Friday, July 29, 2005
jralphengland@yahoo.com
Thought for the day: “Beauty is not caused. It is.”
EMILY DICKINSON
“He has made everything beautiful in its time.”
ECCLESIASTES 3:11 NIV
“He has made everything beautiful in its time.” These words came from Solomon, a man who probably understood beauty. Solomon built the temple, houses and other buildings that at the time were considered wonders of the world. He had the best artist work for years to make ornaments for the buildings. He used fine woods, beautiful stones, and gold and silver that covered much of the furnishings. He used so much bronze that its weight could not even be calculated. This man made everything beautiful. When the Queen of Sheba came to visit, and she was no stranger to beauty, she was in awe of king Solomon and the beauty that surrounded him. I have things in my life that I consider to have made beautiful, I take pride in my yard and garden, and the trees that surround the house. Many of us have this stuff that we think we have made beautiful or possibly have improved on it to make it more beautiful. And then I read the statement of Emily Dickinson and I ponder on the fact that beauty is not caused, “it is.” And then Solomon who had created much splendor says, “He [God] had made everything beautiful in its time.” Every thing is beautiful in its time, how true I find this to be when I just stop and think. Some people might consider a dirt road as an inconvenience others will see it as beautiful path to see the back areas. Some might see a large asphalt parking lot as an eyesore, others will see it as a beautiful place to park their car. Some see the bitter cold of winter as uncomfortable and restricting, others will see it as an opportunity to stay inside and relax with a good book. Sometimes life deals us blows that are painful and cause setbacks in our way of living. And then there are those who will see this as an example to grow, and learn, and help others along. There was a time when I hated the fact that I had made some bad choices in my life, and had invested years in the bottle. I consider this to be a total waste of a big portion of my life and my finances. Today I see how this experience has been made beautiful by my willingness to use it to encourage and help others who have made the choice to invest only in the bottle. Solomon was right, “Everything is beautiful in its own time.” Even nightmares can be made beautiful in time. God did for me what I could not do for myself……………JRE
“I believe that life is given so we may grow in love, and I believe that God is in me as the sun is in the color and fragrance of a flower, the Light in my Darkness, the Voice in my Silence.”
HELEN KELLER
What a beautiful though from Helen Keller who could not see or hear. Thanks for letting me share today…………….jre
Everything is beautiful
Thought for the day: “Beauty is not caused. It is.”
EMILY DICKINSON
“He has made everything beautiful in its time.”
ECCLESIASTES 3:11 NIV
“He has made everything beautiful in its time.” These words came from Solomon, a man who probably understood beauty. Solomon built the temple, houses and other buildings that at the time were considered wonders of the world. He had the best artist work for years to make ornaments for the buildings. He used fine woods, beautiful stones, and gold and silver that covered much of the furnishings. He used so much bronze that its weight could not even be calculated. This man made everything beautiful. When the Queen of Sheba came to visit, and she was no stranger to beauty, she was in awe of king Solomon and the beauty that surrounded him. I have things in my life that I consider to have made beautiful, I take pride in my yard and garden, and the trees that surround the house. Many of us have this stuff that we think we have made beautiful or possibly have improved on it to make it more beautiful. And then I read the statement of Emily Dickinson and I ponder on the fact that beauty is not caused, “it is.” And then Solomon who had created much splendor says, “He [God] had made everything beautiful in its time.” Every thing is beautiful in its time, how true I find this to be when I just stop and think. Some people might consider a dirt road as an inconvenience others will see it as beautiful path to see the back areas. Some might see a large asphalt parking lot as an eyesore, others will see it as a beautiful place to park their car. Some see the bitter cold of winter as uncomfortable and restricting, others will see it as an opportunity to stay inside and relax with a good book. Sometimes life deals us blows that are painful and cause setbacks in our way of living. And then there are those who will see this as an example to grow, and learn, and help others along. There was a time when I hated the fact that I had made some bad choices in my life, and had invested years in the bottle. I consider this to be a total waste of a big portion of my life and my finances. Today I see how this experience has been made beautiful by my willingness to use it to encourage and help others who have made the choice to invest only in the bottle. Solomon was right, “Everything is beautiful in its own time.” Even nightmares can be made beautiful in time. God did for me what I could not do for myself……………JRE
“I believe that life is given so we may grow in love, and I believe that God is in me as the sun is in the color and fragrance of a flower, the Light in my Darkness, the Voice in my Silence.”
HELEN KELLER
What a beautiful though from Helen Keller who could not see or hear. Thanks for letting me share today…………….jre
Wednesday, July 27, 2005
jralphengland@yahoo.com
Thought for the day: “The jealous man poisons his own banquet, and then eats it.”
Duc de La Rochefoucauld
“So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough troubles of its own.” Matthew 6:34 NASB
Jealousy in my life has destroyed many a day. It’s not like it used to be though. My old thick head took years to realize that jealousy only really affected me. For me I found jealousy to be rooted in my insecurity, and my shortcomings. As a young man my relationships with girlfriends was always strained because of my jealousy. I found myself questioning them as to where they had been, who they talked to, what was said, and on and on. In some relationships I found that there was behavior designed to provoke jealousy, how sick was that? Of course when a person is emotionally sick and they get involved with someone, they at times turn out to be just as sick or sicker. It wasn’t until 1996 after two failed marriages and many years of alcohol abuse that I became tired of eating my own poison. I began to study the Word of God and I developed a trust in God that has never failed me. I learned to apply trust to the relationship that I was involved in at the time (sorry to say but this relationship failed also). I initially trusted the other person to make them more comfortable in the relationship. What I discovered was that I felt more comfortable in the relationship when I trusted and there was no jealousy. That was a point in my life where I had the revelation that jealousy was like eating poison and expecting someone else to die. Today I am learning to apply spiritual principles to my life. I try not to expect too much from someone. I try and live life on life terms, realizing that at times I have no control over what happens. And I try and trust others to keep myself from becoming emotionally sick. I don’t know why all this came out today, but I probably need to have this little talk with myself for some reason. Thanks for letting me share, God is still doing for me what I could not do for myself………..JRE
“When we become jealous we enter a kind of twisted competition. Regardless of the target of our jealousy, the minute we charge into the arena we have lost. Everything is stacked against us in this one-sided contest, for we alone are the adversary.”
anonymous
“’My soul is restless till it finds its rest in Thee.’ A river flows on, until it loses itself in the sea. Our spirits long for rest in the Spirit of God. We yearn to realize a peace, a rest, a satisfaction that we have never found in the world or its pursuits. Some are not conscious of their need, and shut the doors of their spirits against the spirit of God. They are unable to have true peace.” HAZELDEN……….Twenty-Four Hours A Day
The green-eyed monster
Thought for the day: “The jealous man poisons his own banquet, and then eats it.”
