Deuteronomy 28 :God's Blessings

Father God is a very caring and generous God. He is the master of my house and everything in it is His and is under His care.

Last week I left the house earlier than my son. I knew he would close the windows before he leave the house, but there are times he may left out some windows. It rained quite heavy in the afternoon but it did not bother me because I have left it and all in the house to my Father's care. When I reached home, I found out that the windows in the dining room opened. But God took care of everything, the floor was not wet at all, and no furniture was damaged. Praise the Lord!

Last Thursday it was raining cats and dogs. I closed all the windows and did not give a thought to it. I was not concerned whether the rain will seep in or not as the master of my house is God. After the rain has stopped, I went to open the windows. The rain did seep in, but only up to the ledge and no further! Not a trickle of water went to the floor! How great is our God. All glory to God. He loves me and everyone in my family. He loves my home, my house and everything in it and He takes good care of everybody and everything in it! Praise the Lord!

NOT MY WILL, BUT YOURS BE DONE (LUKE 22:42)

We are strong with God only when self is conquered and is dead, only when we let God be God.
An incident from the prayer life of Charles H. Usher illustrates how 'wrestling prayer' is a hindrance to prevailing prayer. He shared his story:"My little boy, Frank, was very ill, and the doctors held out little hope of his recovery. I used all the prayer knowledge I possessed on his behalf, but he continued to worsen. This went on for several weeks. One day I realised my defeat and told God that I will leave Frank to God and give myself up to prayer for others. I chose God's will - surrendered myself entirely to God.From that time forward my son began to get better. I then realised that it was the 'wrestling' of my prayers that had hindered God's answer, and that if i had continued to wrestle, being unwilling to surrender him to God, he would probably not be here today!"

Extracted from Streams in the Desert.

TRUTH NUMBER 1:YOU HAVE BEEN SPECIALLY CHOSEN

Jerrmiah 1: 4-5
"Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying:'Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations."

The truth is out : Even before we are born, God has chosen us for greatness!
We are here to be heroes for God, overcomers and victors for Him in this corrupt dying world.
We are not here to merely get by - we are called to change and impact the world for Him.

But greatness does not always mean largeness. For some of us, that greatness will involve doing large and awesome things for God. But for others, that greatness is achieved in the small, selfish, unseen things we do each day. Let's begin today to seek God for the destiny He has placed on your life, the mark of greatness He has placed on you. And step up to that greatness.

Extracted from the book entitled :Rules of VICTORY by Adriel Loh

Serving God With The Wrong Attitude

Last Sunday, a brother in church shared his testimony about serving in a church ministry. He chose to serve in the "Fire Up" ministry - a ministry that helps the deaf and mute. One day while in church, he was so impressed by what he saw. Two brothers were "talking" during service and yet not disturbing anyone. These brothers were using sign language. He thought it was so cool to be able to carry on a "conversation" even when your friend had alighted from the bus, with sign language. It's even more cool to be able to "ask" your friend who is "chopping" the table whether he wanted more chilli, more cockles or more beansprouts in his 'char keow teow' with sign language. So he confessed that he joined this ministry with the wrong motive.

But God is love and full of grace. And God work for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. God bless this brother with many deaf and mute friends, These friends come to trust him to be their mouthpiece and earpiece. He is able to help them when they need to go to the doctor or the bank etc. And most of all, he is able to lead some of them to Christ! He is so touched by God's love for these people and for him - that God does not mind his initial wrong motive in helping others. God use him when he offers himself.

GROW DEEP ROOTS

"But blessed are those who trust in the LORD and have made the LORD their hope and confidence. They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water. Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought. Their leaves stay green, and they go right on producing delicious fruit. "Jeremiah 17:7-9

I don't know about you, but many days I find myself putting my 'roots' down into the world. I find myself worrying about my kids, my husband, and my finances. I think of the future, without spending enough time thinking of the One who holds us in His hands.

When I place my trust in this world, I place it in things that will not last. My roots are planted in shallow ground. When I place my trust in the Lord, and make Him my confidence and hope, my roots are secure for eternity.

