Christian Photographers Community

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Morning Devotional...


But thanks be to God, which put the same earnest care into the heart of Titus for you.
2 Corinthians 8:16


It was God who placed the concern for the believers into the heart of Titus.

Dear overseer, dear discipler, dear missionary, dear worker, dear parent--don't walk away from your post in discouragement.

It is God Himself that has placed that care in your heart for others.

He is using you.

He sees.

He knows.

He cares.

It is His work and He will provide the strength and the reward.
                                                                      --M. Peters



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Quote from: smokeyging on June 05, 2004, 12:19:33 AM
Hi soni, you wrote and asked today:                                                                                      South island?  Where is that at?  I can't believe it is winter there.  We just started summer, thank goodness!

New Zealand.  we are at the bottom of the world, two islands on the right side of Australia. we live in the south island and at the moment it is winter here, when we have summer, you have winter, when you have days, we are into nights. we are also one of the first countrys to see the sun every day. if you follow the international date-line down the globe of the world, on the left towards the bottom of the globe you should see two islands, we are in the south island, three quarters down the south island on the east coast there is a bit of a bump in the island, that should be Dunedin, thats our 'hide-out'. regards les

New Zealand, what a cool place to live.  I have never been there.  I would love to go to Austraulia some day with my family.  Does it snow all over or just in the mountains?

GOOD MORNING ALL 10.59 AM in Holland 

SONJA thank you very much for the devotional this morning
but now i am again online and you not i think you are sleeping and a lot more are sleeping now but in Holland is the day started.

PAT i hope you have had a nice day with Rebecca on the African Lion Safiri children always like it to go out with Grandma.

LARRY the hymn Come Thou Almighty King
was very lovely. Thank you

When we are young my first husband and i we have had plans together with friends of us to go
to Australia or New Zealand but the wife of our friends she want stay in Holland. Later was my first husband been very sick then we can not more go.
But now i think sometimes i wish that we are going only for the weather we in Holland every day a rainshowers and cold 14*C and sometimes a little bit sun. The summer will not come people in Holland are also talk a lot over the weather.
And that was also been better for my English

Mark 1 : 35
Very early in the morning while it
was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house
and went of to a solitary place,
where He prayed.

     THE JOY OF YOUR PRESENCE

         Lord, i dedicate this still, quit time
             of the early morning to You...
         In the hush and peace of these silent hours,
                            I seek never more
         than to bask in the joy of Your presence.

Love and prayerfully for you all
Ria     

                                   

ROMANS 6:5 NIV
If we have been united with Him
like this in His death, we will certainly
also be united with Him in His resurrection.

So, here's the great news:
if we have died with Christ, we've already
died the only death that really matters.
Our lives are joined with His and so
we will share in His glory when He
returns (Colossians 3: 1-4).
Even death cannot separate us from His
presence in our lives (Romans 8: 35-39)
because we have been given the victory
over death through Christ Jesus our Lord
(1 Corinthians 15:55-57).
We do not have to fear the second death
(Revelation 2:11; 20:6) because we have
already passed over from death into life.
(John 5:24).

PRAYER...
Who will rescue me from
this body of death?
Thanks to be God -
trough Jesus Christ
our Lord!   AMEN

                                     PHIL WARE

I wish you all a Blessed Weekend
Bye love Ria   

June: Worship

The whole import and substance of the Bible teaches us that the God who does not need any thing nevertheless desires the adoration and worship of His created children.

Whatever Happened to Worship?, 37.