Duc de La Rochefoucauld
“So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough troubles of its own.” Matthew 6:34 NASB
Jealousy in my life has destroyed many a day. It’s not like it used to be though. My old thick head took years to realize that jealousy only really affected me. For me I found jealousy to be rooted in my insecurity, and my shortcomings. As a young man my relationships with girlfriends was always strained because of my jealousy. I found myself questioning them as to where they had been, who they talked to, what was said, and on and on. In some relationships I found that there was behavior designed to provoke jealousy, how sick was that? Of course when a person is emotionally sick and they get involved with someone, they at times turn out to be just as sick or sicker. It wasn’t until 1996 after two failed marriages and many years of alcohol abuse that I became tired of eating my own poison. I began to study the Word of God and I developed a trust in God that has never failed me. I learned to apply trust to the relationship that I was involved in at the time (sorry to say but this relationship failed also). I initially trusted the other person to make them more comfortable in the relationship. What I discovered was that I felt more comfortable in the relationship when I trusted and there was no jealousy. That was a point in my life where I had the revelation that jealousy was like eating poison and expecting someone else to die. Today I am learning to apply spiritual principles to my life. I try not to expect too much from someone. I try and live life on life terms, realizing that at times I have no control over what happens. And I try and trust others to keep myself from becoming emotionally sick. I don’t know why all this came out today, but I probably need to have this little talk with myself for some reason. Thanks for letting me share, God is still doing for me what I could not do for myself………..JRE
“When we become jealous we enter a kind of twisted competition. Regardless of the target of our jealousy, the minute we charge into the arena we have lost. Everything is stacked against us in this one-sided contest, for we alone are the adversary.”
anonymous
“’My soul is restless till it finds its rest in Thee.’ A river flows on, until it loses itself in the sea. Our spirits long for rest in the Spirit of God. We yearn to realize a peace, a rest, a satisfaction that we have never found in the world or its pursuits. Some are not conscious of their need, and shut the doors of their spirits against the spirit of God. They are unable to have true peace.” HAZELDEN……….Twenty-Four Hours A Day
Tuesday, July 26, 2005
jralphengland@yahoo.com
Thought for the day: “God calls us, not to success, but to faith, obedience and trust and service, and He bids us to be unconcerned with measuring the merits of our work the way the world does. We are to sow; He will reap as He pleases.”
CHARLES COLSON
Faith, obedience, trust and service. I found that faith in my life came only after I had reached the end of what I thought I could do myself. I reached a point where all of my best efforts had not succeeded in providing for myself a life that was desirable. My best efforts for myself were exactly that, efforts for myself and no one else. Having reached a point where I wanted the success and serenity that I saw in other people around me. I came to the conclusion that my help in this achievement would have to come from some source outside of myself. When you’re a stinking drunk there are not many people who are willing to help you improve your life. My first help came from a Power greater than myself that I choose to call God. The revelation that help could come from God sparked an ember of faith and hope. By fanning this ember of faith with the pages of the Word of God I learned of the promises of God and how that obedience played a role in the promises materializing. After faith, hope, and obedience started working for me I came to trust God more and more for the things that I could not do for myself. With my life changing little by little, day by day. I could not help but have some gratitude for what had been done in my life. At this point sharing with others seems to be a natural expression of the blessings bestowed upon me. As I shared I found that other who were in similar situations as I had been started receiving help by my encouragement. This became a active part of my service work in my recovery from alcohol and drugs. Even though I learned faith, developed obedience, came to trust and am involved in service, it means nothing without grace. My faith at times wavers, my obedience for sure is a long ways from perfect, my trust sometimes falters, and sometimes I just don’t feel like being involved in service to others. But the grace and love of my God is always strong, and always lifts me up when I cannot do for myself. When I am weak I am made strong by God’s love…………………JRE
“The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; My God, my strength in whom I will trust; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised; so shall I be saved from my enemies.”
PSALM 18:2-3 NKJV
“We find ourselves at a critical crossroads. On the one hand, our old addictions or dependencies beckon to us and tell us that the practice of those dependencies will be the ultimate source of our comfort. On the other hand, we have begun to experience that the promises of our addictions are false promises. We have discovered, along with many other recovering persons, that our addictions have stopped working for us. The alternative appears bleak.
How shall we be saved from the enemies of our dependencies? The psalmist David celebrates a God who is “my rock and my fortress and my deliverer.” Our dependencies brought us to a position of powerlessness. That powerlessness has brought us to the threshold of the God of our fathers who has infinite strength to provide our salvation.” NELSON SERENITY BIBLE page 389
Faith, obedience, trust, service, and grace
Thought for the day: “God calls us, not to success, but to faith, obedience and trust and service, and He bids us to be unconcerned with measuring the merits of our work the way the world does. We are to sow; He will reap as He pleases.”
CHARLES COLSON
Faith, obedience, trust and service. I found that faith in my life came only after I had reached the end of what I thought I could do myself. I reached a point where all of my best efforts had not succeeded in providing for myself a life that was desirable. My best efforts for myself were exactly that, efforts for myself and no one else. Having reached a point where I wanted the success and serenity that I saw in other people around me. I came to the conclusion that my help in this achievement would have to come from some source outside of myself. When you’re a stinking drunk there are not many people who are willing to help you improve your life. My first help came from a Power greater than myself that I choose to call God. The revelation that help could come from God sparked an ember of faith and hope. By fanning this ember of faith with the pages of the Word of God I learned of the promises of God and how that obedience played a role in the promises materializing. After faith, hope, and obedience started working for me I came to trust God more and more for the things that I could not do for myself. With my life changing little by little, day by day. I could not help but have some gratitude for what had been done in my life. At this point sharing with others seems to be a natural expression of the blessings bestowed upon me. As I shared I found that other who were in similar situations as I had been started receiving help by my encouragement. This became a active part of my service work in my recovery from alcohol and drugs. Even though I learned faith, developed obedience, came to trust and am involved in service, it means nothing without grace. My faith at times wavers, my obedience for sure is a long ways from perfect, my trust sometimes falters, and sometimes I just don’t feel like being involved in service to others. But the grace and love of my God is always strong, and always lifts me up when I cannot do for myself. When I am weak I am made strong by God’s love…………………JRE
“The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; My God, my strength in whom I will trust; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised; so shall I be saved from my enemies.”
PSALM 18:2-3 NKJV
“We find ourselves at a critical crossroads. On the one hand, our old addictions or dependencies beckon to us and tell us that the practice of those dependencies will be the ultimate source of our comfort. On the other hand, we have begun to experience that the promises of our addictions are false promises. We have discovered, along with many other recovering persons, that our addictions have stopped working for us. The alternative appears bleak.
How shall we be saved from the enemies of our dependencies? The psalmist David celebrates a God who is “my rock and my fortress and my deliverer.” Our dependencies brought us to a position of powerlessness. That powerlessness has brought us to the threshold of the God of our fathers who has infinite strength to provide our salvation.” NELSON SERENITY BIBLE page 389
Monday, July 25, 2005
jralphengland@yahoo.com
Thought for the day: “Do little things as if they were great, because of the majesty of the Lord Jesus Christ, who dwells in thee; and do great things as if they were little, because of His omnipotence.”
BLAISE PASCAL
Abraham speaking to his servant when he sent him out to find a wife for Isaac, this Scripture can be found in Genesis 24:40.
“And he said unto me, The LORD, before whom I walk, will send his angel with thee, and prosper thy way.”
