Spiritual Thoughts

W hen we walk to the edge of all the light we have and take the step into the darkness of the unknown, we must believe that one of two things will happen.  There will be something solid for us to stand on or we will be taught to fly. ~ Patrick Overton   M y defense and shield depend on God, who saves the upright in heart. ~ Psalm 7:10 (Amp.)

Friday Tale - HOPING   BUT I will keep on hoping for your help; I will praise you more and more. ~ Psalm 71:14   Psalm 71 is a prayer for deliverance offered by an unnamed poet who has repeatedly experienced God’s help throughout his long life. Now he needs the Lord to protect and save him once again.   In verse 14 this psalmist writes, “But I will keep on hoping for your help; I will praise you more and more.” The verb translated here as “to hope” has a basic sense of “to wait.” It implies an extended time of looking to God and God alone for deliverance. The second line of verse 14 literally translates, “I will add on to all of your praise.” The NLT’s “I will praise you more and more” captures the sense of the original.   Notice closely the relationship between hope and praise in this verse. The psalmist does not say, “I will praise you more and more after you answer my prayers, when my hope is fulfilled,” though this would surely be true.  Rather, his g...

I will my light of love and hope into the darkness of negativity. ~ Jonathan L. Huie   BUT since we are of the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, the HOPE of salvation. For God has destined us for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. ~ 1 Thessalonians 5:8-9

G od's voice is still and quiet and easily buried under an avalanche of clamor. Stand still and listen. ~ Charles Stanley W hen you are in distress and all these things happen to you, in the latter days you will return to the LORD your God and listen to His voice. ~ Deuteronomy 4:30

  T he best way to not feel hope-less, is to get up and do something. Don't wait for good things to happen to you. If you go out and make some good things happen, you will fill the world with HOPE, you will fill yourself with HOPE. ~ Barak Obama   T herefore, prepare your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, set your HOPE completely on the grace to be brought to you at the appearing of Jesus Christ. ~ 1 Peter 1:13

W hen we are going through our darkest days, HOPE is the little ray of light that reminds us there are brighter times ahead.  Hard times are not permanent, and holding on to HOPE that this too shall pass, is what gives us strength to get through them. ~ Mignon McLaughlin   'F or I know the plans that I have for you,' declares the LORD, 'plans for prosperity and not for disaster,    to give you a future and a HOPE.' ~ Jeremiah 29:11

  Friday Tale - Homeless Movies   T here is a good movie playing down-town. How about let's taking in a movie tonight?" asked my wife. "I guess so." I told her.  I really did not like going to the movie theater. It was located right on the edge of a very seedy part of town. When we arrived we parked the car and started the block or so walk to the Florida Theater.   "Can you spare a dollar?" or "Can you spare some change" asked almost every person that we passed. Most people coming to this part of town to the movies had already learned that it was best not to speak and to just keep on walking. As we rounded the last corner I saw a gentleman sitting on the sidewalk, his back to the building. Next to him was a large duffle bag.   He was very unclean and unshaven. Around his eyes were very dark circles. It appeared as though he had not washed his face for quite a long time. His clothes were old and worn and there was very little doubt that the...

  F aith and trust are not just feelings. They are a choice to trust God even when the road ahead seems uncertain. ~ Unknown   T rust in God at all times, you people. Pour out your hearts before Him; God is a refuge for us. ~ Psalm 62:8

M y unknown future is in the hands of the all-knowing and all powerful God. ~ Unknown   T he LORD is for me, I will not fear. What can man do to me? It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in people. ~ Psalm 118:6, 8

D o what you can and do it well. Accept the rest with calmness, and trust in God. No one can ever do more than that. ~ Jonathan L. Huie   W henever I am afraid, I trust in You. ~ Psalm 58:3

H ope is being able to see that there is light despite all of the darkness. ~ Desmond Tutu   I wait for the LORD, my life waits, and I wait for His word. My life waits in hope for the Lord. ~ Psalm 130:5-6

  Friday Tale - Criticism Challenge   W hy do we have to criticize all the time? When we think about it, we are actually happy with most things that happen in our lives, BUT when we open our mouths and speak, we choose to focus on the things we disagree with or are critical about.   Jesus commented about the people of his generation and their criticism. He said, “For John the Baptist has come eating no bread and drinking no wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon.’ The Son of man has come eating and drinking and you say, ‘Look at him! A glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet wisdom is justified by her children.” (Luke 7 v 33 – 35 ESV).   They criticized John the Baptist, and they criticized Jesus, even though they both behaved different ways from each other. There was plenty to admire about both of them, BUT they focused on the negative.   Let us take a challenge to spend a week saying nothing negative. No criticism. Be positive,...

O ur lives are defined not by the challenges we encounter,  BUT how we respond to those challenges. ~ Jonathan Lockwood Huie   I n this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold, may be found to result in praise, glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. ~ 1 Peter 1:6-7

W e must think every event has significance and contains a message that pertains to our questions. This especially applies to what we call "bad things." The challenge is to find the silver lining in the event, no matter how negative. ~ James Redfield   F or I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed in us. ~ Romans 8:18

T he truth is that stress does not come from your boss, your kids, your spouse, traffic jams, health challenges, or other circumstances. It comes from your thoughts about your circumstances. ~ Andrew Bernstein D o not fret or have any anxiety about anything, BUT in every circumstance and in everything, by prayer and petition (definite requests), with thanksgiving, continue to make your wants known to God. ~ Philippians 4:6 (Amplified)

D ifficulties are meant to rouse, not discourage. The human heart grows strong by conflict. ~ William Ellery Channing   B lessed is one who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love him. ~ James 1:12

  Friday Tale ~ Shadows or Substance?   W e are merely moving shadows, and all our busy rushing ends in nothing. We heap up wealth, not knowing who will spend it. ~ Psalm 39:6   I n Psalm 39, David ponders the meaning of life in light of his suffering. He considers how short life can be (39:5) and how readily we fill it with emptiness. “We are merely moving shadows” in that “all our busy rushing ends in nothing” (39:6). This verse is similar to Ecclesiastes, which reflects upon the vanity of life. In fact, the word hebel , translated as “vanity” or “emptiness” and used thirty-eight times in Ecclesiastes, is the word for “nothing” in Psalm 39:6.   David points to one prime example of how our busyness leads to vanity. “We heap up wealth, not knowing who will spend it” (39:6). Though we might intend it for our offspring, we cannot be sure they will be able to use it or even if it will be there for them. It’s hard to think of a more relevant in...

B e more concerned with your character than your reputation. ~ John Wooden   A nd endurance develops maturity of character. And character of this sort produces the habit of joyful and confident hope of eternal salvation. ~ Romans 5:4

W e first make our habits, then our habits make us. ~ John Dryden   T his is what the LORD has said: "Dispense true justice and practice kindness and compassion each to his brother." ~ Zechariah 7:9

Y our inner thoughts  reveal your true character. ~ Jonathan L. Huie   F or as he things in his heart, so is he. ~ Proverbs 23:7

People do not decide their futures, they decide their habits and their habits decide their futures. ~ F.M. Alexander For Ezra had firmly resolved to study the Law of the LORD and to practice it, and to teach His statutes and ordinances in Israel. ~ Ezra 7:10