New Every Morning~September 2

[Al Moak]

To love, to grow, to be all we can be, we must abide in Christ.[/color]

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Morning Devotional...[/b][/color]

John 15:1-10

"Abiding" in Christ means entirely resting upon HIM (not on self), It means renouncing the weary, worn, and sad self, it means coming continually to Him to drink of His love and grace, it means depending upon Him for light to walk with God.  it's expressed here in the words of  Horatius Bonar:

I heard the voice of Jesus say,
"Come unto Me and rest;
Lay down, thou weary one,
Lay down, thy head upon My breast.".

I came to Jesus as I was,
Weary, and worn, and sad;
I found in Him a resting place,
And He has made me glad.

I heard the voice of Jesus say,
"Behold I freely give
The living water; thirsty one,
Stoop down, and drink, and live.

I came to Jesus and I drank
Of that life-giving stream;
My thirst was quenched, my soul revived,
And now I live in Him

I heard the voice of Jesus say,
"I am this dark world's Light;
Look unto Me, thy morn shall rise,
And all thy day be bright."

I looked to Jesus, and I found
In Him my Star, my sun;
And in that Light of life I'll walk,
Till travelling days are done.


[/b]~Horatius Bonar~[/color]

[Jenny]

Good morning.It's a lovely sunny one here in u.k. Praise God!

Pastor Al.  thank-you for these wonderful words from a wonderful man, brother to another great Christian.... Andrew Bonar.

For more info:
http://www.newblehome.co.uk/bonar/additions.html


He has made me glad,
He has made me glad,
I am so glad that He has made me glad.


May we continue to pray re the difficult situation with the Russian schoolchildren. May there be no further fatalities. Amen.

[Kathy]

Thanks to you, Pastor Al, for this mornings devotional.  I know it applies to me every day and in every way.   Just leaning on His everlasting arms is a comfort.  Knowing He is there and will be my guide throughout the day. :)  However, when I take things into my own hands and trust my own judgment rather than asking Him first... ..

Let's continue praying for the Russian situation and also, for the people in the path of Frances.

May God bless all of you today and may we share His love to others so that they will know we care enough to share Jesus.

:) 

[Ruth Ann Bice]

Good morning, friends,

Good devotional, Al.

It's rainy here in Nashville, and one of my kitties has been disturbed by the thunder. Poor thing, he has been wrapping himself round and round my ankles as I am sitting at the computer.

Janet, so sorry about Beth's continuing difficulties. How frightening it is when our children are so ill.

Y'all have a good day.

Ruth Ann

[nards656]

Just heard that Frances is twice the size of Charley.  That's gotta be huge!  I pray that God will have mercy on Florida and diminish the storm.  Turrning back toward the sea would make it worse for someone somewhere.  This is also a threat to the citrus industry, I understand.  Terrible potential for damage.

I hope all of you have a great day!  Thanks for your prayers for me yesterday - the day actually went much better than I thought it was going to.

[Sarah]

good morning everyone
just sitting here enjoying my morning for a little bit before i get to school.... today should be quite easy no college classes so i really don't have class til after 1 today just have to be in school for the days of school going toward my grade well anyways i must finish getting ready ttyl
Sarah

[karmat]

Good morning all!  Travis is looking at airplane pictures (the child is simply bonkers about airplanes) and I am trying to get going.  It's rainy and dark here -- great sleeping weather (except for toddlers).

Have a wonderful day, and hopefully, I can get back in here sometime later today!

[Pat]

Thanks Al. 

Oh how I pray that  all who come in here today are abiding in Christ.


Let's sing that lovely hymn together.

I HEARD THE VOICE OF JESUS SAY
(Click to hear music)



I heard the voice of Jesus say,
Come unto Me and rest;
Lay down, thou weary one, lay down
Thy head upon My breast.
I came to Jesus as I was,
Weary, and worn, and sad;
I found in Him a resting-place,
And He has made me glad.


I heard the voice of Jesus say,
Behold, I freely give
The living water:? Thirsty one,
Stoop down, and drink, and live.
I came to Jesus, and I drank
Of that life-giving stream;
My thirst was quenched, my soul revived,
And now I live in Him.


I heard the voice of Jesus say,
I am this dark world's Light;
Look unto Me, thy morn shall rise,
And all thy day be bright.
I looked to Jesus, and I found
In Him my Star, my Sun;
And in that light of life I'll walk
Till trav'lling days are done.

[Papa John]

Thank you Al for this morning’s thoughts.  It is wonderful that each day as we abide in Christ he does make us glad.

