Christian Photographers Community

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Link of the day...[/font]

• Christian Distance Learning  Whether you're looking for a homeschooling program or want to earn your undergraduate or graduate degree online, you've come to the right place.

• Creation Moment Listen to the Creation Moment every day for a new creation moment!  We can learn a lot from these!  Terrific if you are home schooling.

Verse for Today...[/font]

"that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved."[/color]
~Romans 10:9 NKJV~[/list]


Quote of the Day...[/font]

 "Better a holy discord than a profane concord."
~Thomas Adams~[/list]




From our forums...

• Poet's Corner Check out our latest board and feel free to add your own poetry or other poetry you have permission to post.  Enjoy!
  
  
  
• Purpose Driven Life Join us as we go through this book together

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Morning Devotional...

..They shall never perish.          
John 10:28

Wonderful words, and they mean exactly what they say!

"Never" is a long time! Yes, there are some people who will never perish, who are safe forever in the hands of the Lord. They have eternal life, because the Lord Himself has given it to them.

Are you one of those people?

The Lord tells how to recognize them; they hear His voice and follow Him. They don't just know things about Him, they belong to Him personally, and He keeps them forever.

If you have never heard His voice and decided to follow Him, let today be the day!
~Carl Knott~

9.a.m. England.

Pat thank-you dear one,the devotional this morning will be a good theme for me to think on this day.  John 10 and John 11 are my most fav. chapters of the Holy Bible.  I think of My Shepherd leading me out and calling me from the tomb. I was a lost sheep, I followed "strangers voices" and then I heard the voice of the Shepherd and Lord of Life calling me out and saying "I am the Resurrection and the Life"

"And a stranger will they not follow,but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers." John 10:5

"Jesus said unto her, 'I am the Resurrection and the Life; he that believeth in Me though he were dead, yet shall he live" John 11:25

"and when He had thus spoken He cried with a loud voice, 'Lazarus come forth'., And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes........and Jesus said 'loose him and let him go."
John 11:43-44

Jesus calls us all forth from our graves...we are all dead unto sin and lost for eternity until we hear His voice and then we turn away from strangers voices.

If there be anyone enter here today who does not know Jesus as his/her Saviour please ask us to pray for you.  Jesus is the Good shepherd and He cares about everone and reaches down intothe darkest valley to lift up the lost and frightened among us. All is not lost dear soul, come to Jesus and find pasture.

Jenny

Iain

Dear Brother,

Missing you.
Love and prayers,Jenny

Hi Jenny-
I see you are online-so I am saying HELLO
I too was lost until my savior called me when I was 11 years old-that was a long time ago-there were times that i didn't follow him as I should-but, I do know his voice now and I think I can hear him more clearly in my walk with him-he has brought me a long way.
I just thought I would stop by and say Hi, before I go to bed.
Hope you all have a blessed day!
Hugs in Jesus
Rachelle

GOOD MORNING 10.55AM in Holland

PAT thank you for the devotional this morning  and the very nice hymn yesterday ROSE OF SHARON and this morning NOW I BELONG TO JESUS i love the music on CP sometimes there is a song they we also have in Holland.

Yesterday my father has been to the hospital he has had an injection they he get every 3 month that is also for his prostate cancer. And they have taken photo's but on this moment it is to early they can not say of the cancer is away he must wait but he is doing right.

MARYLIN my prayers are for you

ETTA SUE now you can read a lot people don't like MRI
scans i also don't like it it is terrible i hope never more.

The sun is shining in Holland today and not rain

REVELATION 19:6
Hallelujah! For our Lord God
Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice
and be glad and give him glory!

GIVE YOU GLORY

Author of my faith,
may every beat of my heart,
every breath of my live,
reach beyond and rise above
the song of self to give You glory.

My prayers are for your all
Have a Blessed Day
Bye love Ria

Pat: Wonderful devotional. Yes I am a child of God and will never perish.

Ria,  Jenny,  Rachelle & Tenderheart  Goodmorning

Sue How is your cold?

