Presence of Mind

From Charles Spurgeon's "Faith's Checkbook" Presence of Mind March 31 Be not afraid of sudden fear, neither of the desolation of the wicked, when it cometh. For the Lord shall be thy confidence, and shall keep thy foot from being taken. (Proverbs 3:25-26) When God is abroad in judgments, He would not have His people alarmed. He has not come forth to harm but to defend the righteous. He would have them manifest courage. We who enjoy the presence of God ought to display presence of mind. Since the Lord Himself may suddenly come, we ought not to be surprised at anything sudden. Serenity under the rush and roar of unexpected evils is a precious gift of divine love. The Lord would have His chosen display discrimination so that they may see that the desolation of the wicked is not a real calamity to the universe. Sin alone is evil; the punishment which follows thereupon is as a preserving salt to keep society from putrefying. We should be far more shocked at the sin which deserves hell than at the hell which comes out of sin. So, too, should the Lord's people exhibit great quietness of spirit. Satan and his serpent seed are full of all subtlety; but those who walk with God shall not be taken in their deceitful snares. Go on, believer in Jesus, and let the Lord be thy confidence. From the Faith's Checkbook Mobile Devotional Android app - http://www.LookingUpwardApps.com/fcb

Prayer Thanksgiving Praise

From Charles Spurgeon's "Faith's Checkbook" Prayer, Thanksgiving, Praise March 30 Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7) No care but all prayer. No anxiety but much joyful communion with God. Carry your desires to the Lord of your life, the guardian of your soul. Go to Him with two portions of prayer and one of fragrant praise. Do not pray doubtfully but thankfully. Consider that you have your petitions, and therefore thank God for His grace. He is giving you grace; give Him thanks, Hide nothing. Allow no want to lie rankling in your bosom; "make known your requests." Run not to man. Go only to your God, the Father of Jesus, who loves you in Him. This shall bring you God's own peace. You shall not be able to understand the peace which you shall enjoy. It will enfold you in its infinite embrace. Heart and mind through Christ Jesus shall be steeped in a sea of rest. Come life or death, poverty, pain, slander, you shall dwell in Jesus above every rolling wind or darkening cloud. Will you not obey this dear command? Yes, Lord, I do believe thee; but, I beseech thee, help mine unbelief. From the Faith's Checkbook Mobile Devotional Android app - http://www.LookingUpwardApps.com/fcb

God Whispers

I posted a few days about my new Facebook page.  If anyone tried to access it and found the page not found error, I apologize.  I typed in the link and found that it would not take me there.  I don’t know what went wrong but if you have Facebook, go to the home page and type in God Whispers in the search for people bar, it should take you right to the page.  Again I apologize and invite you all to visit and like my page.

The Awakening

I came to church today

Because it was expected of me.

I had rather just stay at home

And watch a little TV.

But someone called my name

Just as the sun began to rise.

I knew that it was Jesus

Even before I opened my eyes.

So I stumbled out of my bed

And dressed by habit’s force.

As the first song began to play

I walked in the church’s door.

As I sat there in my seat

As I have done for years,

The preacher’s voice went on and on

But his words did not reach my ears.

But then something happened

That was so strange it seems,

The lights began to fade away

Just like in a dream.

And then I heard a voice call out

It sounded like my name.

I looked around the crowded room

But it did not look the same.

The peoples’ faces were all aglow

With a warm and radiant light.

And then I knew what had happened-

Jesus was here tonight.

He came to where I sat

And put His hand in mine,

He gave me such a loving smile

And said, “My child, its time.”

All at once the light was gone

And the church looked as before.

But now I knew what I had to do

And why I had walked through that door.

I went up to the  preacher

With tears running down my face.

I told him that I was ready

To let Jesus have His place.

Oh, what a wonderful feeling

Came into my heart that day.

I knew that Jesus entered in

When I knelt down to pray.

A Physician Analyzes the Crucifixion

I found this on the internet and am grateful for the information in this article.  I can now see just much Jesus loved us to go through this much agony to die for our sins.

From New Wine Magazine, April 1982.
Originally published in Arizona Medicine, March 1965,
Arizona Medical Association.

A medical explanation of what Jesus endured on the day He died
by Dr. C. Truman Davis Dr. C. Truman Davis is a graduate of the University of Tennessee College of Medicine. He is a practicing ophthalmologist, a pastor, and author of a book about medicine and the Bible.

