New Every Morning~January 18

[Pat]

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"We are immortal till our work is done."
~George Whitefield~

Morning Devotional...

Personal Life:
The Need for Solitude

And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. Now when evening came, He was alone there. 
--Matthew 14:23

Modern civilization is so complex as to make the devotional life alll but impossible. It wears us out by multiplying distractions and beats us down by destroying our solitude, where otherwise we might drink and renew our strength before going out to face the world again.

"The thoughtful soul to solitude retires," said the poet of othe and quieter times; but where is the solitude to which we can retire today? Science, which has provided men with certain material comforts, has robbed them of their souls by surrounding them with a world hostile to their existence.

"Commune with your own heart upon your bed and be still" is a wise and healing counsel, but how can it be followed in this day of the newspaper, the telephone, the radio and the television? These modern playthings, like pet tiger cubs, have grown so large and dangerous that they threaten to
devour us all. What was intended to be a blessing has become a positive curse. No spot is now safe from the world's intrusion. 
Dr. Tozer in Of God and Men, 125.


"If Tozer wrestled with this in his day, how much more are we bombarded today! We have all the influences of which he speaks, and much more alll-pervasive, plus the internet and a host of other 'playthings' seeking to devour us. Lord, help us somehow to escape today and retire to solitude, even if only for a brief time. Amen."



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Day By Day
(Click to hear music)

Words by Lina Berg         
Music by Oscar Ahnfelt


Day by day and with each passing moment,
Strength I find to meet my trials here;
Trusting in my Father's wise bestowment,
I've no cause for worry or for fear.
He whose heart is kind beyond all measure
Gives unto each day what He deems best
Lovingly, it's part of pain and pleasure,
Mingling toil with peace and with rest.


Ev'ry day the Lord Himself is near me
With a special mercy for each hour;
All my cares He fain would bear, and cheer me,
He whose name is Counselor and Pow'r.
The protection of His child and treasure
Is a charge that on Himself He laid;
"As thy days, thy strength shall be in measure,"
This the pledge to me He hath made.


Help me then in ev'ry tribulation
So to trust thy promises, O Lord,
That I lose not faith's sweet consolation
Offered me within Thy Holy Word.
Help me, Lord, when toil and trouble meeting,
E'er to take, as from a father's hand,
One by one, the days, the moments fleeting,
'Til I reach the blessed, promised land.

 
 

[Jane Walker]

Thanks, Pat, for today's devotional thoughts.  I cherish my time alone with the Lord ... In fact, I suppose I could be accused of being a recluse at times because I don't really care to mingle with "the outside world."     It is more important for me to spend time with the Lord than it is to be "on the go."  Somewhere there may be a happy medium but at the moment I like it this way ... 

[melody]

Thanks for that great devotional today Pat.
I have to agree with Janet-I love my time alone with God. The place of prayer is something I cherish each day.
When I start my day with prayer -it seems everything else will fall into place

[Marilyn]

Thank you Pat for Mr. Tozers words today.

If Tozer wrestled with this in his day, how much more are we bombarded today! We have all the influences of which he speaks, and much more alll-pervasive, plus the internet and a host of other 'playthings' seeking to devour us. Lord, help us somehow to escape today and retire to solitude, even if only for a brief time. Amen."

Like Jane I prefer to spend time with the Lord than to be out and about in the world. I so look forward each day to returning to my solitude here in my little house that God gave to me. Beginning and ending my day with prayer and the many times in between that I talk to Him are the highlights of my days.

Man oh Man did we ever have a light and noise show during the night. Lightening and thunder so loud and so bright, poor Happy was so frightened he tried to get under the bed which is only about 6 inches off the floor and he sure doesn't fit. He managed to get in between the night table and the bed and laid there. With each bright flash I  reached down and laid my hand on him to comfort him talking to him the whole time. Bebe just snuggled up close to me and went back to sleep.

TTYL

[Al Moak]

I agree with Marilyn - it was a fantastic pyrotechnics display, complete with overwhelming sound.  The flashes of lightning were directly out the window that's on my side of the bed, so I sure didn't miss them!  In olden days, people thought these flashes and noises were the voice of God.  Then it was discovered they were electrical discharges, and, supposedly, that explained it all.  I submit, though, that the God Who made and rules the universe also made the physics by which it's governed.  The electric discharges and the precise timing for them - all are governed by the Lord of all.