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Read about A. W. Tozer
June 5

Worship: Astonished Reverence

O Lord, our Lord, how excellent is Your name in all the earth, Who have set Your glory above the heavens! --Psalm 8:1

Then there is admiration, that is, appreciation of the excellency of God. Man is better qualified to appreciate God than any other creature because he was made in His image and is the only creature who was. This admiration for God grows and grows until it fills the heart with wonder and delight. "In our astonished reverence we confess Thine uncreated loveliness," said the hymn writer. "In our astonished reverence." The God of the modern evangelical rarely astonishes anybody. He manages to stay pretty much within the constitution. Never breaks over our bylaws. He's a very well- behaved God and very denominational and very much one of us, and we ask Him to help us when we're in trouble and look to Him to watch over us when we're asleep. The God of the modern evangelical isn't a God I could have much respect for. But when the Holy Ghost shows us God as He is we admire Him to the point of wonder and delight. Worship: The Missing Jewel of the Evangelical Church, 26-27.

"Lord, give me just a taste of 'astonished reverence.' Let me see You today as You really are and experience that 'wonder and delight' of which Tozer speaks. Amen."


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Today's "Insight for Leaders" is taken by permission from the book, Tozer on Christian Leadership, published by Christian Publications, Inc.

I wonder, do we really "see" God as He really is?
Or do we see Him as we are influenced by our church leaders, family, friends, fellow worshippers.
Do we see Him as someone Whom we read about in Christians novels or Whom we see in videos and films.
Who is the real "God?"  The one Who is with us that first hour in the morning as we begin the day with prayer and praise and Bible reading.
The One on Whom we can depend completely for our salvation, our healing,our provision from day to day.
Are there as many images of God in peoples minds as there are churches!
Can any one of us "know" the real Being that is God and to what extent are we accurate?
I know this one thing, that I know Whom I have believed, and am sure that He is able to keep unto that day, that which is entrusted!

good morning everyone,
sorry i haven't been posting much class is keeping me busy today we test and it will decide if i get to work for the ambulance service or not but i don't find out for sure until september. well i must finish getting ready to go get something to eat and be on our way. ttyl
Sarah

Quote from: Chris & Margit Saunders on June 05, 2004, 06:54:06 AM
I wonder, do we really "see" God as He really is?
Or do we see Him as we are influenced by our church leaders, family, friends, fellow worshippers.
Do we see Him as someone Whom we read about in Christians novels or Whom we see in videos and films.
Who is the real "God?"  The one Who is with us that first hour in the morning as we begin the day with prayer and praise and Bible reading.
The One on Whom we can depend completely for our salvation, our healing,our provision from day to day.
Are there as many images of God in peoples minds as there are churches!
Can any one of us "know" the real Being that is God and to what extent are we accurate?
I know this one thing, that I know Whom I have believed, and am sure that He is able to keep unto that day, that which is entrusted!

Interesting.  I have often wondered this myself.  Is the God I talk to the same as my neighbors.  I grew up with the idea that God was mean and still today feel that sometimes.  I think it is the devil getting to me.  I know when I talk to Him that he is a kind, loving and forgiving Father that hears ever word.  I feel he speaks to me through the Holy Spirit when I ask Him something.  It feels good because I know He is there.

Ria~Thanks for the extra devotion and poem.  Hope you have a good day.

Pat~So how did it go?  Did you have fun?

I have 1 more day of dance and I am done.  Yes!!!  I am totally exausted.

Hi Sara!  I hope you are able to start working as an emt.

I'll be back later.

Chris - I do love Mr. Tozer!

QuoteWorship: Astonished Reverence

That's beautiful! That is the missing ingredient in much of evangelicalism today.  Oh that all of us might be so overwhelmed by Who and What God is that we fall down before Him and just worship for many minutes each day!  As you said, Sonifo, it is good just to know that He is there.

If any of you have opportunity today, please go to "Your Day In Mark," and read Mark 8:22-26.  It is my favorite, was greatly blessed to me, and I hope it will be to you also.

QuoteLord, i dedicate this still, quit time
             of the early morning to You...
         In the hush and peace of these silent hours,
                            I seek never more
         than to bask in the joy of Your presence.

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Thank you Ria for posting that.