The radio is saying that it is bitter cold out so I must dress a little warmer when I get ready to leave for work.  I hope the School Bus starts but if  it fails I will have a warm place to wait so I will not worry.

Have a great day
Ruth

Morning!  

You know me inside and out,
  you know every bone in my body;
You know exactly how I was made, bit by bit,
  how I was sculpted from nothing into something.
                            Psalms 138:15

hey ya'll
i'm here for a bit. just getting ready for school. it's still really cold outside. it's 21*F and the wind chill is 10*F so it feels way colder than it really is!well i must be off now ttyl
Sarah

Good morning, everyone!

Jerry and I had a great evening with our small group Bible study.  BUT our book didn't come in.  Hopefully Pastor Mark will give them to us Sunday.  But we had a lot of laughs and sorrows as we discussed our Christmas time with our families and loved ones.  One lady is going to Germany on business and doesn't like flying at all.  Deborah, the Pastors wife, said to go get some Zanax.  She said she did when she went to Florida.  The Dr gave her 4 pills.  She took one.  Got on the plane, then thought it wasn't doing anything and took another!  Then later took another!!!  The lady that was with her told her later that there was a lot of turbulence and that Deborah was drinking a cup of coffee.  Even though Deborah's arm was going up and down during the turbulence, she didn't spill a drop.  We all agree....Deborah must be the pill pusher at our church.  It was really funny.  Maybe you had to be there.....

Jerry came home with me and we are getting ready to go to his house.  His son called this morning and he is bringing Jerry's car back.  Also, little Daniel was taken to the Emergency Room last evening for what Nermin thought was stomach problems.  The ER doctor said he was fine but to take him to a pediatrian today to make sure.  So we won't get to see Daniel today.  

My arm is hurting.  Gotta go.
?º°`°º?ø,¸¸,ø?º°`°º?ø?º°`°º?ø,¸¸,ø?º°`°º?ø?º°`°º?ø,¸¸,ø?º°`°º?ø?º°`
"It's a proven fact that working out will increase your bust size.  Unfortunately, it will also give you a neck the size of a Quaker Oats box."

Good morning to you all and God bless you as you go through this day by the riches of His Grace!

Pat...thankyou for the devotional today and may God be with you tomorrow as you head out to London AGAIN...

Hello Etta Sue...sorry to read about your trial with the MRI thing....aren;t you glad that it is over...

Sonifo...isn't it amazing to rest in the fact that there is only One who knows us so well........

Good morning also to:RUTH, RIA, RACHELLE AND JENNY and God bless you all.

Good morning everyone! (well at least it's morning here on the West Coast of the USA.  You people in Holland,  Scotland, and England are just on the wrong side of the globe!)

I'm becoming more and more aware this morning of a problem amongst Christians everywhere.  It's the "me-centered" syndrome - the syndrome that says that salvation is for the purpose of giving me eternal life, healing my body, bringing me happiness, and making me love everybody in the world.

The problem is - God is left out.  What's in it for Him?  He was the offended Party, both at the beginning and now.  This is His world, and the glory should all be His.  What happened to our guilt for having rebelled against Him?  Yes, Jesus loves me, but what He loves is a lost, rebellious, self-centered me, a me that isn't worthy of anything but eternal misery because it rebelled against the eternal, holy GOD.

Salvation isn't just to give me all joy all the time, but it's to bring lost sinners to His feet to bow before Him for the first time since the rebellion began.  Is that you?  Is it me?  Do you rejoice this morning (or afternoon) in Jesus Christ because He's your Lord today?  May it be so for you.  May it be so for me.

Al, I agree with the "me-centered" syndrome".  It is easy to say, "what about me".  I have recently discovered that it isn't all about me.  It is all about God!  He is the reason for my being here.  I learned this by reading the book "The Purpose Driven Life"

There are a few things you said that I didn't quite understand.

QuoteBy Al Moak~Salvation isn't just to give me all joy all the time

If not joy then how are others supposed to see the light when we are cranky and dwelling on things that should be given to God?