Interestingly, just last night we watched a biography of Benjamin Franklin, who was perhaps most famous for inventing the lightning rod that protects many buildings today.

[Janet]

Good morning!  Yesterday was day 3 of my total fast, so this morning I ate an apple, and I feel comfortably full.    A side effect that I love is the scales tell me I'm down by 7 pounds.  That wasn't my goal, but I'll sure take it!

I need to go to the bank with Darrel.  The guy who was supposed to take over the alarm company and buy it just hasn't worked out.  Everything he did while we were gone, he messed up, and Darrel has to go back to every place and fix things right.  So we let him go, and must go get his name off the company bank account.    This makes three times we thought we had the company sold.  We just need to pray harder for the right person to come along, or that we can find him/her.

Marilyn and Al, you can send some of your excess rain here, we are really dry!  But not until we get those busted water pipes at Beth's fixed; don't want to crawl around in mud doing that.

Talk to you later!

[Larry Hanna]

Hi everyone.  Don't know where the morning has gone but see it is about time for lunch.  After coffee this morning I had to stop at the post office for some 2 cent stamps to finish our the Christmas stamps left over and a book of stamps.  Then stopped by the bank for some cash and then to the barbershop, as I was beginning to be mistaken for a shaggy dog.  Then I stopped at the grocery store for a few items. 

Janet, sorry to hear there are new problems with Beth's home.  Also too bad about Darrel's company.  It is hard enough to get something sold once but having to do it four times is a bit much.  Hopefully the right person will come along and buy it.

Pat and JudyB, sure don't envy you the icy weather.  I don't mind some snow but sure hate to see the ice as it does so much damage and is so dangerous.  Pat, if Geordie doesn't want to go outside it is a good indicator  it isn't safe to be outside.  Glad you don't have to go outside.

Al and Marilyn, it has been a long time since we had an electrical storm like you describe although remember such events.  Hope the storm has passed by.  Marilyn, it sounds like you got a positive response from your interview.

Hi Chris, Melody and Jane, glad to see you all posting.

Sue, do you generally work at elections or is this the first time?  I have never done that type of work but have known several folks who did it for a number of years.  It is really a long day on election day.

Tonight is choir practice and I sure don't want to miss two weeks in a row.

[JudyB]

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!  

We had the pleasure of sleeping in, Melaura listened to the radio and told me that we have a snow day.  I love watching it, but don't like driving in it.  I remember as a teen going for late night walks with Mother and watching the big globs of snow coming down.  

Pat thank you for the devotional.  I have passed the hymn along to my friend.  How are you feeling today?  

Marilyn I am sorry about the business. and the busted pipes at the trailler.  The right person will come along and be a blessing to you.

Marilyn and Al  I love the fireworks God sends.  You have the added benefit that you don't have to shovel snow. A
l we have one of those lightening thingys on the house.

Jane There are times I wish for the solitude, But with 3 girls in the house solitude is hard to come by.  Enjoy sister, and I may just take a walk in the bush to get some alone time with the Lord.

Well Dana is tossing around her teddy, the stuffing as about gone and I have a stuffing mess to clean up.

Have a good day

[Janet]

JudyB, who (what) is Dana?  Our new cat, Dinah, loves palying with her toys.  My sister Jeanie gave me a whole box full of toys for her.  She is one spoiled kitty.  I love a beautiful snow, one without wind.  We seldom see that kind here, though.

I forgot to say that this guy has been working with Darrel for over a year, but obviously has other things on his mind, he just doesn't seem to learn!    They are going to have a tough time, let me tell you; because we have been paying all their bills for a whole year, they both have other jobs, and are constantly broke.  Not the kind of person who is capable of running a business.  I have been saying for months that we needed to get rid of him, but Darrel is such a soft-hearted person, he kept hoping things would improve.  NOT.....

For my lunch I had an orange!  Yummy!

Larry, you do keep on the go, don't you?  We all have our stuff to do.

I called Beth a while ago, and John answered.  He took today off work because they are having freezing rain.  I wanted to give Beth some advice on things she needs to do before she gets on the plane.  I hope she doesn't run into any delays because her schedule is pretty tight.  She leaves Syracuse at 6 AM and gets into Garden City, KS at 12:39, if all goes well.  I'm glad she doesn't have any long layovers.