Yes it is that quiet time each morning in that first hour upon arising that my time with my God is so special. I know he hears me and I know He answers my prayers. More so today than yesterday. The Holy Spirit reminded me that that cut in my hours with bea, was something I had asked of God. So I am grateful that God has provided me with the answer to my prayer to remove a certain temptation from my life. He did that by cutting my hours.

You see Bea was giving me more hours than I actually worked and that made me a thief. Stealing from the State of California who writes my paychecks. By cutting my hours she can no longer give me extra time and I will no longer be a thief, receiving more than I am entitled to.

Confessions of a sinner who has repented.

Chris and Margit:
I want to tell you that I so enjoyed our visit. It was just like having a good visit with a family members from afar off. I felt as if we have known each other for many years. It was certainly a lot of fun. Chirs you are not a "dour scot" , I love your sense of humour.You are both very Godly people and again I express my pleasure at knowing you. Thanks again for stopping here in California to visit us.

Marilyn

Hi everyone from a sunny Georgia this morning.  Since I don't go to the "Y" on Saturday or Sunday I am able to sleep in a bit later and I was ready for that as got very tired yesterday. 

We did go out to eat with friends and then they came back to our house and we played the new UNO game where the launcher can shot out none or multiple cards if you are required to hit the button on the machine.  We had a lot of fun and played until 10 pm.

Yesterday my Bible reading was the book of Lamentations and the following two verses just stood out to me so I marked them so that I could easily find them in the future. 

[quote}The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him;  it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.  (Lamentations 3:25-26)

Hope everyone has a nice day.  Think I will find a hymn to post this morning to be sure we are all singing, at least in our hearts this day that God has given us.

Sonja, thanks for the devotional thought to start the day.  Know that Pat appreciated your stepping in and do hope she is getting a little extra rest this morning after a full day yesterday.  Sonja, hope that after your dance program is over today you also will find some time to rest up from your busy schedule.

Ria, as always your devotional thoughts and posting are appreciated.

Chris, Rev. Tozar was an excellent communicator and certainly gives us something to think about.  I am sure we each visualize God a bit differently based on our life's experiences and what we have been taught from the pulpit and other places.

Marilyn, perhaps God is preparing you for something else by freeing up your hours.  We all like to feel we have earned our wage and not had it given to us. 

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Hi Everyone!

Well, yesterday was a really full day for me but oh, so lovely with Rebecca!  We had a fun time of laughing an giggling all day.  I haven't looked at my photos yet except of one and it's a lion that was about 5 feet from my car.  It was on Rebecca's side and she ducked down.  It was so cute.

I have company coming today so I'll be off the site a bit too.

Nice to see you posting Chris.  I love Dr. Tozer so much.

I had a very nice ending to the busy week.  36 past and present co-workers got together for dinner at the Wishbone Restaurant in Bolton for a wonderful time of fellowship.  One of the folk in the group had written a book of her past 34 yrs of School Bus driving which she was selling, it sure brought back memories.   The fun did not end there as some of us then went to Tim Horton's.


Thanks for the devotionals today.


Ruth

Pat:   It was good to see you at the Restaurant along with the rest of us.   Then the amazing visit at Tim Horton's.

Thought I would stop in one more time and say hi. (wave) 

My inlaws are coming down and will be here anytime.  I'll be back late tonight. 

Hope you all have a good day.

Dear Marilyn, the pleasure was all ours!
To travel all those miles across America and meet with family like you and Al and Marbeth, was such a great pleasure for us, as you say it was just like meeting the family that we knew only on the internet, but family indeed.
Perhaps there will be a great meeting of the saints when we get to  heaven, all the family that we have known since we became His children meeting for a big hug!

Sonja, yes God is such a loving Father, never mean nor punishing, yes He tests and stretches us all along this pilgrim path, but in the most loving tender way, just like a parent  will let their child cry sometimes, just to let them know that they cannot have all that they want, as it would damage them, and that loving Parent does know best, and He cherishes and cares for all His children alike and loves them to the uttermost, just look to Calvary to see His love for us.