God does not promise to be with us if we have troubles in this life, but when we have them. If we will root ourselves in Him and His Word, we will have the strength to face the troubled times and those periods of drought. By Sue Rhodes

Romans 10:17

"So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God"

Consciously or unconsciously, we 'speak' to ourselves all the time. Psychologists say that we 'speak' to ourselves up to 50,000 times a day - in the words we use, the things we say, the thoughts we think, and the 'truths' we confess. What we say has a profound impact on what we end up thinking and believing. This consequently affects how much faith we have in God and in His grace.
When we speak out loud words of God's truth, our minds will 'hear' our words and our thinking will then be rewired. Don't just read the Bible silently in your mind. Stand up, speak it out loud and claim it! As we confess the truth once, twice, three times, each time claiming it in our hearts, soon the seed of faith will be sown in our hearts, and bloom to firm and confident conviction. Then, when faith rises up in our hearts, it opens us up to receive and experience God's incredible grace in our lives.
Extracted from the book "Rules of VICTORY" by Adriel Loh

John 8:32 "...the truth shall make you free"

There are 12 things the Bible says about us that the devil does not want us to know:
1. I have a chosen destiny to change the world for Jesus Christ
2. God loves me perfectly and unconditionally
3. God has made me His son/daughter
4. God reveals Himself and His will to me
5. God has forgiven my sins -past, present and future
6. I am freed from the power of sin
7. I am healed from sickness and disease
8. I am blessed with abundance, favour and fruitfulness
9. I have the authority of Jesus Christ to overcome circumstances & evil powers
10 I am empowered with every gift of the Holy Spirit
11 I have a heavenly inheritance
12 I will be victorious in everything that I do

Challenge:Read out loud the 12 statements of faith above. Open your eyes to the amazing truth of grace - and the truth will set you free!

Extracted from the book "Rules of VICTORY" by Adriel Loh

1 John 5:1-13

ARE YOU A CHILD OF GOD?

These are some signs of a born-again Christian:

THIRST FOR GOD:"my soul thirsteth for God for the living God;when shall I come and appear before God?' (Ps. 42:2)

THIRST FOR GOD'S WORD: "as newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby" (1 Peter 2:2)

STOP LIVING IN SIN HABITUALLY:"whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him, and he cannot sin, because he is born of God" (1 John 3:9)

BELEIVE THAT JESUS IS THE CHRIST:"whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God; and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him" (1 John 5:1)

HAVE THE GUIDANCE AND WITNESS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT: 'for as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.... The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God." (Romans 8:14,16)

BE SEPARATE FROM SIN, UNBELIEF, WORLDLINESS AND WRONG DOCTRINES:"wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you. And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty"(James 1:27)

REPENT RIGHT AWAY WHEN CONVICTED OF ONE'S SINS: Psalm 51

PRAYING FOR OUR CHILDREN

We can pray 31 different biblical virtues into our children every month. Claim and believe that God is working each one of these virtues into the children's lives.

1 Salvation (2 Timothy 2:10)
2 God's Grace (2 Peter 3:18)
3 Love (Ephesians 5:2)
4 Integrity (Psalm 25:21)
5 Self-Control (1 Thessalonians 5:6)
6 Love For God's Word (Psalm 19:10)
7 Justice (Micah 6:8)
8 Mercy (James 5:11)
9 Respect (1 Peter 2:17)
10 Self-Esteem (Ephesians 2:10)
11 Faithfulness (Proverbs 3:3)
12 Courage (Deuteronomy 31:6)
13 Purity (Psalm 51:10)
14 Kindness (1 Thessalonians 5:15)
15 Generosity (1 Timothy 6:18)
16 Peace Loving (Romans 14:19)
17 Joy (1 Thessalonians 1:6)
18 Perseverance (Hebrews 12:1)
19 Humility (Titus 3:2)
20 Compassion (Colossians 3:12)
21 Responsibility (Galatians 6:5)
22 Contentment (Philippians 4:12-13)
23 Faith (1 Timothy 6:12)
24 A Servant's Heart (Ephesians 6:7)
25 Hope (Romans 15:13)
26 Patience (Galatians 5:22)
27 Passion For The Lord (Psalm 42:1)
28 Wisdom (James 1:5)
29 Prayerfulness (Luke 18:1)
30 Gratitude (Ephesians 5:20)
31 Boldness (Ephesians 6:19)

Lost In The House (Luke 15:11-32)

In this parable of The Prodigal Son, the elder brother is lost in the house. We can see the 5 characteristics of a person who is lost:-
1) Anger and resentment (verse 28)
2) Joyless fear-serve base on his compliance to rules (verse 29)
3) Strong sense of his own superiority (pride) (verse 30)
4) Unforgiving and judgmental spirit
5) Lack of assurance of his father's love (v29b)

So, the pastor lost some members in his church because they have the Elder brother syndrome.
Am I also like the elder child?

