Weekly Spiritual Meditations - January 14

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Show me the right path, O Lord; point out the road for me to follow. Lead me by your truth and teach me, for you are the God who saves me. All day long I put my hope in you. Psalm 25:4-5

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Giving thanks to God brings us hope and joy.

Jesus often whispers for us to come and sit at his feet. When we take time to disconnect from our flurry of daily activities, we can hear God's voice much more clearly.

God is loving us at this very moment.

When the Lord “makes our day,” we can share the story of God’s faithfulness with others.

Today be a light that reflects God’s love.

No matter how small our talent, if we have faith and are willing to work hard and keep using our talent, God will use it for the kingdom.

Who we are is God's gift to us. Who we become is our gift to God.

God understands our prayers even when we can't find the words to say them.

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Close-up by Sally I. Kennedy
I am the Lord...I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland. Isaiah 43:16-19
This past Sunday we were challenged to look inwardly, honestly and close-up. The Lord showed me some places in my life that could be better, even changed out for something different, something new.
Some people call it taking an inventory, others a spiritual check up. Whatever you call it, it is good to periodically take a close-up look at ourselves and see if there are any bugs we'd like to get rid of. Sometimes things aren't easily seen, like this beautiful flower, which looked perfect at first glance. When I zoomed the photo on my computer, the beetle was visible on the petal.
What better time for a 'close-up' selfie than when we turn the calendar page to a new year? Thankfully we have the Holy Spirit to lead and guide us. That is good news.
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. Ephesians 3:20-21

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The storms of life won't harm you if you have deep roots in God.
In Matthew 13:3-6, Jesus told this parable: "A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root." One point Jesus makes in this parable is that people without deep roots in God will fall away from faith whenever persecution or trials come on account of the word (see Matthew 13:20-21).
Similarly, Jesus encourages his followers to build their house (i.e. their life) on "the rock" (see Matthew 7:24-27). Even though the wind and storms beat against that house, it did not crumble because it was founded on the rock. If you have deep roots in God, your life will be built on the Rock—Christ. As one hymn says, "On Christ alone I stand, all else is sinking sand."
It is no surprise, then, that Paul encourages believers to be rooted and built up in Christ, strengthened in the faith (Colossians 2:6-7). If you are strengthened in faith, then you won't crack under the pressure of difficult situations because you will be able to dig deeply into the word of God on which you are firmly grounded.
Make it a priority to have deep roots in God so that you will not wither under the heat of life. Invest time into reading and memorizing God's word, praying, and communing with God. Be rooted in God. Weekly Wisdom

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Do you still believe God even when you can't believe what just happened?
When something really awful occurs, you may use the word "unbelievable" to describe it. During those times, even if what happened may have shaken your life, it is very important to maintain your faith. Circumstances are volatile, but God is never-changing—the solid rock.
You can't depend on your outward surroundings; however, you can depend on God. That's the purpose of faith. Hebrews 11:1 describes faith as being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. Then, the rest of Hebrews 11 goes on to discuss great men and women in the Bible who exhibited faith. So, when your circumstances are unbelievable—whether good or bad—be sure to maintain your faith, your confident assurance of God's love for you.
All the people mentioned in Hebrews 11 went through difficult circumstances, yet they still believed God even in the midst of their tough trials. Follow the examples of Abraham, Noah, Joseph, Moses, and countless others: live by faith. It is important that you still believe God even during unbelievable circumstances. Weekly Wisdom

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A word of love can make a world of difference.
God calls us to love one another, which requires living in a way that is for one another because love puts others first. Throughout the Bible, we are called to put others first and live in a way that blesses other people.
For example, God calls us to be devoted to and honor one another (Romans 12:10); to live in harmony with one another (Romans 12:16); to love one another (Romans 13:8; 1 John 4:11; John 13:34-35); to accept one another (Romans 15:14); to care for one another (1 Corinthians 12:25); to serve one another (Galatians 5:12); to be kind, compassionate, and forgiving to one another (Ephesians 4:32); and to bear with one another (Colossians 3:13).
Putting one another before yourself—that is, loving other people—can transform them because an act of love has the power to change lives. Just like God spoke his word of love, Jesus, into the world, transforming it, your word of love can make a world of difference in someone's life. This week, go out of your way to love one another. Weekly Wisdom

