Love

What is love? Surely it cannot be defined by one thing

But you can listen to the song a heart in love sings,

Love never fails and true love does not give in

True love overrides every emotion within,

Love endures pain yet remains unchanged

Love holds no grudge and through time does not budge,

Love knows time not but cherishes each moment

Like it's the last and who knows if another moment will come?

Love is like an endless well always giving without thought

Love quenches the lonely soul and makes it whole,

Love is like the sun rise and the sunset

So beautiful is the picture of love this image one cannot forget,

Love is so sensitive like a dove

It's moved by the simplest of things one can think of,

Love is also like a star shooting in the sky

If you don't watch for it, it can quickly pass you by,

What can be compared to love? Nothing at all

For love is the greatest of all…Love…

My prayer is that this love will be mine

A love that will not cease but will grow with time

Love…

Pause and Reflect

Pause and reflect. This is something we often forget to do as Christians. Life gets busy and it's so easy to get caught up in the cares of this life. I encourage you to pause and take a few minutes to reflect. Reflect on what? Reflect of God's faithfulness. Take a look back at your life as far back as you can remember and just start to reflect on how faithful God has really been. Recently I was reading the book of Romans, specifically chapter 3 and these scriptures really ministered to me...

Romans 3:3-4 (NIV)
3- What is some did not have faith? With their lack of faith nullify God's faithfulness? 4- Not at all! Let God be true, and every man a liar.

This hits the nail right on the head. Can you relate?? Do you remember the many times you failed God yet he still came through when you needed him the most? Do you remember the many promises you made to God that you didn't keep, yet he still kept his? Do you remember the times you thought you wanted to try something different, i.e. the world, and you put God to the side...yet he was still faithful? What a faithful God we serve! Who among us is worthy of this kind of compassion, commitment and love?

Pause and reflect...

This new song titled "Faithful" is a by-product of myself doing just that...pausing and reflect. We all have our own song that we can sing to God that's between you and him. I encourage you to take a few minutes today (everyday really) to pause, reflect and just give God praise for his unfailing love, which is the reason we haven't been consumed. what more can I say than great is his faithfulness! God bless.

Lamentations 3:22-23 (NIV)
22- Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. 23-  They are new every morning, great is your faithfulness.
       

-Making the most of "Today"-

 

 

James 4:13-16

13Now listen, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money." 14Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. 15Instead, you ought to say, "If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that." 16As it is, you boast and brag. All such boasting is evil.

 

Ephesians 5:15-16

15Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, 16making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.

 

Today is here and if you are reading this you obviously made it to see another day. I was thinking about this today for a bit. How so many people didn't make it to see "today" and many more won't make it to see tomorrow. All of a sudden my heart was filled with thankfulness because I was able to see another day. What came to my mind next was; If God gave me another day there has to be purpose behind it. There must be opportunities that I will be presented with to bring God glory, share the gospel and help someone in need or whatever else the Lord might have in stored. Most of us go on living everyday without this thought ever passing through out minds. Sadly, I admit that I am one of those. My prayer is that God changes that because, like I said previously, many didn't make it to see today and if God gave me another day filled with additional opportunities, it's definitely for a reason. Each day when I awake, before I step out of bed, I want to talk to God and thank him for another opportunity filled day while also asking what his purpose for this day is. I encourage you to do the same. Let the Lord lead you by His holy spirit. Your life does have purpose and by communicating with God you can find out just exactly what your purpose is (Jeremiah 33:3).

 

Remember, the "today" God has given you is another opportunity, so make the most of it.

 

 

How many people didn't see today?

How many Christians live any old way?

Your word and calling we need to obey

Teach us Lord to make the most of today

Psalm 90:12 (NIV)
Teach us to number our days right,
that we may gain a heart of wisdom.

Commentary
In the light of eternity (vv. 1-4), life is brief-no matter how long you live. You need God's help to use your days wisely (v. 12) and joyfully (vv. 14-15). There is real satisfaction in doing God's will (v. 14; 1 John 2:17), revealing God's glory (v. 16) and growing in God's beauty (v. 17). In spite of the burdens of life and the brevity of life, life is worth living when you trust the Lord.
Wiersbe, W. W. (1997, c1991). With the word Bible commentary (Ps 90:1). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.


