Weekly Spiritual Meditations - 9/27

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God is a friend who walks in when the world walks out.

Lord, I want to be a God-pleaser in all I do today, not a man-pleaser.

To be at one with God is to be at peace... peace is to be found only within, and unless one finds it there he will never find it at all. Peace lies not in the external world. It lies within one's own soul. --Ralph W. Trine

"God will heal your broken heart, if you will give Him all the pieces."

Today is a day of opportunity. Any experiences that we have today--good or bad--can be seen as opportunities, opportunities to grow closer to God.

If God brings you to it, He'll bring you through it!

Wait, and be still, patient: keep God first and everything else will follow.

God truly is the joy of life! May your heart be filled to overflowing with His perfect love.

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A Good Day by Ken Stright
Psalm 118:24 – This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.
Philippians 4:4 – Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!
It happens all the time, especially in that discount department store. "Have a Good Day", they say with eyes already on the next customer, your face and your needs already forgotten. "Right, I'll have a nice day." And we go growling on our way with no more sincerity in the greeting or the response than what you would get out of a turnip.
All this is a far cry from the exultant cry of the psalmist:
"This is the day the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it."
"Good day" originated from "God's day", a blessing on another, a hope for another to be grace-filled through the events of the day and courtesy and custom had us greet each other wishing the best and meaning what we said.
To the Hebrews it was Shalom, a greeting of peace and wholeness and health;
To the Ukrainians it was "Slava Yesusu Christu"- "glory be to Jesus Christ", to which the hearer responded "Slava Naveki" meaning "for ever and ever".
Blessings on the day. We don't think of blessing and being blessed much. Maybe that's why we feel we're not, not blessed, that is. Few of us go around counting our many blessings, naming them one by one, surprised at what the Lord has done. No, we grumble our way from Monday to Friday, get together to complain on the week-end and then wonder on Monday morning how we are going to make it through the week.
This is the day the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it.
God of the new day: We greet you with love-filled hearts in this moment of our day. We thank you for the gift of this day. Help us rejoice and be glad in it. Amen.

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Here Are Some Promises To Hold Fast To…
I am a forgiven child of God. (Romans 3:24)
I am a set-free child of God. (Romans 8:1–2)
I am a made-new child of God. (2 Corinthians 5:17)
I am a loved child of God. (Ephesians 1:4)
I am a child of God. (Ephesians 2:13)
I am a confident child of God. (Ephesians 3:12)
I am a victorious child of God (Romans 8:37)
I am a child of God!

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A BIRD'S EYE VIEW Author Unknown
Mom got up early Sunday morning and got the kids ready for church. Dad sat
in the living room, reading his newspaper and looking out at the snow.
They'd had the conversation before, but nothing had changed. "Why don't you
go with us this week?" she asked. He didn't look up from his paper.
"You know why," he said out loud and then in his own mind finished the
answer with "A truly great God wouldn't care about puny humans anyway."
The man replayed the argument in his mind: "If God is so perfect and great,
why would he care about helping us? If God is so powerful, why would he make
his son become a human being? Why would he stoop so low to help us.... if
God is really so great."
The house was silent except for the sound of the logs crackling in the
fireplace. From the other end of the house came a strange thump.
The man put down his paper and walked down the hall. Outside the window
huddled a group of birds. In confusion and fear, they had flown into the
window pane and fallen to the ground. They huddled together in the snow
trying to figure out what to do next. The man felt sorry for the birds. He
thought to himself, "The birds could go in our barn and they'd be warm
there." So he went outside and opened the door to the barn. Then he waited
in the cold. The birds didn't move.
"I know, I'll shoe them over to the barn door," the man thought. But as he
tried to herd the birds to the barn they simply scattered. Only after he
left them alone did they come back to their spot in the snow.
The man had one last plan. He went back in the house and got a loaf of
bread. Carefully, he tore off pieces of bread and made a path to the barn
door. But the birds just huddled closer together, ignoring the gift of life
which the man was offering.
Stumped, the man stood looking at the birds, wondering just what it would
take to get them to safety. He thought to himself, "If only I could become a
bird and lead them to safety, then they wouldn't have to die."
He stopped and thought about it again. And he finally understood.

