Weekly Spiritual Meditations - August 18

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Even the weakest among us can spread the good news that God is always faithful.

We should not be afraid to let our light shine for fear of how doing so might affect our lives. Let us have the faith to trust God in all circumstances and the courage to do our part as we become co-workers with God.

God will always light our way.

In accepting and turning our lives and will to God, we also have to accept and turn over other’s lives and wills to God.

God will use our past and present so we may serve Him in the future.

God works miracles today by enabling ordinary people to do extraordinary things.

God works through everyone, not just a select few.

God, You know better than us what is right and best for us, thank God.

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LEAVING THE CITY OF REGRET Author Unknown
I had not really planned on taking a trip this time of year, and yet, I found myself packing rather hurriedly. This trip was going to be unpleasant and I knew in advance that no real good would come of it. I'm talking about my annual "Guilt Trip".
I got tickets to fly there on "WISHIHAD" airlines. It was an extremely short flight. I got my baggage, which, I could not check. I chose to carry it myself all the way. It was weighted down with a thousand memories of what might have been.
No one greeted me as I entered the terminal to the Regret City International Airport. I say international because people from all over the world come to this dismal town. As I checked into the Last Resort Hotel, I noticed that they would be hosting the year's most important event, the Annual Pity Party.
I wasn't going to miss that great social occasion. Many of the towns leading citizens would be there. First, there would be the Done family, you know, Should Have, Would Have and Could Have. Then came the I Had family. You probably know ol' Wish and his clan. Of course, the Opportunities would be present, Missed and Lost. The biggest family would be the Yesterday's. There are far too many of them to count, but each one could have a very sad story to share. Then Shattered Dreams would surely make an appearance. And It's Their Fault would regale us with stories (excuses) about how things had failed in his life, and each story would be loudly applauded by Don't Blame Me and I Couldn't Help It.
Well, to make a long story short, I went to this depressing party knowing that there would be no real benefit in doing so. And, as usual, I became very depressed. But as I thought about all of the stories of failures brought back from the past, it occurred to me that all of this trip and subsequent "pity party" could be canceled by ME!
I started to realize that I did not have to be there. I didn't have to be depressed. One thing kept going through my mind, "I can't change yesterday, but I do have the power to make today a wonderful day".
I can be happy, joyous, fulfilled, encouraged, as well as encouraging. Knowing this, I left the city of Regret immediately and left no forwarding address.
Am I sorry for the mistakes I've made in the past? YES! But there is no physical way to undo them.
So, if you are planning a trip to the city of Regret, please cancel all your reservations now.
Instead, take a trip to a place called Starting Again. I liked it so much that I have now taken up permanent residence there. My neighbors, the I Forgive Myself and the New Starts are so very helpful.
By the way, you don't have to carry around heavy baggage, because the load is lifted from your shoulders upon arrival. You too, can find this new town, just ask the Lord to show you the way. Now I live on ICANDOIT street.

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"You don't make that decision, God does." By Bob Perks
I can feel it. I can sense the changes in the air already and it's only mid-August.
Life is all about change. Life is all about preparing for change, too.
Every year Marianne gathers seeds from some of the flowers growing in our yard. It is indeed a clear sign of change here. I was surprised to find that she has already begun.
Many years ago I read a book by Dr. Robert H. Schuller. One line in it has stayed with me all these years. The simplicity of the thought and the depth and reality of it gave me the hope I needed at that time in my life.
He said, "All the flowers of all the tomorrows are in the seeds of today."
How incredible is that?
When I hold a seed I can see far beyond today. I can see all the tomorrows, all the years ahead of me when my children's children and their children will romp and play in fields created by the very same God I worship today. Perhaps even from the same seed I now hold in my hand.
There on the counter in my kitchen was a single seed already chosen by my wife to be planted next spring.
I am saddened by the fact that I can feel the seasonal change of this year, yet I hold the very seed of next spring. Oh, yes and many springs to come.
When she came home, I mentioned that I had discovered it earlier in the day. She picked it up, held it in her hand and examined it closely.
"I don't think that this is a good one. It's all pitted and oddly shaped," she said.
Without hesitation I said something that even surprised me.
"You don't make that decision, God does."
I stunned myself. I hurried to get a pen and tablet I keep near my chair in the living room so that I could write it down.
In God's Garden, He decides what will grow and what will not. He plants the seeds of faith, hope, love, joy, and happiness in our lives. Who are we to say that this seed will grow and that will not?
In God's Garden, He plants the seed in your mind that in the early stages appears as a foolish dream, a lofty hope of success and happiness. That seed is His plan for you.
Like the mustard seed...Matthew 13:32 "Though it is the smallest of all your seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and perch in its branches."
Only God decides which seeds will grow and which will wither or be eaten by the birds. Either way, each and every seed serves a purpose.
Go and find a seed. Hold it in your hand. Close your eyes and create a vision of that seed growing. Play along with the vision and see the potential, the plan within. Fast forward seeing the flowers grow, die and grow again season after season through all the tomorrows it holds inside.
You are a seed in God's plan for the world. You may appear to yourself and others as "pitted, dried up, and useless." But God is the Great Sower of seeds.
He holds you in His hand today and sees all of your tomorrows. You may be "the largest of the garden plants" or the smallest of the flowers.
"You don't make that decision, God does."
But He relies on you to water, fertilize and care for what He has created.
Right now God is holding you in His hand just like you held the seed. He closes his eyes and sees a vision of hope, success, happiness and as he fast forwards He can see the impact you will make on all the tomorrows you hold inside.
The difference here is, God has given us the gift of choice. You are His seed and the gardener. How you grow depends on the choices you make, the care you give and your faith in His plan for you.
God won't make those decisions, you will.