Did you know?
This psalm (Psalm 90) is the only one written by Moses and thus the oldest in the Psalter.

Press on and carry your own load…

 

Galatians 6:9

9 - Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up

 

This life isn't all fun and games huh?? Walking the Christian walk isn't the easiest thing for sure, but is there any way that's better? Many of us have been on the other side and we know the grass isn't greener! We know all that the world has to offer and at the end of the day we are still empty.

 

-We know that God has been faithful and He isn't the problem –

 

 A lot of the time we take our eyes off of Jesus and start looking at everything going on around us. We see those doing "evil" prospering while at the current time we might be struggling just to make it through the day. We see "Mr. or Mrs. Jones" in a leadership position at church on Sunday meanwhile the night before they were out late clubbing. You see someone cutting the corners (stealing, lying, tax fraud & cheating) and they have the appearance of being blessed, yet you are faithful giving God his 10% relying on Him to provide and you are struggling just to make ends meet. I can keep going but I think you get the picture already.

 

While I've always been encouraged by Galatians 6:9, because it encourages me to continue pressing on while reassuring me that my labor for the Lord will not be in vain, as I read the preceding verses Paul is really giving us wise instruction.

 

Galatians 6:3-5

3.If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. 4.Each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to somebody else, 5.for each one should carry his own load.

 

These scriptures really prompted me to step back a moment, stop looking at others around me and look at myself. Ouch!!

 

-         How often do we tend to point out the faults / short comings of others around us and overlook the ugliness that we are? –

 

We shouldn't be caught up in what everyone around us is doing or not doing. If we should happen to see something, we should pray for that brother or sister instead of giving the enemy ammunition and causing ourselves to stumble. After all, who do we think we are? We should be concerned with carrying our own load, which is quite heavy as it is J

 

Do not deceive yourself and think you are something, when you are nothing! If it weren't for the grace of God in our lives we wouldn't have the ability to do not even an ounce of good (Matthew 15:5). Today, I encourage you to look in the mirror of God's word and let God show you where you stand. Isn't it time that we start carrying our own load? If we all did, how much more effective would the body of Christ be in this world we are living in?

 

Carry your own load and press on! We know that in due time, whether it be here on earth or in heaven, we will see the fruit of our labor for the kingdom of God. The things we do for Christ are eternal. It's amazing within itself that God himself is the provision for us being able to do ANYTHING good, yet he will reward us for our labor. That's grace!

 

Keep your eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith!

 

God bless!

Danny

Hebrews 12:1-3

 1Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. 2Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

 

My Substitues Course

This poem is dedicated to my Lord and Savior Jesus the Christ.

My heart fills with gladness as my thoughts race
My heart pounds as I look at my saviors face
The spotless lamb became sin for a sinner
My loving savior took the loss so I could be a winner
If this lamb were not slain I would suffer eternal pain
Death was my just sentence but He took the blame
Willingly, because love was the reason he came
After the cross the world would never be the same
My substitute - the one who stood on behalf of me
The mediator - who'd stand before God's wrath and me
Jesus - God's action of love toward the human race
Man - a by-product of a loving God's grace
When I think about those nails breaking his flesh
Tears fill my eyes for all the times I thought less
Far be it from me to sin without remorse
May I forever remember my substitutes course