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IN TIMES LIKE THESE by Russ Lawson
Looking at the time in which we are living is very difficult. It truly seems that there is almost no good news to be heard. The economy, millions without jobs, the wars going on worldwide, and the riots we read about in places that are supposed to be stable, food shortages, fuel shortages and then there is death and destruction which we will never understand. The list could grow quite long if we wanted it to, but these are the times in which we live.
Paul Harvey wrote these words about our times: "In times like these, it is helpful to remember that there have always been times like these."
Keeping things in perspective is sometimes hard to do, but I heard about a wise grandmother that could help us all in this area.
It seems that a little boy is telling his Grandma how "everything" is going wrong: School, family problems, health problems, etc. Meanwhile, Grandma is baking a cake. She asks her grandson if he would like a snack, which of course he does. "Here, have some cooking oil." "Yuck" says the boy. "How about a couple raw eggs?" "Gross, Grandma!" "Would you like some flour then? Or maybe baking soda?" "Grandma, those are all yucky!" To which Grandma replies: "Yes, all those things seem bad all by themselves. But when they are put together in the right way, they make a wonderfully delicious cake!" She continued, "God works the same way in our lives."
Ecclesiastes 1:9-10 tells us, "What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun. Is there anything of which one can say, "Look! This is something new"? It was here already, long ago; it was here before our time."
What can we do, how do we react when our world is falling apart and we have been warned that history is going to repeat itself or our world (even our personal world) has no chance to avoid unwanted changes, no matter what we do? I would suggest to you, that we must focus on that which is unchanging, that which gives us hope for the future that will never change.
In Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 King Solomon reminds us: "Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil."
Do you want Security? Do you want Stability? Do you want the promise of a life that is not subject to the changes of this world? Then put your faith, your life, and your trust in the hands of our God! In our unstable world there is stability if you know where to look! I love Romans 8:35-39 where Paul writes:
"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: "For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered." No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
In times like these, where is your trust, your security, your stability?

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I was thinking . . .
In a recent interview, Amy Grant said that several years ago she was on her way to get on a tour bus when she went by to see her mother who had Alzheimer's disease. As she was leaving, Amy said, "I've got to go sing, mom." Her mother said, "you sing?" Amy said, "Yes. I sing and I write songs." Her mom asked about the kinds of songs she sings and if she would sing for her.
Then, as Amy was walking out the door, her mom called after her. "Hey, would you do me a favor?" Amy said, "Yes, what?" And her mom
said "when you walk out on that stage, sing something that matters."
It seems that Amy Grant’s mom, though not even in her right mind, was on to something. If you’re going to sing, sing something that matters. I’ve been thinking a lot about that statement the last few days. It has struck me that since God is right and life is a vapor, we all have a very limited amount of time on this planet. So it seems that while we’re here, we might as well make it count.
If you’re going to preach, preach something that matters.
If you’re going to teach, teach something that matters.
If you’re going to write, write something that matters.
If you’re going to work, do some work that matters.
How many people are just meandering aimlessly through life, wasting precious time, and doing nothing that really matters? All the while, there is a great big world out there with incredible opportunities for someone who is willing to invest the time and effort to do something that
matters.
Fortunately, that doesn’t mean everyone has to do something big or famous. Some things that matter are small and little-known. But they still matter. They matter to family members and to friends and even to strangers. Most of all, they matter to God.
Amy Grant’s mom was right. If you’re going to sing, sing something that matters.

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Thinking About Jesus As told by Rick Ezell
Let me tell you about someone who was plugged into his power. Her name is Mabel. John Ortberg writes of her in his book, The Life You've Always Wanted. If, my friend Mike, the executive of the brokerage firm, was at one end of the spectrum of humanity, then I suppose Mabel would be at the other end. Mabel lived in a state-run convalescent hospital. She had been bedridden, blind, nearly deaf, and
alone, for twenty-five years. Tom Schmidt, a pastoral counselor, visited Mabel one Mother's Day. As he saw her in the hallway, he put a flower in her hand and said, "Here is a flower for you. Happy Mother's Day." She held the flower up to her face and tried to smell it, and then spoke. "Thank you. It's lovely. But can I give it to someone else? I can't see it, you know, I'm blind."
Tom said, "Of course." He pushed her in her chair back down the hallway to another patient. Mabel held out the flower and said, "Here, this is from Jesus."
Tom realized that this was not an ordinary human being.
For the next several years Tom visited Mabel two or three times a week. He would read from the Bible to her and sing hymns with her. She would always offer him a piece of hard candy.
The question that occurred to Tom was, "What does Mabel have to think about - hour after hour, day after day, week after week, not even able to know if it's day or night?" So Tom asked her, "Mabel, what do you
think about when you lie here?"
And she said, "I think about my Jesus."
Tom sat there, and thought for a moment about the difficulty, for him, of thinking about Jesus for even five minutes, and he asked, "What do you think about Jesus?" She replied slowly and deliberately:
“I think about how good he's been to me. He's been awfully good to me in my life, you know. . . . I'm one of those kind who's mostly satisfied. . . . Lots of folks wouldn't care much for what I think. Lots of folks would think I'm kind of old-fashioned. But I don't care. I'd rather have Jesus. He's all the world to me.”
And then Mabel began to sing an old hymn:
Jesus is all the world to me,
My life, my joy, my all.
He is my strength from day to day,
Without him I would fall.
When I am sad, to him I go,
No other one can cheer me so.
When I am sad he makes me glad.
He's my friend.