The Woman Caught in Adultery (John 8:3-11)

During the Sunday worship service, I heard a very interesting story from the pastor who came from UK.

Some time ago, some church members approached him and told him that they were leaving that church. The pastor asked why they would do so. They told him that the pastor allowed this couple with their six children to worship in church. They were leaving because this couple was not married and therefore living in sin. Upon hearing this, the pastor said he was not aware that this couple was not married and that he would check it out.

The pastor paid this couple a visit and heard their story. The man was divorced with 2 kids. The woman's husband left her with 2 kids without any trace. She tried to locate him for several years but there was just no news of him. The law in UK states that as long as the spouse is not dead, this woman was still married to him, even if he had left for many years, and she was not supposed to divorce him.

The man and woman met and fell in love and so they lived together and have 2 more kids. After that the woman fell in love with Jesus and became a Christian. Later the husband also gave his life to Jesus. So now what do you think the pastor should do?

The pastor's sermon was entitled :Lost In The House (Luke 15:1-2, 11-32).

WALKING IN THE LIGHT

God's remedy for darkness is light. To walk in the light means making sure God is our spiritual leader each day. It means recognizing our tendency to sin and being willing to cooperate with God when He shines a light on actions that need to change. God is the "Father of lights," and walking with Him dispels the darkness and allows us to receive every perfect gift.

Here's a checklist for walking in the light:
1 Have offenses moved you to seek revenge, or are you learning to forgive?
2 Do you point out sins in others to divert attention from your own sins, or are you working on your own issues?
3 Do you blame others for your failures, or do you take responsibility for your own actions?
4 Are you promoting your own agenda with others, or are you yielding to God's purposes?
5 Are you projecting a phony image, or are you becoming more transparent with others?
6 Have you sought out some kind of honest accountability relationship, or are you seeking to mislead people?
7 Are you growing in your yieldedness to God, or are you harbouring strongholds of self-will?
8 Are you setting boundaries on your passions and channeling them into godly outlets, or are you letting them control you?
9 When you are tempted, do you submit yourself to God and resist the devil, or do you just give in.
10 Is your regular devotional time with God restoring your soul (Psalm 23:1-3) or is it infrequent and in decline?
(Extracted)

WAYS TO DE-STRESS

Do not be burnt out. Take control of your stress level. Choose to do something today to reduce stress!
1. Deep breathing/relaxing exercise. (eg clenching and spreading out fingers, opening/closing palm)
2. Meditate on God's word. (clear mind, be quiet)
3. Have a passion. (eg. music, juggling, drawing, origami, arts, handicraft, knitting etc)
4. Talk and chi-chat with friends. (sms, msn, facebook, nothing beats meeting up for a cuppa)
5. Laugh (read Archie/OMQ comics, joke books, watch funny shows etc)
6. Massage. (eg by yourself relaxing in OSIM chair etc)
7. At least 8 hrs of restful sleep. (deep and sound)
8. Exercise daily (at least 20-30 mins , with lots of sweat)
9. Go for nature walk or at the beach. (morning/evening)
10.Keep a pet!
11. Aromatherapy. (lavender, sandal wood), bathe with essential oils .
12. Balanced diet (plenty of water ,less carbohydrates, plenty of water, less coffee, tea,oily foods,dark chocolates is good. No drugs or smoking. Don't forget your medicine)
13. Listen to soothing music, praise and worship songs, healing songs.
14. Learn to let go, forgive and forget.
15. Find a cause (eg. charity work, go green)
16. Have a hobby. (eg. stamp collection)
17. Play a game that is relaxing (eg. golf, snooker)
18. Pamper yourself. (go for SPA, holiday etc)
19. Positive thinking. (change mindset, it's helpful not to dwell on past)
20. Realistic thinking (eg. set goals, standards that are attainable)
21. Stay connected. No one is a hermit. We are created for fellowship.Go to church, cell groups.
22. Ask for support/help from family/friends/teachers/counsellors etc
23. Write a journal/blogging to express feelings/frustrations etc.
24. Call the help-line when you need to talk to someone who cares and listen with empathy.
25. Know that you are loved! God loves you. Family loves you. You are unique and valuable. You are special and important to God!
26. Read God's Word.
27. Pray/talk to God.
28. Throw pebbles into the river/sea. Throw eggs in the toilet etc to let out frustrations.
29. Shout it out loud! (in the bathroom or where no one is around)
30. Go out, Get out. Don't stay enclosed by oneself.
31. Do a kind deed. (Offer your seat to someone in need, help someone cross the road etc)
32. Praise is powerful. To lift up a spirit of heaviness, put on the garment of praise. Sing psalms of praises and hymns to God.Be grateful and thankful for what you have. Count your blessings!

