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Meditations Page One
These pieces are just
right for e-mail... not too long, but very effective!
All Written by Dianne Miller
The God of the Second Chance
IJohn 1:8,9; 2:1
If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the
truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is
faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse
us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not
sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.
My little children, these things I write to you, so that
you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate
with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.
~*~
Our Faithful Intercessor
We as human beings just don't want to be wrong.
We always want to get the last word in, and that word is
always that we are right. We make no mistakes, our way is
the only way. And yet, the Bible tells us that the total
opposite is true. That we are all sinners, and that pride
comes before a fall, and that we should be preferring our
brother before ourselves. Wow, Christianity is certainly
a self deprecating religion, isn't it? That's not only
what we hear from our nonbelieving friends and neighbors,
but don't we also hear that from our own lips as well?
The more we try in own feeble attempts to be the
"King of the Mountain", or"Top Dog",
or "Number One," the more we realize how lonely
a life that truly is. It is when we finally come to see
that true joy and peace come from admitting our sins,
confessing them, and then turning from them. In all
actuality, a fulfilling life is one in which we are in a
process of being emptied of ourselves, in giving,
sharing, caring, and all those things that we may have
thought as servile and demeaning.
So when those times of deception and pride flood our
beings, there is a way out, a way to peace, and true
happiness, and that way is the way of confession to our
loving and forgiving Savior, Jesus Christ. And He is
always there to forgive, cleanse, and set us on the right
path again.
We should keep short accounts with the Lord, that we be
close to his heart, and not have to wait until we are so
burdened down by a great weight of sin. It will be much
easier to help someone else along the way, when our
burdens have been lightened.
Thanks be to God who gives us second chances . . . each
new day, as we awake to His fresh and tender mercies.
Let's be thankful for the gift of his forgiveness and
love as we go and live in it.
_________________
"Where One Is Much"
One little raindrop can turn to torrents, rivers rushing
with their banks swollen and running over. One little
penny found in the street is nothing but a piece of metal
to be trampled under foot...or it can be collected and
saved in a jar for a time, until there are enough to buy
a birthday present for someone, or a breakfast for a
starving street person;
One little packet of seed can be tossed
away without much thought, or it can be planted, watered,
cultivated and harvested into a crop that will feed many
families. Little children playing under foot can become a
bothersome nuisance; or they can be loved and nurtured to
eventually become godly leaders in a corrupt society. One
little prayer uttered for a friend, or someone who cries
out for help, can touch the heart of a compassionate God
to act in their behalf according to His good pleasure.
One little smile given freely to a person with a sad
countenance, could make their day. One little passage of
scripture quoted to a lost soul could mean their eternal
destiny. One life sacrificed on a cruel cross affects the
whole world! Don't ever feel that your life is
insignificant.... for with the Lord, One is multiplied!
_________________
Fanfare Or Humility?
When Is It True Ministry?
When you give when you would rather not, knowing
that it is more blessed to give than to receive. When you
pray for others when you are in need prayer yourself,
knowing that you are not to take thought for yourself,
but to esteem your brother higher. When you feed others
when you are spiritually starving, knowing that He
supplies all your needs.
When you are hurting with others while
you are holding in a hurt that you can't even share with
another, knowing that you are to rejoice with those who
rejoice, and to weep with those who weep. When you are
keeping a confidence when it would be easy to blurt it
out, knowing that you are not to be a tale-bearer. When
you are being faithful when you could be drawn away by
your own desires, knowing that you are blessed if you
endure temptation, for when you are approved, you will
receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to
those who love Him.
True ministry is when it goes from Me
to Thee!
_________________
Sidetracked...
"You have heard it said, You shall love your
neighbor and hate your enemy, But I say to you, love your
enemies, bless those who curse you, do good tothose who
hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and
persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in
heaven."
Matt. 5:43-45
This Present Evil Age
We are certainly seeing evidence of evil in this age
every day, on the television, radio, in our newspapers
and magazines, and right out our front doors. When we are
faced with choices of doing the right thing. . . in our
meager attempts to help, we are bombarded by many
solutions, it seems.
As Christians we "see" with spiritual eyes a
deeper reality to what is going on around us, and that is
a cosmic battle being waged. Scripture tells us that our
enemies are not flesh and blood, but are spiritual. Satan
and his evil cohort are ever present with their many
wiles and schemes to detract the Christian from his main
purpose in life, to be proclaiming the good news of
salvation. Satan knows his end, and that his days are
getting shorter and shorter. He knows he can't keep us
from Heaven, because that has already been secured, but
would like to detour our thinking in order to keep others
from embracing the truth.
We know that we are not to retaliate personally, when we
are being persecuted, but are to love our enemies; the
same would be true for those who are in the world waging
their wars and inequities.
But how do we love them? We are told to "bless"
our enemies. . . . and that would come by praying for
them. I believe we so often try to "act" first,
because we are prone to "works" and doing. . .
and that is part of the fallen nature to think that we
have to do something. God can and will use our prayers to
effect change in hearts, and that's the only way that
true change will come in our own lives, in our society,
and in our world. So pray we must. . .that is our
"work," that is our obedience, and that is our
joy and privilege.
