Weekly Spiritual Meditations - September 4

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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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Always remember: God will never leave you nor forsake you.

Lean on two truths: God is the One blessing you, and God will always journey with you.

When tempted to lose patience with others, remember Gods patience with you. --Daily Bread

How quickly our lives can deteriorate (spiritually, mentally, and socially) when we fail to stay in touch with God.

When we put our cares into God's hands, He puts His peace into our hearts. God gave you a gift of 86,400 seconds today. Have you used one of them to say 'Thank You'? --William A. Ward

God wants to hear each of our voices every day.

Ask for God's available grace for whatever challenge you face.

God watches over us like a loving parent.

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Anxiously Waiting by Martin Wiles
For four years, we've been waiting. We've grown accustomed to "Hurry up and wait."
My wife's list of medical ailments should convince any judge that she's eligible for disability. So what's the holdup? Probably her age. She's under 50. She's been turned down three times. We filed for an appeal, and it was granted. Presently, we've been waiting six months to get a court date. Her not being able to work seriously affects our financial situation, but what can we do? Wait … but not anxiously.
Elijah was no doubt a little nervous as he awaited an answer from the God that he had proclaimed to the pagan prophets as real.
1 Kings 18:38 – Immediately the fire of the Lord flashed down from heaven and burned up the young bull, the wood, the stones, and the dust. It even licked up all the water in the trench! (NLT)
Waiting has never been one of my strong points. I've not always been able to get what I wanted when I wanted it or even at all, but the impatience is still there. This anxiousness often carries over into my walk with God. When is He going to answer? How long is it going to take for Him to intervene? Will He give me the wisdom I need? But I've learned that I don't have to beg God to answer. Elijah didn't either.
Why does God make me wait? Patience is one reason. Delayed gratification grows this virtue. God may also have a better plan than I do, but it involves waiting for it to materialize. Perhaps things must happen or be put in order … things I'm not aware of … things that only God sees. Timing is important in God's plan, and timing normally involves waiting as well.
God may often ask you to wait, but you don't have to wait anxiously. Simply rest in Him.
Prayer: Merciful God, give us patience instead of anxiety when You ask us to wait for Your best. Amen.

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Listening in the Dark by Kenneth L. Pierpont
Years ago in my room at Moody I would pray at night with my roommate Paul Davidheizer. We would get in our beds and turn off the light, then we would each pray. After we prayed we would usually talk for a while. Often I would still be talking after I discovered that Paul was asleep. He was a great guy but I could just talk longer than he could listen.
I am almost always the first one up in the morning around our place. So when bedtime comes for my daughter Hope, who is four and enjoys the luxury of sleeping in, she usually has another good half hour of energy left in her day. She doesn't wind down slowly at the end of the day. She finishes her day like a runner straining for the tape. She always has a little burst, a little sprint to the finish. I know in a perfect world parents put their children to sleep at night. That's not always the way it works at our house.
The other night I was exhausted and eager to sleep. I had an early start the next day and a full agenda. I got into bed. But Hope was in no mood to sleep. She had a place of her own but she came in our room and jumped in bed with us and refused to lie down. For a few minutes she used the bed for a trampoline until I made her stop. "Lie down right now and go to sleep Hope." I warned her, and I turned off the light.
She lay down but my warning and the darkness had no effect on her whatever. She jabbered on about her day, her dolls, her diet and her general philosophy of life unabated. She punctuated her stories with pointed questions demanding a response. One of us would mumble a barely coherent answer and she would chatter on. Finally she interrupted her own energetic soliloquy with a question, "Am I talking too much?" With that we were both awake and chuckling. We both quickly assured her that she was not at all talking too much. When heavy eyes ended my day she still had stories to tell.
As I drifted off to sleep I took comfort in the thought of my unsleeping Heavenly Father who never tires of hearing me talk. He wants to know when I have something to celebrate. He likes it when I tell him my fears and unburden my guilty heart to Him. He listens when I chatter excitedly about plans. He cares about what I think. He even stays awake at night and listens when I am talking in the dark. He can listen longer than I can talk.
"I lift up my eyes to the hills - where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip - He who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep." (Psalm 121:1-4)

