Are You Willing To Look Within Yourself?

Author: Dorinda Hicks

Are you willing to take a deep look within yourself today
This is something we should do each day
We may not always like what we see
But in order for us to mature and grow and be planted like a tree
There are things we need to know about ourselves

Stop blaming others for what you see
Have the heart and desire to be set free
We must be honest with ourselves
Thank God for your strength and health
Do not focus just on the negative things
Trust God to be your everything

If we fail to plan, we plan to fail
It is time we sell
Out for our LORD and Savior
Be grateful for the favor
He gives unto each of us

It is time to stop hiding from ourselves
Know that you are more than a conquer and you shall win
At everything you do
As long as you serve our God with a heart that is pure and true
Let Him fight your battles for you
He is the one who will see you through
Don’t be afraid of what you see
Facing it will set you free

If I focus on what I am not, I will never know who I am.  It is nothing wrong with doing a personal inventory, but not to the place where it depresses us to see who we really are.  Today to find out something I am not, gives me room to grow. 

I know that I am not perfect, but I am becoming who God wants me to be.  We should not be comparing ourselves to any one.  You were wonderfully made by our God.  Each of us is unique.  There are no two people who are just alike.  I have been told that twins have different DNA’s.  We have to find our uniqueness and accept ourselves.  We will never love anybody, if we cannot learn to love ourselves.  We will only be as good to others as we are to ourselves.

Some times we can be our worse enemy!  In stead of focusing on what you do not see in yourself, begin to focus on the good things about yourself.  I have done a lot of soul searching this year.  I have found a lot of areas where I need to grow.  Today, I know that God uses who He chooses.  My imperfection’s today does not throw me out of the race. It gives me an opportunity to continue to mature spiritually.  It gives me an opportunity to love others unconditionally.  It gives me an opportunity to be more like Jesus. We can all make this personal today.  ARE YOU WILLING TO LOOK WITHIN YOURSELF?

For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.  Ephesians 2:10

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful. Psalm 139:14

HAVE A VERY BLESSED DAY!
A SERVANT

“I will make thy name to be remembered in all generations: therefore shall the people praise thee for ever and ever.” - Psalm 45:17

Please Teach Me, Lord

Author: Virginia Ellis

Please Teach Me, Lord

I want to know

Exactly how to Pray.

I need some Words

Which ones are right?

Please tell me what to Say.

I’ve Bowed my Head

I have Knelt down,

But ... should I be Upright?

I’ve Closed my eyes,

I’ve Raised my hands,

Or ... should I Fold them tight?

Do I stand up?

Should I sit down?

Dear Lord ... what do You like?

Are Lights turned On

Or are they Off?

Maybe ... Candle Light?

Wear my Glasses?

Take them off?

Be at my desk or table?

Should I Whisper?

Speak out loud?

Do I quote the Bible?

What do You think

About the Time?

Do You prefer the Dawn?

Should I Pray Fast,

Or keep it Slow?

Better Short ... or Long?

I’m New at this

What are the Rules?

I want to do it Right.

How do I know

You’ll even hear

That I am in Your sight?

And while I sat there quietly,

Waiting for some sign,

I Heard a Gentle Voice Say

“Oh, dearest Child of Mine ...

Do you think I really care

About the Time of day,

Or whether you are Standing up,

Or Kneeling when you Pray?

I don’t care about your Posture,

Or about the Place you choose;

Just open up your Soul to me,

I have no other rules.

Tell Me what is in Your Heart,

And tell me what you Seek;

Tell me of your Sorrows,

And of those things that made you weak.

Speak to me in Private

About what concerns you most;

I know about your Good Deeds ...

You have no need to boast.

My Child, You don’t need Lessons,

Just Talk to Me each day;

Tell Me Anything you want, dear child,

Anyone can PRAY.

“And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth.” -Luke 11:2

RECOGNIZING VALUE!!!