This is the first place in Scripture that I can find the word prosper. Abraham understood where prosperity came from. God called him from his home in Ur of the Chaldees, to go to Canaan, a land where he was a stranger. In those times and the climate of that part of the world, I would imagine that it could be difficult to survive. They didn’t have a Wal-Mart on the way to pick up any thing they needed. They had to take it with them or obtain it on the way from other people. What a step of faith this was for Abram (before his name change). I think by being obedient to God, somewhere along the way he started understanding prosperity, and how true prosperity comes into our lives. Once Abraham exercised his faith and flexed the muscles of his newfound belief he started seeing results. That is why he could send his servant on a very important mission, and he knew he would prosper. A mission that would be part of God’s promise to make Abraham a great nation. It could not fail, and if we today stand on the promises of God, we will not fail but prosper in all ways. Get an inner image of the prosperity that God wants for you. Get it deep within your spirit and watch how the outside of your life and the things around you start to change. Search the Scriptures and find what God has said is yours, then put in deep inside your spirit and stand and walk in it. Don’t just consider it some wish list, but live it and expect to receive. Try it. Thanks for letting me share, God continues to do for me what I could not do for myself……………..JRE
“Abraham was very rich, owning innumerable flocks, herds, much silver and gold, besides hundreds of servants. It would take a very wealthy man to support no more than his 318 trained soldiers with their wives and children. He is called the father of us all, so if God allowed him to be rich, we need not look on any opportunity for our own prosperity as displeasing to God. The abundance of life for body, soul, and spirit is promised every man today in Christ. It is God’s will that all His children prosper and be in health, even as their soul prospers (3 John 2).”
THE DAKE BIBLE page 33
“What is the command associated with being given the desires of our heart? ‘Delight yourself.’ The word ‘delight’ means to be soft and pliable. We might say be moldable and teachable. It means more than being happy or excited about God.”
EARL D. WILSON
“We asked ourselves why we had them [fears]. Wasn’t it because of self-reliance failed us? ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS page 68
rich old Abraham
Thought for the day: “Do little things as if they were great, because of the majesty of the Lord Jesus Christ, who dwells in thee; and do great things as if they were little, because of His omnipotence.”
BLAISE PASCAL
Abraham speaking to his servant when he sent him out to find a wife for Isaac, this Scripture can be found in Genesis 24:40.
“And he said unto me, The LORD, before whom I walk, will send his angel with thee, and prosper thy way.”
This is the first place in Scripture that I can find the word prosper. Abraham understood where prosperity came from. God called him from his home in Ur of the Chaldees, to go to Canaan, a land where he was a stranger. In those times and the climate of that part of the world, I would imagine that it could be difficult to survive. They didn’t have a Wal-Mart on the way to pick up any thing they needed. They had to take it with them or obtain it on the way from other people. What a step of faith this was for Abram (before his name change). I think by being obedient to God, somewhere along the way he started understanding prosperity, and how true prosperity comes into our lives. Once Abraham exercised his faith and flexed the muscles of his newfound belief he started seeing results. That is why he could send his servant on a very important mission, and he knew he would prosper. A mission that would be part of God’s promise to make Abraham a great nation. It could not fail, and if we today stand on the promises of God, we will not fail but prosper in all ways. Get an inner image of the prosperity that God wants for you. Get it deep within your spirit and watch how the outside of your life and the things around you start to change. Search the Scriptures and find what God has said is yours, then put in deep inside your spirit and stand and walk in it. Don’t just consider it some wish list, but live it and expect to receive. Try it. Thanks for letting me share, God continues to do for me what I could not do for myself……………..JRE
“Abraham was very rich, owning innumerable flocks, herds, much silver and gold, besides hundreds of servants. It would take a very wealthy man to support no more than his 318 trained soldiers with their wives and children. He is called the father of us all, so if God allowed him to be rich, we need not look on any opportunity for our own prosperity as displeasing to God. The abundance of life for body, soul, and spirit is promised every man today in Christ. It is God’s will that all His children prosper and be in health, even as their soul prospers (3 John 2).”
THE DAKE BIBLE page 33
“What is the command associated with being given the desires of our heart? ‘Delight yourself.’ The word ‘delight’ means to be soft and pliable. We might say be moldable and teachable. It means more than being happy or excited about God.”
EARL D. WILSON
“We asked ourselves why we had them [fears]. Wasn’t it because of self-reliance failed us? ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS page 68
Thursday, July 21, 2005
jralphengland@yahoo.com
Thought for the day: “The springs of love are in God, not in us. It is absurd to look for the love of God in our hearts naturally, it is only there when it has been shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit.”
OSWALD CHAMBERS
“Beloved, I pray that in all respects you may prosper and be in good health, just as your soul prospers.” 3 JOHN 2 NASB
The apostle John was possibly in his eighty’s when he wrote these words to his friend Gaius. So he had lived many years knowing the promises that God wants for us. His first prayer for his friend was that in all respect he would prosper. When we of western culture see the word prosper, many of us think first of money and wealth. I believe that money is a low form of prosperity. And I am sure that John wanted his friend to prosper financially. The Scriptures are full of God given statements that claim for us wealth and prosperity. Some of us fail to really grasp the extent of what God wants for us. I am learning that it has to do with the inner image we have of ourselves. When I was in the grips of alcohol and drug addiction, my inner image of myself was one of poverty. I considered myself financially, physically, mentally, and spiritually broke. And I was just that, broke, broke down, broke up, and busted. That’s how I saw myself and that’s how I was. When I came to the realization that I would die if I continued on in my life style, I checked into substance abuse treatment. I had been to treatment six other times, but the difference this time was desire of the heart. As I sat through the program, the counselors ounce again educated me on the consequences of drug abuse, and they kept telling me that I could change. Having my heart in the program I listened and my inner image of myself started changing from a drunk to a sober person. Today I still share at meeting the fact that I am an alcoholic, but my inner image of myself is not of a drinker who has quit, but of a non-drinker. I did the same thing with cigarettes, I started thinking of myself as a non-smoker, not someone who has quit. Just as the apostle John told his friend to “be in good health, just as your soul prospers,” when I changed my inner image my soul prospered. If the way we see ourselves on the inside is according to God’s will, the outside can’t help but follow along. Today my desire is to have an inner image of myself in health and wealth and most of all spiritual prosperity. And you know what? I see things happening……..it’s an inside job. God does for me what I could not do for myself…………….JRE
“Love is not premeditated, it is spontaneous, i.e., it bursts up in extraordinary ways. There is nothing mathematical certainty in Paul’s category of love. We cannot say ‘Now I am going to think no evil; I am going to believe all things.’ The characteristic of love is spontaneity. We do not set the statements of Jesus in front of us as a standard; but when His Spirit is having His way with us, we live according to His standard without knowing it, and on looking back we are amazed at the distinterestedness of a particular emotion, which is the evidence that the spontaneity of real love was there.” OSWALD CHAMBERS
Broke, broke down, broke up, and busted
Thought for the day: “The springs of love are in God, not in us. It is absurd to look for the love of God in our hearts naturally, it is only there when it has been shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit.”
