Christian Photographers Community

Morning Devotional...


Thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel. . .
Isaiah 54:5

When we left Zambia after many years, we were given a beautiful wall text with the words, "Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things...but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot" (1 Pet. 1:18-19).

The price of our redemption was the precious blood of the Lamb.

How little I know of the seven New Testament words that express the idea of redemption, or the significance of the eight hundred times the word "blood" is used from Genesis to Revelation.

Oh, to be taught of God the unsearchable riches of Christ.

Redeemed!

Do I love to proclaim it?
--Les Rainey

This is Good News to begin our day folks...
   
                               Redeemed.


Re Our Ria.  She has been in touch with me and said to tell you she's feeling very depressed and her eyes are getting worse. She asked me to give you all her love.  There is a thread for Ria on prayers. Today she is going to church with Jan at the centre where he is living.

A cold autumnal morning here in Birmingham u.k.

Re Olympics:-
Oh may I say that I thought that Alexandre (Canadian Swimmer) had the edge over the Aussie swimmer yesterday but then I am not one of the judges, unfortunately.

Marilyn...cool down sis. We all love you and know how difficult things have been for you lately.  I appreciate your prayers dear and your posts.I try to keep in touch with events,please forgive if I dont always seem to. 

The Lord bless each and everyone of you.
Love,
Jenny.

Hi everyone.  Stopping by early this morning before we head off to church for the last service of our revivial.  This is a combined service so we will be having both contemporary and traditional music and style of service. 

Marilyn, on Friday evening a man came up to me whom I did not know and simply told me that he had been praying for me and my family as we are listed on the Prayer List of our church.  I know that there are many folks praying in our church for the persons listed on the Prayer Lists that are circulated each week and that it is not communicated back to make of the prayer subjects that such prayers have been made.  I sincerely expect that the same is true here on CP where often we see the need and pray for the need but don't necessarily post that we have done so.  I trust no one has been offended by your comments since I know they are heart felt and real concerns.  Please don't be discouraged and continue to bring these urgent prayer requests to us. 

Isn't it wonderful that we can know with certainty that we have been redeemed through our Savior, Jesus Christ?  Fine devotional today Pat

Jesu,these eyes have never seen,
That radiant form of Thine;
The veil of sense hangs dark between
Thy blessed face and mine.

I see Thee not, I hear Thee not,
Yet Thou art oft with me;
And earth has ne'er so dear a spot
As where I meet with Thee.

Yet though I have not seen, and still
Must rest in faith alone,
I love Thee, dearest Lord, and will,
Unseen, but not unknown.[/b]

Just listening to "Redeemed" and thanking God that I am.  Off to get ready for Sunday School and Church at Black Creek Baptist.

Let's all just Praise The LORD today

Good Morning:  Thank you Lord that I have been redeemed by your precious blood. Thank you Pat for posting the devotional today. I so look forward to each morning to see what gems you have brought to us. Some of the Songs I have never heard before but I am sure I will hear again and again on here.

Larry I too pray that no one was offended by what I said about my prayer request. I have been under a lot of stress lately because of that situation, Gloria's worsened condition and that of her mother.  I  feel that if I had said nothing about my feelings being hurt then how would anyone know how I feel. Perhaps some have left CP with hurt feelings saying nothing and we are left wondering why they are no longer posting here. How can we rectify  or ask forgiveness if we are never given the opportunity to say "I am sorry".

I am  better today than yesterday, sommtimes it is so hard for me to give all my cares to the Lord and let Him  take care of them, I still worry myself sleepless over little things like "how am I ever going to fit Gloria's wheelchair in my little car?" Or "How can  make her belive that I did not eat her popcicles" Which by the way I didn't she ate them. But some things are pretty silly yet important because they cause hurt feelings. Wearing my heart on my sleeve doesn't help either. I really care for my clients and love them and it hurts when I am thought to be a liar.

I have gone on and on here and probably given you all too much information. I have given it all to the Lord now just pray that I don't take back the baggage.

TTYL

Marilyn.

A few years ago we had a neighbour who convinced herself that I stole her plastic dustbin liner. The refuse give us a fresh one each week when they take the old rubbish away. We had our own.Often the wind blows them down the street. She gave me mouthfuls of abuse. She also accused me of throwing a glass beer bottle through her shed roof.  It was actually stuck in the roof. Needless to say I do not drink beer. This was only one of such false accusations from this lady.  It was hard to turn the other cheek.  Later I learned that she had always been like this and had lost many friends because of it., yet somehow Christopher and I continued to be good neighbours to her until she went into sheltered accommodation....by the Grace of God.
This is all part of the "Stripping of garments". Letting go of self.