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"Look Up!”
When the dew was gone, thin flakes like frost on the ground appeared on the desert floor. When the Israelites saw it, they said to each other, "What is it?" For they did not know what it was. Moses said to them, "It is the bread the LORD has given you to eat." (Exodus 16:14-15)
The grassy area next to my car was littered with small, round, green things. My curiosity was piqued. At first I thought maybe it was a patch of toadstools or some other such plant life that had sprung up from the ground. Taking a step back to survey the surrounding area with a larger view, I saw a palm tree. Quickly scanning the trunk of the tree, I solved the mystery. The round things on the ground were dates. They had fallen from their position atop the date palm tree.
Life is full of things we may not understand or things we haven't seen before. From our vantage point we can only see so far. It's not until we stand back and look up that we get a clearer perspective. Nothing falls to us here on earth that hasn't passed under God's watchful eye. When we are confused or upset by the things we see around us, our first response should be to turn our thoughts heavenward.
Like the children of Israel, we may find ourselves in a fog, shivering in the cold dampness of the morning. But as the dew disappears, we will see that God has not forgotten us. He has been with us throughout the night. He continues to provide for us at every turn, feeding us in body and spirit. Daily we are strengthened for life's journey by the blessings he gives. Even when we are in the barren deserts, we are nourished by the bread of heaven. God sends us peace and comfort as we look to Him in prayer. Lauren Beyenhof

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Right Attitudes Change Everything
Nick Herman started his first career in the army and later got a position as a dishwasher. It turned out to be the only job he would keep for many years of his life. Washing dishes for 14 hours a day, the ho-hum of pots and pans, he endured the noise of shouting cooks and being the least important of all the workers.
Then Nick made a decision, an attitude change. He chose to bring God into the kitchen! He began to wash dishes as a way to show love for the Lord. Everything changed. Nick said, “We ought not to be weary of doing little things for the love of God, who regards not the greatness of the work, but the love with which it is performed… All things are possible to him that believes.”
Nick worked 62 years serving others as a lay Carmelite monk in France, and died quietly at age 80. Millions know his spiritual name as Brother Lawrence. His book “The Practice of the Presence of God” is still in bookstores 400 years after his death! Brother Lawrence’s remarkable faith replaced drudgery with delight in the presence of a loving Lord.
So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. (1 Cor 10:31) Waylon B. Moore

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Encourage One Another
What have you done to encourage someone lately? That may seem like a strange question, but it is an important and valid question for us today. Encouragement is one of the basic building blocks of the church.
During quail season in Georgia, an Atlanta journalist met an old farmer hunting with an old pointer at his side. Twice the dog ran ahead and pointed. Twice his master fired into the open air. When the journalist saw no birds rise, he asked the farmer for an explanation.
"Shucks," grinned the old man, "I knew there weren't no birds in that grass. Spot's nose ain't what it used to be. But him and me have had some wonderful times together. He's still doing the best he can and it'd be mighty mean of me to call him a liar at this stage of the game!"
In God's word we are told to build up, lift up and encourage one another! One of my favorite passages of scripture is Hebrews 3:13 where the writer tells us, "But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness."
You see the point is that each of us needs some encouragement in our lives and sometimes more than others. There are folks in our lives just like that old dog. They may be doing the best they can, but still not doing what some folks think they should be doing. God's word indicates it is our job to encourage our brothers and sisters. Hebrews 12:12-13 gives us another thought on this subject. The writer tells us, "Therefore, strengthen the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees, and make level paths for your feet, so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed."
May our God give you eyes with which to see those who are doing the best they can, but need to be strengthened and lifted up! Who have your encouraged today? Russ Lawson

