HAPPY EASTER !!!!!!
Quotes of the month
Water ain’t gonna clear up, till you get the pigs out the creek.
I Am a Texan website
We need to teach our generation that a car is not a symbol of success, and walking doesn’t mean poverty.
Nelson Mandela
Those who do not move, do not notice their chains.
Rosa Luxemburg
When Jesus said, “I am the Way,” He clearly intended to exclude all other ways, so beware lest you perish in any one of them.
Charles Spurgeon
Charles Spurgeon’s take on Paul’s epistle to the Romans
Paul was persuaded of four things. First, that God loves us. Second, that God has shown His love to us by the gift of His Son Jesus Christ. Third, His divine love comes streaming down to us because we are in Christ, and we are loved for His sake. Fourth, nothing can ever
break the bond of love between God and those who are in His Son, Christ Jesus our Lord.
Here's a thought I bet most people don’t wake up thinking…
How can I make someone else’s life better today? See, I told you. I mean, really, who thinks that? Well, maybe it’s time to put others first and you second for a change. Our thoughts are usually about me, me, me. What about your spouse, your kids, your neighbor, the grocery store clerk. It can be as simple as a smile, a thank you, holding the door open for someone, really listening to a co-worker’s concerns, your mother or father, if they are still around. But why you say; because it just feels good. It shifts the focus off you and puts it on someone else. There is this inherent (built-in) feeling of good that comes with helping others. Maybe you can donate food or money to a local food bank, or a women’s shelter. Perhaps, hard as it may be, letting someone pull in front of you when traffic is tight. Whatever. The examples are endless. Have this feeling of gratitude today for being alive. God has given you another day; do not use it entirely on yourself. I can assure you that when you were waking up this morning to take your first breath, someone else was taking their last. Kindness has a wonderful ability to become contagious – it just naturally spreads. Light always overcomes darkness – always. Be the light for someone today by letting your own light and your life shine.
by frank paul…
(Editor’s note: Not my idea, but Jesus’ words as found in Matthew 20:28, “Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give His life a ransom for many.”)
Another editor’s note: I recently re-read four of my favorite Christian books: A Testament of Devotion, written by Thomas Kelly, 1941; The Imitation of Christ, written originally in Latin by Thomas Kempis, 1492; The Practice of the Presence of God, written by Brother Lawrence, 1692; and The Mortification of Sin, written by John Owen, 1656.
Having read them before, my notes were scant during the re-reads, but worth sharing I thought, nonetheless. Words within the parentheticals are just my personal feelings about the re-read. Any and/or all these books are excellent reads for the Christian wanting to delve deeper into God’s Word.
A Testament of Devotion
The Light within, God’s presence in us.
Behold, I stand at the door and knock.
Jesus expected this secret Light
within to be freshly discovered in
everyone who would be His
followers.
There is a way of ordering our mental life on more than one level at once.
*** What years we have wasted in feeding our own insatiable self-pride, when only His will truly matters. ***
In the now we are home at last.
(Heartfelt, truly compassionate. I loved that Light within, it’s almost as if you could feel it)
The Imitation of Christ
A good life maketh a man wise toward God.
Unlearn an evil habit.
We are ready to see others made perfect, and yet we do not amend our own shortcomings.
Turn thee with all thine heart to the Lord and forsake this miserable world.
Strive manfully, endure patiently.
As long as thou liveth, thou art subject to change.
Watch and pray, saith the Lord, lest ye enter into temptation. (let the Lord unfold things as He wishes in due time – His time)
*** When thou settest thine eyes upon creatures, the face of the creator is withdrawn from thee. *** (ain’t this the truth)
Perfect victory is the triumph over oneself.
Pgs 102 – 103, the best definition of grace I have ever read.
Partake in communion, even if you must do it yourself.
(Wow, what a great read. So much contained in these words it’s almost indescribable)
The Practice of the Presence of God
We should establish ourselves in a sense of God’s presence, by continually conversing with Him.
…and I began to live as if there was none but He and I in the world.
(Beautiful read. There is so much to this book that hits home. So many wasted thoughts I have. I need to zone in on God)
The Mortification of Sin
Owen starts out by referring to Romans 8:13.
To kill outward sins we must make sure that, “The axe is laid to the root of the trees.” (Matthew 3:10). The root being our inward evil desires.
The Holy Spirit within us gives us the power to kill sin.
Be killing your sin or your sin will be killing you.
Constant warfare is needed to defeat sin.
Pgs 37 – 40 Owen takes on the Roman Catholics in a fairly blunt way.
Killing sin is constantly fighting against it.
Sin grieves the Holy Spirit.
(rough read – I am truly the worst sinner out there – ouch)
Nothing in My Hand
by Alistair Begg
“Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is everyone that hangeth on a tree: That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.” Galatians 3:13-14
As believers in Jesus, we have been delivered from the great curse of sin. The wonder of this deliverance grips us the moment we understand that this curse, which means we are guilty before God and deserve to die, has been lifted from us by Christ.
Having been saved, though, it is easy for the wonder to wear off and the grip to slacken. We can so easily live pleasant, comfortable lives that make it hard to see sin’s hold on us. We are so easily prone to believe that if we only try a little harder at our marriages, our jobs, our relationships, and our achievements, we’ll be good people, deserving of blessing. We want to be achievers, not believers. We’re constantly lured back to the false religion of self-effort.
Such was the temptation for the Galatian church. And so Paul wrote to them and essentially said, That is not the Christian message. In fact, it is its opposite! If the gospel is that Jesus came only to add something to our lives that was lacking, the curse of the law would either be of no concern or be beyond remedy. But the curse is real, and it must be dealt with. Why would we be interested in someone who died to take our place unless we first understand that we deserve the curse He bore?
