An Inspirational Quote

"Faith does the impossible because it brings God to undertake for us, and nothing is impossible with God." ~ E.M. Bounds

Monday Morning Quarterback

Well thank the Lord, my prayers have been answered. The St. Louis Rams finally made a decision that was a long time in coming. Head Coach Scott Linehan was fired today and was replaced by Jim Haslett. I for one applaud this move by owner Chip Rosenbloom and I am now able to finally have reason to be optimistic, if not for this year, perhaps the future. I am sure that coach Linehan was a good man and by all indications he is, but he was not the right choice three years ago to lead this team and I think we now have a coach who will at least get the team in the right direction. I am behind Coach Haslett.....GO RAMS!!!!!

God's Word for Today

How To Be Safe

How to stay safe
1. Avoid riding in automobiles because they are responsible for 20% of all fatal accidents.
2. Do not stay home because 17% of all accidents occur in the home.
3. Avoid walking on streets or sidewalks because 24% of all accidents occur to pedestrians.
4. Avoid traveling by air, rail or water because 16% of all accidents involve these forms of transportation.
5. Of the remaining 33%, 32% of all deaths occur in hospitals.Above all else, avoid hospitals.

You will be pleased to learn that only .001% of all deaths occur in worship service in church, and these are usually related to previous physical disorders.Therefore, logic tell us that the safest place for you to be at any given point of time is at church.Bible study is safe too.The percentage of deaths during Bible study is even less. FOR SAFETY'S SAKE . . . Attend Church and Bible Study today !IT COULD SAVE YOUR LIFE !

Peace

This week has been a very stressful week for many people. Many of us are closely watching the financial crisis that is affecting the financial markets in the United States, along with the banking and credit industries and this is posing a great threat to our national economy and our way of life. Some people are wondering if their 401 k plans will recover from the losses and others are worried that their life savings and investments will fail. So a lot of us could say we have good reason to worry. If we are honest, we would have to say we are worried and lacking any real peace of mind. For some of us, peace is very hard to find in our daily lives because we are worried about our families, our jobs, our health, our marriage and a host of many other concerns. Yet, the Lord Jesus, gave us a wonderful promise in John 14:27 when he said “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” (NIV)
I have been pondering--do we really appropriate that peace He offers us? How might it change our lives if we did! Because of our lack of peace, we suffer from anxiety, high blood pressure, sleepless nights, inability to accomplish all we should, and more.
Are you a worrier? I am about certain things -- Oh I do fine with little things that aren’t too difficult to handle, but when it comes to things close to my heart, I worry a lot. But you know what? Sometimes I think we believe that worrying is just part of "doing our part." But actually, worry is sin. Paul warns us in Romans 14:23 with these words, “But those who have doubts are condemned if they eat, because they do not act from faith; for whatever does not proceed from faith is sin.” (NRSV)
If we truly lived in His peace, I believe it could revolutionize our lives. We would have less heartache, fewer sleepless nights, lower blood pressure, and most likely be more productive, also! So no matter what situations we are dealing with right now in our lives, realize that God is in control of everything, and the Lord Jesus is the one who can speak peace into your life and the situations you face. Begin each day by praying that God will help you to grasp and utilize the peace God wants you to live in. He can give you that peace, and what a difference it will make.

Scripture Verse for Today

Financial Crisis Threatens Economy

Right now many Americans are worried about the pending financial crisis that has affected the financial markets in the United States. It has affected Wall Street, the banking industry as well as Main Street America. Many people's 401 K and Pension plans are being threatened. Yet, in this time we need to stand firm on God's word and trust that God will see us through this crisis. The Word of God says, "The silver is mine and the gold is mine, declares the Lord Almighty." Haggai 2:8. No matter what befalls our nation, and what the final result of this crisis will be, God is in control. God bless.

Scripture Verse for Today

God's a prayer answering God, call on Him....

Pursue Patience

"The end of a matter is better than its beginning, and patience is better than pride." Ecclesiastes 7:8, NIV

Waiting isn't easy, but it's worth it. Since God has an eternal perspective on life, He may sometimes act more slowly than you wish He would. And people, with all their weaknesses, may often fail to meet your expectations. So patience is vitally important to have and put into practice.Here are some ways you can strive to be more patient:

1. Pray for God to give you the faith you need to trust Him with situations in which you need to wait. When you trust that God has your best interests at heart (as he does!), then you'll find it easier to be patient. Think about the ways God has worked in your life in the past, and expect more blessings in the future.

2. For a week or so, keep a journal in which you record all the occasions that caused you to become angry or disappointed each day. Look back on your journal and consider how your frustration led to impatience. Make it a habit of praying about anger or disappointment as it wells up within you, asking God to deal with the situations that cause frustration and give you the patience you need to persevere.