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Hurry Up and Wait
"...but those who wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength. They shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run and not grow weary, they shall walk and not faint." Isaiah 40:31
We spend many minutes, hours, days, weeks, months and years rushing through life only to find ourselves waiting, waiting, and waiting some more. We wait at the doctor's office; we wait at the grocery store; we wait at the post office; we wait at the pharmacy; we wait for our children to grow up and then anxiously wait for them to come home again. Waiting is hard, exasperating work. The fact that we hate to wait has created a "quick fix" society.
We microwave our food; pump our own gas; process our words on a computer; write notes of affection on the internet, not paper; jet to locations far and near; hear news from across the world in fractions of a second; eat out because it takes too much time to cook, and so on.
In our world, waiting is bad. However, in God's world, waiting is good. God has given us many instructions on the necessity of waiting. Let's look at some of these:
"My soul silently waits for God; from Him comes my salvation." (Psalm 62:1)
"Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart" (Psalm 27:14)
"Blessed is he who waits..." (Daniel 12:12)
"We have waited for Him and He will save us." (Isaiah 25:9)
"I will wait for You, O You his Strength; for God is my defense." (Psalm 59:9)
Did you notice the words used by those who wait on God? These are not words of frustration and confusion. These are words of strength, salvation and blessings. Waiting on God, as David, Isaiah and many others learned, means letting go and letting God. It involves study, reflection, prayer, solitude and time apart from the world.
We microwave... God works miracles.
We rush... God refreshes.
We get angry and impatient... God gets busy reorganizing our priorities.
Hurry Up And Wait!
Spend time giving time to God.
Block out a section of your calendar for the Son of Man.
Then sit quietly...
Sh... shhhh... and wait on God. Author Unknown

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Thought for the Day: There is no automatic pilot by which we can run our lives. We constantly need the Lord's direction as we face all the decisions of life. Somehow, in some way, the Lord will guide our steps in the way we should go. He will honor our desire to seek his will and blessing. Jim Cymbala
Scripture: Psalm 25:9 NIV He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way.
Prayer: Lord, I seek your direction for my life and in every important decision. Guide my steps in your pathway. Amen

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Repetition
2 Corinthians 5:1 - Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. (NIV)
The other morning, when I was just about to brush my teeth, I noticed that the toothpaste seemed a bit runny. I picked up the toothpaste tube and found out that it contained RUB-A535® instead. What a shock that was! I almost brushed my teeth with a medicated topical analgesic cream.
By repetition and a daily ritual, I thought that I had grabbed the toothpaste tube but grabbed the medicated rub instead. The reason for this was that someone else had not put it back in its usual spot.
How many things happen in our lives because of doing things by rote, without thinking or reading or looking? I have come to the conclusion that as we get older, we need to put things back into their proper spots or an incident like this could happen over and over again.
This incident made me think of changes that take place within our bodies as we get older. The brain is multi-faceted organ. It gives direction to and interprets information from the hands, feet, nose, mouth, eyes, and other parts of the body. It is like a captain in charge of many vessels. But as we get older, the brain loses its capacity to send its messages. Remembrance is one of the first things that we lose and then eyesight. Our joints and certain abilities no longer function properly. Words like "You know" and "thing" or "things" are heard more frequently. And I believe that as we get older, we need to forgive ourselves and each other more often!
Our earthly bodies are wearing down slowly, but we await new bodies, bodies that are incorruptible and pure.
Philippians 3:20-21 - For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself. (NASB)
Prayer: Dear Father in heaven, thank You for your promise of transforming our run-down bodies into bodies of glory through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Saviour. Amen. Rosemary Hagedorn

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Small Straws In A Soft Wind by Marsha Burns
Take the time to come and commune with Me, says the Lord. The demands on your time and energy have taken a toll, and you need a time of refreshing and renewal spiritually. Come to your trysting place, the place of intimate prayer and sweet fellowship. Come without hesitation. Allow Me to impart wisdom, guidance and strength to carry you through the next phase of your journey. Hebrews 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Beloved, I am separating the precious from the vile so that you can draw closer to Me. This will manifest on all levels of your experience as you are now able to discern what you need to keep and what you need to let go of. This process will result in greater simplicity and focus. Don't be afraid to remove that which is no longer relevant. I am with you to give wisdom and help you in this time of sorting, says the Lord. Jeremiah 15:19 Therefore thus says the LORD: "If you return, then I will bring you back; you shall stand before Me; if you take out the precious from the vile, you shall be as My mouth."

If you can receive it, beloved, I am releasing the anointing of peace to quiet your troubled soul. It is not necessary that you work to accomplish My purposes in your life. Yours is to rest in the security of destiny, says the Lord. Trust Me! Isaiah 55:12 For you shall go out with joy, and be led out with peace; the mountains and the hills shall break forth into singing before you, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.