I'm off to see if I can accomplish something today, I have been pretty useless the past couple of days!   

[Etta Sue]

Janet ~ Our Small Groups Bible Study is on the Book of James.  This week was on James 4:1-12.  When reading it, it made me think of me doing something wrong and Mom raking me over the coals for what I did and what might have happened!  I think the Book of James is our blueprint for life!  Awesome book.

What a night here last night.  No rain, lightening or thunder but lots of sleet, then snow and wind.  Came from the east and that's a bad sign for Indiana.  Everything is white...well, all except the road where the salt trucks have already salted.  Today was trash day and an appointment with the doctor this morning.  So I tried to open my garage with the remote.  Froze shut.  I went out and kicked the door to break the ice and it opened.  I backed out the car, shut the door with the remote and took my trash to Kaye Don's.  Coming back I noticed my garage door was up!  Seems for some reason a cable decided to come off of a pulley.  I shut it down as far as it would go.  I went to the doctor to get a skin tag removed from my neck...it has been irritated lately and itchy.  It is gone now!  Then when I got back I called a neighbor man and he and I fixed my garage door!  Nice to have neighbor men. 

This same man and his wife, Ivalou and I are going to play 'Hand and Foot' this evening at Ivalou's house.  We will be eating leftover snacks from Euchere Club.

Staying in the rest of the day until evening.  Then I will be back tonight!

[Janet]

Pat, I was hurrying this morning, and just went back to read the devotional.  How very true!  I think BUSYNESS is one of the greatest enemies of our Christian walk!

I have just uploaded some more photos in Janet's Pictures.  Hope some of you will look and comment.

[Samantha]

  All this talk of weather,  it was SNOWING last night in North Mississippi.  I saw it with my own  two eyes, though lately they look like this - 

My sister is about two hrs west of me and I was talking to her on the phone when she saw the snow falling from her hospital room.  Talk about excited, you would have thought she was 7 or 8 yrs old!  Big flakes she said.  God is so good to let her see it snow one more time!

Later
Samantha

[Chris & Margit Saunders]

January 18   
Personal Life: Healing Silence
And when He had sent them away, He departed to the mountain to pray. 
--Mark 6:46
Very few of us know the secret of bathing our souls in silence. It was
a secret our Lord Jesus Christ knew very well. There were times when
He had to send the multitudes away so He could retire alone into the
silence of the mountainside. There He would turn the God-ward side of
His soul toward heaven and for a long time expose Himself to the face
of His Father in heaven....
My eyes and ears and spirit are aware of the immaturities in the
so-called evangelicalism of our time. The more noise we make, the
happier we seem to be. All of the signs of immaturity are among us.
We are seeing a general abhorrence of being alone, of being silent
before the Lord. We shrink from allowing our souls to be bathed in
the healing silences.  Men Who Met God, 103-104.
"Father, we've focused for several days on the need for solitude and
silence. Grant that we might not forsake the quest until we have
really mastered this discipline, no matter how busy our lives
continue to be. Amen."

[Chris & Margit Saunders]

For those of you experiencing the Windows of Heaven opening! 

http://www.theraven452000.addr.com/ctop20/pc1210.rm

[Larry Hanna]

A friend sent this to me today and as soon as I read it I wanted to share it with you all.  Unfortunately, it is rather long:

A minister passing through his church in the middle of the day,
decided to pause by the altar And see who had come to pray.
Just then the back door opened, a man came down the aisle,
The minister frowned as he saw the man hadn't shaved in a while.
His shirt was kind a shabby and his coat was worn and frayed,
the man knelt, he bowed his head, Then rose and walked away.

In the days that followed, each noon time came this chap,
each time he knelt just for a moment, A lunch pail in his lap.
Well, the minister's suspicions grew, with robbery a main fear,
He decided to stop the man and ask him, "What are you doing here?"

The old man said, he worked down the road.  Lunch was half an hour.
Lunchtime was his prayer time, For finding strength and power.
"I stay only moments, see, because the factory is so far away;
as I kneel here talking to the Lord, This is kind a what I say:

"I JUST CAME AGAIN TO TELL YOU, LORD, HOW HAPPY I'VE BEEN,
SINCE WE FOUND EACH OTHER'S FRIENDSHIP AND YOU TOOK AWAY MY SIN.
DON'T KNOW MUCH OF HOW TO PRAY, BUT I THINK ABOUT YOU EVERYDAY.
SO, JESUS, THIS IS JIM CHECKING IN TODAY."