OSWALD CHAMBERS
“Beloved, I pray that in all respects you may prosper and be in good health, just as your soul prospers.” 3 JOHN 2 NASB
The apostle John was possibly in his eighty’s when he wrote these words to his friend Gaius. So he had lived many years knowing the promises that God wants for us. His first prayer for his friend was that in all respect he would prosper. When we of western culture see the word prosper, many of us think first of money and wealth. I believe that money is a low form of prosperity. And I am sure that John wanted his friend to prosper financially. The Scriptures are full of God given statements that claim for us wealth and prosperity. Some of us fail to really grasp the extent of what God wants for us. I am learning that it has to do with the inner image we have of ourselves. When I was in the grips of alcohol and drug addiction, my inner image of myself was one of poverty. I considered myself financially, physically, mentally, and spiritually broke. And I was just that, broke, broke down, broke up, and busted. That’s how I saw myself and that’s how I was. When I came to the realization that I would die if I continued on in my life style, I checked into substance abuse treatment. I had been to treatment six other times, but the difference this time was desire of the heart. As I sat through the program, the counselors ounce again educated me on the consequences of drug abuse, and they kept telling me that I could change. Having my heart in the program I listened and my inner image of myself started changing from a drunk to a sober person. Today I still share at meeting the fact that I am an alcoholic, but my inner image of myself is not of a drinker who has quit, but of a non-drinker. I did the same thing with cigarettes, I started thinking of myself as a non-smoker, not someone who has quit. Just as the apostle John told his friend to “be in good health, just as your soul prospers,” when I changed my inner image my soul prospered. If the way we see ourselves on the inside is according to God’s will, the outside can’t help but follow along. Today my desire is to have an inner image of myself in health and wealth and most of all spiritual prosperity. And you know what? I see things happening……..it’s an inside job. God does for me what I could not do for myself…………….JRE
“Love is not premeditated, it is spontaneous, i.e., it bursts up in extraordinary ways. There is nothing mathematical certainty in Paul’s category of love. We cannot say ‘Now I am going to think no evil; I am going to believe all things.’ The characteristic of love is spontaneity. We do not set the statements of Jesus in front of us as a standard; but when His Spirit is having His way with us, we live according to His standard without knowing it, and on looking back we are amazed at the distinterestedness of a particular emotion, which is the evidence that the spontaneity of real love was there.” OSWALD CHAMBERS
Wednesday, July 20, 2005
jralphengland@yahoo.com
Thought for the day: “It is well to give when asked, but it is better to give unasked, through understanding.” KAHLIL GIBRAN
“For by their own sword they did not possess the land, and their own arm did not save them, but Your right hand and Your arm and the light of Your presence, for You favored them.”
Psalm 44:3 NASB
The light of God’s presence. An illuminating spiritual light that can shine on our inside as well as on the outside. On the inside it can light our path before we ever take a step, it can give us wisdom in making decisions before we put them into action. The light of God’s presence did not automatically shine in my life, my ego and self-centeredness was rampant, and as I sat there all cool with my spiritual shades on and just being me, I blocked out the sunlight of the Spirit, the light of God’s presence. Only by being repeatedly broken in spirit, and as the tears flowed, would I remove my cool spiritual shades. At times like these I would pray the simple prayer “God help me,” and in would flood the Light. Over the years many times I found myself with a feeling of being healed and restored, and along with renewed physical and spiritual strength my mental strength increased also. Once again my magnifying magnificent mind would pump up my ego and my self-centeredness would again be rampant. At times like these anger and resentments, jealousy and envy are able to take root. On would go the shades and block out the light of God’s presence. Nothing grows in the dark and if your not growing you become stagnant and stale. I must remember to continue to remove my spiritual shades of coolness. I must remove them daily and often several times during the day, to keep from being dim witted and full of myself. May I remember that my battles are fought and won with the help of God, and never when alone. I am grateful and may I today let the sunlight of the Spirit shine in my life then God can do for me what I could not do for myself……………..JRE
“But with the alcoholic whose hope is the maintenance and growth of a spiritual experience, this business of resentment is infinitely grave. We found that it is fatal. For when harboring such feelings we shut ourselves off from the sunlight of the Spirit.”
Alcoholics Anonymous page 66
This is the debt I pay
Just for one riotous day,
Years of regret and grief,
Sorrow without relief.
Pay it I will to the end
Until the grave my friend,
Gives me a true release
Give me the clasp of peace.
Slight was the thing I bought,
Small was the debt I thought,
Poor was the loan at best
God! But the interest!
PAUL LAURENCE DUNBAR
Spiritual shades of coolness
Thought for the day: “It is well to give when asked, but it is better to give unasked, through understanding.” KAHLIL GIBRAN
“For by their own sword they did not possess the land, and their own arm did not save them, but Your right hand and Your arm and the light of Your presence, for You favored them.”
Psalm 44:3 NASB
The light of God’s presence. An illuminating spiritual light that can shine on our inside as well as on the outside. On the inside it can light our path before we ever take a step, it can give us wisdom in making decisions before we put them into action. The light of God’s presence did not automatically shine in my life, my ego and self-centeredness was rampant, and as I sat there all cool with my spiritual shades on and just being me, I blocked out the sunlight of the Spirit, the light of God’s presence. Only by being repeatedly broken in spirit, and as the tears flowed, would I remove my cool spiritual shades. At times like these I would pray the simple prayer “God help me,” and in would flood the Light. Over the years many times I found myself with a feeling of being healed and restored, and along with renewed physical and spiritual strength my mental strength increased also. Once again my magnifying magnificent mind would pump up my ego and my self-centeredness would again be rampant. At times like these anger and resentments, jealousy and envy are able to take root. On would go the shades and block out the light of God’s presence. Nothing grows in the dark and if your not growing you become stagnant and stale. I must remember to continue to remove my spiritual shades of coolness. I must remove them daily and often several times during the day, to keep from being dim witted and full of myself. May I remember that my battles are fought and won with the help of God, and never when alone. I am grateful and may I today let the sunlight of the Spirit shine in my life then God can do for me what I could not do for myself……………..JRE
“But with the alcoholic whose hope is the maintenance and growth of a spiritual experience, this business of resentment is infinitely grave. We found that it is fatal. For when harboring such feelings we shut ourselves off from the sunlight of the Spirit.”
Alcoholics Anonymous page 66
This is the debt I pay
Just for one riotous day,
Years of regret and grief,
Sorrow without relief.
Pay it I will to the end
Until the grave my friend,
Gives me a true release
Give me the clasp of peace.
Slight was the thing I bought,
Small was the debt I thought,
Poor was the loan at best
God! But the interest!
PAUL LAURENCE DUNBAR
Tuesday, July 19, 2005
jralphengland@yahoo.com
Thought for the day: “When the Lord comes knockin’ you got to open the door, cause He’s coming in anyway.”
Heard on a sitcom called “The Parkers”
“For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food. For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is an infant. But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil.”
Hebrews 5:12-14 NASB
The mature……Christian maturity involves (1) time, (2) growth and knowledge of the Word of God, (3) experience in the use of the Word in discerning between good and evil.
