sword of your enemies overtaking you, or else for three days the sword of the Lord—the plague in the land, with the angel of the Lord destroying throughout all the territory of Israel.’ Now consider what answer I should take back to Him who sent me.” 13 And David said to Gad, “I am in great distress. Please let me fall into the hand of the Lord, for His mercies are very great; but do not let me fall into the hand of man.” 14 So the Lord sent a plague upon Israel, and seventy thousand men of Israel fell. 15 And God sent an angel to Jerusalem to destroy it. As he was destroying, the Lord looked and relented of the disaster, and said to the angel who was destroying, “It is enough; now restrain your hand.” And the angel of the Lord stood by the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite. 16 Then David lifted his eyes and saw the angel of the Lord standing between earth and heaven, having in his hand a drawn sword stretched out over Jerusalem. So David and the elders, clothed in sackcloth, fell on their faces. 17 And David said to God, “Was it not I who commanded the people to be numbered? I am the one who has sinned and done evil indeed; but these sheep, what have they done? Let Your hand, I pray, O Lord my God, be against me and my father’s house, but not against Your people that they should be plagued.” 18 Therefore, the angel of the Lord commanded Gad to say to David that David should go and erect an altar to the Lord on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite. 19 So David went up at the word of Gad, which he had spoken in the name of the Lord. 20 Now Ornan turned and saw the angel; and his four sons who were with him hid themselves, but Ornan continued threshing wheat. 21 So David came to Ornan, and Ornan looked and saw David. And he went out from the threshing floor, and bowed before David with his face to the ground. 22 Then David said to Ornan, “Grant me the place of this threshing floor, that I may build an altar on it to the Lord. You shall grant it to me at the full price, that the plague may be withdrawn from the people.” 23 But Ornan said to David, “Take it to yourself, and let my lord the king do what is good in his eyes. Look, I also give you the oxen for burnt offerings, the threshing implements for wood, and the wheat for the grain offering; I give it all.” 24 Then King David said to Ornan, “No, but I will surely buy it for the full price, for I will not take what is yours for the Lord, nor offer burnt offerings with that which costs me nothing.” 25 So David gave Ornan six hundred shekels of gold by weight for the place. 26 And David built there an altar to the Lord, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings, and called on the Lord; and He answered him from heaven by fire on the altar of burnt offering. 27 So the Lord commanded the angel, and he returned his sword to its sheath. 28 At that time, when David saw that the Lord had answered him on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite, he sacrificed there. 29 For the tabernacle of the Lord and the altar of the burnt offering, which Moses had made in the wilderness, were at that time at the high place in Gibeon. 30 But David could not go before it to inquire of God, for he was afraid of the sword of the angel of the Lord.

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Good Morning Lord, As we start our day, may we feel the breath of your Holy spirit upon our faces. We praise the beginning of a new day, knowing that yesterday is gone and today is our chance to build a greater faith in you. May we share with others as they may ask, but also may we listen and learn from all especially our Lord. Let us remember your words and honor your name in all we do. Amen

Wherever you are in life, whatever you've done, you can begin again. If you do not have Jesus in your life and wish to ask Jesus into your life please go to this link now to do so: http://www.bluidkiti.com/forums/showthread.php?t=130 .
Jesus is calling you to live a life that matters.