I came to Jesus as I was,
Weary, and worn, and sad;
I found in Him a resting place,
And He has made me glad.

Jenny, yes let’s remember the Russian children and their parents.  What a terrible situation this is.  It is hard to imagine people so vicious that they would take children hostage and threaten to murder them if their demands are not met.

Kathy, South Carolina may be in the path the storm follows.  Are you on the coast.  I hope you will be safe.

Ruth Ann, yes we had rain here this morning, a half inch in our rain gauge.  We have has a nice rainy summer which has kept everything green all summer long.

Nards, I’m glad things went better for you yesterday than you had thought.

Sarah, I hope you have a good day in school today.

Karma, I remember when I was little that I was fascinated with airplanes.  I think it is a little boy thing.

Pat, thanks for the song with the music.  I hope you are doing well today.

Matt 11:28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. (KJV)

--- Papa John          <)))><<   
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[Marilyn]

I am late getting here today. I finally discovered what was wrong with my computer. I had 3 different versions of AOL installed. So I got rid of all of them and started all over.  Now everything is running smoothly.

Thank you Al for the devotional this morning, 

I looked to Jesus, and I found
In Him my Star, my sun;
And in that Light of life I'll walk,
Till travelling days are done.

Very significant tome this morning.

Yello (spelled that way on purpose)  to everyone else I have some things to do before I go over to the church for the Senior Bible Study class and potluck. I found out this morning that about 5 people ever go, for today I will make 6. I amde a nice macaroni salad to take.

TTYL

P.S. I forgot to tell ya-ll that I took a bad fall last night, on an uneven walkway. I have skinned up both knees and and the heel of both hands, I have bruised both knees also, I need prayer. My Dr's office called and they are sending me to Physical Therapy for my arthritis (which isn't really very bad) and my balance difficulties along with my necka nd back problems. I will get 6 weeks of therapy.[/b]

[Etta Sue]

Today is a day I wish I had taken notes but I didn't.  But I do want to thank Al for the morning devotions.  Great job, pastor. 

Also, Karma, are you back to work?  Do I remember that they downsized or laid you off?  Was that just for the summer and now you are back to working?  I am just so glad you are feeling better than you were.  Tell TAS hello!!!!  I am sure he doesn't remember me, though.  He was too young.  Do you and Nards remember me?   ???   ;D 

Pat, are you feeling better today?  I sure hope so. 

Papa John, glad to hear you are better.  Grocery shopping can be fun AND a chore.  Glad you are out and about.

Janet, so sorry to hear of Beth's accident.  Hope she is doing better today.  Don't do too much, Janet.  Slow down....if that is possible for you.  You wear me out just reading your posts.

Marilyn, yummmm.  Macaroni salad sounds sooooo good!

Jenny, we do have some very undesirable people in this world that do terrible things.  We need to pray for their salvation, right?

Sarah, again...enjoy yourself at school.  Sometimes the work field isn't what we expect.  So enjoy school.

Ruth Ann, my kitties startle at any sudden noises.  We have low-flying jets fly over sometimes and my kitties run and look up frightened.

Kathy, I haven't been watching the TV so I haven't heard how the new hurricane is.  But I did have the radio on this morning they were saying this one was really bad.  I am praying for everyone in it's path.

I know I have missed some but, perhaps, I will reply you tomorrow. 

Last night was our outting with some neighbor ladies...the ones went to Precious Moments with Ivalou and I.  We had a wonderful buffet dinner and then saw the musical/comedy of A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE FORUM.   It was so funny.  Also I saw another couple that Ivalou and I know there also.  Small world. 

»ïÏï«,¸¸,»ïÏï«,¸¸,»ïÏï«,¸¸,»ïÏï«,¸¸,»ïÏï«,¸¸,»ïÏï«,¸¸,»ïÏï«,¸¸,»ïÏï«,¸¸,»ïÏï«
I's unscramble the eggs if you'd read me the recipe backwards."

[Chris & Margit Saunders]

                QUALITY NOT QUANTITY


September 2   

Revival: A Purified Church

But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ.
Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the
knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss
of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ. 
-Philippians 3:7-8

Our most pressing obligation today is to do all in our power to obtain
a revival that will result in a reformed, revitalized, purified
church. It is of far greater importance that we have better Christians
than that we have more of them. Each generation of Christians is the
seed of the next, and degenerate seed is sure to produce a degenerate
harvest not a little better than but a little worse than the seed
from which it sprang. Thus the direction will be down until vigorous,
effective means are taken to improve the seed....