Dear loved one,    'To realize the value of a sister or brother, ask someone who doesn't have one To realize the value of ten years, ask a newly divorced couple To realize the value of four years, ask a graduate from a college To realize the value of one year, ask a student who failed a final exam To realize the value of nine months, ask a mother who had a stillborn To realize the value of one month, ask a mother who had a premature baby To realize the value of one week, ask the editor of a weekly newspaper To realize the value of one-second, ask a person who survived an accident To realize the value of one minute, ask a person who missed the train, bus or plane To realize the value of one hour, ask a person who just survived a stroke' The writer of this note is unknown but we can glean the valuable lessons. We should consistently put value on each virtue given to us in equal measures:  Time, Treasures, Talents and Relationships. The use of our opportunities determines how well we reap the benefits. Time as our greatest resource cannot be reversed. We must treasure every opportunity and maximise them with each one considered special. We don't have to wait till you miss a friend, colleague, family members before realizing how valuable they are. Place a call to a loved one this week to mend a broken relationship and tell them how valuable they are.'Everyone who wants a friend in others must first show them friendly'. There is a King and a Fool in every person the one we speak to responds to us in life! Have a great week! Shalom!

Sighs of the Heart

Author: Bob Perks

“She keeps repeating it over and over again. We’ve been back to this shelter at least five times. It has been weeks now since we started all of this,” the woman told the volunteer.

“What is it she keeps asking for?” she asked.

“Puppy size!”

“We have plenty of puppies, if that’s what she’s looking for.”

“I know. We have seen most of them,” she said in frustration.

Just then the young child came walking in the office.

“Well, did you find one?”

“No, not this time,” she said with sadness in her voice. “Can we come back on the weekend?”

The two women looked at each other, shook their heads and laughed.

“You never know when we will get more dogs. Unfortunately, there’s always a supply,” the volunteer said.

The young child took her Mother by the hand and headed to the door.

“Don’t worry, I bet we’ll find one this weekend,” the child said.

Over the next few days both mom and dad had long conversations with her. They both felt she was being too particular.

“It’s this weekend or we’re not looking any more,” Dad finally said in frustration.

“We don’t want to hear anything more about “puppy size” either,” mom added.

Sure enough they were the first ones in the shelter on Saturday morning. By now the young child knew her way around, so she ran right for the section that housed the smaller dogs.

Tired of the routine, mom sat in the small waiting room at the end of the first row of cages. There was an observation window so you could see the animals during times when visitors weren’t permitted.

The young girl walked slowly from cage to cage, kneeling periodically to take a closer look. One by one the dogs were brought out and she held each one. One by one she said, “Sorry, you’re not the one.”

It was the last cage on this last day in search of the perfect pup. The volunteer opened the cage door and the child carefully picked up the dog and held it closely.

This time she it took a little longer.

“Mom, that’s it! I found the right puppy! He’s the one! I know it!” she screamed with joy.

Mom, startled by all the commotion, came running.

“What? Are you sure? How do you know?” she asked.

“It’s the puppy sighs!”

“Yes, it the same size as all the other puppies you held the last few weeks,” mom said.

“No, not “size”; “sighs.” When I held him in my arms he sighed,” she said.

“So?”

“Don’t you remember? When I asked you one day what love is, you told me “Love depends on the sighs of your heart. The more you love, the bigger the sighs!”

The two women looked at each other for a moment. Mom didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. As she stooped down to hug her child she did a little of both.

“Mom every time you hold me I sigh. When you and Daddy come home from work and hug each other you both sigh. I knew I would find the right puppy if it sighed when I held it in my arms,” she said.

Then holding the puppy up close to her face she said, “Mom, he loves me. I heard the sighs of his heart.”

“For to him that is joined to all the living there is hope: for a living dog is better than a dead lion.” - Ecclesiastes 9:4 

The Master

Author: Unknown

A sick man turned to his doctor, as he was leaving the room after paying a visit, and said, “Doctor, I am afraid to die.  Tell me what lies on the other side.”

Very quietly the doctor said, “I don’t know.”

“You don’t know?  You, a Christian man, do not know what is on the other side?”

The doctor was holding the handle of the door; from the other side came a sound of scratching and whining, and as he opened the door a dog sprang into the room and leaped on him with an eager show of gladness.