Charles Ryrie Study Bible
It ain’t easy. It just ain’t easy, it takes practice. The writer of the Book of Hebrews says that “solid food” the meat of the Scriptures, “is for the mature who because of practice have their senses trained.” One of my first personal experiences that I recall of practice, other than my school work, was when I took guitar lessons at age eleven. I remember that because I took these lessons I was forced to practice. It wasn’t much fun. There were a few songs that I loved playing, but practice was work, and involved doing things that I didn’t enjoy and didn’t totally understand. Then there was the time when I was a freshman in high school and joined the track team. They called it practice, but it was terrible, and hurt. Then my sophomore year in high school I decided to play football. I weighed all of 120 pounds at that time (wish today that I had a little of that body). There were times I thought that football practice should be illegal. What a brutal beating, and the coaches were not very nice most of the time. But those hard practices taught us how to with stand the pain as the enemy came against us. And so it is today as we practice and exercise the spiritual “principles of the oracles of God,” we have strength to draw from when we’re in the trenches buttin’ heads with the enemy. To be in a battle and to know that we have more strength if needed is like taking a journey with a full tank of gas. Today I still practice the guitar, and have given up on the football and track. I also must practice daily in many other aspects of my life, I must practice in exercising my faith and not just let it be. It needs to be strong. I must practice my prayer life, if not it becomes meaningless and without purpose. I must practice the principle of “loving my neighbor as myself.” If I don’t I can become hardened to the needs of others. I must practice my daily realization that I cannot use alcohol or drugs. Without this practice the enemy will tempt, and without sobriety nothing else works for me. That is the bottom line in my social life, if I am not sober, in my right mind, and restored to sanity by a loving God, I have nothing. Thanks for letting me share, God continues to do for me what I could not do for myself………………..JRE
“God comes to us before we go to Him…..This is God’s habit. God came to Abraham when there was nothing to come to, just an old man at a dead end. But that’s God for you. That’s the way God likes to work. He comes to old men and to infants, to sinners and to losers. That’s grace.” JAMES VAN THOLEN
Buttin' heads with the enemy
Thought for the day: “When the Lord comes knockin’ you got to open the door, cause He’s coming in anyway.”
Heard on a sitcom called “The Parkers”
“For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food. For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is an infant. But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil.”
Hebrews 5:12-14 NASB
The mature……Christian maturity involves (1) time, (2) growth and knowledge of the Word of God, (3) experience in the use of the Word in discerning between good and evil.
Charles Ryrie Study Bible
It ain’t easy. It just ain’t easy, it takes practice. The writer of the Book of Hebrews says that “solid food” the meat of the Scriptures, “is for the mature who because of practice have their senses trained.” One of my first personal experiences that I recall of practice, other than my school work, was when I took guitar lessons at age eleven. I remember that because I took these lessons I was forced to practice. It wasn’t much fun. There were a few songs that I loved playing, but practice was work, and involved doing things that I didn’t enjoy and didn’t totally understand. Then there was the time when I was a freshman in high school and joined the track team. They called it practice, but it was terrible, and hurt. Then my sophomore year in high school I decided to play football. I weighed all of 120 pounds at that time (wish today that I had a little of that body). There were times I thought that football practice should be illegal. What a brutal beating, and the coaches were not very nice most of the time. But those hard practices taught us how to with stand the pain as the enemy came against us. And so it is today as we practice and exercise the spiritual “principles of the oracles of God,” we have strength to draw from when we’re in the trenches buttin’ heads with the enemy. To be in a battle and to know that we have more strength if needed is like taking a journey with a full tank of gas. Today I still practice the guitar, and have given up on the football and track. I also must practice daily in many other aspects of my life, I must practice in exercising my faith and not just let it be. It needs to be strong. I must practice my prayer life, if not it becomes meaningless and without purpose. I must practice the principle of “loving my neighbor as myself.” If I don’t I can become hardened to the needs of others. I must practice my daily realization that I cannot use alcohol or drugs. Without this practice the enemy will tempt, and without sobriety nothing else works for me. That is the bottom line in my social life, if I am not sober, in my right mind, and restored to sanity by a loving God, I have nothing. Thanks for letting me share, God continues to do for me what I could not do for myself………………..JRE
“God comes to us before we go to Him…..This is God’s habit. God came to Abraham when there was nothing to come to, just an old man at a dead end. But that’s God for you. That’s the way God likes to work. He comes to old men and to infants, to sinners and to losers. That’s grace.” JAMES VAN THOLEN
Monday, July 18, 2005
jralphengland@yahoo.com
Thought for the day: “The world doth scoff at what I now say, namely that a man may weep for his neighbor’s sin as for his own, or even more than for his own, for it seems to be contrary to nature. But the love which brings this about is not of this world.”
Angela of Foligno
“And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.”
Romans 12:2 NASB
I have found in my daily recovery from alcohol and drug abuse; that reaching out, and feeling the needs of those who still suffer, is a must. If I ever become callused to those who are in the grips of active addiction, I take a risk in loosing the awareness of my own addictive personality. You see it is through others that I am able to see myself. Many of us who have similar character defects are able to mirror our lives to each other. Many times I have sat and listened to someone gripe and complain, and go on about his or her life. How they don’t think they are getting a fair deal, and things should be better. I have found myself at these times thinking to myself, “I am sure glad I’m not like that.” But the truth is that I am just like that when the going gets tough. When things don’t go my way I find myself complaining and griping, and share with everyone I come across all of my negative feelings. I am learning to look in the mirror of others and find myself so that I may keep the root of bitterness from growing stronger and stronger. If I ever loose compassion for those who are still suffering, I will loose the mirror of my own defects that may be found in them. Only a greater Love, and a Love that is not conformed to this world can give me the compassion to love the unlovable. It is a chain reaction. Many reached out to me while I was still in my active addiction. They did this because of gratitude, and a desire to stay sober. I in turn have learned this spiritual principle of “giving it away to keep it” and have reached out to those who still suffer in order to stay sober. They in turn have reached out and on and on and on. Today I am grateful that this greater Love that is not of this world that I call God, will do for me what I could not do for myself………………..JRE
“We, in our turn, sought the same escape with all the desperation of drowning men. What seemed at first a flimsy reed, has proved to be the loving and powerful had of God. A new life has been given us or, if you prefer, “a design for living” that really works.” Alcoholics Anonymous page 28
Love not of this world
Thought for the day: “The world doth scoff at what I now say, namely that a man may weep for his neighbor’s sin as for his own, or even more than for his own, for it seems to be contrary to nature. But the love which brings this about is not of this world.”
Angela of Foligno
“And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.”