Several years ago I became interested in the physical aspects of the passion, or suffering, of Jesus Christ when I read an account of the crucifixion in Jim Bishop's book, The Day Christ Died. I suddenly realized that I had taken the crucifixion more or less for granted all these years - that I had grown callous to its horror by a too-easy familiarity with the grim details. It finally occurred to me that, as a physician, I did not even know the actual immediate cause of Christ's death. The gospel writers do not help much on this point. Since crucifixion and scourging were so common during their lifetimes, they undoubtedly considered a detailed description superfluous. For that reason we have only the concise words of the evangelists: "Pilate, having scourged Jesus, delivered Him to them to be crucified ... and they crucified Him."

Despite the gospel accounts' silence on the details of Christ's crucifixion, many have looked into this subject in the past. In my personal study of the event from a medical viewpoint, I am indebted especially to Dr. Pierre Barbet, a French surgeon who did exhaustive historical and experimental research and wrote extensively on the topic.

An attempt to examine the infinite psychic and spiritual suffering of the Incarnate1 God in atonement2 for the sins of fallen man is beyond the scope of this article. However, the physiological and anatomical aspects of our Lord's passion we can examine in some detail. What did the body of Jesus of Nazareth actually endure during those hours of torture?

Gethsemane

The physical passion of Christ began in Gethsemane. Of the many aspects of His initial suffering, the one which is of particular physiological interest is the bloody sweat. Interestingly enough, the physician, St. Luke, is the only evangelist to mention this occurrence. He says, "And being in an agony, he prayed the longer. And his sweat became as drops of blood, trickling down upon the ground" (Luke 22:44 KJV).

Every attempt imaginable has been used by modern scholars to explain away the phenomenon of bloody sweat, apparently under the mistaken impression that it simply does not occur. A great deal of effort could be saved by consulting the medical literature. Though very rare, the phenomenon of hematidrosis, or bloody sweat, is well documented. Under great emotional stress, tiny capillaries in the sweat glands can break, thus mixing blood with sweat. This process alone could have produced marked weakness and possible shock.

Although Jesus' betrayal and arrest are important portions of the passion story, the next event in the account which is significant from a medical perspective is His trial before the Sanhedrin and Caiaphas, the High Priest. Here the first physical trauma was inflicted. A soldier struck Jesus across the face for remaining silent when questioned by Caiaphas. The palace guards then blindfolded Him, mockingly taunted Him to identify them as each passed by, spat on Him, and struck Him in the face.

Before Pilate

In the early morning, battered and bruised, dehydrated, and worn out from a sleepless night, Jesus was taken across Jerusalem to the Praetorium of the Fortress Antonia, the seat of government of the Procurator of Judea, Pontius Pilate. We are familiar with Pilate's action in attempting to shift responsibility to Herod Antipas, the Tetrarch of Judea. Jesus apparently suffered no physical mistreatment at the hands of Herod and was returned to Pilate. It was then, in response to the outcry of the mob, that Pilate ordered Barabbas released and condemned Jesus to scourging and crucifixion.

Preparations for Jesus' scourging were carried out at Caesar's orders. The prisoner was stripped of His clothing and His hands tied to a post above His head. The Roman legionnaire stepped forward with the flagrum, or flagellum, in his hand. This was a short whip consisting of several heavy, leather thongs with two small balls of lead attached near the ends of each. The heavy whip was brought down with full force again and again across Jesus' shoulders, back, and legs. At first the weighted thongs cut through the skin only. Then, as the blows continued, they cut deeper into the subcutaneous tissues, producing first an oozing of blood from the capillaries and veins of the skin and finally spurting arterial bleeding from vessels in the underlying muscles.

The small balls of lead first produced large deep bruises that were broken open by subsequent blows. Finally, the skin of the back was hanging in long ribbons, and the entire area was an unrecognizable mass of torn, bleeding tissue. When it was determined by the centurion in charge that the prisoner was near death, the beating was finally stopped.

Mockery

The half-fainting Jesus was then untied and allowed to slump to the stone pavement, wet with his own blood. The Roman soldiers saw a great joke in this provincial Jew claiming to be a king. They threw a robe across His shoulders and placed a stick in His hand for a scepter. They still needed a crown to make their travesty complete. Small flexible branches covered with long thorns, commonly used for kindling fires in the charcoal braziers in the courtyard, were plaited into the shape of a crude crown. The crown was pressed into his scalp and again there was copious bleeding as the thorns pierced the very vascular tissue. After mocking Him and striking Him across the face, the soldiers took the stick from His hand and struck Him across the head, driving the thorns deeper into His scalp. Finally, they tired of their sadistic sport and tore the robe from His back. The robe had already become adherent to the clots of blood and serum in the wounds, and its removal, just as in the careless removal of a surgical bandage, caused excruciating pain. The wounds again began to bleed.