Al, yes, Tozer was a giant of a man spiritually, where are men like him today?
I guess we need to pray them in!

Well, folks, it has taken me an hour or two yesterday just to catch up on what's happening to NEM.  Then I had to leave before I could post. 

I didn't get on-line hardly at all last week. 

Thanks to Sonja for the devotional, to Ria for her wonderful input and Bible reading, and then to Chris/Margit for theirs.  What a garden of praises and blessings to enjoy here today!

I've been trying to get something done in the yard..little by little.  It is awfully hot in the middle of the day here.
We did get a little relief and some showers yesterday.   

I'm listening to the radio and some good Christian music as I'm writing this.

Off to church to practice for tomorrow.  I missed choir practice this week and Wednesday prayer meeting. 
We will have our MasterLife meeting this afternoon  instead of tomorrow.  Then it's off to eat somewhere!

God's richest blessings to all.             kathy   

Thank you Larry for the hymn, "Praise to the Almighty...."  It's one of my favorites.  I used to sing the tenor part with the family.

Hi Everyone...  I had Andrew and Terena drop in and trim my hedge.  They had Rebecca over here for a birthday party at a friends so they wanted coffee while they were waiting for her party to end.

Thanks Soni for opening up the NEM.  I appreciate that so much.

Sue, is the recipe for that Shortbread in our Kitchen area?  Delicious!


Ruth, yes, last night was a great evening.  It was so good to meet with everyone and then also to meet the Christians in Tim Horton's afterwards too.  It sure is a small world.

Great to see you Kathy.


Ooops...  not I have someone at my door.

Sad day in the Reagan family...

President Ronald Reagan dead at the age of 93 years.

Hymn History...
WHAT A FRIEND WE HAVE IN JESUS


Only the Lord and the man in question really know what burdens of sorrow and affliction were heaped upon the writer of this great hymn. One thing we do know, however, is that this beautiful and blessed hymn would never have been penned if the author had not known such trouble.

The man was Joseph Scriven and he was born near Banbridge, in the heart of the rolling hills of County Down, Northern Ireland.

After graduating from Dublin's famous 'Trinity College' he seemed set for a brilliant career and a happy life for he was also engaged to be married.

But then tragedy struck! His fiancée was accidentally drowned on the very eve of their wedding and Joseph Scriven was plunged into his first great experience of sorrow. In the providence of God it was this tragedy which brought him to a personal knowledge of Jesus Christ.

In 1845 Scriven sailed for Canada to start life anew and, hopefully, to leave all his sorrows behind. But it was not to be, for ill-health dogged him and he was forced to return to Ireland after only two months.

Two years later he again set sail for Canada to take up a teaching post. In this he was successful and later graduated to the position of private tutor to the children of a military captain.

Life, at last, seemed worth living and prospects were continually improving!

Again he met and fell in love; this time with a charming young woman of twenty-three. Soon they were engaged to be married.

However, bitter disappointment was once more to be his unhappy lot, for this young lady was suddenly stricken with a serious illness and died before their marriage vows could be solemnise&

Cheated, for the second time, out of the prospects of a happy marriage by the cruel hand of death Scriven, quite naturally, became the victim of severe depression and declining health. But despite all this he never gave up his personal faith in the Saviour.

By this time he had settled in Port Hope, Ontario, and was manager of a small dairy there. He became known as the local 'Good Samaritan', helping the poor and under-privileged, sharing his food with the needy and often giving them clothing.

However, all these good deeds may well have been forgotten if Joseph Scriven had not written twenty-four lines of poetry to comfort his mother who was suffering from a serious illness.

Through his trials and afflictions Scriven had come to know the Lord in a very personal way, not only as Saviour but also as a friend.

Thus, from the heart he could write:

What a friend we have in Jesus,
All our sins and griefs to bear,
What a privilege to carry,
Everything to God in prayer.