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Journey to Recovery: The First Step by John Baker
There is hope in that first step
I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. — Romans 7:18
No one gets to start in the middle — we’re all beginners in one area of our lives or another. But for many of us, what we need is more like a new beginning, a fresh start, a walking journey from chaos to wholeness that is accomplished one step at a time. We call that journey recovery. Let’s look at that first step:
Step 1: We admitted we were powerless over our addictions and compulsive behaviors. That our lives had become unmanageable.
Our first step is a big one. We are finally ready to admit that we are powerless to control an addiction or a behavior.
The harder we try, the more unmanageable it becomes. Our lives have descended into chaos. When we take that first big step — giving up control — we are stepping away from denial and acknowledging our own need.
There is hope in that first step, for we can’t be helped until we admit that we need help. Until then we are trying to be God in our own lives, and really we just aren’t up to the task. We are powerless to control much of anything by our own power. Step 1 allows us to find freedom from ourselves.
Prayer: Father God, today I take that first important step toward healing and wholeness. I admit to you that I’m powerless over the strongholds that have taken over my life. I desperately need Your help. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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In Our Weakness by Peter Kennedy
"'But Lord,' Gideon asked, 'how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family.'" (Judges 6:15)
Once when he was to preach at the University of Sydney in Australia, evangelist and Pastor John Stott lost his voice. He says: "What can you do with a missionary who has no voice? We had come to the last night of the evangelistic campaign. The students had booked the big university hall. A group of students gathered around me, and I asked them to pray as Paul did, that this thorn in the flesh might be taken from me. But we went on to pray that if it pleased God to keep me in weakness, I would rejoice in my infirmities in order that the power of Christ might rest upon me.
As it turned out, I had to get within one inch of the microphone just to croak the gospel. I was unable to use any inflection of voice to express my personality. It was just a croak in a monotone, and all the time we were crying to God that his power would be demonstrated in human weakness. Well, I can honestly say that there was a far greater response that night than any other night. I've been back to Australia ten times now, and on every occasion somebody has come up to me and said, 'Do you remember that night when you lost your voice? I was converted that night.'"
The Lord loves us when we are weak, because it is then that He can work through us. Today in prayer, give thanks to the Lord that when we are weak He is strong.
"God had looked for a man weak enough, and He found me." - Hudson Taylor
"But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me." (2 Corinthians 12:9)

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A TRICK Author Unknown
A young man, a student in one of our universities, was one day taking a walk with a professor, who was commonly called the students' friend, from his kindness to those who waited on his instructions.
As they went along, they saw lying in the path a pair of old shoes, which they supposed to belong to a poor man who was employed in a field close by, and who had nearly finished his day's work.
The student turned to the professor, saying: "Let us play the man a trick: we will hide his shoes, and conceal ourselves behind those bushes, and wait to see his perplexity when he cannot find them."
"My young friend," answered the professor, "we should never amuse ourselves at the expense of the poor. But you are rich, and may give yourself a much greater pleasure by means of the poor man. Put a coin into each shoe, and then we will hide ourselves and watch how the discovery affects him."
The student did so, and they both placed themselves behind the bushes close by.
The poor man soon finished his work, and came across the field to the path where he had left his coat and shoes. While putting on his coat he slipped his foot into one of his shoes; but feeling something hard, he stooped down to feel what it was, and found the coin.
Astonishment and wonder were seen upon his countenance. He gazed upon the coin, turned it round, and looked at it again and again. He then looked around him on all sides, but no person was to be seen. He now put the money into his pocket, and proceeded to put on the other shoe; but his surprise was doubled on finding the other coin.
His feelings overcame him; he fell upon his knees, looked up to heaven and uttered aloud a fervent thanksgiving, in which he spoke of his wife, sick and helpless, and his children without bread, whom the timely bounty, from some unknown hand, would save from perishing.
The student stood there deeply affected, and his eyes filled with tears. "Now," said the professor, "are you not much better pleased than if you had played your intended trick?"
The youth replied, "You have taught me a lesson which I will never forget. I feel now the truth of those words, which I never understood before: 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'"

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Small Straws In A Soft Wind by Marsha Burns
Pay attention to the things that disrupt your peace. You must quiet your thoughts and emotions in order to be restored. Peace is the platform of the soul from which you can access My presence, says the Lord. Refuse to allow chaos of any kind to interrupt your ability to stay calm. Psalms 46:10 Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!