Golgotha

In deference to Jewish custom, the Romans apparently returned His garments. The heavy patibulum3 of the cross was tied across His shoulders. The procession of the condemned Christ, two thieves, and the execution detail of Roman soldiers headed by a centurion began its slow journey along the route which we know today as the Via Dolorosa.

In spite of Jesus' efforts to walk erect, the weight of the heavy wooden beam, together with the shock produced by copious loss of blood, was too much. He stumbled and fell. The rough wood of the beam gouged into the lacerated skin and muscles of the shoulders. He tried to rise, but human muscles had been pushed beyond their endurance. The centurion, anxious to proceed with the crucifixion, selected a stalwart North African onlooker, Simon of Cyrene, to carry the cross. Jesus followed, still bleeding and sweating the cold, clammy sweat of shock. The 650-yard journey from the Fortress Antonia to Golgotha was finally completed. The prisoner was again stripped of His clothing except for a loin cloth which was allowed the Jews.

The crucifixion began. Jesus was offered wine mixed with myrrh, a mild analgesic, pain-reliving mixture. He refused the drink. Simon was ordered to place the patibulum on the ground, and Jesus was quickly thrown backward, with His shoulders against the wood. The legionnaire felt for the depression at the front of the wrist. He drove a heavy, square wrought-iron nail through the wrist and deep into the wood. Quickly, he moved to the other side and repeated the action, being careful not to pull the arms too tightly, but to allow some flexion and movement. The patibulum was then lifted into place at the top of the stipes4, and the titulus5 reading "Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews" was nailed into place.

The left foot was pressed backward against the right foot. With both feet extended, toes down, a nail was driven through the arch of each, leaving the knees moderately flexed. The victim was now crucified.

On the Cross

As Jesus slowly sagged down with more weight on the nails in the wrists, excruciating, fiery pain shot along the fingers and up the arms to explode in the brain. The nails in the wrists were putting pressure on the median nerve, large nerve trunks which traverse the mid-wrist and hand. As He pushed himself upward to avoid this stretching torment, He placed His full weight on the nail through His feet. Again there was searing agony as the nail tore through the nerves between the metatarsal bones of this feet.

At this point, another phenomenon occurred. As the arms fatigued, great waves of cramps swept over the muscles, knotting them in deep relentless, throbbing pain. With these cramps came the inability to push Himself upward. Hanging by the arm, the pectoral muscles, the large muscles of the chest, were paralyzed and the intercostal muscles, the small muscles between the ribs, were unable to act. Air could be drawn into the lungs, but could not be exhaled. Jesus fought to raise Himself in order to get even one short breath. Finally, the carbon dioxide level increased in the lungs and in the blood stream, and the cramps partially subsided.

The Last Words

Spasmodically, He was able to push Himself upward to exhale and bring in life-giving oxygen. It was undoubtedly during these periods that He uttered the seven short sentences that are recorded.

The first - looking down at the Roman soldiers throwing dice6 for His seamless garment: "Father, forgive them for they do not know what they do."

The second - to the penitent thief7: "Today, thou shalt be with me in Paradise."

The third - looking down at Mary His mother, He said: "Woman, behold your son." Then turning to the terrified, grief-stricken adolescent John , the beloved apostle, He said: "Behold your mother."8

The fourth cry is from the beginning of Psalm 22: "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?"

He suffered hours of limitless pain, cycles of twisting, joint-rending cramps, intermittent partial asphyxiation, and searing pain as tissue was torn from His lacerated back from His movement up and down against the rough timbers of the cross. Then another agony began: a deep crushing pain in the chest as the pericardium, the sac surrounding the heart, slowly filled with serum and began to compress the heart.

The prophecy in Psalm 22:14 was being fulfilled: "I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint, my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels."