Turning to the patient, the doctor said, “Did you notice my dog? He’s never been in this room before.  He didn’t know what was inside. He knew nothing except that his master was here, and when the door opened he sprang in without fear.

“I know little of what is on the other side of death, but I do know one thing: I know my Master is there, and that is enough.

“And when the door opens, I shall pass through with no fear, but with gladness.”

“And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass.” - Revelation 21:21 

A Father's Blessing

by Dick Innes

“Joseph said to his father, "They are my sons, whom God has given me in this place." And he said, "Please bring them to me, and I will bless them" (Genesis 48:9, NIV).

Working with people in support groups over a number of years it amazed me how many participants—both men and women—had a father issue. That is, they felt that their father was never or rarely involved in their life either physically and/or emotionally when they were a child and/or a teenager. All of these people have a deep father wound because they never received their father’s affirmation or blessing.

Popular author and psychologist, Gary Smalley, lists some key answers received after asking one hundred people how they knew that they had received their father’s blessing. Following are some of the answers he received:

1. "My father would put his arm around me at church and let me lay my head on his shoulder."

2. "When my father was facing being transferred at work, he purposely took another job so that I could finish my senior year in high school at the same school."

3. "When I wrecked my parent's car, my father's first reaction was to hug me and let me cry instead of yelling at me."

4. "When I was thirteen, my dad trusted me to use his favorite hunting rifle when I was invited to go hunting with a friend and his father.

5. "My father went with me when I had to take back an ugly dress a saleswoman had talked me into buying."

6. "My father would let me practice pitching to him for a long time when he got home from work."

7. "Even though I had never seen him cry before, my father cried during my wedding because he was going to miss me no longer being at home."

For those of us who have had or still have an unresolved father issue we know the pain of missing out on our father’s blessing. For fathers of children/teens who are reading this article, I trust you will realize the crucial role you play in the emotional and spiritual development of your children. With your blessing they have a much greater chance of having a fulfilling life and a healthy marriage and family life. Without your blessing they may, like millions of others, spend the rest of their life seeking love in all the wrong ways and places albeit in an unconscious and desperate attempt to fill the empty place in their heart caused by a lack of their father’s blessing and their subsequent father wound.

Suggested prayer (if you have a father wound): “Dear God, thank you for helping me to see that I never received my father’s blessing. Please lead me to the help I need for the healing and recovery of my father wound. (If you are a father):  Please help me to be the father my children need so they will know without a shadow of a doubt that they have my full blessing. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus’ name, amen.”

“A father of the fatherless, and a judge of the widows, is God in his holy habitation.” - Psalm 68:5

Last Altar Call

Author: Connie Sue Jones

The small child listened quietly as the preacher began to give his last altar call. He watched as no one moved ... no one seemed to need a prayer at all. No one needed forgiveness of their lives of sin. Everyone seemed pleased with the way their lives had been.

The child realized that even though he didn't quite understand, he believed in Jesus, and down the aisle he ran! He fell to his knees and began to pray. As the preacher knelt by his side, he heard the small child say, “Jesus, I know You know who I am, but in case You've forgotten, my name is Sam. I'm the one who won't play with my friends, just because their good toys to me they won't lend.

“I'm the one, Jesus, who always wants their own way, and I won't even listen to what others have to say. And I'm the one that never does my part, even when I know what I'm supposed to do down deep in my heart.

“And I guess, Jesus, I'm the one that never does anything unless it's half-done."

“And I know You saw what I did the other day ... I got awful mad and pushed a little boy out of my way!

“But Jesus, I just want You to know, I'm sorry for all the bad things I do. And I want to try to do better, so maybe You can love me and forgive me, too. I want to grow up to be like these people here today, for they must never do anything wrong or I guess you'd be hearing them all say, “'Forgive me too, Jesus, and help me to be more like You instead of more like me!'"

The preacher stood up, with tears in his eyes, the congregation too had begun to cry. For this small humble child had taught them that day, the true meaning of faith and just how they should pray. They knew in their hearts just how satisfied they had become; when down the aisle this small child did run.
“But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousness are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.” - Isaiah 64:6