To carry on these activities [evangelism, missions] scripturally the
church should be walking in fullness of power, separated, purified and
ready at any moment to give up everything, even life itself, for the
greater glory of Christ. For a worldly, weak, decadent church to make
converts is but to bring forth after her own kind and extend her
weakness and decadence a bit further out....

So vitally important is spiritual quality that it is hardly too much
to suggest that attempts to grow larger might well be suspended until
we have become better.  The Set of the Sail, 154-156.

"Lord, I don't hear much today of the 'greater importance that we
have better Christians than that we have more of them.' Help us in
our seeker-orientation not to water down the message and make the
teaching so shallow that we don't challenge our people to holy
living. Amen."

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[Jane Walker]

P.S. I forgot to tell ya-ll that I took a bad fall last night, on an uneven walkway. I have skinned up both knees and and the heel of both hands, I have bruised both knees also, I need prayer. My Dr's office called and they are sending me to Physical Therapy for my arthritis (which isn't really very bad) and my balance difficulties along with my necka nd back problems. I will get 6 weeks of therapy.[/b]

MARILYN!     I am so sorry about your injuries...gotta watch those uneven walkways.  <I know...same here>     It's a good thing, though that you'll be getting Physical Therapy even if you don't think your arthritis is bad.  Your FATHER knows best, y'know.   

[Jenny]

Amen Etta Sue...Amen. Let us also pray for more labourers in the harvest and for the Holy Spirit to witness to many who have not been reached with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.


              "The Fields are white unto harvest", right now.

I for one am very lucky as I said to a friend today. I have been brought up in this country which was once a Christian one and I have reaped what Christian saints sowed in past centuries.  Here we have a good social system and a reasonably fair legal one.  So many do not have these things and take desperate measures to achieve them. I do not condone their actions although I do understand the desperation....enough said.  I could get into a topical discussion here....
Do we do enough as Christians to stand up for justice? Jesus was concerned about society and  He always spoke out about injustice and He did warn that some of us would be beaten with more stripes than others.


"and that servant which knew his Lord's will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to His will, shall be beaten with many stripes.

but he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes.

I am not a member of the Salvation army but I agree with them that very often you need to fill a man's belly and then give him the Gospel.

For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall much be required:" Luke 12:48

                      Jesus is to me the God of the Living.
                              Praise Him.

Thankyou dear Chris and Margit.  Yes, may we all become better Christians by the grace of God.

The Lord Bless each and everyone of you tonight.
Jenny.

[mamapo]

Good afternoon to everyone! 

A reminder for those who may be interested:

Tonight on "The Tonight Show" with Jay Leno, three of Christian music's most popular contemporary artists will be performing. 

Steven Curtis Chapman, Mac Powell (of the group, Third Day), and Mercyme will be performing a song which they co-wrote for the upcoming CD of music from the "Passion of Christ".   

How often do those important words and message get exposure on such prime time places?    Even if you're not all that interested, you may want to tune in just to give the network the message that we're out here!  Pass it on.    And pray that this performance will touch lives of the viewers...and the audience and staff of the show.  Thanks!

[Chris & Margit Saunders]

Marilyn,,, take it easy ok?

[Marilyn]

Thank you for the lovely flowers my scottich friend and Mrs. You are lovely people. 

When I came home from work today, Happydog was sitting in the back yard "guarding an Opossum. I wish I had taken a photo. Anyway I picked it up with a shovel (it was a baby) and put it on the other side of the fence. I stood on the fence and looked at it for awhile and sure enough it was blinking at me. A little later it was gone. AT first I thought it to be dead. I don't think it bit Happy though he isn't damaged. Bebe told on him she led me right straight out the door and stood on the porch looking at him. Enough dog tail. Sp on purpose.

Later Gators

[Janice]

Good afternoon, everyone!

[Pat]

Good Evening, Janice!   Great to see you!

Lovely flowers for Marilyn, Chris! 

Marilyn, that's so cute about the oppossum.  We don't have many of them around here.

Now, we have
TWO MAJOR PRAYER REQUESTS TO BE THINKING OF TONIGHT...

• HURRICAINE FRANCES...  [/b] Let's remember our Florida folks--especially John and Julia
  
  
• HOSTAGES IN RUSSIA...[/color]  Looks as if it's getting worse and they estimate that there could be as many as 1,000 in that school.  The poor folks who are the parents of the seven dead and family members haven't been able to get these dead folks from the ground in front of the school.  The school gym has been wired with explosives and the men, women and children are all being separated by the hostage takers.
  
