Spiritual Thoughts

"Time is free, but it's priceless.           You can't own it, but you can use it. You can't keep it, but you can spend it.          Once you've lost it you can never get it back." - Harvey MacKay Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while    and then vanishes away. Instead, you ought to say,       "If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that." James 4:14-15

The Paradoxical Commandments (5) You see, in the final analysis, it is between you and God It was never between you and them anyway. The Paradoxical Commandments (the whole poem) People are often unreasonable, illogical and self-centered. Forgive them anyway. If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish ulterior motives. Be kind anyway. If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies. Succeed anyway. If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you. Be honest and frank anyway. What you spend years building someone could destroy overnight. Build anyway. And if you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous, Be happy anyway The good you do today people will often forget tomorrow. Do good anyway. Give the world the best you have; it may never be enough; Give the world the best you have anyway. You see, in the final analysis, it is between you and God, It was never between you and them anyway. © Copyright Kent M. Keith 1968

The Paradoxical Commandments (4) The good you do today people will often forget tomorrow.           Do good anyway. Give the world the best you have; it may never be enough; Give the world the best you have anyway. (concluded tomorrow) Beloved, do not imitate evil but imitate good.           He who does good is of God… 3 John 1:11

The Paradoxical Commandments (3) What you spend years building someone could destroy overnight. Build anyway. And if you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous, Be happy anyway. (continued tomorrow) Therefore encourage one another and       build one another up, just as you are doing. 1 Thessalonians 5:11

The Paradoxical Commandments (2) If you are successful, you will win some false friends            and some true enemies. Succeed anyway. If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you.           Be honest and frank anyway. (continued tomorrow) And as for that in the good soil,          they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and             bring forth fruit with patience. Luke 8:15

The Paradoxical Commandments (1) People are often unreasonable, illogical and self-centered. Forgive them anyway. If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish ulterior motives. Be kind anyway. (continued tomorrow) Then Peter came up and said to him, "Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?" Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you seven times, but seventy times seven." Matthew 18:21-22

What we call the beginning is often the end.        And to make an end is to make a beginning. The end is where we start from. - T.S. Eliot We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death          in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father,            we too may live a new life. Romans 6:4

Kindness is the evidence of greatness. If anyone is glad that you are here, then you have not lived in vain. Charles Fenno Hoffman (1806-1884) But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience,              kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Galatians 5:22-23

"The world is full of poetry. The air is living ….. the waves dance to the music of its melodies, and sparkle in its brightness." – Percival Sing to the LORD with thanksgiving;     make music to our God on the harp. He covers the sky with clouds;     He supplies the earth with rain and makes grass grow on the hills. Psalm 147:7-8

The next time it begins to rain...       lie down on your belly, nestle your chin into the grass, and get a frog's-eye view of how raindrops fall... The sight of hundreds of blades of grass bowing down        and popping back up like piano keys strikes me as one of the merriest sights in the world." - Malcolm Margolin God performs wonders that cannot be fathomed,         miracles that cannot be counted. He bestows rain on the earth;        He sends water upon the countryside. Job 5:9-10

If you don't know where you're going,     it doesn't matter if your alarm doesn't go off in the morning. - Denis Waitley I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness,     which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing. Philippians 3:14 And 2 Timothy 4:8

When God allows extraordinary trials,     He gives extraordinary comfort. Unknown Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,          the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction… 2 Corinthians 1:3

Nothing is ever lost by courtesy. It is the cheapest of pleasures, costs nothing, and conveys much. - Erastus Wiman Remind them to be ….. to speak evil of no one,         to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all men. Titus 3:1-2

When things overwhelm me, I remind myself: I am here: By God's appointment      In God's keeping Under His training      For His time. A short way to say: God brought me here. It is by His will I am in this place and in that I will rest. Next, He keeps me in His love and gives me opportunity in this circumstance to behave as His child. Then He will make this a blessing, teaching me the lessons He means me to learn. Last, in his good time He can bring me out again. How and when, only He knows. Sue Smith And we know that all things work together for good         to those who love God, to those who are invited according to His purpose.        Romans 8:28

Think less of the power of things over you and          more of the power of Christ in you. Unknown But we preach Christ crucified:         a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks,          Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 1 Corinthians 1:23-24

God is more concerned about your response to a problem than He is about removing it. Unknown Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God. Psalm 42:5; 11; 43:5

Zero’s to remember GOOD - GOD 0 nothing is left NO Jesus                      KNOW Jesus NO peace                     KNOW Peace Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. John 17:3

God gets his best soldiers from      the highlands of affliction. Unknown It is good for me that I was afflicted,        that I may learn Your statutes. Psalm 119:71

True love begins when nothing is looked for in return. ~Antoine De Saint-Exupery Love bears all things,      believes all things, hopes all things,      endures all things. Love never fails. 1 Corinthians 13:7-8

Stumbling blocks are but our stepping stones to glory Unknown But He knows the way I take; When He has tried me, I shall come forth as gold. Job 23:10