The enemy will use control and manipulation to enforce his will and violate personal space. You can either be a victim or perpetrator. You must refuse the urge to control others. And, do not allow others to manipulate you. As you maintain personal freedom from fleshly impulse and demonic forces, you can be clear enough to follow My leading, says the Lord. Mark 8:34 When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, "Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me."

Establish and maintain good boundaries so that you are under My spiritual protection. The enemy will do what it takes to exploit your time, energy and finances. Set a watch, and refuse to allow deception and nonsense to invade your personal space, says the Lord. John 10:10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

Issues will arise that require your objectivity before your discernment will be accurate. Put aside your personal prejudice in every matter and see through eyes of the Spirit. Only then will you find the truth. When you are emotionally invested, you will only see yourself, says the Lord. Hebrews 5:14 But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

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The Trumpet by Bill Burns
"Set the trumpet to your mouth!" Hosea 8:1
Mount up, says the Lord, and you shall go higher, no longer be earth bound, no longer be troubled by the circumstances that you are walking through. Don’t be troubled by those things that come against you, for I have given you power over all the work of the enemy and over every circumstance that you will find yourself in. So, be encouraged even in this moment that I am with you. I will never leave you or forsake you. I will lead you, guide you, and anoint you so that you will have victory over all the work of the enemy.

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Look not back on yesterday
So full of failure and regret
Look ahead and seek God's way
All sin confessed you must forget.
--Dennis DeHaan

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My God Has Been Faithful (Author Unknown)
In My Moments of Fear,
Through every Pain, every Tear,
There's a God who's been Faithful to Me.
When My Strength was all Gone,
When My Heart had no Song,
Still in Love, He's Proved Faithful to Me.
Every Word that He's Promised is True;
What I thought was Impossible, I See God Do.
He's been Faithful to Me.
Looking back through my life, I now understand,
That all the time I was in God's hand.
My God has been Faithful to Me!

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Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. - Matthew 5:16

Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. - 1 Thessalonians 5:18

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

The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. - Deuteronomy 31:8

5 If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. 6 But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. James 1:5-6

4Show me your ways, Lord, teach me your paths. 5 Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long. Psalm 25:4 -5

For this God is our God for ever and ever; he will be our guide even to the end. Psalm 48:14

11 The Lord will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail. Isaiah 58:11

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Always Available Author Unknown
A little boy was spending his Saturday morning playing in his sandbox. He had with him his box of cars and trucks, his plastic pail, and a shiny, red plastic shovel. In the process of creating roads and tunnels in the soft sand, he discovered a large rock in the middle of the sandbox. The lad dug round the rock, managing to dislodge it from the dirt. With no little bit of struggle, he pushed and nudged the rock across the sandbox by using his feet. (He was a very small boy and the rock was huge.)
When the boy got the rock to the edge of the sandbox, however, he found that he couldn't roll it up and over the little wall. Determined, the little boy shoved, pushed, and pried, but every time he thought he had made some progress, the rock tipped and then fell back into the sandbox.
The little boy grunted, struggled, pushed, shoved -- but his only reward was to have the rock roll back, smashing his chubby fingers. Finally he burst into tears of frustration.
All this time the boy's father watched from his living room window as the drama unfolded. At the moment the tears fell, a large shadow fell across the boy and the sandbox. It was the boy's father. Gently but firmly he said, "Son, why didn't you use all the strength that you had available?"
Defeated, the boy sobbed back, "But I did, Daddy, I did! I used all the strength that I had!"
"No, son," corrected the father kindly. "You didn't use all the strength you had. You didn't ask me."
With that the father reached down, picked up the rock, and removed it from the sandbox.
Do you have "rocks" in your life that need to be removed? Are you discovering that you don't have what it takes to lift them? There is One who is always available to us and willing to give us the strength we need. When we are broken in spirit and our strength is spent, we can turn to our Savior, Jesus.
"I can do all things through Christ who strengtheneth me" Philippians 4:13

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God of peace, help us to put you first in our lives. Teach us to slow down and allow your voice to nudge our hearts. Teach us to turn to you at the first sign of trouble rather than trying to bear our pain alone for you are our refuge and strength. Thank you, loving God, that your grace is enough to cover our past, present, and future. Amen.