  
  

[Pat]

Sweet Hour of Prayer
(Click to hear music)

Pray continually.
1 Thessalonians 5:17


Words: William Walford, 1845; appeared in The New York Observer, September 13, 1845, accompanied by the following, written by Thomas Salmon:

During my residence at Coleshill, Warwickshire, England, I became acquainted with W. W. Walford, the blind preacher, a man of obscure birth and connections and no education, but of strong mind and most retentive memory.

In the pulpit he never failed to select a lesson well adapted to his subject, giving chapter and verse with unerring precision and scarcely ever misplacing a word in his repetition of the Psalms, every part of the New Testament, the prophecies, and some of the histories, so as to have the reputation of "knowing the whole Bible by heart."

He actually sat in the chimney corner, employing his mind in composing a sermon or two for Sabbath delivery, and his hands in cutting, shaping and polishing bones for shoe horns and other little useful implements. At intervals he attempted poetry.

On one occasion, paying him a visit, he repeated two or three pieces which he had composed, and having no friend at home to commit them to paper, he had laid them up in the storehouse within.

"How will this do?" asked he, as he repeated the following lines, with a complacent smile touched with some light lines of fear lest he subject himself to criticism. I rapidly copied the lines with my pencil, as he uttered them, and sent them for insertion in the Observer, if you should think them worthy of preservation.
Music: William B. Bradbury, Golden Chain (New York: 1861)



   

Sweet hour of prayer! sweet hour of prayer!
That calls me from a world of care,
And bids me at my Father?s throne
Make all my wants and wishes known.
In seasons of distress and grief,
My soul has often found relief
And oft escaped the tempter?s snare
By thy return, sweet hour of prayer!

Sweet hour of prayer! sweet hour of prayer!
The joys I feel, the bliss I share,
Of those whose anxious spirits burn
With strong desires for thy return!
With such I hasten to the place
Where God my Savior shows His face,
And gladly take my station there,
And wait for thee, sweet hour of prayer!

Sweet hour of prayer! sweet hour of prayer!
Thy wings shall my petition bear
To Him whose truth and faithfulness
Engage the waiting soul to bless.
And since He bids me seek His face,
Believe His Word and trust His grace,
I?ll cast on Him my every care,
And wait for thee, sweet hour of prayer!

Sweet hour of prayer! sweet hour of prayer!
May I thy consolation share,
Till, from Mount Pisgah?s lofty height,
I view my home and take my flight:
This robe of flesh I?ll drop and rise
To seize the everlasting prize;
And shout, while passing through the air,
?Farewell, farewell, sweet hour of prayer!?

[Janet]

So many things happening in the world, my goodness!

Marilyn, sorry about your fall.  The jerking would probably hurt my back, so I hope it didn't hurt yours.  Get better soon.

Beth's arm looked better today, quite swollen and very tender, but the cut isn't deep.

I got caught up on framing this morning, taught my class this afternoon, and I'm tired.  I think I have been running on adrenaline for a couple of weeks and I'm just coming down from the high.

Tomorrow is the day again for commodities, so I will be there an hour early to get them for Beth, and hope it won't be a repeat of last month's experience.  Also, Beth received a gift certificate from the most popular restaurant in town, for her birthday, and I found out it is closing on Saturday.  So I will take her there tomorrow while it is still good.  Everyone is shocked that it's closing, it is run by the Mennonite women, and has wonderful food.  We will miss it, even though we seldom eat out.

I'm listening to the news, and it is mostly about Frances and the danger it poses.  I'm praying for the people and property in its path.

I'm going to shut down soon to watch the last night of the GOP Convention.  I sure want to hear our President's speech.

See you nice folks again tomorrow!

[Ruth Ann Bice]

Thanks for the notification about the tonight show having Christian musicians on. I'll be certain to watch. I agree - we need to send a "message."

Marilyn, goodness - take care!

I'm glad y'all can use the restaurant coupon before the restaurant (not the coupon) expires Janet.

Hi to all who come here.

Ruth Ann

[Pat]

Janet, great idea to take Beth to lunch!  We have many Mennonite restaurants around here (as we live in Mennonite country) and the food is just so good (and too much of it usually! LOL)  I'm glad that Beth's arm is a little better.

Ruth Ann, I think I'll tune in later too and watch these singers.

[Marilyn]

Janet don't forget to take a note from Beth saying it is alright for you to pick them up  and if you she has never received them make sure you take her ID. I have done this for my clients as well as for myself in the past.  Don't want you to wait in line for an hour and get truned down, better to be prepared for anything.

Ruth Ann no matter how careful I try to be, I can't always be so overly careful and I just seem to trip for no reason at times. I've lost track of how many times I have fallen this year but I think it has been maybe 3-4 times. Yesterday was the worst one.

