Spiritual Thoughts

I do not allow myself to stay angry at someone because that would be giving them free rent in my head. Unknown Proverbs 16:32 Better a patient man than a warrior, a man who controls his temper than one who takes a city.

If I have any possessions I refuse to part with, I don't own them; they own me. Keith Jesperson Philippians 3:7-9 But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. But indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him.

Psalm 33:4-5 For the word of the LORD is upright, And all His work is done in faithfulness. He loves righteousness and justice; The earth is full of the loving-kindness of the LORD. I have always heard that there are two sides to every story. This adage holds true as I look upon the world that we live in. In the light of the current world events, many have developed a grim perspective of our society and our world. Many times the news media presents current events in such a way that there will seem to be no hope. David reminds us in verse 5 that the earth is FULL of the goodness of the Lord. Although the news media may show us the dark side of the story, man's point of view, there is another side of the story. God is still in control. He provides wonderful rays of hope in every sunset and through every rainbow. Yes, there are two sides to every story. Which side do you choose to believe? (from "My Daily Psalms")

A quarrel is like buttermilk, the more you stir it, the more sour it grows. -- Bolivian Proverb Words can't break bones, but they can break hearts. -- Roadside Church Signs Across America Psalms 37:8 Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret - it leads only to evil.

The height of your accomplishments will equal the depth of your convictions.-- William F. Scolavino If you keep saying in your head you want to do something, and you really believe in it, you will do it. Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.

Kindness is for all times in all situations - not just when it suits you. Audray Landrum 2 Timothy 2:24 And the Lord's servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful.

Psalm 16:11 You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore. Each of us are on a journey. A journey through life. This life is a wilderness, through which we all must travel. On the other side of the wilderness there are two kingdoms - one of joy and eternal happiness, and one of total death, nothingness, and oblivion. Are you willing to face this wilderness alone? Are you willing to take a chance on your own knowledge along the path? This verse promises us that we can trust God to guide us down the true path of life. While we are on that path, we are promised fullness of joy. At the end of the path, when we reach the Kingdom of God, according to His will, we are promised eternal happiness.

It is a great deal easier to do that which God gives us to do, no matter how hard it is, than to face the responsibilities of not doing it. James R. Miller Matthew 5:33-37 "Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, 'Do not break your oath, but keep the oaths you have made to the Lord.' But I tell you, Do not swear at all: either by heaven, for it is God's throne; or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. Simply let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No'....

Lord, give me faith to live from day to day; With tranquil heart to do my simple part, And, with my hand in Thine, just go Thy way. Lord, give me faith to trust, if not to know; With quiet mind in all things Thee to find, And, childlike, go where Thou wouldst have me go. John Oxenham

He who has a why to live for can bear almost any how. Friedrich Nietzsche Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

Love has nothing to do with what you are expecting to get . . . Only with what you are expected to give. . . . Which is everything. Katharine Hepburn 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Cease to struggle and you cease to live. -- Chinese Proverb Life is an onion. You peel it off one layer at a time, and sometimes you cry. -- Carl Sandburg Ephesians 6:11-13 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

If you have made mistakes...there is always another chance for you...you may have a fresh start any moment you choose, for this thing we call "failure" is not the falling down, but the staying down. Mary Pickford (1893-1979) 2 Peter 1:5-7 Make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love.

HAVE FAITH I don't know how one navigates this thing called life without having abiding faith in something. Tavis Smiley To me faith means not worrying. John Dewey (1859-1952) Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.

"When faithfulness is most difficult, it is most necessary." - Anonymous 1 John 5:4 For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world - our faith .

Goals: I won't worry about what is, I won't worry about what isn't, I won't worry about what was, and I won't worry about what might be. (That about takes care of it). All because God is in control! Romans 8:28: And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.

"The function of prayer is not to influence God, but rather to change the nature of the one who prays." -- Soren Kierkegaard Philippians 4:6-7 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Psalms 37:16 -18 A little that a righteous man has Is better than the riches of many wicked. For the arms of the wicked shall be broken, But the LORD upholds the righteous. The LORD knows the days of the upright, And their inheritance shall be forever. This scripture reminds us not to store up our treasures here on this earth. We need to build up our spiritual treasures in God. So many people today are giving up their eternal happiness in exchange for temporary pleasures. What would you have to exchange just to have that new sports car, new home, extra income, or new lifestyle that you desire? David reminds us that it's better to have just a "little" here now than to forfeit our eternal inheritance in God's Kingdom on earth in the future.

Love is a force more formidable than any other. It is invisible - it cannot be seen or measured, yet it is powerful enough to transform you in a moment, and offer you more joy than any material possession could. Barbara De Angelis 1 John 4:10-11 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

Wherever you go, go with all your heart. - Confucius Enthusiasm is caught, not taught! The worst bankrupt is the man who has lost his enthusiasm. Let a man lose everything in the world but his enthusiasm and he will come through again to success. - H.W. Arnold 2 Peter 1:10 Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall...

Psalm 51:10,12 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit. How is your mood today? Joyful? Angry? Happy? Sad? Irritable? Our mood has a great impact upon our lives and upon the lives of people around us. Your witness can be destroyed because of your mood. Within every situation, you have a choice as to how you act. With every situation, you can choose your reaction, which will dictate your mood for hours to come. Act, don't re-act. David asked God to renew a "right" spirit within him. With God's help, David was able to restore the "joy" of having a relationship with God, and have a better attitude about things going on around him, because of that relationship. If your day has started wrong or if you're in a bad mood today then take a moment to ask God to "renew a right spirit" within you. Take the time to praise Him and recognize Him in...

You have probably heard this in various formats, but the lesson from this story still applies - what do you bring to your daily table of life? A young woman was complaining to here father how difficult her life had become. He said nothing, but took her to the kitchen and set three pans of water to boiling. To the first pan, he added carrots; to the second, eggs; and to the third, ground coffee. After all three had cooked, he put their contents into separate bowls and asked his daughter to cut into the eggs and carrots and smell the coffee. “What does this all mean?” she asked impatiently. “Each food,” he said, “teaches us something about facing adversity, as represented by the boiling water. The carrot went in hard but came out soft and weak. The eggs went in fragile but came out hardened. The coffee, however, changed the water to something better. “Which will you be like as you face life?” he asked. Will you give up, become hard – or transform adversity into triumph? As the ...