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DROPPING THE SNAKE byJoseph J. Mazzella
It was a glorious day to be out for a drive. The trees lining the country roads were full of green leaves. White daisies were blooming along the sides of the hills. The sun was shining, giving the whole world a golden glow. My son and I were singing along to songs playing on the radio. Suddenly, an old favorite of mine came on and my son whose memory is far better than mine at times reminded me that we had once had it on cassette, but it was stolen from our car.
Quick as lightening that old memory flashed in my mind. It was 12 years ago. We had just finished shopping at a local grocery store, and when we walked out to our car we found that our cassette box, full of tapes had been taken from it while we were inside. I laughed when I thought of some young boys thinking they had stolen some great new music only to open the box and find instead my collection of moldy oldies.
I even tried to share my humor at the incident with a few friends but had to stop. They all expected me to be angry and outraged over it instead of just laughing it off. They just couldn’t understand my peace with the theft. I, however, remembered an old saying that I had read once. It went, "If someone hands you a snake, it is wise to drop it fast."
God doesn’t want us to carry those snakes around with us. God wants us to drop them and move on. God wants us to forgive and to smile. God wants us to let go and to heal. God loves us and wants us to love as well. God wants us to go through life lightly with laughter on our lips, a joy in our step, and the peace of Heaven in our hearts. The next time then that someone hands you something poisonous don’t hold it close. Drop it fast. Then you can spend your day happily holding your loved one’s hand, smelling the flowers along the side of the hill, watching the sun shine down on the leaves, and letting your own spirit sing.

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Mary-Ellen's Note
"Nobody laughs like that anymore!" When the music of a girl's free, joyous laughter sounded, an older gentleman was heard making the opening remark. The sound of sweet laughter does seem to get less frequent in our busy, rushed days.
People set on dead serious competition to survive seldom have the will or outlook to laugh with the full joyous abandon of the truly happy person. All is not right in the world of an over-busy, tense, tired human being. Secure, relaxed, optimistic persons with schedules planned for some "down" time are more apt to enjoy the humor in life and the deep release of joyous laughter.
After years of sin and exile, the Israelites returned home--originally to the promised land and later back to Jerusalem after prolonged bondage in Babylon. Whether in bondage in Egypt or Babylon, the Israelites were hard pressed to survive and thrive. Whether wandering in the wilderness or under the rule of pagan countries, the Israelites did not have the personal freedom and inner peace to experience the joy of abundant life. Psalm 126 gives expression to their victory and joy as they are returning to Zion:
"When the Lord brought back the captives to Zion, we were like men who dreamed. Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy. Then it was said among the nations, 'The Lord has done great things for them.' The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy." Psalm 126: 1-3
No matter how busy, we too can share in this joy in the Lord. With the freedom from sin and the blessing of God, we too can focus on what is truly important in life and in our walk with Jesus. Carrying God's light and love, with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, we too can feel the assurance and joy of those who know beyond a doubt that a Heavenly home awaits those saved in the Lord. Our joyous hope of everlasting life in our "Zion," frees us to full living and loving. Our nourishing relationships with Jesus and beloved others gives us the abundant life we desire, no matter the circumstances of our daily lives.
Laughter can truly be the best medicine, so open your eyes, look around, enjoy, and laugh freely, with all the hope of those blessed by the Lord! --Eternal Ink

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THE POWER OF QUIET by Gwen Smith
There are times when laundry takes over my house. Piles build up, though I try to stay on top of them. Many of the clothes are clean and even folded, but not put away. That tricky put-away-part is always hard for me.
Then there are the socks. Oh, the socks! They burden me so!! I’m half tempted to believe that a great sock nation exists, and that sock-soldiers are on a secret mission to destroy my testimony by driving me crazy! Divide and conquer. That’s what they do! Why can’t socks just behave? Why can’t they ever stay in pairs, and where am I supposed to put the socks that remain unmatched? (Insert dramatic sigh here…) Unmatched socks and folded-but-not-put-away-laundry tie me up in knots. I don’t like to admit it, but sometimes days go by before I make the time to put them away.
Is it just me?
I’ve come to realize that my days can be a lot like my laundry situation. At times they get piled up with “busy.” Sabbath gets squeezed out. Now, when I say Sabbath, I mean the priority of sitting before the Lord just to sit with Him … quietly … expectantly … to listen. Though I do include God in my days and breathe prayers throughout, when I don’t sit before the Lord – and exercise the spiritual discipline of being quiet before God – it seems that both old and new burdens can tie my heart into a frazzled knot.
It had been one of those weeks. Knots. Knots. Knots. Then I finally remembered the power of quiet. As I sat in the cool still of the morning with a hot mug of coffee in my hand and the warming presence of God in my soul, the burdens of my heart began to drift away. Direction came. Joy resounded. Mercy rained. Peace … deep peace fell.
It was when the companion of God’s Spirit had begun to transform my soul, my thoughts, my goals, and my day that I realized, as if I had slumbered half the week away … this is where they go! This is where my burdens belong! The old ones that I’ve written about time and time again in my prayer journal and the new ones that are just beginning to unravel from my heart. This is where they go! I just needed to put my continuous stream of life-burdens away like the unending piles of laundry! Then … order, soul order. Peace, compelling peace. Joy, divine joy. It all comes.
I sat in wonder. Still. In His presence. Convicted of my failure to remember the power of being quiet before the Lord. “Of course this is where they go. I knew that. I knew that! Lord, forgive me. Oh, how I’m thankful for your daily mercy showers.”
Jesus tells all who believe that we should go to Him. “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).
When our lives get too busy … when the laundry piles up in our homes and the burdens pile up in our hearts, we often forget the power of quiet. The power of being still before God. The power of listening, expecting, soul-pouring … receiving rest. His presence sorts souls and never leaves an unmatched burden. His presence never leaves an
un-lifted burden. Hallelujah! What a Savior!
Take some time to power-down and be still before Him right now. Remember the power of quiet as you exchange your burdens for His peace.

