Spiritual Thoughts

T oday, fear again grips America and the world - in public and in private. Remember FDR's words, and focus with courage on the job at hand - the job of living joyfully regardless of external circumstances. Franklin D. Roosevelt said: The only thing we have to fear is fear itself. ~ Anonymous BUT the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So do not fear , you are more valuable than many sparrows. ~ Matthew 10:30-31

W hen you arise in the morning, think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive - to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love. ~ Marcus Aurelius     L ook on our Lord's patience as the opportunity he is giving you to be saved. ~ 2 Peter 3:5 (GNB)

Friday Tale - The Bumblebee D id you know that according to a theory of aerodynamics that the bumblebee should be unable to fly? The bumblebee's size, weight, and shape of its body, in relationship to its total wing span, flying is technically impossible. The bumblebee, being ignorant of the technical theory, goes on and flies anyway and makes honey every day. You and I need to take a few lessons from the bumblebee. First of all, if the bumblebee were to look at its size, it would say My body is too big for my wings, for that reason I am not able to fly. If it looked at its weight, it would say, I'm too heavy, it is impossible for my wings to create enough lift for me to do the job I was created to do. If it looked at the contour of its body it would say Forget it, it is scientifically impossible for me to do this. My friend, the bumblebee is totally unaware of the impossibilities that say it can't do what it does, day after day. It goes against all the...

Al though the world is full of suffering, it is also full of the overcoming of it. ~ Helen Keller F or whoever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world - our faith. Who is the one who overcomes the world, BUT he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? ~ 1 John 5:4-5

What molting time is to the birds,  so adversity or misfortune is to us humans.  ~ Vincent van Gogh When things are going well for you,  be glad, and when trouble comes,  just remember: God sends both happiness  and trouble; you never know what  is going to happen next.  ~ Ecclesiastes 7:14 (GNB)

D id I offer peace today? Did I bring a smile to someone's face? Did I say words of healing? Did I let go of my anger and resentment? Did I forgive? These are the real questions. I must trust that the little bit of love I sow now will bear many fruits, here in this world, and the life to come. ~ Henri Nouwen BUT the fruit of the spirit is love, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control, against such things there is no law. ~ Galatians 5:22-23

D iscipline comes through self-control. If you do not conquer self, you will be conquered by self. ~ Napoleon Hill E veryone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, BUT we an imperishable crown. ~ 1 Corinthians 9:25

Friday Tale - Excellence A n excellent life is the sum of many excellent moments! Within a day, strive for an excellent hour. Within a month, strive for an excellent day. Within that year, strive for an excellent month. To have an excellent life, strive for an excellent year. You are what you think, so control your inputs! ~ From Positive People e-newsletter T his I pray that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment, so that you may prove the things that are excellent , in order to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ. ~ Philippians 1:9-10 

A t the end of each day, you should  play back the tapes of your performance. The results should either applaud or prod you. ~ Jim Rohn W hen I remember You on my bed, I meditate on You in the night watches, for You have been my help, and in the shadow of Your wings I sing for joy. ~ Psalm 63:6-7

T o think bad thoughts is really the easiest thing in the world. If you leave your mind to itself, it will spiral down into ever-increasing unhappiness. To think good thoughts, however, requires effort.  This is one of the  things that discipline - training - is about. ~ James Clavell F or those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh; BUT those who are according to the spirit, the things of the spirit..... for the mind set on the spirit is life and peace. ~ Romans 8:5-6

L aughter is the sun that drives the winter from the human face. ~ Anonymous T hen our mouth was filled with laughter and our tongue with joyful shouting; then they said among the nations,  "The LORD has done great things for them." ~ Psalm 126:2

W e should every night call ourselves to an account: What infirmity have I mastered today? What passions opposed! What temptation resisted? What virtue acquired? ~ Mracus Annaeus Seneca W ho shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? NO, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. ~ Romans 8:35, 37 

Friday Tale - Who Am I? I am your constant companion. I am your greatest asset or heaviest burden. I will push you up to success or down to disappointment. I am at your command. Half the things you do might just as well be turned over to me. For I can do them quickly, correctly and profitably. I am easily managed; just be firm with me. Those who are great, I have made great. Those who are failures, I have made failures. I am not a machine, though I work with the precision of a machine and the intelligence of a person. You can run me for profit, or you can run me for ruin. Show me how you want it done. Educate me. Train me. Lead me. Reward me. And I will then…do it automatically. I am your servant. Who am I? I am a habit . ~ unknown S o get rid of every filthy habit and all wicked conduct. Submit to God and accept the word that He plants in your hearts, which is able to save you. ~ James 1:21

I f you don't think every day is a good day, just try missing one. ~ Cavett Robert I t is good to be able to enjoy the  pleasant light of day. For you have delivered me from death, yes, my feet from falling, that I may walk before God in the light of life. ~ Ecclesiastes 11:7 with Psalms 56:13

P ower is the ability to do good things for others. ~ Brooke Astor B eloved, do not imitate what is evil, BUT what is good. The one who does good is of God. ~ 1 John, verse 11

A man can no more diminish God's glory by refusing to worship Him, than a lunatic can put out the sun by scribbling the word "darkness" on the walls of his cell. ~ C.S. Lewis F or the earth will be filled with  the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea. ~ Habakkuk 2:14 

T hey who give have all things; they who withhold have nothing. ~ Hindu Proverb G ive instruction to a wise man and he will be still wiser, teach a righteous man and he will increase his learning. ~ Proverbs 9:9

Friday Tale - Because K eep your Thoughts Positive. Because your Thoughts become your Words.          Keep your Words Positive. Because your Words become your Behavior.          Keep your Behavior Positive. Because your Behavior, becomes your Habit.          Keep your Habits Positive. Because your Habits become your Values.          Keep your Values Positive. Because your Values become your Destiny. ~ Unknown Every thought is a seed. If you plant crab apples, don't count on harvesting Golden Delicious. ~ Bill Meyer Y ou keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You. ~ Isaiah 26:3

R est in this - it is His business to lead, command, impel, send, call... it is your business to obey, follow, move, respond..... ~ Jim Elliott A nd he said to them, "Follow me, and..... I will make you fishers of men". ~ Matthew 4:19

W e have to pray with our eyes on God, not on the difficulties. ~ Oswald Chambers A nd whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith. ~ Matthew 21:22

W e cannot change our past. We cannot change the fact that people act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude. ~ Charles Swindoll BUT he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong. ~ 2 Corinthians 12:9-10

D o one thing at a time and do that one thing as if your life depended upon it. ~ Eugene Grace W hatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you  will receive the inheritance as   your reward.  You are serving the Lord Christ. ~ Colossians 3:23-24