Isn't bowing down to God a good thing?  Or is it a thing that is sad?  Can we not have joy in doing "but it's to bring lost sinners to His feet to bow before Him for the first time since the rebellion began" as well?

I think that if people dwell on the fact that we are nothing and no good, it brings down our self esteem and in turn makes us depressed.  It does for me anyway.  I have been feeling pretty good that I am doing things good for God and making the right choices in my families life.  

I know we are not worthy of God, but must we dwell on just that?  Can we move on and try to please Him?  

Maybe I just didn't get what you were saying.

Good Morning. Pat thank you for the devotion, and to answer your question from last night, Yes the  pre-op proceedures can be trying and time consuming.

It seems[/u] like I have so much to do before I go to the hospital. But it isn't reall;y all that much. A little laundry so I don't come home with laundry waiting for me. Writing the checks for the bills that will be due and getting them ready for my son to mail. Paying off the layaway at K-mart for my TV. Groceries. Just a bunch of little things to do. Oh yeah probably the most important is to get the stuff together that I will need there like my toothbrush and hair brush.[/b]

One of the grocery stores in Eureka has recalled beef that was contaminated by the Mad Cow diseased cow. The Winco stores have recalled about 1,000 lbs. That is not a store where IO shop, but Al does. Al did you have to return any meat? I know you don't eat much beef.

TTYL

Title: Contentment

Author: Mrs. Charles E. Cowman

Source: Streams in the Desert


    ---------------------------------------------------
Good afternoon to each and every one.

This spoke highly to me today, perhaps when everyone in the house is sick and energy is at low levels, nerves do get a bit frayed and before one gets unraveled it is good to get hold of this and back in touch with what is truly important, contentment in Christ.
Does God not know us in our sickness as well as in our health, is He not present in every state and does He not know that with which we can walk away, if only we see Him there?

Contentment to us all!

In His love,

Margit

Hey check out this web site...

I'm told that there is a huge rock near a gravel pit on Hwy. 25 in rural Iowa. For generations, kids have painted slogans, names, and obscenities on this rock, changing it's character many times.

A few months back, the rock received it's latest paint job, and since then it has been left completely undisturbed. It's quite an impressive sight.

Click on the link below and check for yourself. There are multiple photos (all angles) of the rock.

Hope you enjoy it (if you haven't seen it before) as much as I did.

http://www.ticz.com/homes/users/bob/On-A-Rock/On-A-Rock.htm






"Man plans, God laughs" old Yiddish proverb

 
 


 
 

Quote"Salvation isn't just to give me all joy all the time."
If not joy then how are others supposed to see the light when we are cranky and dwelling on things that should be given to God?
Isn't bowing down to God a good thing?  Or is it a thing that is sad?  Can we not have joy in doing "but it's to bring lost sinners to His feet to bow before Him for the first time since the rebellion began" as well?
I think that if people dwell on the fact that we are nothing and no good, it brings down our self esteem and in turn makes us depressed.  It does for me anyway.  I have been feeling pretty good that I am doing things good for God and making the right choices in my families life. 
I know we are not worthy of God, but must we dwell on just that?  Can we move on and try to please Him? 