The end was rapidly approaching. The loss of tissue fluids had reached a critical level; the compressed heart was struggling to pump heavy, thick, sluggish blood to the tissues, and the tortured lungs were making a frantic effort to inhale small gulps of air. The markedly dehydrated tissues sent their flood of stimuli to the brain. Jesus gasped His fifth cry: "I thirst." Again we read in the prophetic psalm: "My strength is dried up like a potsherd; my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; and thou has brought me into the dust of death" (Psalm 22:15 KJV).

A sponge soaked in posca, the cheap, sour wine that was the staple drink of the Roman legionnaires, was lifted to Jesus' lips. His body was now in extremis, and He could feel the chill of death creeping through His tissues. This realization brought forth His sixth word, possibly little more than a tortured whisper: "It is finished." His mission of atonement9 had been completed. Finally, He could allow His body to die. With one last surge of strength, He once again pressed His torn feet against the nail, straightened His legs, took a deeper breath, and uttered His seventh and last cry: "Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit."

Death

The common method of ending a crucifixion was by crurifracture, the breaking of the bones of the leg. This prevented the victim from pushing himself upward; the tension could not be relieved from the muscles of the chest, and rapid suffocation occurred. The legs of the two thieves were broken, but when the soldiers approached Jesus, they saw that this was unnecessary.

Apparently, to make doubly sure of death, the legionnaire drove his lance between the ribs, upward through the pericardium and into the heart. John 19:34 states, "And immediately there came out blood and water." Thus there was an escape of watery fluid from the sac surrounding the heart and the blood of the interior of the heart. This is rather conclusive post-mortem evidence that Jesus died, not the usual crucifixion death by suffocation, but of heart failure due to shock and constriction of the heart by fluid in the pericardium.

Resurrection

In these events, we have seen a glimpse of the epitome of evil that man can exhibit toward his fellowman and toward God. This is an ugly sight and is likely to leave us despondent and depressed.

But the crucifixion was not the end of the story. How grateful we can be that we have a sequel: a glimpse of the infinite mercy of God toward man--the gift of atonement, the miracle of the resurrection, and the expectation of Easter morning

God Whispers

This is a page where I share my writings in praise of my awesome God. I hope it will be encouraging to all who stop by. I want to welcome all to come and share their stories of our Father and leave encouraged and uplifted.

I want to invite you to visit my new page on Facebook..  The link is https://www.facebook.com/pages/God-Whispers

The Only Bible

My goal is live my life so that others can see the love of My Father in my life.  I don’t always succeed but He is faithful to forgive  my failures.

I may be the only Bible

That someone else will read,

So take my life and guide it

In thought and word and deed.

Let me be a blessing

To someone else I meet.

Help me show them it’s your love

That makes my life complete.

Oh, such a sobering thought to think

Of what they’re apt to see.

Help me show them it’s you, Lord

That lives inside of me.

The Dream

With Easter coming I wrote this poem as a celebration of His death, burial, and resurrection.

One night I had a dream

That seemed so real to me.

I saw my Lord and Savior

On top of Mount Calvary.

A crown of thorns was on His head

Nails pierced His side.

The soldiers laughed and mocked Him

Until my Savior died.

The drops of sweat became as blood

Running down His face.

I stood there feeling so helpless

As Jesus died there in my place.

When I awoke my face was wet

From the tears that I had cried.

But He gave me eternal life

The day my Savior died.

Care of the Poor

From Charles Spurgeon's "Faith's Checkbook" The Care of the Poor March 26 The Lord will strengthen him upon the bed of languishing. (Psalm 41:3) Remember that this is a promise to the man who considers the poor. Are you one of these? Then take home the text. See how in the hour of sickness the God of the poor will bless the man who cares for the poor! The everlasting arms shall stay up his soul as friendly hands and downy pillows stay up the body of the sick. How tender and sympathizing is this image; how near it brings our God to our infirmities and sicknesses! Whoever heard this of the old heathen Jove, or of the gods of India or China! This is language peculiar to the God of Israel; He it is who deigns to become nurse and attendant upon good men. If He smites with one hand, He sustains with the other. Oh, it is blessed fainting when one falls upon the Lord's own bosom and is born thereon' Grace is the best of restoratives; divine love is the safest stimulant for the languishing patient; it makes the soul strong as a giant, even when the bones are breaking through the skin. No physician like the Lord, no tonic like His promise, no wine like His love. If the reader has failed in his duty to the poor, let him see what he is losing and at once become their friend and helper. From the Faith's Checkbook Mobile Devotional Android app - http://www.LookingUpwardApps.com/fcb