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How to prepare yourself to face each day
Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” - Matthew 4:4
A story is told of a man who challenged another to an all-day wood chopping contest.
The challenger worked very hard, stopping only for a brief lunch break. The other man had a leisurely lunch and took several breaks during the day. At the end of the day, the challenger was surprised and annoyed to find that the other fellow had chopped substantially more wood than he had.
“I don’t get it,” he said. “Every time I looked at you, you were taking a rest, yet you chopped more wood than I did.”
“But you didn’t notice,” said the winning woodsman, “that I was sharpening my ax when I sat down to rest.”
Very often, Christians can become a lot like that that challenger. They step out into the battle of the Christian life, trying to live by their own power, only to find that they’ve made it more difficult. That’s because they never take time to get into God’s Word and “sharpen their ax” before they actually face the Christian life.
It’s easy to think that the more you “do”, the more effective you’ll be in the spiritual life. But instead of blowing and going so much, spend time every day reading and meditating on the Bible. Ask God to help you live life to the fullest, and be better prepared to face the day by sharpening your ax with the word of God!
Prayer Challenge: Pray that God would help you find the time to read and meditate on His word regularly.
Questions for Thought: How often do you spend time “sharpening your ax” by getting into God’s Word?
What goal can you set today for reading your Bible consistently over the next month? Every day? Several times a week? --Senior Living

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Small Straws In A Soft Wind by Marsha Burns
Watch for small signs that indicate the beginning of breakthrough in various areas of your life. You are not out of the woods yet, but take encouragement that you are chipping away at things that have represented hindrances to you. Keep moving ahead, taking one step at a time, until you achieve complete liberty, says the Lord. Let freedom become tangible. James 1:25 But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.

Prepare yourself to go with the flow of My Spirit. I will take you from peace to peace as you follow My leading in the days ahead. Trust Me with everything. It is time to begin to move into the new season by letting go of all that does not produce life and strength, says the Lord. Be brave; be strong, for I am with you. 1 Corinthians 16:13 Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong.

The new season has begun, and you are on the threshold of a new beginning. You must be open and flexible if you are to make the most of the opportunities afforded you. Shake yourself from the slumber of apathy and complacency or you will overlook the possibilities that are available to you. Many of you, My people, have gotten stuck in hopelessness and despair to the point that you cannot consider an alternative to your situation. But, I say you must rise up out of the dead ashes of the past and deliberately consider My ability to bring you forth, says the Lord. Matthew 19:26 But Jesus looked at them and said to them, "With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."

Take advantage of windows of opportunity as they open in the spirit realm. They will seem to open suddenly and then close again if you wait too long to act. Timing right now is everything. You will need to pay attention and discern the moving of My Spirit if you want to be in the flow and be carried. Otherwise, you may find yourself striving to move forward only to have to overcome obstacles and hindrances, says the Lord. Galatians 6:10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.

When you feel the need to look back at the people and situations in your life that produced rejection and pain, touch it lightly. Refuse to allow the enemy to make you feel unloved or inadequate. You are completely accepted, loved and satisfactory in My sight, says the Lord. And, if you will offer up the suffering that you have endured I will honor your sacrifice, and it will become a sweet fragrance to Me. Then, you can access the healing that was made available to you at the Cross. 1 Peter 2:24 [Jesus] who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed.