Thanks for asking - that's (unfortunately) the way I come to see the shortcomings in my writing!  First of all, you say, "cranky and dwelling on . . ."  We certainly must not be either "cranky" or "dwelling on . . ."  That's not the proper response  to seeing the need to be God-centered.  There is joy indeed in knowing Him - to say the least!  When seeing Him, as Paul put it, we see "the glory of God in the Face of Jesus Christ."  What could be more joyful than that - except maybe doing so for all eternity!  "bowing down to God" is indeed a good thing, but it's a little hard on the old man (and the old ego).  But knowing Him and acknowledging Him as Lord (as He should be) is a WONDERFUL thing!  But it also gives up self government - we can't anymore go only our own way.
You also say, "...dwell on the fact that we are nothing and no good, it brings down our self esteem and in turn makes us depressed."  Yes, it will do that.  But Paul did say, "I know that in me, that is in my flesh, dwells no good thing."  That doesn't mean we weren't created good, but we've ruined that created goodness to a large extent.  It's ok to lose self esteem and to feel depressed - at the beginning as we come to Christ.  Then, after completely reorienting  our minds, we quit worrying about "self" esteem and start to have a "Christ-esteem."  It becomes "all about Him."
You go on to say, "I have been feeling pretty good that I am doing things good for God and making the right choices in my families life."  And well you should feel pretty good, Sonja!  He's begun to create a new you!  The new you is doing His will, and you absolutely should take notice of that victory!  It's HIS victory, and you join in it with Him!  Wow!  I do not mean - at all - to say that we should "dwell on" only our unworthiness of God.  If we're going to dwell, let's dwell on His goodness.
By the way, this whole tirade (I'm preachy, after all) was not directed at CP people, but at what I perceive has happened in Christianity in general.  It has become too "me-oriented" I believe.  It needs once again to become more "God-oriented."

4.40 p.m.

Praise God.  Some nice things are happening. He doesn't leave me comfortless.  He comes to me...Amen!

Jane from church brought me Holy Communion this afternoon. I shared with her how wonderfully the Lord provides and even caused a book to fall at my son's feet for me on the day I requested it. It was out of print., albeit second-hand but Chris really did walk on it. It was on the floor of the shop.  Special delivery for Jenny of  Mrs. C.E. Cowman "Streams in the desert Vol 2"...this was two years ago. I also have a book called "The Wonderful Prayer"...Jesus tapped me on the shoulder years ago and told me to go in a second hand furniture shop.  The book was sticking out on a shelf...For me!

I explained to Jane that I had tried to order a book from Books 4 Life today and was having problems.  Well that is now sorted and Chris the young man at the company has just sent me an e mail and is sending me a gift of "Heavenly Man"  (the story of Brother Yun leader of Chinese House church) with my order for "The Purpose Driven Life".

So I received the Sacraments, witnessed to God's small miracles and then received more from His hand.  Wonderful! Praise God!  I haven't done a thing to deserve this.  He is so Good to us folks.

Well Chris at "Books 4 Life," thank-you dear brother. Pat I told him about C.P. Hope he pops in.

Hello Pastor Al.

Love Jenny.

Jenny until you get your book you can read the chapters on the web PDL web site, I sent them your email adress yesterday and hope you got some mail from there.

Attention Lee
Well I am not going to spend so much time on the computer. Lee Thank you brother for reminding that God does not like idols. I confess  that my computer turned onto my own personal idol. So I am asking for the Lord's forgiveness and getting off now.

Hey, it's just past noon here in the eastern part of North America and we're already seeing some great messages that will cause us to think more deeply on God's Word.


I'm just rushing around.  Been on the phone with the University of Western Ontario about my crowns and I might not be going down there tomorrow...will find out a little later on today.


Now, I'm showered and ready to go out into the cold (brrrrrr...) and do some errands.

I wanted to share this with you all.  It really means a lot to me...


It really fits in today I think.

I didn't know you could read the P.D.L. on the net, Marilyn.  That's good to know!

Good morning to you all, wow, this really great to read all your wonderful posts today! Marilyn, my friend, please know my prayers go with you. Jenny, thanks so much for your post; it was especially helpful. Pat, your devotional today helps so much, too. I noticed, reading the past posts, about Bro. Iain being missed; is he okay? Thanks to the Lord that I am saved, and one of His children, and I thank Him daily for that! He gives me such great joy in His love, and I am so undeserving! Thanks to all of you again for a very encouraging morning!
Love in Him,
Cami

Hi Cami...

Nice to see you.  Yes, we are all unworthy or what our Savior did for us on the cross.  It reminds me of a hymn I was sharing with someone else this morning...

Here is some interesting information that Ireceived in my email today.

On the aluminum cap atop of the Washington Monument
are two words:  Laus Deo.
No one can see these words. In fact ... most visitors to the
monument have no idea they are even there and...for that
matter...probably couldn't care less!
But there they are...555 feet, 5.125 inches high...perched
atop the monument to the father of our nation...overlooking
the 69 square miles which comprise the District of Columbia
...capital of the United States of America.