3. Ask God to show how you can slow down your pace in life to better hear how He is guiding you.

4. Write a list of people with whom you have some unresolved issues that are hindering your ability to be patient with them. Contact each person to work through the issues and seek reconciliation in your relationship. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you work through the process.

5. Know that God will cause everything that happens to work together for good to fulfill His purposes. The hope God offers is real.

6. Understand that patience illustrates strength, not weakness. There is real power in patience to bless you and other people.

Monday Morning Cup of Joe

This morning as I start my week I hope that your week is also off to a good start. I thought I might be a little philosophical this morning with a few things I Believe....

I Believe...
That you should always leave loved ones with
loving words. It may be the last time you see them.

I Believe...
That you can keep going long after you think you can't.

I Believe...
That we are responsible for what
we do, no matter how we feel.

I Believe...
That either you control your attitude or it controls you.

I Believe...
That heroes are the people who do what has to be done
when it needs to be done, regardless of the consequences.

God bless everyone today and have a great week.

Monday Morning Cup of Joe

Well I am somewhat depressed this morning. My Rams and my Colts both lost yesterday and I guess I am somewhat down today. But I won't let it get me down. Not one game does a season make and hopefully both of them can recover from bad losses. We'll see. Have a great day and good week.


God bless.....

What Can God Use?

When I was growing up as a child my favorite story in the Bible was the story of how Jesus fed 5,000 people from a little boy’s lunch. The gospel of John described it this way: “When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, "Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?" He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do. Philip answered him, "Eight months' wages would not buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!" Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, spoke up, "Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?"(John 6:5-9) NIV
Do you ever doubt that God can use you? Do you ever wonder "God what can I do? I have few talents, few things and I have so many limitations." Many people feel that they are not gifted or talented enough to be used of God. These feelings of inadequacy make us feel like we are of no use to God but that thinking is all wrong. Look at the story about the feeding of the 5,000 in John. What did God use? What is the miracle? God used a little boy with his little brown lunch sack carrying just five small barley loaves and two small fish. Several miracles are going on here. To me it's a miracle the little boy willingly gave up all he had. Do you and I have the faith of the little boy? Are you willing to give up all for Christ to use you? Jesus took what little the boy had and multiplied it for the benefit of many. John 6:12 When they had all had enough to eat, He said to his disciples, "Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted." 13 So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten. God wastes nothing. The phrase "they all had enough to eat" could literally be translated "they were stuffed" or in modern terms "they pigged out!" God provides abundantly for us, wastes nothing. And then in the final gesture of His awesome grace, God provided for His workers. The disciples filled twelve baskets with the leftover bread. Pretty awesome huh? God used that little boy's brown lunch sack to feed the 5,000. Don't we have more? You and I are so blessed. No matter who you are, what you are, how you are, where you are, what you have or what you don't have, God can use you.

He's Coming Back

John 14:3-"And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. "

4 Reasons Not To Worry

Over the span of my lifetime, worrying accounts for hours and hours of invaluable time that I'll never get back. So, I have decided that I'd like to spend my time more wisely and more enjoyably. If you're not convinced yet to give up your worrying, here are four biblical reasons not to worry.

1) Worrying Accomplishes Absolutely Nothing.
I don't know about you, but I don't have any time to waste these days. And worrying is a waste of very precious time. Worrying won't help you solve a problem or bring about a solution, so why waste your time and energy on it? Matthew 6:27-29 Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don't work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. (NLT)

2) Worrying is Not Good for You.
Worrying is destructive to us in many ways. It becomes a mental burden that can even cause us to grow physically sick. Proverbs 12:25 Worry weighs a person down; an encouraging word cheers a person up. (NLT)

3) Worrying is the Opposite of Trusting God.
The energy that we spend worrying can be put to much better use in prayer. Here's a little formula to remember: Worry replaced by Prayer equals Trust. Matthew 6:30 And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith? (NLT)

Philippians 4:6-7 Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. (NLT)

4) Worrying Puts Your Focus in the Wrong Direction.
When we keep our eyes focused on God, we remember his love for us and we realize we truly have nothing to worry about. God has a wonderful plan for our lives, and part of that plan includes taking care of us. Even in the difficult times, when it seems like God doesn't care, we can put our trust in the Lord and focus on his kingdom. God will take care of our every need.
Matthew 6:25 That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life-whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn't life more than food, and your body more than clothing? (NLT)

Matthew 6:31-33 So don't worry about these things, saying, 'What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?' These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. (NLT)

Hope You Have a Great Labor Day