Spiritual Thoughts

A man has deprived himself of the best there is in the world who has deprived himself of the Bible. Woodrow Wilson 2 Timothy 3:16-17 All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.

For attractive lips, speak words of kindness. For lovely eyes, seek out the good in people. For a slim figure, share your food with the hungry. For beautiful hair, let a child run his or her fingers through it once a day. For poise, walk with the knowledge that you'll never walk alone. God is always there. -- Audrey Hepburn (1929-1993) Proverbs 31:28-31 Her children rise up and bless her; Her husband also, and he praises her, saying: "Many daughters have done nobly, But you excel them all." Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain, But a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised. Give her the product of her hands, And let her works praise her in the gates.

Psalm 127:1-2 Unless the LORD builds the house, They labor in vain who build it; Unless the LORD guards the city, The watchman keeps awake in vain. It is vain for you to rise up early, To retire late, To eat the bread of painful labors; For He gives to His beloved even in his sleep. This psalm was written by Solomon to give us a better perspective on the purpose of our life. In Solomon's time watchmen were kept around the city to guard it against enemy attacks. However, Solomon tells us that it is useless to put guards around the city if God is not watching over it. We spend most of our waking hours "building" and "guarding" our lives. Most of our days are spent working to make ends meet and to make our lives better. It is so easy to get so caught up in this "building" process that we begin to miss the joy of living. Solomon tells us that unless we let God build our "house" then all that we do is done in vain. It does not benefit us to worr...

God gave you the gift of 86,400 seconds today. Have you used one to say, "thank you?" William Arthur Ward Psalm 100:4 Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.

The hardest arithmetic to master is that which enables us to count our blessings. - Eric Hoffer Ephesians 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ.

I discovered that sorrow was not to be feared but rather endured with hope and expectancy that God would use it to bless my life. -Jill Briscoe Romans 5:3-5 Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts.

Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow. - Melody Beattie Colossians 3:15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful.

May there always be work for your hands to do; May your purse always hold a coin or two; May the sun always shine on your windowpane; May a rainbow be certain to follow each rain; May the hand of a friend always be near you; May God fill your heart with gladness to cheer you. Proverbs 10:22 It is the blessing of the LORD that makes rich, And He adds no sorrow to it.

Feed your faith and your doubts will starve to death. Unknown Colossians 2:6-7 So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.

With faith, there are no questions; without faith , there are no answers. Yisroel Meir Hakohen (1838-1933) Romans 10:17 Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ.

TWO WOLVES... One evening an old Cherokee told his grandson about a battle that goes on inside people. He said, "My son, the battle is between two wolves inside us all. One is Evil. It is anger, selfishness, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego. The other is Good. It is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith." The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather: "Which wolf wins?" The old Cherokee simply replied, "The one you feed." In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. Romans 6:11-12

Christ said we could move mountains if we had faith. But He didn't say we wouldn't need a shovel. -Joyce Vollmer Brown Matthew 9:22 But Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort; your faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour. She had to ACT on her faith, and come to Jesus, in order to be healed.

Fear knocked at the door. Faith opened it, and lo, there was no one there. Romans 4:20-21 Abraham staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; and being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.

T.G.I.F. Thank God it's Friday. We've all felt that way at one time or another; thankful that the weekend is here. We know T.G.I.F., but what about the OTHER six days? Have we thanked God for the OTHER six days? Psalms 95:2-3 Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song. For the LORD is the great God, the great King above all gods.

"Life's challenges are not supposed to paralyze you, they're supposed to help you discover who you are." -- Bernice Johnson Reagon James 1:2-4 Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

Trials to Triumph Suffering, trials and tribulations Are only working for our salvation. If we had no trials in life, And never had to deal with strife, Then we would be self-content, Forgetting from Whom all this good was sent. Through our tribulations we learn There is only One to whom we can turn, Who lifts us up out of trouble, Who guides us out of worldly rubble. On our heavenly Father we must rely, Give out thanks to Him on high, That through our suffering we can have salvation, If we live our lives for His glorification. Then our trials become our joyfulness, Our tribulations over come with thankfulness. (ivg)

Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off your goal. --Hannah More 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.

The thing that matters is not what you bear, but how you bear it. -Seneca 1 Peter 2:20-21 But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.

Surround yourself with only people who are going to lift you higher. Oprah Winfrey 1 Corinthians 15:33 Do not be misled: "Bad company corrupts good character." Proverbs 13:20 He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm.

Commandments for Anti-Worry! 1. Thou shall not worry, for worrying is the most unproductive of all human activities. 2. Thou shall not be afraid, for most things we fear never come to pass. 3. Thou shall not cross bridges before thou comest to them. 4. Thou shall not handle but one problem at a time, leaving the others to The Lord until their proper time. 5. Thou shall not take troubles to bed, for they make poor bedfellows. 6. Thou shall not try to carry the problems of the world on your shoulders, for only One hath a back that strong. 7. Thou shall be a good listener, for God often speaks through the mouths of others. 8. Thou shall not try to relive yesterday, for good or ill, it is gone forever. Live and rejoice in today. 9. Thou shall dismiss feelings of frustration, for they are rooted in self-pity and interfere with positive action. 10. Thou shall count thy blessings, never overlooking the smallest, for our biggest blessings are often composed of our smaller ones.

"We either make ourselves miserable, or we make ourselves strong. The amount of work is the same." -- Carlos Castaneda Psalms 31:24 Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the LORD.

Attitude depends on the way you look at things. View every problem you encounter as an opportunity. There is always a good side to every situation. The optimist sees an opportunity in every misfortune. The pessimist sees misfortune in every opportunity. The optimist sees the doughnut, the pessimist sees the hole. You can develop success from every failure. Discouragement and failure are two stepping stones to success. No other elements can do so much for you if you're willing to study them and make them work for you. When it is dark enough, you can see the stars. --Unknown Author 1 Peter 1:6-7 In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith - of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire - may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.

Do you remember the things you were worrying about a year ago? How did they work out? Didn't you waste a lot of fruitless energy on account of most of them? Didn't most of them turn out all right after all? - Dale Carnegie Philippians 4:6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

Do you remember the things you were worrying about a year ago? How did they work out? Didn't you waste a lot of fruitless energy on account of most of them? Didn't most of them turn out all right after all? - Dale Carnegie Philippians 4:6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.