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Small Straws In A Soft Wind by Marsha Burns
You already know that everything that could be shaken has been shaken. This has been necessary to bring you into divine and lasting order. Now, you are in the beginning of a healing process where the things that remain will be strengthened. Cooperate with this process as you let go of the things that weaken you spiritually and that do not bring a strengthening quality to your life both spiritually and naturally. Whatever does not make you stronger is likely to make you weaker. There are decisions you must make with regard to letting go of those things that suck the life out of you, says the Lord. Hebrews 12:27 Now this, "Yet once more," indicates the removal of those things that are being shaken, as of things that are made, that the things which cannot be shaken may remain.

The power of righteousness will be your best weapon against the enemy. Take your position in faith and resist him without wavering. Stand strong. Be resolute. Do not be afraid. Know, My beloved, that I am for you and with you and that no weapon of any kind can be successful against you when you are established in right standing with Me, says the Lord. Stay close. Stay connected. Isaiah 54:17 No weapon formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue which rises against you in judgment you shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is from Me," Says the LORD.

This time of transition and turmoil has caused you to experience the feeling of being disconnected. That does not mean that you are actually disconnected, but rather that this new spiritual territory is unfamiliar. You are not yet comfortable, but you will settle in and continue to gain and maintain a level of ease. You will have more opportunities to grow and gain revelation through your experiences, but it will be much less chaotic, says the Lord. Draw close and stay connected to Me. Hosea 6:1 Come, and let us return to the LORD; For He has torn, but He will heal us; He has stricken, but He will bind us up.

I heard this phrase by the Spirit. "Deep calls to deep." And, I could feel and know that the Spirit of the Lord is expanding our spiritual borders--deeper and higher. He is deepening our hearts' capacity to love Him, to receive Him, and to live in Him. He is taking us higher in our ability to see, discern, know and understand His will and purposes. This is a supernatural work beyond the flesh or anything we can accomplish in and of ourselves. He will cause our own spirits to resonate in harmony with His Spirit, producing life, liberty and clarity. Psalms 42:7-8 Deep calls unto deep at the noise of Your waterfalls; all Your waves and billows have gone over me. The LORD will command His lovingkindness in the daytime, and in the night His song shall be with me—a prayer to the God of my life.

In a vision I saw the heavens open up, and streams of light came down to us as revelation of who He is; a revelation of His heart and love for His people. And, I could see the spiritual blessings being poured out in such magnitude that we could not contain them or keep them for ourselves. It was the gift of God to all who could receive it by faith, and it had to be shared with those who had ears to hear and a heart to receive. Malachi 3:10 "Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house, and try Me now in this," Says the LORD of hosts, "If I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you such blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it."

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The Trumpet by Bill Burns
"Set the trumpet to your mouth!" Hosea 8:1
Come now, My people, and enter your chambers until My indignation passes you by. For, when My judgments come upon the earth, they were not designed for you, they were not yours to be received. You are My chosen ones, My glorious ones, and I have revealed that to your heart in these past few weeks. And, now you know beyond a shadow of a doubt, that the God that you serve, which God I am, loves you and cares for you, cherishes you, equips you, and empowers you so that you may fulfill your destiny in the end of the age. So, come into your chambers; come into the hiding place; come into the place of anointing; come into the place where My word runs like a river. Come quickly and eat the hidden manna I have provided for you. Freely I have given freely receive. Come now. Come to Me as you continue to look up, says the Lord.