Daniel J Portalatin

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Watching Always by C. H. Spurgeon
	"Blessed is he that watcheth." --Revelation 16:15 "We die daily," said the apostle. This was the life of the early Christians; they went everywhere with their lives in their hands. We are not in this day called to pass through the same fearful persecutions: if we were, the Lord would give us grace to bear the test; but the tests of Christian life, at the present moment, though outwardly not so terrible, are yet more likely to overcome us than even those of the fiery age. We have to bear the sneer of the world--that is little; its blandishments, its soft words, its oily speeches, its fawning, its hypocrisy, are far worse. Our danger is lest we grow rich and become proud, lest we give ourselves up to the fashions of this present evil world, and lose our faith. Or if wealth be not the trial, worldly care is quite as mischievous. If we cannot be torn in pieces by the roaring lion, if we may be hugged to death by the bear, the devil little cares which it is, so long as he destroys our love to Christ, and our confidence in Him. I fear me that the Christian church is far more likely to lose her integrity in these soft and silken days than in those rougher times. We must be awake now, for we traverse the enchanted ground, and are most likely to fall asleep to our own undoing, unless our faith in Jesus be a reality, and our love to Jesus a vehement flame. Many in these days of easy profession are likely to prove tares, and not wheat; hypocrites with fair masks on their faces, but not the true-born children of the living God. Christian, do not think that these are times in which you can dispense with watchfulness or with holy ardour; you need these things more than ever, and may God the eternal Spirit display His omnipotence in you, that you may be able to say, in all these softer things, as well as in the rougher, "We are more than conquerors through Him that loved us."

A Boy's Victory - by D.L. Moody

I remember when out in Kansas, while holding a meeting, I saw a little boy who came up to the window crying. I went to him and said, "My little boy, what is your trouble?" "Why, Mr. Moody, my mother's dead, and my father drinks, and they don't love me, and the Lord won't have anything to do with me because I am a poor drunkard's boy." "You have got a wrong idea, my boy; Jesus will love you and save you, and your father too," and I told him a story of a little boy in an eastern city. The boy said his father would never allow the canting hypocrites of Christians to come into his house, and would never allow his child to go to Sunday-school. A kind-hearted man got his little boy and brought him to Christ. When Christ gets into a man's heart, he cannot help but pray. This father had been drinking one day and coming home he heard that boy praying. He went to him and said, "I don't want you to pray any more. You've been along with some of those Christians. If I catch you praying again I'll flog you." But the boy was filled with God, and he couldn't help praying. The door of communication was opened between him and Christ, and his father caught him praying again. He went to him. "Didn't I tell you never to pray again? If I catch you at it once more, you leave my house." He thought he would stop him. Not very long after this, one day his father had been drinking more than usual, and coming in found the boy offering a prayer. He caught the boy with a push and said, "Didn't I tell you never to pray again? Leave this house. Get your things packed up and go." The little fellow hadn't many things to get together—a drunkard's boy never has—and he went up to his mother's room. "Good-by, mother." "Where are you going?" "I don't know where I'll go, but father says I cannot stay here any longer; I've been praying again," he said. The mother knew it wouldn't do to try to keep the boy when her husband had ordered him away, so she drew him to her bosom and kissed him, and bid him good-by. He went to his brothers and sisters and kissed them good-by. When he came to the door, his father was there, and the little fellow reached out his hand. "Good-by, father; as long as I live I will pray for you," and left the house. He hadn't been gone many minutes when the father rushed after him. "My boy, if that is religion, if it can drive you away from father and mother and home, I want it." Yes, maybe some other little boy has got a drinking father and mother. Lift your voice to heaven, and the news will be carried up to heaven, "He prays."

* Courtesy of www.sermonindex.net *

Believe -  by D.L. Moody

Have faith in God! Take Him at His word! Believe what He says! Believe the record God has given of His Son! I can imagine some of you saying, "I want to, but I have not got the right kind of faith." What kind of faith do you want? Now, the idea that you want a different kind of faith is all wrong. Use the faith you have got; just believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. Not only that, you can't give any reason for not believing. If a man told me he couldn't believe me, I should have a right to ask him why he couldn't believe me. I should have a right to ask him if I had ever broken my word with him; and if I had not broken my word with him, he ought to believe me. I would like to ask you, has God ever broken His word? Never. My friends, He will keep His word. God condemns the world because they believe not on Him; that is the root of all evil. A man who believes in the Lord Jesus Christ won't murder, and lie, and do all these awful things. Don't get caught up by that terrible delusion that unbelief is a misfortune. Unbelief is not a misfortune, but is the sin of the world. Christ found it on all sides of the world. When He first got up from the grave, He found that His disciples doubted. He had reason to cry out against unbelief.

* Courtesy of www.sermonindex.net *