Men see not the bright light which is in the clouds (Job 37:21)

I cannot know why suddenly the storm
Should rage so fiercely round me in its wrath;
But this I know - God watches all my path,
And I can trust.

I may not draw aside the unseen veil
That hides the unknown future from my sight,
Nor know if for me waits the dark or light;
But I can trust.

I have no power to look across the tide,
To see while here the land beyond the river;
But this I know - I will be God's forever;
So I can trust.

Selected from Streams in the Desert

ANNIE JOHNSON FLINT

I pray for strength, and then I lost awhile
All sense of nearness, human and divine;
The love I leaned on failed and pierced my heart,
The hands I clung to loosed themselves from mine;
But while I swayed, weak, trembling, and alone,
The everlasting arms upheld my own.

I prayed for light; the sun went down in clouds,
The moon was darkened by a misty doubt,
The stars of heaven were dimmed by earthly fears,
And all my little candle flames burned out;
But while I sat in shadow, wrapped in night,
The face of Christ made all the darkness bright.

I prayed for peace, and dreamed of restful ease,
A slumber free from pain, a hushed repose;
Above my head the skies were black with storm,
And fiercer grew the onslaught of my foes;
But while the battle raged, and wild wind blew,
I heard His voice and perfect peace I knew.

I thank You, Lord, You were too wise to heed
My feeble prayers, and answer as I sought,
Since these rich gifts Your bounty has bestowed
Have brought me more than all I asked or thought;
Giver of good, so answer each request
With Your own giving, better than my best.

We do not know what we ought to pray for (Romans 8:26)

Often it is simply the answers to our prayers that cause many of the difficulties in the Christian life.
We pray for patience, and our Father sends demanding people our way who test us to the limit.
We pray to be unselfish, and God gives us opportunities to sacrifice by placing other peoples' needs first and by laying down our lives for other believers.
We pray for strength and humility, and 'a messenger of Satan" comes to torment us.
We pray to the Lord, as His apostles did, saying,"Increase our faith!". Then our money seems to take wings and fly away; our children become critically ill; an employee becomes careless, slow, and wasteful; or some other new trial comes upon us.
We pray for a Christlike life that exhibits the humility of a lamb. Then we are asked to perform some lowly task, or we are unjustly accused and give no opportunity to explain.
We pray for gentleness and quickly face a storm of temptation to be harsh and irritable. We pray for quietness and suddenly every nerve is stressed to its limit.
We pray for love for others, and God sends unique suffering by sending people our way who are difficult to love and who say things that get on our nerves and tear at our heart.

Yes, we pray to be like Jesus,and God's answer is "I have tested you in the furnace of affliction". Will your courage endure or your hands be strong?" "Can you drink the cup?"

Extracted from Streams In The Desert

NEED A LIFT?

"So don't get tired of doing what is good. Don't get discouraged and give up, for we will reap a harvest of blessing at the appropriate time." Galatians 6:9

It feels good when someone pays us a compliment or commends our efforts. Our spirit feels uplifted by such acknowledgments. It also feels good to give out commendations, compliments, and kind gestures. The ripples of kindness can go on and on.

Consider this scenario. You are in the grocery store checking out and a man comes up behind you visibly agitated and in a rush. You offer to let him go ahead of you in line. Though amazed, he accepts and his demeanor shifts.

Because of your act, he heads home in a more pleasant and relaxed mood. He greets his wife and kids with warm affection instead of the usual gripe of the day. The next day, each family member goes out into the world with a slightly more positive outlook and that touches others.