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Wonderful Things by Nancy Burr
I saw the birds fly way up high
Across the beautiful blue sky.
I heard them chirping as they flew
Singing a song as the wind blew.
I saw a squirrel working hard
By the tree in my backyard.
He was keeping busy hiding food
Hoping no one would intrude.
I take for granted all these things
All the animals and birds that sing.
The sun and moon the mountains high
And the big beautiful blue sky.
The rainbows colourful and bright
The stars shining in the night.
The rain that falls upon the ground
Watering everything around.
God made these things for you and me
Every ocean and every tree.
He made them cause He loves us so
He made them so His love we’d know.
All around us we can see His love
When we look down and up above.
His love is here for us to see
Cause He made it all for you and me.
It’s all these things I sometimes miss
Like when my kids give me a goodbye kiss.
I don’t take the time to stop and see
The wonderful things that God gave me.
My home, my family and my friends
For the love we share that never ends.
I need to stop and say thank you
For the things that I have each day through.
So thank You Lord for all these things
For all the gifts from You my King.
For the things You bring into my life
And for staying with me through the strife.
For all the wonderful things I miss
Like when my kids hug me and give me a kiss.
For friends and family who are dear to me
For beautiful flowers and every tree.
For showering me with blessings too
For showing that Your love is true.
For the life and freedom that You give
For staying with me each day that I live.
For sending Jesus down to earth
And for showing me how much I’m worth.
For when Jesus died He set me free
And for that I thank You on my knee.
I know I’m precious in your sight
I know You’ll be my guiding light.
I know You’ll never leave my side
And in your arms You’ll let me hide.
You’ve always been so good to me
It’s me, I’ve been too blind to see.
But now my God I’m thanking You
For all You give me each year through.

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I Belong To God by Nancy Burr
I belong to God,
The maker of it all.
No matter how I feel,
Up to my God I’ll call.
I belong to God,
The healer of my soul.
When I asked Jesus in,
My life He made so whole.
I belong to God,
He’s my Father for always.
Such honour I do feel,
So I lift His name in praise.
I belong to God,
He sent His Son for me.
Jesus died upon the cross,
So my heart can be free.
I belong to God,
So special I do feel.
When I am down and lost,
My sad heart He does heal.
I belong to God,
He is the strength I need.
To Him I'll hold on tight
And follow where He leads.
I belong to God,
Forever and always.
I'm a child of the King,
And with me He always stays.
I belong to God,
I know I belong to Him
Jesus made it possible,
Now I belong to Him.

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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 13:5-6

But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you. For surely, O Lord , you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor as with a shield. Psalm 5:11-12

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requ ests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints. Ephesians 6:10-18

I cried out, "I'm slipping!" and your unfailing love, O LORD, supported me. When doubts filled my mind, your comfort gave me renewed hope and cheer. Psalm 94:19

My help comes from the LORD, who made the heavens and the earth! He will not let you stumble and fall; the one who watches over you will not sleep. The LORD keeps watch over you as you come and go, both now and forever. Psalm 121:2,3,8

"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." Hebrews 13:15-16

"This is the day the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it." Psalm 118:24