_________________
Who Is On the Lord's Side?
Psalm 111
Praise the LORD. I will extol the LORD with all my heart
in the council of the upright and in the assembly. Great
are the works of the LORD; they are pondered by all who
delight in them. Glorious and majestic are his deeds, and
his righteousness endures forever. He has caused his
wonders to be remembered; the LORD is gracious and
compassionate. He provides food for those who fear him;
he remembers his covenant forever. He has shown his
people the power of his works, giving them the lands of
other nations. The works of his hands are faithful and
just; all his precepts are trustworthy. They are
steadfast for ever and ever, done in faithfulness and
uprightness. He provided redemption for his people; he
ordained his covenant forever--holy and awesome is his
name. The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom;
all who follow his precepts have good understanding. To
him belongs eternal praise.
(This psalm is an acrostic poem, the lines of which begin
with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet.
In light of what is transpiring in our nation we need to
really keep a tight reign on our hearts..... Are we being
judgmental? Are we acting and thinking in an ungodly
manner? How do we react with such nonsense that is going
on? Or, is that judging, as well?
Let's just do as the Lord has commanded, to pray for our
nation and its leaders, and to guard our own hearts, as
the psalmist said, knowing that "out of our hearts
flow all the issues of life." So, we must also do as
he stated, that we should "keep our hearts with all
diligence."
_________________
Looking Toward Heaven
Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the
power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that
you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but
against principalities, against powers, against the
rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual
hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore
take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to
withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth,
having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and
having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel
of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with
which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of
the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the
sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying
always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit,
being watchful to this end with all perseverance and
supplication for all the saints~
Ephesians 6:10-18
Are You Too Big For Your Breeches?
As I was contemplating the scriptures this morning, and
reading the passage that referred to the armor of God, I
was thinking of how sometimes we are ashamed to really
walk out in full assurance of our faith, in the power and
strength and courage to take that unpopular stand as a
child of God....a believer.....a Christian.
Why are we ashamed? Is it because we really don't want to
take that stand. We don't want to be different. We want
to be accepted and brought along with the world, the fun,
the friends, the frenzy? Why won't we wear the armor as
it should be worn?
I remember when I was a teenager, and peer pressure was
so strong. Even though the word peer pressure hadn't even
been invented then, it was real nonetheless! There were
things that I absolutely would not do....like take a
lunch box to school, although I would have loved to have
had that delicious hot food in that thermos that my mom
had so lovingly bought for me. I took a sack lunch,
instead, every day with the same ole dull and boring
peanut butter and jam sandwiches. I also wouldn't wear a
coat in the dead of winter, because it looked uncool. Man
it was cool! Why do we value others over wisdom and
reality?
Ok, so now I've decided that I will go out with my
Christian armor on. Ok, I will wear the face, play the
games, go through all the motions of What? Have you ever
seen an employee in a store somewhere that was required
to wear those protective belts? They are to support their
backs as they work, lift, move and carry things, not only
for their own personal protection, but I am sure for
insurance issues, and probably more so that than any
other reason. But, with all the teen peer pressure, let's
wear them, but not have them fastened tightly as they are
supposed to worn. Let's wear our tennis shoes unlaced, or
untied, so they don't really support my feet as they
should, let's wear our jeans sixteen sizes too large, so
they don't even cover my behind or actually do anything,
but tempt a passerby to yank them down and embarrass the
wearer! I have actually wanted to do that so many times,
but for the fear of maybe being shot to death right on
the spot, I decline my thoughts and temptations.
What does the world see when they see a child of God out
there pretending to be that, only not being consistent in
their walk, actions, and words. They are using sometimes
the same worldly vernacular, maybe not to the point of
cursing, or blaspheming, but still using the lingo of the
day to be accepted. And yet still playing the
"church games". The world is not impressed.
They don't seem to be flocking to our doors when worship
begins on Sunday mornings. They actually don't come up
and ask the "hope that is within us." But they
see us with ridicule. They mock in their hearts, and
sometimes and oftentimes outwardly mock us, as we are
Christians. They don't come out and say we are
hypocrites, and maybe they don't even understand quite
fully the implications of their mocking. But mock they
do.
Have you ever seen someone who wears suspenders? They
normally would be worn tightly against the body as they
support the pants they are fastened to. If a person were
to wear them hanging loosely, what good would they be?
And to see them, you would wonder why in the world do
they wear them that way. If they only wear them for
looks, well what kind of a fashion statement does that
make?
We have to have our armor on fastened tightly, securely
in place, so it can enable us to be ready for battle.
Yes, battle. That's what this Christian life is all
about. It is a battle, but we already know the outcome.
So, if that is the case, why do we trouble ourselves with
the worldly entanglements, that only hamper and disable
our armaments, and protection.
Let us go out today "fully dressed and appropriately
dressed" with our suit of armor ,singing with the
Christians of all the ages, Onward Christian Soldiers. .
. . . . looking forward to the end of all life's battles,
and forward to that great Celestial City wherein
righteousness dwells.
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