As I say, Scriven wrote these words to comfort his ageing mother at a time of illness. He had not seen her since he had said 'goodbye' over ten years before and wasn't able to make the long journey back home to be with her.

So he wrote What A Friend We Have In Jesus, and sent it with the prayer that it would remind her of 'the never failing friend,' Jesus Christ. I'm sure it did.

Joseph Scriven never intended his poem to be published but a friend who visited him during his last illness discovered the lines and asked 'Who wrote these beautiful words?' Scriven's modest reply was 'the Lord and I did it between us.'

Soon it was published in The Port Hope Guide, a local newspaper. Remarkably, a copy of that newspaper was used to wrap a parcel destined for an address in New York City. when the recipient unwrapped his parcel he caught sight of Scriven's poem and arranged to have it published.

Eventually, it was seen by German-American composer, Charles Converse and very soon his simple, plaintive melody gave wings of song to Joseph Scriven's telling words.

Thus an Irish-Canadian and a German-American were used of God to bring blessing and encouragement to millions.

What a neat story of the origins of What a Friend We Have in Jusus.........thanks, Pat.

I finally managed to get on here this morning and read the first few posts, but when I clicked on reply, I got page not found.  Our internet connection was acting up again.  I went away and worked on framing for several hours; came back--same thing.  So I again called the help desk, and they sent a guy out who did something to the wires from the pole outside and we are back online.  They are going to come and replace those wires on Monday.  We shouldn't be having so many problems.

Curtis is here, and I have been thoroughly enjoying just spending time with him, talking and catching up.  He will be going to basic training on June 24 through July 23.  He said he expects to get yelled at a lot and do a lot of PT and marching; having to get up at 4:00 AM and go to bed by 9:00.  That will be a change for those boys---all of them!

Darrel has steaks on the grill, I have the salad made, and Beth is coming over to eat supper with us.  I will talk more wih all of you later.  Good to see each of you here today.

Hi, friends,

Leslie and I are back safe and sound from Georgia.

I actually got down in the floor with baby Georgia and we laughed and giggled as she thoroughly enjoyed rolling a ball to Grandma. We had a happy two hours together in the nursery.

I wondered if someone would have to bring in a tow truck to get me up, but I made it and have wonderful memories to cherish of two playmates - one tiny and full of life and giggles and one large and old and stiff and VERY grateful to be playing with her little playmate.

Y'all have a great evening.

Ruth Ann

What an interesting story of Joseph Scriven. Thank you Pat for sharing that story.

AWWWWW Ruth ann how sweet.

Good evening everyone!  Another lovely day - but then every day is God's beautiful gift to us, whatever the weather.   

Tomorrow starts our summer schedule of only one service Sunday morning - every year 9:30 a.m. seems earlier and earlier! 

I was just looking at the calender there sure are a lot of birthdays in June arent there.?

Much interesting reading.  Thanks to Sonja, Ria, Chris/Margit
and off course Pat.  (I read yest. Devotional)

Have been very busy and not on the computer.  Had to help Ralph paint the fence yest. and today ran errands with Wendy.  Also cooked dinner.  This is becoming a regular Sat. event and it gives Wendy a break.  Now am doing this with one ear on the Hockey Game...TV is in the other room!

I will try hard to get with the photos next week, Pat.  Hope that you have received my snail mail by now.  Looking forward to trying to figure all this out and will try to get Amanda to advise about the chat .... have both but never use.  I am not a chatty person! 

We are having grand warm weather here.  It is sure early for Summer temps.  Nice tho' as can now run around in shorts, etc.  Have even started a nice tan.

Must go and check out the game.  Have a great weekend.  I am going to church in the morning and will try to post later. 

Marilyn, I pray for you on a regular basis and God will take care of things.  Sometimes blessings come at the most surprising times....both big and little ones.

God Bless,
Liz