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THE FROG HAT by Tina Blessitt
My 9-year-old's last-second request surprised his doctor and taught me a valuable lesson.
Last fall my 9-year-old son, Austin, had his tonsils removed. Before the surgery, Austin's anesthesiologist came to start an IV. He was wearing a cool surgical cap covered in colorful frogs. Austin loved that "frog hat."
The doctor explained that he had two choices. He could either try to start the IV, or he could wait until Austin was up in the operating room. In the OR, the doctor would give Austin some "goofy" gas, and start the IV when he was more relaxed. "So, Austin," he asked, "which do you want?"
Austin replied, "I'll take the gas." But when the doctor started to leave, Austin called, "Hey, wait." The doctor turned. "Yeah, buddy, what do you need?"
Austin asked, "Do you go to church?" "No," the doctor admitted. "I know I probably should, but I don't." Austin then asked, "Well, are you saved?"
Chuckling nervously, the doctor said, "Nope. But after talking to you, maybe it's something I should consider."
Pleased with his response, Austin answered, "Well, you should, 'cause Jesus is great!"
"I'm sure He is, little guy," the doctor said, and quickly made his exit. After that a nurse took me to the waiting room. Someone would come and get me when Austin's surgery was done.
After about 45 minutes, the anesthesiologist came into the waiting room. He told me the surgery went well and then said, "Mrs. Blessitt, I don't usually come down and talk to the parents after a surgery, but I just had to tell you what your son did."
Oh boy, I thought. What did that little rascal do now? The doctor explained that he'd just put the mask on Austin when my son signaled that he needed to say something. When the doctor removed the mask, Austin blurted, "Wait a minute, we have to pray!"
The doctor told him to go ahead, and Austin prayed, "Dear Lord, please let all the doctors and nurses have a good day. And Jesus, please let the doctor with the frog hat get saved and start going to church. Amen."
The doctor admitted this touched him. "I was so sure he would pray that his surgery went well," he explained. "He didn't even mention his surgery. He prayed for me! Mrs. Blessitt, I had to come down and let you know what a great little guy you have."
A few minutes later a nurse came to take me to post-op. She had a big smile on her face as we walked to the elevator. "Mrs. Blessitt, I couldn't wait to tell you something exciting that your son did."
With a smile, I told her that the doctor already mentioned Austin 's prayer. "But there's something you don't know," she said. "Some of the other nurses and I have been witnessing to and praying for that doctor for a long time. After your son's surgery, he tracked a few of us down to tell us about Austin's prayer. He said, 'Well girls, you got me. If that little boy could pray for me when he was about to have surgery, then I think maybe I need his Jesus too."
She then recounted how they joined the doctor as he prayed to receive Christ right there in the hospital. Wow! Austin had played a small part in something wonderful. But then, so did the nurses who prayed and witnessed.
I thought about John's words in his Gospel, "One sows and the other reaps" (John 4:37). Austin's experience taught me that, although we never know which role we may be called to play, in the end it doesn't matter. What's important is that we remain faithful in sharing the gospel.
"A little child will lead them." (Isa.11:6)

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May each day I live be considered a gift, Father. Guide me, so that I can live each gift to the fullest. Let others see You through me, I pray. Amen.

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Read Through The Bible
1 Chronicles 18
David’s Further Conquests
1 After this it came to pass that David attacked the Philistines, subdued them, and took Gath and its towns from the hand of the Philistines. 2 Then he defeated Moab, and the Moabites became David’s servants, and brought tribute. 3 And David defeated Hadadezer king of Zobah as far as Hamath, as he went to establish his power by the River Euphrates. 4 David took from him one thousand chariots, seven thousand horsemen, and twenty thousand foot soldiers. Also David hamstrung all the chariot horses, except that he spared enough of them for one hundred chariots. 5 When the Syrians of Damascus came to help Hadadezer king of Zobah, David killed twenty-two thousand of the Syrians. 6 Then David put garrisons in Syria of Damascus; and the Syrians became David’s servants, and brought tribute. So the Lord preserved David wherever he went. 7 And David took the shields of gold that were on the servants of Hadadezer, and brought them to Jerusalem. 8 Also from Tibhath and from Chun, cities of Hadadezer, David brought a large amount of bronze, with which Solomon made the bronze Sea, the pillars, and the articles of bronze. 9 Now when Tou king of Hamath heard that David had defeated all the army of Hadadezer king of Zobah, 10 he sent Hadoram his son to King David, to greet him and bless him, because he had fought against Hadadezer and defeated him (for Hadadezer had been at war with Tou); and Hadoram brought with him all kinds of articles of gold, silver, and bronze. 11 King David also dedicated these to the Lord, along with the silver and gold that he had brought from all these nations—from Edom, from Moab, from the people of Ammon, from the Philistines, and from Amalek. 12 Moreover Abishai the son of Zeruiah killed eighteen thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt. 13 He also put garrisons in Edom, and all the Edomites became David’s servants. And the Lord preserved David wherever he went.
David’s Administration
14 So David reigned over all Israel, and administered judgment and justice to all his people. 15 Joab the son of Zeruiah was over the army; Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder; 16 Zadok the son of Ahitub and Abimelech the son of Abiathar were the priests; Shavsha was the scribe; 17 Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and the Pelethites; and David’s sons were chief ministers at the king’s side.

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Lord, I pray that You help me be a light in the darkness of this world. Help me to use the gifts given to me by the Spirit to help others see the light and hear the truth. 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.