Laus Deo! Two seemingly insignificant, unnoticed words...
out of sight and, one might think, out of mind...but very
meaningfully placed at the highest point over what is the
most powerful city in the world. And what might those two
words...comprised of just four syllables and only seven
letters...mean?

Very simply ... "Praise be to God!"
Though construction of this giant obelisk began in 1848
when James Polk was President of the United States, it
was not until 1888 that the monument was inaugurated
and opened to the public.

It took twenty five years to finally cap the memorial with
the tribute Laus Deo!

Praise be to God! From atop this magnificent granite and
marble structure...a visitor can take in the beautiful
panoramic view of the city with its division into four major
segments. And from that vantage point  one can also
easily see the original plan of the designer, Pierre Charles
l'Enfant...a perfect cross imposed upon the landscape...with
the White House to the north...the Jefferson Memorial to
the south...the Capitol to the east...and the Lincoln Memorial
to the west.
A cross...you say?  How interesting! And...no doubt...intended
to carry a meaning for those who bother to notice.

Praise be to God!
Within the monument itself are 898 steps and 50 landings.
As one climbs the steps and pauses at the landings the
memorial stones share a message. On the 12th Landing is
a prayer offered by the City of Baltimore; on the 20th is a
memorial presented by some Chinese Christians; on the 24th
a presentation made by Sunday School children from New York
and Philadelphia quoting Proverbs 10:7, Luke 18:16 and
Proverbs 22:6.

Praise be to God!
When the cornerstone of the Washington Monument was laid
on July 4th, 1848, deposited within it were many items
including  the Holy Bible presented by the Bible Society.

Praise be to God!

Such was the discipline, the moral direction, the spiritual
mood given by the founder and first President of our unique
democracy..."one nation, under God."
I am awed by Washington's prayer for America. Have you
never read it? Well now is your opportunity...read on!
"Almighty God; We make our earnest prayer that Thou
wilt keep the United States in Thy holy protection; that
Thou wilt incline the hearts of the citizens to cultivate
a spirit of subordination and obedience to government;
and entertain a brotherly affection and love for one
another and for their fellow citizens of the United states
at large. And finally that Thou wilt most graciously be
pleased to dispose us all to do justice, to love mercy,
and to demean ourselves with that charity, humility, and
pacific temper of mind which were the characteristics of
the Divine Author of our blessed religion, and without a
humble imitation of whose example in these things we
can never hope to be a happy nation. Grant our supplication,
we beseech Thee, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen."
Laus Deo! As you might have guessed ...
I kind of like the idea that our Pledge of Allegiance includes
the phrase "under God."

It is clear when one studies the history of our great nation
that Washington's America was one of the few countries in
all the world established under the guidance, direction and
banner of Almighty God, to whom was given all praise, honor
and worship by the great men who formed and fashioned her
pivotal foundations.

And...when one stops to observe the inscriptions found in
public places all over our nation's capitol...one will easily
find the signature of God. We are a nation under God!!! Laus
Deo!!!

Praise be to God!!!
"Unless the Lord builds the house its builders labor in vain.
Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchmen stand
guard in vain.
(Psalm 127: 1)

A History of the Aluminum Cap of the Washington Monument.
Let the ACLU try to remove THAT!

I was doing some reading on the net of various topics and came across an article from 1994 that I found to be quite interesting this morning.

You've all heard of Pilgrim's Progress, well, the author mentions this well known book.