I am looking forward to the Physical Therapy,  I am hoping to get some relief fromthe cramps I get in my feet and legs at night as well as some more movement in my left thumb joint. I get terrible cramps in my left hand that cause me to cry because the hurt so bad and make my hand look all deformed. Muscle spasms I guess.

Later.[/b]

[JudyB]

Marilyn about those leg cramps.......I get them to and have found an easy cure that no doctor has suggest. 

I have a friend who runs the local GNC store and she told me to take calcium with magnesium, and Vit D.  I thought I would prove her wrong that it wouldn't work but it really does !

Give it a try, also as we get older the calcium replacement is necessary.  Dual purpose.

[Ruthie]

Hi Everyone, I was thinking about certifying my backyard as a habitat for wildlife, but after thinking about my 4 cats, I figured that would be unfair to the birds and animals.  My cats would have a field day killing the birds.  Today I found a dead "mourning dove".   That was upsetting because I like hearing their mourning cry.

I will have to get another collar and bell on my cats.  The only problem is they lose them in no time.  My yard is not a haven for birds, squirrels or mice.

Love Ruthie

[Jane Walker]

I am looking forward to the Physical Therapy,  I am hoping to get some relief fromthe cramps I get in my feet and legs at night as well as some more movement in my left thumb joint. I get terrible cramps in my left hand that cause me to cry because the hurt so bad and make my hand look all deformed. Muscle spasms I guess.

Boy do I know about those cramps, MARILYN!  Sometimes I get them so bad (in either or both hands) that it nearly incapacitates me!  I have to hold my hand in warm water and work the fingers until the cramp loosens it's grip.  Then, sometimes, it comes right back--or comes in the other hand.  I may go for a long time without this happening and then ... just when I'm least execting it ... WHAM there it is again  The worst time/place for this to happen is when I'm driving!  Where am I going to find warm water?    

[Marilyn]

Judy B I am taking 1500-2000mgs calcium Mag and VitD . I take my calcium 3 times a day the last time just before Igo to bed. I take the capsules not the tablets, so my boday will absorb them better.
By Jane.

Boy do I know about those cramps, MARILYN!  Sometimes I get them so bad (in either or both hands) that it nearly incapacitates me!  I have to hold my hand in warm water and work the fingers until the cramp loosens it's grip.  Then, sometimes, it comes right back--or comes in the other hand.  I may go for a long time without this happening and then ... just when I'm least execting it ... WHAM there it is again  The worst time/place for this to happen is when I'm driving!  Where am I going to find warm water?     

Boy Oh Boy Janey do I identify with those hand cramps, Driving, typing, writing, crocheting, sewing, whenever they come --they come one or both hands most of the time my left hand. Lord please Heal us from these spasms both hands and feet/legs.

[Larry Hanna]

Hi everyone.  Am really late getting here today as have been very busy.  Our bathtub faucet started to leak last night and so this morning I had to get the repair part and my good neighbor came over and helped fix the problem.  Then I have spent  the rest of the day working on my daughter's computer and getting the new hard drive installed and anti-virus software on it and updated as well as getting the Windows XP updated.  I had to call the tech support for the hard drive company and after waiting a few minutes I got the nicest tech, named Ruth, who was very calm and helpful and soon helped me work through the problem so I could setup Windows XP.  When I went to the mailbox I had the CD for the SP2 update from Microsoft.  So now I will have to get that installed on my computers and on my daughters.

As I was finishing up I realized I was getting warm and that the new A/C we put in a couple of months ago wasn't working.  I have called the A/C company that installed it and he is to be here early tomorrow morning as he is leaving town for the weekend tomorrow.  Guess this is the third thing to fix (as things seem to come in threes.)

I am certainly concerned about the hurricane that is approaching Florida.  It is predicted that we will get some heavy rain and some wind from it but sure it won't be anything like those in the eye of the hurricane will experience.

Janet, glad the cut on Beth's arm didn't require stitches.  It sounds like that panic button system would be very useful.

Al, thanks for the devotional thoughts today.

Marilyn, sorry to read of your fall, not a good thing to do.

I have read all the postings but just don't have the energy tonight to comment further.  Hopefully tomorrow won't be as hectic.  About bedtime.

[Ruth]

Hello and good evening

Good Devotional this morning as well.
Marilyn:  Do be careful.
Janet: Get all the rest you can.

Something that I have heard about concerning leg cramps is that we could be lacking in enough water for the day as well, but for me it is the calcium that I need and take faithfully.

Oh yes I like the ads, I am finding out what is really avilable on the net. Not a bad thing it does slow me down from doing my house work.



Ruth