The minister feeling foolish, told Jim, that was fine.
He told the man he was welcome To come and pray just anytime.
Time to go, Jim smiled, said "Thanks." He hurried to the door.

The minister knelt at the altar, he'd never done it before.
His cold heart melted, warmed with love,  and met with Jesus there.
As the tears flowed, in his heart, he repeated old Jim's prayer:

"I JUST CAME AGAIN TO TELL YOU, LORD, HOW HAPPY I'VE BEEN,
SINCE WE FOUND EACH OTHER'S FRIENDSHIP AND YOU TOOK AWAY MY SIN.
I DON'T KNOW MUCH OF HOW TO PRAY, BUT I THINK ABOUT YOU EVERYDAY.
SO, JESUS, THIS IS ME CHECKING IN TODAY."

Past noon one day, the minister noticed that old Jim hadn't come.
As more days passed without Jim, he began to worry some.
At the factory, he asked about him,  learning he was ill.
The hospital staff was worried,  But he'd given them a thrill.

The week that Jim was with them, Brought changes in the ward.
His smiles, a joy contagious. Changed people, were his reward.
The head nurse couldn't understand why Jim was so glad,
when no flowers, calls or cards came, Not a visitor he had.

The minister stayed by his bed, He voiced the nurse's concern:
No friends came to show they cared. He had nowhere to turn.
Looking surprised, old Jim spoke  up and with a winsome smile;
"the nurse is wrong, she couldn't know, that in here all the while
everyday at noon He's here, a dear friend of mine, you see,
He sits right down, takes my hand, Leans over and says to me:

"I JUST CAME AGAIN TO TELL YOU, JIM, HOW HAPPY I HAVE BEEN,
SINCE WE FOUND THIS FRIENDSHIP, AND I TOOK AWAY YOUR SIN.
ALWAYS LOVE TO HEAR YOU PRAY,  I THINK ABOUT YOU EACH DAY,
AND SO JIM, THIS IS JESUS CHECKING IN TODAY."

If this blesses you, pass it on  Many people will walk in and out of your life,
but only true friends will leave footprints in your heart.

May God hold you in the palm of His hand and Angels watch over you.

But for those of us who are already His, He not only holds us in the palm of His hand, but has engraved our names there, and we are continually in His sight (Isaiah 49:16)

Please pass this page on to your friends & loved ones. If you aren't ashamed.
Jesus said, " If you are ashamed of me," I will be ashamed of you before my Father."

If you are not ashamed, pass this on. But only if you mean it.

Yes, I do love God. He is my source of existence and Savior. He keeps me functioning each and everyday. Without Him, I will be nothing. Without him, I am nothing but with Him "I can do all things through Christ that strengthens me." Phil 4:13

This is too good not to share -

So this is me ... Just Checking In

[Chris & Margit Saunders]

http://www.pcdon.com/-Gaithers-HeKeepsMeSinging.wav

[Chris & Margit Saunders]

http://www.terrificmusic.com/files/music/horizon/amazing_grace_judy_collins.ram

[Al Moak]

That's an especially beautiful rendition of Amazing Grace, Chris.  Thanks.

[Ruth Ann Bice]

I really enjoyed both the devotional and all of the posts today.

I'm feeling better since I'm trying hard to limit my work hours to only 40 hours a week.

I hope to be able to go to our seniors' bible study group next Tuesday night.

And, I'm thankful my son and I had a nice chat this evening.

Y'all take care and I certainly hope Beth makes it home okay, Janet.

Ruth Ann

[Marilyn]

Lots of good posts today. Chris I am so glad you are posting devotionals and song again, I have missed you.

Did I tell y-all that I have my appt. with the Sleep Lab on Jan. 29th? Praise the Lord that is an answer to prayer. Now if I remember to get the reports in my hand before I leave the place. I have heard that they tend to lose the reports frequently. I was told to get them in my hot little hands myself.

[Etta Sue]

It's that time again....time to lock this door and open a new door here.