By acting on daily opportunities to lift up others, many are blessed, including ourselves.
Be an encourager to all you meet. By Elaine Britt

The Adulterous Woman

John 8:1-11

This is a very touching story. The Pharisees and teachers of the law brought a woman caught in adultery to Jesus so as to catch Him when he makes a mistake. Either way Jesus answered Yes or No, it seems there is no way out for Him. But the 2 things that I found interesting is in verse 4 and verse 10. In verse 4, these people came to Jesus and addressed Him as Teacher. How wicked can they be! On one hand they gave Jesus the honoured title of Teacher, on the other hand they sought to kill him. I wondered if Jesus wrote the word "hypocrite" on the ground?

In verse 10, Jesus addressed this person as 'woman'. In John 2:4, Jesus also called Mary, His mother as 'woman'. Jesus addressed this adulterous woman in a very respectful and dear manner because He loves her with the love of God. So sincere, so kind, so gracious, so gentle and so forgiving. Jesus came to give abundant life, not to judge.

Psalm 66:12 "We went through fire and water, but you brought us to a place of abundance.

The adverse winds blew against my life;
My little ship with grief was tossed;
My plans were gone-heart full of strife,
And all my hope seemed to be lost-
"Then He arose"-one word of peace.
"There was a calm"- a sweet release.

A tempest great of doubt and fear
Possessed my mind; no light was there
To guide, or make my vision clear.
Dark night! 'twas more than I could bear-
"Then He arose," I saw His face-
"There was a calm" filled with His grace.
My heart was sinking 'neath the wave
Of deepening test and raging grief;
All seemed as lost, and none could save,
And nothing could bring me relief -
"Then He arose"-and spoke one word,
"There was a calm!" "IT IS THE LORD."

Extracted from Streams In the Desert

My Hero: Mum

Proverbs 31:28 Her children stand and bless her. Her husband praises her.

My mom has never run a marathon -but she has run to the store at midnight for medicine for sick kids. She has never held public office - but she knocked on doors so my dad could win a political office. Mom has never climbed the corporate ladder - but she often climbed into our tree house with us. My mom has never worked outside the home, but she always worked at making the inside of our home an oasis. That's why she's my role model.

My mom dried hundreds of tears when I had boy troubles, comforted me when I had nightmares, and prayed thousands of prayers for me.

I've told my mom many times that she is my hero. And I smiled when people say i remind them of her - because there's no one else on earth I'd rather be like. By Dena Dyer

WARD OFF DEMENTIA-TRAIN YOUR BRAIN

Experts say that we need to take care of our brain to ward off or delay dementia. Our lifestyle is very important to our brain's health, and here are some helpful and useful tips:

1. Join clubs or organizations that need volunteers - you won't feel lost and unneeded. You have value.

2. Develop a hobby. It helps to train your brain to be robust as you try something new and complex.

3. Practice writing with your non-dominant hand every day for just a few minutes. This will exercise the opposite side of your brain and fire up those neurons.

4. Take dance lessons. You interact with people, you count steps, you remember your next move, you exercise etc. Dancing was the only regular physical activity associated with a significant decrease in the incidence of dementia, especially if you dance 3 - 4 times per week.

5. Start gardening. Not only does gardening reduce stress, but gardeners use their brains to plan, and visual and spatial reasoning to lay out a garden. And the joy you receive when you enjoy the fruits or your labour!

6. Buy a pedometer and walk 10,000 steps a day. Cardiovascular health is important to maintain blood flow to the brain. Even better, walk with someone or your pet dog.

7. Read and write daily as these activities stimulate a wide variety of brain areas.

8. Start knitting. Using both hands works both sides of your brain. And it's a stress reducer.....

9. Learn a new language - a foreign or even a sign language. You are working your brain by making it go back and forth between one language and the other.

10. Play board games like Scrabble and Monopoly. Not only are you taxing your brain, you are socializing too!

11. Take classes throughout your lifetime. Learning produces structure and chemical changes in the brain. Cooking classes, sewing classes, hairdressing or photography classes are not too heavy - something which you will enjoy too.

12. Listen to classical music. Worship and hymns and very powerful too!

13. Learn to play a musical instrument as you'll be developing a dormant part of your brain.

14. Travel. You train your brain to navigate a new and complex environment. Have fun too!

15. Pray. Daily prayer appears to help your immune system.

16. Learn to meditate. It's important for your brain that you learn to shut out the stresses of everyday life.

17. Get enough sleep. There is is link between interrupted sleep and dementia.

18. Eat more foods containing omega-3 fatty acids like salmon, sardines, tuna, herring, mackerel, flaxseed and walnuts etc.