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The Trumpet by Bill Burns
"Set the trumpet to your mouth!" Hosea 8:1
I am coming to you in this season, My beloved, to lead you from chaos to peace. I have come to lead you out of the chaos that the world around you creates and lead you into the kingdom of My peace. For it is in My peace that you will be established where the living waters will flow. It is in My peace that the joy of the Lord, which is your strength, will come. It will be in the flow of My peace, and it shall run in these days even as a river runs. It will bring you into the fullness of kingdom reality and in that reality, My beloved, you will see things and reason in ways that you have not reasoned before. For, you shall see from a heavenly perspective and no longer from an earthly reality and those things that are coming to you will be revealed by My Spirit. You will be established in My kingdom in a very profound and blessed way, says the Lord God.

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Unfolding The Rosebud
It is only a tiny rosebud,
A flower of God's design;
But I cannot unfold the petals
With these clumsy hands of mine.
The secret of unfolding flowers
Is not known to such as I.
God opens this flower so sweetly,
When in my hands they fade and die.
If I cannot unfold a rosebud,
This flower of God's design,
Then how can I think I have wisdom
To unfold this life of mine?
So, I'll trust in Him for His leading
Each moment of every day.
I will look to Him for His guidance
Each step of the pilgrim way.
The pathway that lies before me,
Only my heavenly Father knows.
I'll trust Him to unfold the moments,
Just as He unfolds the rose.

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Am I Willing Enough? by Kristen E. Lisemby
Am I willing enough to serve my Lord,
Though I may serve alone?
To chose the path of Christ,
Forsaking all that I have known?
Am I reluctant to follow His words?
Am I ashamed to live as He?
Or have I chosen to live steadfast
And be all He desires of me?
Do my actions, thoughts, and deeds
Reflect that He is living inside?
Am I living a life that is set apart
Or a life that is ruled by pride?
Do I have within a faithful spirit?
One that believes with little doubt?
Will I blindly walk by faith
No matter what may come about?
Do I posses a servant's heart
Or do I seek glory and fame?
Is my mind fastened upon God alone
Or set on some worldly aim?
Am I willing enough to serve my Lord?
Am I bold enough to be
That which my Eternal God
Desires of me?

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21 This I recall to my mind, Therefore I have hope. 22 Through the LORD’s mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not. 23 They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness. 24 “ The LORD is my portion,” says my soul, “ Therefore I hope in Him!” 25 The LORD is good to those who wait for Him, To the soul who seeks Him. Lamentations 3

Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26

My salvation and my honor depend on God; he is my mighty rock, my refuge. Psalm 62:7

Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 1 John 4:11

Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life. 1 Timothy 6:17-19

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. Ephesians 4:29

"How great you are, O Sovereign LORD! There is no one like you, and there is no God but you." 2 Samuel 7:22

Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Romans 12:11

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Lord, Take Control
That title sounds familiar. I suspect if I were to go back through the archives of articles I have written, sermons I have preached and devotionals I have read or delivered, there would probably be no more common theme than the prayer, "Lord, take control."
The prayer has been prayed in times of decision and indecision. The prayer has been prayed during times of turmoil and frustration and confusion. The prayer has been prayed in hospital rooms, intensive care units, in business meetings, before, during and after surgery, in times of fear, and times of great confidence. The prayer has been prayed while standing next to a crib, while standing next to a hospital bed and while standing next to a casket.
There have been many times after praying the prayer that I have experienced a sense of peace and a quiet comfort has washed over me. There have been other times after praying the prayer that I have been consumed with fear and overcome with panic. There have been times when I felt that He really took control. There have been times when I wondered why He did not take control. And there have been times when I did not feel or sense anything.
So what makes the difference?
The difference seems to be found not in the prayer, whether prayed one time or a dozen times. The difference seems to be found in whether or not I have also incorporated an attitude of submission and surrender. Not only is it essential that I pray, "Lord, take control!" I must also pray, "I surrender" or "I am in submission to You."
I can pray, "Lord, take control!" all night and all day, but unless I submit to His control it is futile. I can beg and plead, "Lord, take control!" with all the sincerity and emotion I can muster, but it is not until I truly submit that I will experience the power of God at work in my life.
Job said it this way, "Submit to God and be at peace with him; in this way prosperity will come to you" (Job 22:21).
James said this, "Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you" (James 4:7).
I must yield to His control. I must surrender to His will. I must give up my control and allow Him to take control. I must defer to His leadership. I must give in to His plans.
Lord, take control. I surrender. Tom

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Dear God, when our struggles make us want to pull away from other people, help us to be honest and to keep on serving. Amen.

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Read Through The Bible
Psalm 100
1 Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands. 2 Serve the Lord with gladness: come before his presence with singing. 3 Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. 4 Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. 5 For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.

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God, when we don't understand, help us to trust you anyway. Give us courage to right the wrongs we see close at hand. 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.