Spiritual Thoughts

He who is afraid to ask is ashamed of learning. -- Danish Proverb He who never made a mistake never made a discovery. -- Samuel Smiles Ask , and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. Matthew 7:7-8

Hugging has no unpleasant side effects and is all natural. There are no batteries to replace, it's inflation-proof and non-fattening with no monthly payments. It's non-taxable, non-polluting, and is, of course, fully refundable. Author Unknown Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you. Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; Ephesians 4:32 to 5:1

Marriage will call forth from you more forgiveness than you ever thought you were capable of giving.” David Sande When we forgive each other, we model the forgiveness that God gives us through Christ. As Ephesians 4:32 tells us, “Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you .”

PARENTING 101 Who of us is mature enough for offspring before the offspring themselves arrive? The value of marriage is not that adults produce children but that children produce adults. Peter de Vries Behold, children are a gift of the LORD, The fruit of the womb is a reward. Psalm 127:3

Marriage (and any other commitment!) “Anything you hope will last a lifetime needs regular maintenance.” Unknown However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband. Ephesians 5:33 .

Belief in the Resurrection is not an appendage to the Christian faith; it is the Christian faith. John S. Whale Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen: And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. 1Corinthians 15:12-14

Live as though Christ died yesterday, rose from the grave today, and is coming back tomorrow. -Theodore Epp The God of our fathers raised up Jesus whom you murdered by hanging on a tree. Him God has exalted to His right hand to be Prince and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. Acts 5:30-31 You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand . James 5:8 And behold, I am coming quickly , and My reward is with Me, to give to each one according to his work. Revelation 22:12

A hypocrite is a fellow who isn't himself on Sundays. -Anonymous Therefore, laying aside all malice, all guile, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious. 1 Peter 2:1-3

The invariable mark of wisdom is seeing the miraculous in the common. Walt Emerson O LORD, how manifold are Your works! In wisdom You have made them all. The earth is full of Your possessions - This great and wide sea, In which are innumerable teeming things, Living things both small and great. Psalm 104:24-25

The greatest gift is a portion of yourself. Unknown For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23

Prayer is NOT overcoming God’s reluctance, But beseeching His willingness Nigel Patterson But as for me, my prayer is to You, O LORD, in the acceptable time; O God, in the multitude of Your mercy, Hear me in the truth of Your salvation. Psalm 69:13

"Service to the Living Lord begins in the heart and is expressed through the hands and feet." --unknown Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also. James 2:22, 26

"Anger is often merely evidence of insecurity in life." - Chip Ingram This too is a grievous evil: As a man comes, so he departs, and what does he gain, since he toils for the wind? All his days he eats in darkness, with great frustration, affliction and anger. Ecclesiastes 5:16-17 NOTE: Anger is not ALWAYS evidence of insecurity, just at times!

" Anger is only one letter short of danger." - Unknown For as churning the milk produces butter, and as twisting the nose produces blood, so stirring up anger produces strife." Proverbs 30:33

“Wondrous is the strength of cheerfulness, and its power of endurance— the cheerful man will do more in the same time, will do it better, will persevere in it longer, than the sad or sullen.” - Thomas Carlyle Go your way….. neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the LORD is your strength. And all the people went their way to eat, and to drink, and to send portions, and to celebrate with great joy, because they had understood the words that were declared unto them. Nehemiah 8:10, 12

Worry is the darkroom in which 'negatives' are developed." - Unknown Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. Matthew 6:34

Troubles are often the tools by which God fashions us for better things. Henry Ward Beecher This poor man called, and the LORD heard him; he saved him out of all his troubles. The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them. Psalm 34:6-7

Habits are first cobwebs, then cables. -- Spanish Proverb A bad habit never disappears miraculously; it's an undo-it-yourself project. -- Abigail Van Buren Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another – and all the more as you see the Day approaching. Hebrews 10:25

You don't have to blow out the other fellow's light to let your own shine. Bernard M. Baruch You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:14-16

Envy is the art of counting the other fellow's blessings instead of your own. Harold Coffin Resentment kills a fool, and envy slays the simple. Job 5:2 A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones. Proverbs 14:30

We fear man so much because we fear God so little. Author unknown There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love. 1 John 4:18 In the fear of the LORD there is strong confidence, And His children will have a place of refuge. The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, To turn one away from the snares of death. Proverbs 14:26-27

I have not ceased being fearful, but I have ceased to let fear control me. Erica Jong Strengthen the feeble hands, steady the knees that give way; say to those with fearful hearts, "Be strong, do not fear; your God will come, he will come with vengeance; with divine retribution he will come to save you." Isaiah 35:3-4