Refreshing Sleep

From Charles Spurgeon's "Faith's Checkbook" Refreshing Sleep March 25 When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid. yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet. (Proverbs 3:24) Is the reader likely to be confined for a while to the bed by sickness! Let him go upstairs without distress with this promise upon his heart "When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid." When we go to bed at night, let this word smooth our pillow. We cannot guard ourselves in sleep, but the Lord will keep us through the night. Those who lie down under the protection of the Lord are as secure as kings and queens in their palaces, and a great deal more so. If with our lying down there is a laying down of all cares and ambitions, we shall get refreshment out of our beds such as the anxious and covetous never find in theirs. Ill dreams shall be banished, or even if they come, we shall wipe out the impression of them, knowing that they are only dreams. If we sleep thus we shall do well. How sweetly Peter slept when even the angel's light did not wake him, and he needed a hard jog in the side to wake him up. And yet he was sentenced to die on the morrow. Thus have martyrs slept before their burning. "So he giveth his beloved sleep." To have sweet sleep we must have sweet lives, sweet tempers, sweet meditations, and sweet love. From the Faith's Checkbook Mobile Devotional Android app - http://www.LookingUpwardApps.com/fcb

What’s in a Sponge

There are 5 sponges laying on your kitchen counter top. Each member of your family has cleaning up different areas of your home, but all of the sponges look the same. You are curious as to what was cleaned in your home, but you can’t tell by looking—they all look the same—so what do you do?

You squeeze each sponge to see what comes out. As you squeeze the first sponge, you see that cola comes out, and so you decide that someone cleaned the kitchen with that one.

Upon squeezing the second sponge, you find tub and tile cleaner—that one was used to clean the bathroom. Next, in the third sponge, you find motor oil—hubby was cleaning the garage!

In the fourth sponge, baby powder puffs out when it is squeezed—yep, the baby’s nursery was done with that one! And finally, in the last one is floor wax-that was the one you used on the hall floor!

As you lay the last one down, you look again at their similarity, and they look the same until they’re squeezed.

Christians are the same way. As life squeezes us, different things come out: anger from one, a need for revenge from another, tears from one, remorse from yet another, also greed, untruth, lust, and finally, from one saint pours forth the love of Christ.

Just like a sponge, we can only squeeze out what is put in. Stay in God’s word daily, and be in continuous prayer, so that when life puts the squeeze on you (and it WILL) Jesus and Jesus ALONE will shine forth from you!

Have a blessed, squeaky clean day!

Author Unknown

“Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.” Psalm 51:2

Bed Time

Mom and Dad were watching TV when Mom said, “I’m tired, and it’s getting late, I think I’ll go to bed.

She went to the kitchen to make sandwiches for the next day’s lunches, rinsed out the popcorn bowls, took meat out of the freezer for tomorrow night’s supper, checked the levels of the cereal boxes, filled the sugar container, put spoons and bowls on the table, and set the coffeepot for brewing the next morning.

She then transferred some wet clothes from the washer to dryer, put a load of clothes into the wash and secured a button.

She picked up the newspaper strung on the floor, gather the game pieces left on the table, and put the telephone book back into the drawer.

She watered the plants, emptied a wastebasket, and hung up a towel to dry.

She yawned and stretched and headed for the bedroom. She stopped by the desk and wrote a note to the teacher, counted out some cash for the field trip, and for the textbook out from hiding under the chair. She signed a birthday card for free and, address and stamp the envelope, and wrote a quick list for the grocery store. She put both near her purse.

Mom then creamed her face, put on moisturizer, brush and floss your teeth, and trimmed her nails.

Hubby called, “I thought you were going to bed.”

“I’m on my way,” she said.,

She put some water into the dog's dish and let the cat out, then made sure the doors were locked. She looked in on each of the kids and turned out a bedside lamp, hung up the shirt, through some dirty socks in the hamper, and had a brief conversation with the one still up doing homework.

Once in her own room, she set the alarm, late at clothing for the next day, and straightened up the shoe rack. She added three things to her list of things to do for tomorrow.

About that time, the heat turned off the TV and announced to no one in particular,” I'm going to bed. “ And he did.