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Read Through The Bible
Jeremiah 6
1 O ye children of Benjamin, gather yourselves to flee out of the midst of Jerusalem, and blow the trumpet in Tekoa, and set up a sign of fire in Bethhaccerem: for evil appeareth out of the north, and great destruction. 2 I have likened the daughter of Zion to a comely and delicate woman. 3 The shepherds with their flocks shall come unto her; they shall pitch their tents against her round about; they shall feed every one in his place. 4 Prepare ye war against her; arise, and let us go up at noon. Woe unto us! for the day goeth away, for the shadows of the evening are stretched out. 5 Arise, and let us go by night, and let us destroy her palaces. 6 For thus hath the Lord of hosts said, Hew ye down trees, and cast a mount against Jerusalem: this is the city to be visited; she is wholly oppression in the midst of her. 7 As a fountain casteth out her waters, so she casteth out her wickedness: violence and spoil is heard in her; before me continually is grief and wounds. 8 Be thou instructed, O Jerusalem, lest my soul depart from thee; lest I make thee desolate, a land not inhabited. 9 Thus saith the Lord of hosts, They shall throughly glean the remnant of Israel as a vine: turn back thine hand as a grapegatherer into the baskets. 10 To whom shall I speak, and give warning, that they may hear? behold, their ear is uncircumcised, and they cannot hearken: behold, the word of the Lord is unto them a reproach; they have no delight in it. 11 Therefore I am full of the fury of the Lord; I am weary with holding in: I will pour it out upon the children abroad, and upon the assembly of young men together: for even the husband with the wife shall be taken, the aged with him that is full of days. 12 And their houses shall be turned unto others, with their fields and wives together: for I will stretch out my hand upon the inhabitants of the land, saith the Lord. 13 For from the least of them even unto the greatest of them every one is given to covetousness; and from the prophet even unto the priest every one dealeth falsely. 14 They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace. 15 Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore they shall fall among them that fall: at the time that I visit them they shall be cast down, saith the Lord. 16 Thus saith the Lord, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein. 17 Also I set watchmen over you, saying, Hearken to the sound of the trumpet. But they said, We will not hearken. 18 Therefore hear, ye nations, and know, O congregation, what is among them. 19 Hear, O earth: behold, I will bring evil upon this people, even the fruit of their thoughts, because they have not hearkened unto my words, nor to my law, but rejected it. 20 To what purpose cometh there to me incense from Sheba, and the sweet cane from a far country? your burnt offerings are not acceptable, nor your sacrifices sweet unto me. 21 Therefore thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will lay stumblingblocks before this people, and the fathers and the sons together shall fall upon them; the neighbour and his friend shall perish. 22 Thus saith the Lord, Behold, a people cometh from the north country, and a great nation shall be raised from the sides of the earth. 23 They shall lay hold on bow and spear; they are cruel, and have no mercy; their voice roareth like the sea; and they ride upon horses, set in array as men for war against thee, O daughter of Zion. 24 We have heard the fame thereof: our hands wax feeble: anguish hath taken hold of us, and pain, as of a woman in travail. 25 Go not forth into the field, nor walk by the way; for the sword of the enemy and fear is on every side. 26 O daughter of my people, gird thee with sackcloth, and wallow thyself in ashes: make thee mourning, as for an only son, most bitter lamentation: for the spoiler shall suddenly come upon us. 27 I have set thee for a tower and a fortress among my people, that thou mayest know and try their way. 28 They are all grievous revolters, walking with slanders: they are brass and iron; they are all corrupters. 29 The bellows are burned, the lead is consumed of the fire; the founder melteth in vain: for the wicked are not plucked away. 30 Reprobate silver shall men call them, because the Lord hath rejected them.

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Our Father, we thank you that you have made us your family through your grace shown in Jesus. Help us to love you more deeply each day as we also love others. 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: https://bluidkiti.com/forums/showthread.php?t=130 .
Jesus is calling you to live a life that matters.