Spiritual Thoughts

  T he smallest actual good is better than the most magnificent promise of impossibilities. ~ Thomas B. Macaulay B ut love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for He Himself is kind to the ungrateful and evil. ~ Luke 6:35

  T he people who make a difference are not the ones with the credentials,  BUT the onces with the concern. ~ Max Lucado B ut a Samaritan,  who was on a journey, came upon him; and when he saw him, he felt compassion, and came to him and bandaged up his wounds, pouring oil and wine on them; and he put him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn and took care of him. On the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper and said, 'Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I return I will repay you.' ~ Luke 10:33

  Friday Tale ~ Despair to Hope W hen you find yourself cocooned in isolation and despair and cannot find your way out of the darkness, remember that this is similar to the place where caterpillars go to grow their wings. Expect to have hope rekindled. Expect your prayers to be answered in wondrous ways. The dry seasons in life do not last. The spring rains will come again.    In Psalm 42 we find David questioning unhappiness in his life. He feels that God has "cast him off". God had brought him through so many tough times and has caused him to rejoice in the middle of many terrible tragedies, yet now, he's discouraged and depressed and is questioning the reasons for it.   David recognizes that the answer is, prayer (verse 3) and praise (verse 4). In verse 5 he responds back to his discouragement, "Why are thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me?  HOPE IN GOD " (faith).   Are you feeling down and discouraged today? All it takes...

  T he best portion of a good man's life are  the little, nameless, unremembered acts of kindness and love. ~ William Wordsworth S ow with a view to righteousness, , reap in accordance with  kindness , break up your fallow ground, For it is time to seek the LORD until He comes to rain righteousness on you. ~ Hosea 10:22

  T he greatest things ever done on earth have been done little by little. ~ Thomas Guthrie A nd Jesus said to him, "Well done, good servant! Because you have been faithful in a very little, you shall have authority over ten cities!" ~ Luke 19:17

  O ut of suffering have emerged the strongest souls; the most massive characters are seared with scars. ~ H. Chapin I n this you greately rejoice, even thought now for a little while,  if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials,   so that  the proof of your faith, .... tested by fire,  may be found to  result  in praise and glory and  honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. ~ 1 Peter 1:6-7

  D eceision is the spark that ignites action. Until a decision is made,  nothing happens. ~ Wilfred A. Peterson T he reverent and worshipful fear of the Lord is the beginning and the principal and  choice  part of knowledge. ~ Proverbs 1:7 (Amplified)

  Friday Tale ~ Look UP! THE BUZZARD     If you put a buzzard in a pen that is 6 feet by 8 feet and is entirely open at the top, the bird, in spite of its ability to fly, will be an absolute prisoner. The reason is that a buzzard always begins a flight from the ground with a run of 10 to 12 feet. Without space to run, as is its habit, it will not even attempt to fly, but will remain a prisoner for life in a small jail with no top.    THE BAT      The ordinary bat that flies around at night, a remarkable nimble creature in the air, cannot take off from a level place. If it is placed on the floor or flat ground, all it can do is shuffle about helplessly and, no doubt, painfully, until it reaches some slight elevation from which it can throw itself into the air. Then, at once, it takes off like a flash.    THE BUMBLEBEE      A bumblebee, if dropped into an open tumbler, will be there until it die...

  W hat counts is not the number of hours you put in,  BUT how much you put into the hours. ~ Unknown S o teach us to number our days, so that  we may present to You a heart of wisdom. ~ Psalm 90:12

  H e is a man of sense who does not grieve for what he has not, BUT rejoices in what he has. ~ Epictetus F or we have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it either. If we have food and covering, with these we shall be content. ~ 1 Timothy 6:7-8

  N ormal day, let be aware of the treasure you are.... Let me not pas syou by in quest of some rare and perfect tomorrow. One day I shall dig my nails into the earth, or bury my face in my pillow, or stretch myself taut, or riase my hands to the skay, and want, more than all the world, your return. ~ Mary Jean Iron T his is the LORD's doing; it is marvelous in our eyes. This is the day which the LORD has made, Let us rejoice and be glad in it. ~ Psalm 118:23-24

  T reat people as if they were what they ought to be and you will help them become what they are capable of becoming. ~ Johann Wolfgang von Goethe S how respect for all men (treat them honorably). Love the brotherhood. Reverence God. Honor the king. ~ 1 Peter 2:17 (Amplified)

  Friday Tale ~ Mary's Sacrifice A nd  the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God. For nothing will be impossible with God.” And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.  (Luke 1:35-37 ESV)   Mary was a young woman ready to get married to Joseph. Her life was all planned out until she was greeted by an angel to inform her she would birth the Messiah her people had long-awaited. Mary wasn’t sure how it would happen, but she had to have known that this birth would change everything.   She was willing to sacrifice her plans, convenience, and even her reputation. Just imagine what others thought of her for becoming pregnant before she was married to Joseph. Even Joseph was going to call off their marriage until an angel came to him in a dream.   ...