A faith that hasn't been tested can't be trusted. Adrianne Rogers

doubt is not the opposite of faith; it is one element of faith. Paul Tillich

faith is not shelter against difficulties, but belief in the face of all contradictions. Paul Tournier

Divine Provision

From Charles Spurgeon's "Faith's Checkbook" Divine Provision March 20 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? (Matthew 6:30) Clothes are expensive, and poor believers may be led into anxiety as to where their next suit will come from. The soles are thin; how shall we get new shoes? See how our thoughtful Lord has provided against this care. Our heavenly Father clothes the grass of the field with a splendor such as Solomon could not equal: will He not clothe His own children? We are sure He will. There may be many a patch and a darn, but raiment we shall have. A poor minister found his clothes nearly threadbare, and so far gone that they would hardly hold together; but as a servant of the Lord he expected his Master to find him his livery. It so happened that the writer on a visit to a friend had the loan of the good man's pulpit, and it came into his mind to make a collection for him, and there was his suit. Many other cases we have seen in which those who had served the Lord have found Him considerate of their wardrobe. He who made man so that when he had sinned he needed garments, also in mercy supplied him with them; and those which the Lord gave to our first parents were far better than those they made for themselves. From the Faith's Checkbook Mobile Devotional Android app - http://www.LookingUpwardApps.com/fcb

God os a Sanctuary

From Charles Spurgeon's "Faith's Checkbook" God is a Sanctuary March 15 Therefore say, Thus saith the Lord God; Although I have cast them far off among the heathen, and although I have scattered them among the countries, yet will I be to them as a little sanctuary in the countries where they shall come. (Ezekiel 11:16) Banished from the public means of grace, we are not removed from the grace of the means. The Lord who places His people where they feel as exiles will Himself be with them and be to them all that they could have had at home, in the place of their solemn assemblies. Take this to yourselves, O ye who are called to wander! God is to His people a place of refuge. They find sanctuary with Him from every adversary, He is their place of worship, too. He is with them as with Jacob when he slept in the open field, and rising, said, "Surely God was in this place," To them also He will be a sanctuary of quiet, like the Holy of Holies, which was the noiseless abode of the Eternal. They shall be quiet from fear of evil. God Himself, in Christ Jesus, is the sanctuary of mercy. The Ark of the Covenant is the Lord Jesus, and Aaron's rod, the pot of manna, the tables of the law, all are in Christ our sanctuary. In God we find the shrine of holiness and of communion. What more do we need? O Lord, fulfill this promise and be ever to us as a little sanctuary! From the Faith's Checkbook Mobile Devotional Android app - http://www.LookingUpwardApps.com/fcb

Tender Comfort

From Charles Spurgeon's "Faith's Checkbook" Tender Comfort March 14 As one whom his mother comforteth, so will I comfort you. (Isaiah 66:13) A mother's comfort! Ah, this is tenderness itself. How she enters into her child's grief! How she presses him to her bosom and tries to take all his sorrow into her own heart! He can tell her all, and she will sympathize as nobody else can. Of all comforters the child loves best his mother, and even full-grown men have found it so. Does Jehovah condescend to act the mother's part? This is goodness indeed. We readily perceive how He is a father; but will He be as a mother also? Does not this invite us to holy familiarity, to unreserved confidence, to sacred rest? When God Himself becomes "the Comforter," no anguish can long abide. Let us tell out our trouble, even though sobs and sighs should become our readiest utterance. He will not despise us for our tears; our mother did not. He will consider our weakness as she did, and He will put away our faults, only in a surer, safer way than our mother could do. We will not try to bear our grief alone; that would be unkind to one so gentle and so kind. Let us begin the day with our loving God, and wherefore should we not finish it in the same company, since mothers weary not of their children? From the Faith's Checkbook Mobile Devotional Android app - http://www.LookingUpwardApps.com/fcb

Precious Time

All we have to decide is what to do with the time we are given.

Gandalf to Frodo, The Fellowship of the Ring (movie)

Today’s Reflection:

I am going to try to make my time I am given worthwhile by making another person’s life better.  If I can touch one person’s life for the better maybe that person can touch someone else’s life and through my one touch I can live on.  I challenge each of you to  make it a goal to touch another’s life and make it better.  We cannot touch everyone but by touching someone this world just might be a better place because of us.

Think about it.