Romans 12:2 NASB
I have found in my daily recovery from alcohol and drug abuse; that reaching out, and feeling the needs of those who still suffer, is a must. If I ever become callused to those who are in the grips of active addiction, I take a risk in loosing the awareness of my own addictive personality. You see it is through others that I am able to see myself. Many of us who have similar character defects are able to mirror our lives to each other. Many times I have sat and listened to someone gripe and complain, and go on about his or her life. How they don’t think they are getting a fair deal, and things should be better. I have found myself at these times thinking to myself, “I am sure glad I’m not like that.” But the truth is that I am just like that when the going gets tough. When things don’t go my way I find myself complaining and griping, and share with everyone I come across all of my negative feelings. I am learning to look in the mirror of others and find myself so that I may keep the root of bitterness from growing stronger and stronger. If I ever loose compassion for those who are still suffering, I will loose the mirror of my own defects that may be found in them. Only a greater Love, and a Love that is not conformed to this world can give me the compassion to love the unlovable. It is a chain reaction. Many reached out to me while I was still in my active addiction. They did this because of gratitude, and a desire to stay sober. I in turn have learned this spiritual principle of “giving it away to keep it” and have reached out to those who still suffer in order to stay sober. They in turn have reached out and on and on and on. Today I am grateful that this greater Love that is not of this world that I call God, will do for me what I could not do for myself………………..JRE
“We, in our turn, sought the same escape with all the desperation of drowning men. What seemed at first a flimsy reed, has proved to be the loving and powerful had of God. A new life has been given us or, if you prefer, “a design for living” that really works.” Alcoholics Anonymous page 28
Wednesday, July 13, 2005
jralphengland@yahoo.com
“God is more anxious to bestow His blessings on us than we are to receive them.”
ST. AUGUSTINE
I find myself saying, “God bless you” to a lot of people. There was a time in my life when I just took the words for granted and used the term as a greeting or a salutation. Sort of like a hello or a good-bye. Many of us do this without even thinking about the words we have spoken. Jesus said that we would be held accountable for every idle or careless word that we speak.
“For the mouth speaks out of that which fill the heart. The good man brings out of his good treasure what is good; and the evil man brings out of his evil treasure what is evil. But I tell you that every careless word that people speak, they shall give accounting for it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified and by your words you will be condemned.” Matthew 12:34-37 NASB
I’m not sure if a casual “God bless you,” said without out even thinking about the meaning, would be considered a idle or a careless word. I know that when I have said these words without thinking of their meaning I meant no harm. But on the other hand I meant no real good either, because they were said without meaning. My whole point in explaining this is to tell of a friend of mine Jimmy, who seven years ago said something to me that made me think. One day after church as I was preparing to leave, I said, “God bless you” to the gentleman. He said to me, “I will receive that.” Boy, you talk about putting the brakes on in my thinking. No one had ever responded to me with that kind of direct and to the point answer. It made me think that if I was asking God for this man to be blessed, or being used as intercessor for his blessings. And he is willing to receive these blessings, then, I need to think of the value of the words I have just spoken. If Jimmy was ready to receive, and I have just spoken idle or careless words, where would the blessings be? Just four little words said with real meaning “I will receive that,” have over the years caused me to think of God’s blessings as I greet or leave people with the term “God bless you.” Today as I write this I remember idle words in my life. I remember that I am accountable for words that travel from my heart, to my tongue, to your ears, to your heart. God bless you.
Thanks for letting me share. God had done for me what I could not do for myself…………………..JRE
Thou that hast given so much to me,
Give one more thing…a grateful heart;
Not thankful when it pleases me,
As if thy blessings had spare days;
But such a heart,
Whose pulse may be Thy praise.
GEORGE HERBERT
“Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out.” TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, page 96
From heart to tongue to ears to heart
“God is more anxious to bestow His blessings on us than we are to receive them.”
ST. AUGUSTINE
I find myself saying, “God bless you” to a lot of people. There was a time in my life when I just took the words for granted and used the term as a greeting or a salutation. Sort of like a hello or a good-bye. Many of us do this without even thinking about the words we have spoken. Jesus said that we would be held accountable for every idle or careless word that we speak.
“For the mouth speaks out of that which fill the heart. The good man brings out of his good treasure what is good; and the evil man brings out of his evil treasure what is evil. But I tell you that every careless word that people speak, they shall give accounting for it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified and by your words you will be condemned.” Matthew 12:34-37 NASB
I’m not sure if a casual “God bless you,” said without out even thinking about the meaning, would be considered a idle or a careless word. I know that when I have said these words without thinking of their meaning I meant no harm. But on the other hand I meant no real good either, because they were said without meaning. My whole point in explaining this is to tell of a friend of mine Jimmy, who seven years ago said something to me that made me think. One day after church as I was preparing to leave, I said, “God bless you” to the gentleman. He said to me, “I will receive that.” Boy, you talk about putting the brakes on in my thinking. No one had ever responded to me with that kind of direct and to the point answer. It made me think that if I was asking God for this man to be blessed, or being used as intercessor for his blessings. And he is willing to receive these blessings, then, I need to think of the value of the words I have just spoken. If Jimmy was ready to receive, and I have just spoken idle or careless words, where would the blessings be? Just four little words said with real meaning “I will receive that,” have over the years caused me to think of God’s blessings as I greet or leave people with the term “God bless you.” Today as I write this I remember idle words in my life. I remember that I am accountable for words that travel from my heart, to my tongue, to your ears, to your heart. God bless you.
Thanks for letting me share. God had done for me what I could not do for myself…………………..JRE
Thou that hast given so much to me,
Give one more thing…a grateful heart;
Not thankful when it pleases me,
As if thy blessings had spare days;
But such a heart,
Whose pulse may be Thy praise.
GEORGE HERBERT
“Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out.” TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, page 96
Monday, July 11, 2005
jralphengland@yahoo.com
Thought for the day: “By brothers, (and sisters I might add….jre) Christ made love the stairway that would enable all Christians to climb to heaven. Hold fast to it, therefore, in all sincerity, give one another practical proof of it, and by your progress in it, make you ascent together.”
Fulgentius of Ruspe
One of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?”
And He said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, you shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.”
Stairway to Heaven, what a great rock song by Led Zepplin. The guitar solo in that song is known as one of the best rock guitar solos ever played. It moves from one end of the musical range of the guitar to the other. The guitar notes have a melodic swirling affect as they reach ever higher on the scale. They ultimately end at a point of musical fulfillment that has reached its goal. The song is not Scriptural for it speaks of a person who is trying to buy a stairway to heaven. But one thing the song has done for those of us who are of the generation to remember it, is that it has given us a concept and a mental image of a stairway to heaven. The quote I came across this morning reminded me of the song once again. This time with a clear picture of the substance, that makes up the stairway. Each step that we take spiritually, advancing upward in our journey, we take on a step of love. The banisters that our hands steady us with are forgiveness and kindness. I remember my first step on the stairway to heaven, it was a step of love that I did not give but received. I did nothing to deserve being loved, it was a greater love extended to me by my heavenly Father through Jesus and the finished work of the cross. The second step was also love that was received. It was the love of family who supported the change in my life, and the love of many fellow Christians who encouraged me on to the next step. The third step was one where I had to take the love that was given to me and reach back and help someone take the first step. As we move together up the stairway we hold on to each other so that none may fall away. We climb together. Thanks for letting me share. God continues to do for me what I could not do for myself……………JRE
“We love Him because He first loved us.” JOHN 4:19 KJV
“Spiritual development is achieved by daily persistence in living the way you believe God wants you to live. Like the wearing away of a stone by steady drops of water, so will your daily persistence wear away all the difficulties and gain spiritual success for you. Never falter in this daily, steady persistence. Go forward boldly and unafraid. God will help and strengthen you, as long as you are trying to do His will.”