Darkness and despair abound on the earth, but you do not have to succumb to hopelessness. I would have you fight against the things that would oppress and depress you. You can do this by stepping out of spiritual darkness and coming into the light of My love and presence through the expression of heart-felt gratitude for what is right and good. Light dispels darkness and good triumphs over evil, says the Lord. Romans 12:21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

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The Trumpet by Bill Burns
"Set the trumpet to your mouth!" Hosea 8:1
I am calling you forth out of darkness in this hour to believe My word, to rise up and receive that which I am doing so that you can be more than you are right now. For, I have such an anointing to lay upon you in these days that you yourselves will be astonished at the result of it. And, when My fire falls upon you and when the lightning comes out of you the enemy will, indeed, be defeated. I have made a way and have saved the best wine for last, which wine you are. So, rise up from your position of defeat--from that position of being a victim, and believe today that I will bring you through into victory, says the Lord.

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Let Go & Let God
As children bring their broken toys,
with tears for us to mend,
I brought my broken dreams to God,
because He is my friend.
But then instead of leaving Him
in peace to work alone,
I hung around and tried to help,
with ways that were my own.
At last, I snatched them back again
and cried, "How can you be so slow?"
"My child" He said, "What could I do?
You never did let go."
--Author Unknown

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Teach me, my God and King,
In all things thee to see,
And what I do in anything,
To do it as for thee.
--George Herbert

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Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 4:16

Whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Philippians 4:8

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the Holy is understanding. Proverbs 9:10

To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in His throne. Revelation 3:21

For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ's at His coming. 1 Corinthians 15:22-23

Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked shall I return there. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD. Job 1:21

Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it. What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father's glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what he has done. I tell you the truth, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom." Matthew 16:24-28

"We praise you, LORD, for all your glorious power. With music and singing we celebrate your mighty acts. Psalm 21:13

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The Greatest Gift by Joel Jongkind
One day when I was downtown, I saw a young girl I know hugging three guys, and then before she left, I heard them all say, "Love you", and they went their separate ways.
I asked my daughter about this, for she knows more about young people than I do, and she told me that that is what the young people do now: they hug. She was right, and I started to notice it more and more. Baseball players get hugged when they hit a home run, and soccer players when they score. People will greet and say goodbye to each other with a hug and "I love you". In churches where they have a time of passing the peace, it has sometimes become common to hug each other. I am of an age and generation where a man would never hug a man either in church or out of it. Now I hug my grandsons, but they are the ones who started it.
Real, genuine love is hard to express. Jesus talked about love, and He certainly was the greatest expression of love that ever came into the world. But to my knowledge, it does not say anywhere in the Bible that He ever said the words, "I love you."
Jesus did not love just with words; He loved with His actions and His deeds. He cared for the people He met.
John tells us to do just that: "My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth." (1 John 3:18 NKJV)
In 1 Corinthians 13, often called the "Love Chapter" Paul wrote, "Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal." (1 Corinthians 13:1 NKJV)
Paul goes on to tell the people of Corinth, and also us, that love is patient and kind, not jealous or conceited or proud. It is not ill-mannered or selfish or irritable; it does not keep a record of wrongs and is not happy with evil; it does not rejoice in iniquity; it rejoices in the truth. It bears all things and endures all things; it never gives up, and it never fails.
We should show by our actions that we care for each other, by being kind and supportive, by helping each other in times of need, by looking after those who are alone, feeding the hungry, visiting the sick and the elderly, and helping out where we are able.
Most importantly, we need to tell people about our faith in Christ, not just in words, because not all of us are able to do that, but also by our actions and our lifestyle, letting people see that we are Christians and that we care for them.
Prayer: Our Father in heaven, we ask that You would give us the strength, the desire, and the ability to care for others who need our help, and that through our actions, we will be able to show people that we love You and them. We offer this prayer in Jesus' name. Amen.

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Dear God, help us to be aware of the needs of others and to offer your hospitality to those around us. Amen.

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Read Through The Bible
Isaiah 4
1 And in that day seven women shall take hold of one man, saying, We will eat our own bread, and wear our own apparel: only let us be called by thy name, to take away our reproach. 2 In that day shall the branch of the Lord be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the earth shall be excellent and comely for them that are escaped of Israel. 3 And it shall come to pass, that he that is left in Zion, and he that remaineth in Jerusalem, shall be called holy, even every one that is written among the living in Jerusalem: 4 When the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion, and shall have purged the blood of Jerusalem from the midst thereof by the spirit of judgment, and by the spirit of burning. 5 And the Lord will create upon every dwelling place of mount Zion, and upon her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day, and the shining of a flaming fire by night: for upon all the glory shall be a defense. 6 And there shall be a tabernacle for a shadow in the day time from the heat, and for a place of refuge, and for a covert from storm and from rain.

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Lord, You are my Provider--the God who meets ALL my needs. You are the same "yesterday, today and forever," and I place my trust in You, oh faithful Lord, In Jesus' Name, 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.