We need only look at the law of Moses to see the effect of its curse (see, for instance, Exodus 20:1-17). The law reveals how we haven’t loved God with all our heart. We haven’t obeyed Him. We haven’t loved others as ourselves. We haven’t always told the truth. We’re guilty of coveting. The list goes on. When God’s Spirit convicts us and we see our shortcomings, though, we sing with the hymn writer, “Not the labor of my hands can fulfill Thy law’s demands.” We see the weight of the curse that once rested upon us and should still rest on us, and then we are able to see Christ in all His glory as our Savior, who came to lift its burden.
This is the very heart of our faith. When we look upon the cross and see how Jesus hung there, we see what He did as something both necessary and voluntary. He took His place where we ought to be. That’s grace.
If we were able to put ourselves in the right with God by our own endeavors, there would be no wonder in redemption and no beauty in the prospect of adoption. When we are tempted to look to ourselves and our works, we must remember that Christ has broken the curse. And in that wonder, we can glory. No matter how many days or years it is since you were first gripped by grace, sing anew to yourself right now:
Nothing in my hand I bring, Simply to Thy cross I cling.
(Augustus Toplady, Rock of Ages, 1776)
When you look at the Cross, you see the heart of Jesus
Freedom
Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We did not pass it on to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same.
Ronald Reagan
Adam Ausperk contributed the following
Let us get up then, at long last, for the Scriptures rouse us when they say: It is high time for us to arise from sleep (Rom 13:11). Let us open our eyes to the light that comes from God, and our ears to the voice from heaven that every day calls out this charge: If you hear his voice today, do not harden your hearts (Ps 94 [95]:8). And again: You that have ears to hear, listen to what the Spirit says to the churches (Rev 2:7). And what does he say? Come and listen to me, sons; I will teach you the fear of the Lord (Ps 33[34]:12). Run while you have the light of life, that the darkness of death may not overtake you (John 12:35).
Seeking his workman in a multitude of people, the Lord calls out to him and lifts his voice again: Is there anyone here who yearns for life and desires to see good days? (Ps 33[34]: 13) If you hear this and your answer is “I do,” God then directs these words to you: If you desire true and eternal life, keep your tongue free from vicious talk and your lips from all deceit; turn away from evil and do good; let peace be your quest and aim (Ps 33[34]: 14-15). Once you have done this, my eyes will be upon you and my ears will listen for your prayers; and even before you ask me, I will say to you: Here I am (Isa 58:9). What, dear brothers, is more delightful than this voice of the Lord calling to us? See how the Lord in his love shows us the way of life. Clothed then with faith and the performance of good works, let us set out on this way, with the Gospel for our guide, that we may deserve to see him who has called us to his kingdom (1 Thess 2:12).
If we wish to dwell in the tent of this kingdom, we will never arrive unless we run there by doing good deeds. But let us ask the Lord with the Prophet: Who will dwell in your tent, Lord; who will find rest upon your holy mountain? (Ps 14[15]:1) After this question, brothers, let us listen well to what the Lord says in reply, for he shows us the way to his tent. One who walks without blemish, he says, and is just in all his dealings, who speaks the truth from his heart and has not practiced deceit with his tongue, who has not wronged a fellowman in any way, nor listened to slanders against his neighbor (Ps 14[15]:2-3). He has foiled the evil one, the devil, at every turn, flinging both him and his promptings far from the sight of his heart. While these temptations were still young, he caught hold of them and dashed them against Christ (Ps 14[15]:4; 136[137]:9). These people fear the Lord, and do not become elated over their good deeds; they judge it is the Lord’s power, not their own, that brings about the good in them. They praise (Ps 14[15]:4) the Lord working in them, and say with the Prophet: Not to us, Lord, not to us give the glory, but to your name alone (Ps 113[115:1] :9). In just this way Paul the Apostle refused to take credit for the power of his preaching. He declared: By God’s grace I am what I am (1 Cor 15:10). And again he said: He who boasts should make his boast in the Lord (2 Cor 10:17). That is why the Lord says in the Gospel: Whoever hears these words of mine and does them is like a wise man who built his house upon rock; the floods came and the winds blew and beat against the house, but it did not fall: it was founded on rock (Matt 7:24-25).
Guys - I find nothing inaccurate at all about the above excerpt
from the Rule of Saint Benedict. I recommend practicing the above. The above is from the Prologue.
Thanks for listening.
Children’s easy read version of the Ten Commandments
1 We must worship only God
2 Nothing is to take His place
3 We must not misuse God’s name
4 The seventh day of the week is for rest and prayer
5 We must respect our mothers and fathers
6 We must not kill
7 Husbands and wives must keep their love for one another
8 No stealing
9 No lying
10 We must not be jealous of what belongs to other people
What’s new:
Remember, anytime you have an article or subject matter you would like to share with our fellow readers, forward it to me and I will get it in next month’s newsletter.
Finally warming up again. Tai chi and kung-fu classes will start soon, maybe as early as next week. I will keep an eye on the weather and let everyone know. Same schedule as last year: On Saturdays, Tai chi at 10:00 a.m., kung-fu at 11:15 a.m. I email everyone on Friday evenings to confirm classes are going forward. Still ten bucks a class, my backyard. Wednesdays sometimes, schedule permitting, just tai chi at 6:00 p.m.
Cannot wait to start training again.
Pastor Andrew Wommack’s take on the Sabbath:
The Sabbath is not a day, but rather a relationship with God through Jesus. Rest in His love and let Him use you today.
As a Reminder…
If you do not observe the Sabbath as a Sabbath, you will not see the Father.
Jesus speaking to His disciples in the Gospel of Thomas,
Nag Hammadi Scriptures
God doesn’t require us to succeed, He only requires that you try.
Mother Teresa
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