19. Eat more fruits and vegetables as they contain antioxidants to mop up damage caused by free radicals.

20. Eat at least once a day with family and friends. You'll slow down and socialize.

Luke 18:1

Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.

People often ask, "How long should I pray? Shouldn't I come to the place where I stop praying and leave the matter in God's hands?" The only answer is this:Pray until what you pray for has been accomplished or until you have complete assurance in your heart that it will be. Only when one of these two conditions has been met is it safe to stop persisting in prayer, for prayer not only is calling upon God but is also a battle with Satan. And because God uses our intercession as a mighty weapon of victory in the conflict, He alone must decide when it is safe to cease from petitioning. Therefore we dare not stop praying until either the answer itself has come or we receive assurance it will come.

In the first instance, we stop because we actually see the answer. In the second, we stop because we believe, and faith in our hearts is as trustworthy as the sight of our eyes, for it is 'faith from God" (Ephesians 6>23) and the 'faith of God" (Romans 3:3) that we have within us.

As we live a life of prayer, we will more and more come to experience and recognise this God-given assurance. We will know when to quietly rest in it or when to continue praying until we receive His answer. (Extract from Streams in the Desert)

Sprinkle Your Day with Prayer

"For what great nation has a god as near to them as the LORD our God is near to us whenever we call on him?" Deuteronomy 4:7

The other day, I lamented to my mother-in-law how my prayer life has evaporated since I gave birth to my children. I never seem to have a quiet moment.

She smiled knowingly and said,"Sprinkle your day with prayer."
"What do you mean?" I asked
"Mothers usually don't find many uninterrupted periods of time for prayer," she said. "Instead, you have to utilize small chunks of time throughout the day. Pray in the shower, or while driving to pick up the kids from school. Pray while you chop the carrots for dinner. Whatever time you find works for you, even if it's only for a minute, pray."

I tried her advice, and found success, especially during my morning run. I lace up my shoes and literally have a "running conversation' with God. It's refreshing to feel the nearness of Him again.
If you're having trouble finding time to pray, try sprinkling your day with prayer. Let prayer be the glue that holds your day together in Him. By Lori Z Scott

2 Chronicles 20:22

As they began to sing and praise, the LORD set ambushes against the men...... who were invading Judah, and they were defeated.

Oh, if only we would worry less about our problems and sing and praise more! There are thousands of things that shackle us that could be turned into instruments of music, if we just knew how to do it. Think of those people who ponder, mediate, and weigh the affairs of life, and who continually study the mysterious inner workings of God's providence, wondering why they suffer burdens and are opposed and battled on every front. How different their lives would be, and how much more joyful, if they would stop indulging in self-centered and inward thinking and instead would daily lift their experiences to God, praising Him for them.

It is easier to sing your worries away than to reason them away. Why not sing in the morning? And don't forget to sing in the evening. Oh, that we might offer up song after song of continual praise throughout our day! Taken from Streams In the Desert.

OUR AWESOME GOD

"And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don't be afraid; you are more valuable to him than a whole flock of sparrows." Luke 12:7

I regularly think of this verse as I shower, watching strands of my long hair flow down the drain as I rinse out the shampoo. I find them all over the house, too, on the furniture and the rugs. I'm constantly shedding old hairs and growing new ones, yet God is so great that He knows how many are on my head-and on every person's head-at any moment of any day.

With a little research, I found that the average number of hairs per head is 100,000, and most people lose strands at a rate of 50 to 100 per day. With 6 billion people on His earth, all tracked-what an illustration of how awesome God is!

Is there anything He can't do? No. There's no need for us to worry with someone so awesome paying such close attention to us. Praise the Lord? By Kim Sheard

Everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved (Joel 2:32)

So, why don't I call on His name? Why do I run to this person or that person, when God is so near and will hear my faintest call? Why do I sit down to plot my own course and make my own plans? Why don't I immediately place myself and my burden on the LORD?

Straight ahead is the best way to run, so why don't I run directly to the living God? Instead, I look in vain for deliverance everywhere else, but with God I will find it. With Him I have His royal promise: "I will be saved". And with Him I never need to ask if I may call on Him or not, for the word "everyone" is all encompassing. It includes me and means anybody and everybody who calls upon His name. Therefore I will trust in this verse and will immediately call on the glorious Lord who has made such a great promise. By Charles H Spurgeon

FOCUS ON THE LORD, NOT ON THE STORM

It was a really hard day. My mom had reached what appeared to be the end of her two-year battle with Lou Gehrig's disease without much physical distress, but suddenly she began to have spasms in her throat that would stop her breathing instantly. Her husband and children gathered around her bed and attempted to calm her as we watched her turn darker colours of blue. Repeatedly, I bowed my head and asked God to help, then opened my eyes confidently, and yet nothing changed.