Here's the link to it:

Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners

In the article, is the following paragraph which I think fits into what Al Moak was writing about this morning.  And remember that this was written by Mr. Cole back in 1994--10 years ago!  (and where he mentions "American", we could say "Canadian" as well):

I fear that as American Christians, living in this day of a watered down, feel good about yourself "gospel," we have forgotten what favors we have received from God and how unworthy we are of them. My aim today is to get any of you who may have wandered into Forgetful Green out of there as you think again on God's abundant grace that covers all your sins.[/list]

Hello everyone!!  Yes, Marilyn, I am like you.  I, too, was convicted of spending too much time at this one-eyed things.  (OK, I confess, it took a little prodding from my better half to get me to admit it).  Mine was more of just wasting time.  There really is no need to read the same thread 12 times when nothing has been added, ya know.  And I was worse at DPC than here.    Now, I try to pop in, read, post what I have to say, and move on doing other things.  It's not so much less time on the computer, just using what time I am here more effectively.  

One thing I really want to do this year is keep a prayer journal.  Most times, I start praying and I move so fast that I never give God time to speak.  By making myself writing, I may pray about fewer "things" but I find that my prayers are more thought out, and I can feel His presence more.  

In reading the posts today, a song came to my mind.  Simple really, and I am sure you all know it -- it goes something like this:

Wow!  Marilyn, that's something!  

No Marilyn..I didn't receive that.  You did mention that you were participating however on PDL. I had a lot of interference on site yesterday and Firewall blocked a lot.  I did send an e mail to you last night Marilyn.

The P.D.L site caused me some havoc today so I shall just look forward to reading "The Purpose Driven Life"  when it arrives.  I will just hobble along behind you all and read   your posts about this book folks.  It was popular here a couple of years ago.  A local church appears to be using P.D.L as its Lenten course this year.  

Another excellent book, flavour of the month a few years ago when I first became "born again" is Colin Urquharts "My Dear Child.....Listening to God's Heart"........                                
"I love you, because I love you. I have called and chosen you.  You have been afraid to come closer to me because of your sense of inadequacy., but I want you close to Me. I like you."  

PatI wrote to Iain yesterday.  No reply.  Is he alright.

I am off to add  some more to my rug so won't be back until tomorrow.

Goodnight, God bless.
Jenny

Subj: Insight for Leaders  
Date: 1/7/04 5:15:03 AM GMT Standard Time
From: lmi@flash.net
To: tozer@litmin.com
Sent from the Internet (Details)



January 7    

Personal Life: The Call of God

Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful;
nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of
righteousness to those who have been trained by it.  
--Hebrews 12:11

"Your calling," said Meister Eckhart to the clergy of his day,
"cannot make you holy; but you can make it holy. No matter how
humble that calling may be, a holy man can make it a holy calling.
A call to the ministry is not a call to be holy, as if the fact of
his being a minister would sanctify a man; rather, the ministry is
a calling for a holy man who has been made holy some other way
than by the work he does. The true order is: God makes a man holy
by blood and fire and sharp discipline. Then he calls the man to
some special work, and the man being holy makes that work holy in
turn....

Every person should see to it that he is fully cleansed from all
sin, entirely surrendered to the whole will of God and filled with
the Holy Spirit. Then he will not be known as what he does, but as
what he is. He will be a man of God first and anything else second.
We Travel an Appointed Way, 59-60.

"You've called me to be holy, Lord, not famous; to be holy, not
successful. Keep me focused today on being the person You want me
to be, no matter how significant or insignificant the work You ask
me to do. Amen."

 

Al Moak!
You got out of the wrong side of the bed this morning Bro!
Of course our salvation is to be enjoyed!
When we understand just how far we had fallen in our sinful lost state,   and then understand what our Redeemer has done for us,well... how can we not enjoy our salvation!
If we do not enjoy it, then what did Jesus say..
love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness,, these fruits will show others  how much you love Me and how grateful you are for what I have done for you, that you want to be just like Me!

The joy of the Lord is our strength,,, We are continually told to rejoice, to praise, to worship to sing His praises, to play musical instruments in our  singing of the psalms.


I  detect a  little bit of sadness in you this morning my brother Al, and I pray the Holy Spirit will cause your heart once more to sing, as He reminds you of the great and precious gifts you have been given, lift up your heads , for your salvation draweth near!

I love you Al let's see that big smile again, come on now.
love Chris.

http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/j/m/jmakesmh.htm