Salle in Light

From Charles Spurgeon's "Faith's Checkbook" Walk in Light March 10 I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness. John 12:46) This world is dark as midnight; Jesus has come that by faith we may have light and may no longer sit in the gloom which covers all the rest of mankind. Whosoever is a very wide term: it means you and me. If we trust in Jesus we shall no more sit in the dark shadow of death but shall enter into the warm light of a day which shall never end. Why do we not come out into the light at once? A cloud may sometimes hover over us, but we shall not abide in darkness if we believe in Jesus. He has come to give us broad daylight. Shall He come in vain.' If we have faith we have the privilege of sunlight: let us enjoy it. From the night of natural depravity, of ignorance, of doubt, of despair, of sin, of dread, Jesus has come to set us free; and all believers shall know that He no more comes in vain than the sun rises and fails to scatter his heat and light. Shake off thy depression, dear brother. Abide not in the dark, but abide in the light. In Jesus is thy hope, thy joy, thy heaven, Look to Him, to Him only, and thou shalt rejoice as the birds rejoice at sunrise and as the angels rejoice before the throne. From the Faith's Checkbook Mobile Devotional Android app - http://www.LookingUpwardApps.com/fcb

Change the World

Unknown Monk 1100 AD

When I was a young man, I wanted to change the world. I found it was difficult to change the world, so I tried to change my nation. When I found I couldn’t change the nation, I began to focus on my town. I couldn’t change the town and as an older man, I tried to change my family. Now, as an old man, I realize the only thing I can change is myself, and suddenly I realize that if long ago I had changed myself, I could have made an impact on my family. My family and could have made an impact on our town. Their impact could have changed the nation and I could indeed have changed the world.

Today’s Encouragement

 

I hope you all have a wonderful day today. May God give you the peace your heart longs for and the strength to do all you need to do. The sun is shining down and God is smiling on His children. Remember to thank Him for his blessings and spend time in His presence. God loves us and He is still in control of our world.

Guardián pd the fatherless

From Charles Spurgeon's "Faith's Checkbook" Guardian of the Fatherless March 6 In thee the fatherless findeth mercy. (Hosea 14:3) This is an excellent reason for casting away all other confidences and relying upon the Lord alone. When a child is left without its natural protector, our God steps in and becomes his guardian: so also when a man has lost every object of dependence, he may cast himself upon the living God and find in Him all that he needs. Orphans are cast upon the fatherhood of God, and He provides for them. The writer of these pages knows what it is to hang on the bare arm of God, and he bears his willing witness that no trust is so well warranted by facts, or so sure to be rewarded by results, as trust in the invisible but ever-living God. Some children who have fathers are not much the better off because of them, but the fatherless with God are rich. Better have God and no other friend than all the patrons on the earth and no God. To be bereaved of the creature is painful, but so long as the Lord remains the fountain of mercy to us, we are not truly orphaned. Let fatherless children plead the gracious word for this morning, and let all who have been bereaved of visible support do the same. Lord, let me find mercy in Thee! The more needy and helpless I am, the more confidently do I appeal to Thy loving heart. From the Faith's Checkbook Mobile Devotional Android app - http://www.LookingUpwardApps.com/fcb

Honor God

From Charles Spurgeon's "Faith's Checkbook" Honor God March 4 Them that honor me I will honor. (1 Samuel 2:30) Do I make the honor of God the great object of my life and the rule of my conduct? If so, He will honor me. I may for a while receive no honor from man, but God will Himself put honor upon me in the most effectual manner. In the end it will be found the surest way to honor to be willing to be put to shame for conscience' sake. Eli had not honored the Lord by ruling his household well, and his sons had not honored the Lord by behavior worthy of their sacred office, and therefore the Lord did not honor them but took the high priesthood out of their family and made young Samuel to be ruler in the land instead of any of their tine. If I would have my family ennobled, I must honor the Lord in all things. God may allow the wicked to win worldly honors; but the dignity which He Himself gives, even glory, honor, and immortality, He reserves for those who by holy obedience take care to honor Him. What can I do this day to honor the Lord? I will promote His glory by my spoken testimony and by my practical obedience, I will also honor Him with my substance and by offering to Him some special service. Let me sit down and think how I can honor Him, since He will honor me. From the Faith's Checkbook Mobile Devotional Android app - http://www.LookingUpwardApps.com/fcb

Daily Prayer

Father,

I come today to ask blessings on my friends and family.  You sent your son to die for us so we may have eternal life.  No name deserves our honor and praise but yours.  Help me today to be a blessing to someone else.  I know I can do nothing on my own but I can do anything with you to stand beside me.  Whatever you call me to do I know that you will equip me with your power.  Give me the strength and knowledge I need today to do what I have to do.

Amen