HAZELDEN…………….Twenty-Four Hours A Day
“God is not alone when discarded by man. But man is alone.” ABRAHAM HESCHEL
"Stairway to heaven"
Thought for the day: “By brothers, (and sisters I might add….jre) Christ made love the stairway that would enable all Christians to climb to heaven. Hold fast to it, therefore, in all sincerity, give one another practical proof of it, and by your progress in it, make you ascent together.”
Fulgentius of Ruspe
One of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?”
And He said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, you shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.”
Stairway to Heaven, what a great rock song by Led Zepplin. The guitar solo in that song is known as one of the best rock guitar solos ever played. It moves from one end of the musical range of the guitar to the other. The guitar notes have a melodic swirling affect as they reach ever higher on the scale. They ultimately end at a point of musical fulfillment that has reached its goal. The song is not Scriptural for it speaks of a person who is trying to buy a stairway to heaven. But one thing the song has done for those of us who are of the generation to remember it, is that it has given us a concept and a mental image of a stairway to heaven. The quote I came across this morning reminded me of the song once again. This time with a clear picture of the substance, that makes up the stairway. Each step that we take spiritually, advancing upward in our journey, we take on a step of love. The banisters that our hands steady us with are forgiveness and kindness. I remember my first step on the stairway to heaven, it was a step of love that I did not give but received. I did nothing to deserve being loved, it was a greater love extended to me by my heavenly Father through Jesus and the finished work of the cross. The second step was also love that was received. It was the love of family who supported the change in my life, and the love of many fellow Christians who encouraged me on to the next step. The third step was one where I had to take the love that was given to me and reach back and help someone take the first step. As we move together up the stairway we hold on to each other so that none may fall away. We climb together. Thanks for letting me share. God continues to do for me what I could not do for myself……………JRE
“We love Him because He first loved us.” JOHN 4:19 KJV
“Spiritual development is achieved by daily persistence in living the way you believe God wants you to live. Like the wearing away of a stone by steady drops of water, so will your daily persistence wear away all the difficulties and gain spiritual success for you. Never falter in this daily, steady persistence. Go forward boldly and unafraid. God will help and strengthen you, as long as you are trying to do His will.”
HAZELDEN…………….Twenty-Four Hours A Day
“God is not alone when discarded by man. But man is alone.” ABRAHAM HESCHEL
Thursday, July 07, 2005
jralphengland@yahoo.com
Thought for the day: “If a man loudly blesses his neighbor early in the morning, it will be taken as a curse.” PROVERBS 27:14 NIV
It’s not what you say, but when you say it and how you say it that counts. Have you ever woke up feeling great and the first person you see you say, “good morning,” only to get the response “what’s so good about it?” Sometimes a simple nod of acknowledgement will say more than a mouth full of happy nothing. Sometimes it’s not what you say, but when and how you say it. Timing and attitude have everything to do with successful communication. We never know how a person’s day has been up to the point of where we start our communication. If there has been some trauma that has occurred, starting out by saying loudly “isn’t this a wonderful day” could be taken as a curse and not as a blessing. One of the gifts of the Spirit is the gift of discernment. Webster defines the word discern as: “to separate (a thing) mentally from another or others; recognize as separate or different; to perceive or recognize; make out clearly; keen perception or judgment; insight.” The definition insight fits perfectly into the meaning of the gift of discernment. It doesn’t take a long time in the presence of another person to feel out the situation. Spiritually we can feel the “vibes” that another person is putting out, and if we are aware of others at that time and not stuck in our self-centeredness we can use the gift of the Spirit to discern the other person. Like the apostle James said, “we should be slow to speak and swift to hear.” We should be swift to discern before we speak. We just don’t know what someone else is going through until we take the time to look, listen and discern. This proverb spoke to me this morning, I am one to get up and open up, when I should look up and listen up. Thanks for letting me share, God is doing for me what I could not do for myself………………JRE
“My dear brothers; take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires.” JAMES 1:19-20 NIV
“We will intuitively know how to handle situations which used to baffle us.”
ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS page 84
“Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more…. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. It turns problems into gifts, failures into successes, the unexpected into perfect timing, and mistakes into important events.” MELODY BEATTIE
Look, listen, and discern.
Thought for the day: “If a man loudly blesses his neighbor early in the morning, it will be taken as a curse.” PROVERBS 27:14 NIV
It’s not what you say, but when you say it and how you say it that counts. Have you ever woke up feeling great and the first person you see you say, “good morning,” only to get the response “what’s so good about it?” Sometimes a simple nod of acknowledgement will say more than a mouth full of happy nothing. Sometimes it’s not what you say, but when and how you say it. Timing and attitude have everything to do with successful communication. We never know how a person’s day has been up to the point of where we start our communication. If there has been some trauma that has occurred, starting out by saying loudly “isn’t this a wonderful day” could be taken as a curse and not as a blessing. One of the gifts of the Spirit is the gift of discernment. Webster defines the word discern as: “to separate (a thing) mentally from another or others; recognize as separate or different; to perceive or recognize; make out clearly; keen perception or judgment; insight.” The definition insight fits perfectly into the meaning of the gift of discernment. It doesn’t take a long time in the presence of another person to feel out the situation. Spiritually we can feel the “vibes” that another person is putting out, and if we are aware of others at that time and not stuck in our self-centeredness we can use the gift of the Spirit to discern the other person. Like the apostle James said, “we should be slow to speak and swift to hear.” We should be swift to discern before we speak. We just don’t know what someone else is going through until we take the time to look, listen and discern. This proverb spoke to me this morning, I am one to get up and open up, when I should look up and listen up. Thanks for letting me share, God is doing for me what I could not do for myself………………JRE
“My dear brothers; take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires.” JAMES 1:19-20 NIV
“We will intuitively know how to handle situations which used to baffle us.”
ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS page 84
“Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more…. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. It turns problems into gifts, failures into successes, the unexpected into perfect timing, and mistakes into important events.” MELODY BEATTIE
Wednesday, July 06, 2005
jralphengland@yahoo.com
Thought for the day: “Humility is like a pair of scales; the lower one side falls, the higher rises the other.” JOHN VIANNEY
Words of Jesus found in Matthew 23:10-12 NASB
“Do not be called leaders; for One is your Leader, that is Christ. But the greatest among you shall be your servant. Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled; and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted.”
I have observed in my own life how my behaviors and moods seem to be resting upon some sort of scale. And how that when one emotion gets out of bearing with the rest of my life, I always must pay somehow. This happens when I am forced to bring my life back into balance. The Greeks taught balance through moderation and something they called the “Golden Mean.” In other words a little bit of anything was all right, as long as it didn’t upset the scales of life. Early in my life I attended college and in one philosophy class that I was enrolled, I remember the professor teaching of the Greek’s golden mean. I remember thinking how cool is this! I used it as a reason to try all sorts of things that I normally would not have tried. My understanding at that time was that as long as I didn’t go too far with something I would be all right. One fact that I didn’t take into consideration was that the vehicle I was traveling in, the “self,” did not know when the scales became over balanced in one direction until it was too late. And of course then the cost had to be paid to bring my life back into balance. Humility, or a forced feeding of humble pie paid the price of balance. Being force fed humble pie is not one of my favorite servings. Of all the spiritual principles that I am learning, this thing called humility and the control of the tongue seem to be by far the hardest. Jesus understood these principles. He understood that instead of a forced feeding of humble pie, if I worked on it myself one bite at a time, there would be digestion instead of indigestion. And the results tip the scales of life to the positive with blessing of well being, and good will toward my fellow man. I am learning that when I take a step in the right direction on my own, that God will help me take more steps and do for me what I could not do for myself………………….JRE
“In all my perplexities and distresses, the Bible has never failed to give me light and strength.” ROBERT E. LEE
“Always seek to set aside the valuations of the world which seem wrong and try to judge only by those valuations which seem right to you. Do not seek the praise and notice of the world. Be one of those who, though sometimes scoffed at, have a serenity and peace of mind which the scoffers never know. Be one of that band who feel the Divine Principle in the universe, though He be often rejected because He cannot be seen.”