After several hours, a breakthrough came, her symptoms abated, and she rested comfortably once again. For that I was grateful, but there was a nagging question in the forefront of my mind:"Lord, why didn't you stop her suffering right away? You have never failed me.....what happened today?"

I spent another night at Mom's bedside, reassuring, medicating, and making sure she was comfortable. I talked to my Heavenly Father. I felt so weary and sick inside. I could feel my foundation being tested and wondered if it would hold. The next morning the Lord spoke quietly to me and reminded me of an account in the Bible. It was the one of Peter walking on the water with his eyes fixed on the Lord. He was in the midst of the storm doing things that he never imagined he could do, and then it happened. Peter saw the storm and realized that he was in the midst of a very bad situation, with very real waves churning under his feet. He began to sink because he took his eyes off the Lord and became caught up in the storm.

A burden lifted from my heart and was replaced by renewed, simple trust as I turned the eyes of my soul toward my Lord. And then, with redeemed emotion, I recalled what had occurred during Mom's episode just prior to her calming.

At a loss of what to do for my mom, Dad had asked me to call our pastor. He and others from the church came and we gathered around Mom's bed. One woman had come to sing some hymns. I told her that she would need to come back later. She brushed by me to my mother's bedside, opened her worn hymnal, and began to sing. Others joined in, but I couldn't even choke out a note. "Turn your eyes upon Jesus/look full in His wonderful face./And the things of earth will grow strangely dim/in the light of His glory and grace."

I looked at my mom and was amazed. There she lay, peaceful and serene, breathing normally. She could not open her eyes or move a muscle in her body because of the disease, yet her spirit had laid hold of the Master's hand.

The praise continued for a long time and we were refreshed. How faithful He is to test our foundation and to give us what we need. From:A cup of comfort

Planting Trees

Genesis 21:33-34 "Then Abraham planted a tamarisk tree at Beersheba, and he worshiped the LORD, the Eternal God, at that place. And Abraham lived in Philistine country for a long time."

Surely planting a tamarisk or any other tree is a curious thing for a landless wanderer to do.
For owners of property of any size, planting trees is an investment that adds value and character. Let's suppose that Abraham planted his tamarisk as a courtesy to the friendly neighbours who granted him passage and valuable grazing and water rights for his flocks and herbs.
Such an action on Abraham's part returned something to his neighbours. This gesture and others like it account for the courtesy he received later at Hebron when he needed a burial plot.
Pioneers throughout our nation planted trees by investing themselves in service and generosity. They often began by founding or supporting schools and libraries. Their legacy continues to enrich our nation by nurturing new leaders.
Abraham planted a tree. So, what are we planting for the benefit of our neighbours?

Honour God by acknowledging blessings received and passing them on to others.
By Richard S Barnett

God's Word will stand forever.

Isaiah 40:8 "The grass withers, and the flowers fade, but the word of our God stands forever."

Twenty-five years ago our home was one of three in our county that was flooded. The water was chest-deep in the backyard when my husband waded through to turn off the gas. I could visualize what this might look like on the evening news.

After the water receded, we began the long, slow process of cleaning our home and determining what had been ruined. Compared to that of the other two homes in the county, our loss was small. A few items, such as the stuffed dog my brother gave me before he died, were irreplaceable and their loss brought sadness.

One discovery, in the midst of all of the mess, surprised us. There on the floor lay a perfectly dry Bible. It was a little thing, but the symbolism was great. God was with us even in the flood.
By Linda Roberts

God sent it, therefore, it must be good for me

Faith is not conjuring up, through an act of your will, a sense of certainty that something is going to happen. No, it is recognizing God's promise as an actual fact, believing it is true, rejoicing in the knowledge of that truth, and then, simply resting because God said it.

Faith turns a promise into a prophecy. A promise is contingent upon our cooperation, but when we exercise genuine faith in it, it becomes a prophecy. Then we can move ahead with certainty that it will come to pass, because "God .... does not lie." (Titus 1:2) from Days of Heaven upon Earth