HAZELDEN……………….Twenty-Four Hours A Day
Humble Pie
Thought for the day: “Humility is like a pair of scales; the lower one side falls, the higher rises the other.” JOHN VIANNEY
Words of Jesus found in Matthew 23:10-12 NASB
“Do not be called leaders; for One is your Leader, that is Christ. But the greatest among you shall be your servant. Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled; and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted.”
I have observed in my own life how my behaviors and moods seem to be resting upon some sort of scale. And how that when one emotion gets out of bearing with the rest of my life, I always must pay somehow. This happens when I am forced to bring my life back into balance. The Greeks taught balance through moderation and something they called the “Golden Mean.” In other words a little bit of anything was all right, as long as it didn’t upset the scales of life. Early in my life I attended college and in one philosophy class that I was enrolled, I remember the professor teaching of the Greek’s golden mean. I remember thinking how cool is this! I used it as a reason to try all sorts of things that I normally would not have tried. My understanding at that time was that as long as I didn’t go too far with something I would be all right. One fact that I didn’t take into consideration was that the vehicle I was traveling in, the “self,” did not know when the scales became over balanced in one direction until it was too late. And of course then the cost had to be paid to bring my life back into balance. Humility, or a forced feeding of humble pie paid the price of balance. Being force fed humble pie is not one of my favorite servings. Of all the spiritual principles that I am learning, this thing called humility and the control of the tongue seem to be by far the hardest. Jesus understood these principles. He understood that instead of a forced feeding of humble pie, if I worked on it myself one bite at a time, there would be digestion instead of indigestion. And the results tip the scales of life to the positive with blessing of well being, and good will toward my fellow man. I am learning that when I take a step in the right direction on my own, that God will help me take more steps and do for me what I could not do for myself………………….JRE
“In all my perplexities and distresses, the Bible has never failed to give me light and strength.” ROBERT E. LEE
“Always seek to set aside the valuations of the world which seem wrong and try to judge only by those valuations which seem right to you. Do not seek the praise and notice of the world. Be one of those who, though sometimes scoffed at, have a serenity and peace of mind which the scoffers never know. Be one of that band who feel the Divine Principle in the universe, though He be often rejected because He cannot be seen.”
HAZELDEN……………….Twenty-Four Hours A Day
Tuesday, July 05, 2005
jralphengland@yahoo.com
Thought for the day: “Nothing in all creation is so like God as stillness.”
MEISTER ECKHART
“Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations.”
PSALM 46:10 NIV
This morning I take time to be still and reflect upon the past few days. Our country celebrated its independence with many celebrations and reunions. One year ago I attended a reunion with some of the guys from my platoon that served in Vietnam in 1967 and 1968. What a memorial time that was, the memories live on and we are looking forward to some kind of gathering again soon. This year I attended a family reunion of cousins. The grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great great-grandchildren of our grandparents, Benjamin and Dorothy Dake. It had been forty years since many of us had seen each other, many had never met before. As I sit in the stillness of this morning I realize that God is speaking to me from the quiet place, God is making me aware of the fact that we really do need each other. That we are not just family, but we are all cousins of a great family of God. The reunion of mankind is called life. Every day we are reunited with each other, sometimes with only a separation of a few hours, many times the separation has been years. As the stillness this morning makes me aware of God and God’s family, I come to the realization that we are all cousins. Some are first cousins, some second, some third and fourth, some are removed thousands of times, but we are all in the family of God. Even if we don’t want to be we are! How wonderful it is to see someone we haven’t seen for a period of time. Today may I remember to greet each person as though they are family, then God will do for me what I could not do for myself. Thanks for letting me share……………JRE
GOD SPEAKS TO THE QUIET HEART
“A day in your court is better than a thousand outside.”
PSALM 84:2, 10
If the pace and the push, the noise and the crowds are getting to you, it’s time to stop the nonsense and find a place of solace to refresh your spirit. Deliberately say “no” more often. This will leave room for you to slow down, get alone, pour out your overburdened heart, and admit your desperate need for inner refreshment. The good news is God will hear and He will help. The bad news is this: If you wait for someone else to bring about a change, things will only deteriorate.
All of us can testify, God does not speak to the hurried, worried mind. It takes time alone with Him and His word before we can expect our spiritual strength to recover.
CHARLES SWINDOLL………….Intimacy with the Almighty
“A spiritual life which does not include family obligations may not be so perfect after all.” ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS page 129
Cousins
Thought for the day: “Nothing in all creation is so like God as stillness.”
MEISTER ECKHART
“Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations.”
PSALM 46:10 NIV
This morning I take time to be still and reflect upon the past few days. Our country celebrated its independence with many celebrations and reunions. One year ago I attended a reunion with some of the guys from my platoon that served in Vietnam in 1967 and 1968. What a memorial time that was, the memories live on and we are looking forward to some kind of gathering again soon. This year I attended a family reunion of cousins. The grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great great-grandchildren of our grandparents, Benjamin and Dorothy Dake. It had been forty years since many of us had seen each other, many had never met before. As I sit in the stillness of this morning I realize that God is speaking to me from the quiet place, God is making me aware of the fact that we really do need each other. That we are not just family, but we are all cousins of a great family of God. The reunion of mankind is called life. Every day we are reunited with each other, sometimes with only a separation of a few hours, many times the separation has been years. As the stillness this morning makes me aware of God and God’s family, I come to the realization that we are all cousins. Some are first cousins, some second, some third and fourth, some are removed thousands of times, but we are all in the family of God. Even if we don’t want to be we are! How wonderful it is to see someone we haven’t seen for a period of time. Today may I remember to greet each person as though they are family, then God will do for me what I could not do for myself. Thanks for letting me share……………JRE
GOD SPEAKS TO THE QUIET HEART
“A day in your court is better than a thousand outside.”
PSALM 84:2, 10
If the pace and the push, the noise and the crowds are getting to you, it’s time to stop the nonsense and find a place of solace to refresh your spirit. Deliberately say “no” more often. This will leave room for you to slow down, get alone, pour out your overburdened heart, and admit your desperate need for inner refreshment. The good news is God will hear and He will help. The bad news is this: If you wait for someone else to bring about a change, things will only deteriorate.
All of us can testify, God does not speak to the hurried, worried mind. It takes time alone with Him and His word before we can expect our spiritual strength to recover.
CHARLES SWINDOLL………….Intimacy with the Almighty
“A spiritual life which does not include family obligations may not be so perfect after all.” ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS page 129