            Jesus is stripped of His Garments. Michel Quoist.

"Lord......how demanding You are!
I give, and You want more.
I'd like to keep a few trifles,
A few trifles I cling to, and can't bring myself to offer You.

But if You want all, Lord. take all.
Strip me, Yourself, of my last garment.
For I well know that we must die to deserve life,
As the seed must die to turn into the golden grain."

Ref. John 12:23-24.

Love,
Jenny.

Good morning, Marilyn and all who come here today.   

I agree with what Liz, Nards, Ruth Ann, Larry, and Jenny have said, Marilyn. We can never know who reads and prays and may never comment "out loud" here.  In my case it has nothing to do with hurt feelings or slights.  I just don't always feel "talkative" and there are times when I would just rather remain quiet.  I'm this way any where I am.  I am a very compassionate person and I care deeply for people ... I'm not so very vocal about my thoughts and feelings, however.   :-\  As someone has pointed out: God knows our heart.  He sees our thoughts and intentions. 

For these reasons, I try to never express the deep feelings of my heart here (or in any forum) and try to keep in a light, positive, conversational tone.  Personalities are not properly displayed in the written word.  That makes everything subjective and open for misunderstanding.  I have learned to "let it go" quickly whenever there seems to be a slight or I feel ignored or misunderstood.  The key word here is "seems to be" because there is always a good reason for things and we can't know the intents of the other person.  Please be at peace and know that we all serve the same AWESOME GOD and He is in total control of ALL things.   ;) 

This is most likely the longest (and most serious) post you will ever read from me here in NEM!   

JENNY~Thank you for bringing word of RIA.  I am praying.

PAT~Nita and I go to a lovely Bible Study/Fellowship on Wednesdays at the home of a friend.  I will (and do) tell her hello for you. 

JANET~I assume you received the card I sent for Beth.  Now I am eager to hear all about the party last night.    I know you will need plenty of time to recuperate though, so take your time.   

Good morning!

What a day yesterday.  We all had a blast.  We rode gocarts, got lost for an hour in a maze, and played miniture golf.  We also went shopping and shopping. hehehehe....

I am getting ready for church so I better get going.

I am excited to see how Beth's party went.

Quote from: Marilyn Fisher on August 29, 2004, 09:55:11 AM

I am better today than yesterday, sommtimes it is so hard for me to give all my cares to the Lord and let Him take care of them, I still worry myself sleepless over little things like "how am I ever going to fit Gloria's wheelchair in my little car?" Or "How can make her belive that I did not eat her popcicles" Which by the way I didn't she ate them. But some things are pretty silly yet important because they cause hurt feelings. Wearing my heart on my sleeve doesn't help either. I really care for my clients and love them and it hurts when I am thought to be a liar.

I have gone on and on here and probably given you all too much information. I have given it all to the Lord now just pray that I don't take back the baggage.

TTYL

Marilyn, this is the exact reason why there are special people like you in this world to care and pray for these people.

I couldn't do it.  I would let them know how it is and quit.  I am terrible about that stuff.

You are perfect for the job.  And sometimes life gets hard but you will always feel comforted knowing God is with you during these times.  My prayers are being sent your way.  ((((BIG HUG))))

QuoteBy Marilyn~Larry I too pray that no one was offended by what I said about my prayer request. I have been under a lot of stress lately because of that situation, Gloria's worsened condition and that of her mother.  I  feel that if I had said nothing about my feelings being hurt then how would anyone know how I feel. Perhaps some have left CP with hurt feelings saying nothing and we are left wondering why they are no longer posting here. How can we rectify  or ask forgiveness if we are never given the opportunity to say "I am sorry".

We as Christians should be forgiving even if that person didn't say sorry.  That is how Christ would want us to be.  I wouldn't worry about, Marilyn.  Let go and let God handle it.  We all mess up.  That is why Christ died on the cross for us. 

QuoteBy Marilyn~I hope y-all don't mind me saying that I am rather disappointed in some of y-all. Yesterday and today I have posted links to  the thread on Gloria saying that I had updated it and asking for prayer. Then today I told you that her mother died last night and posted another link. So far only Larry, Jane, Jenny, Kathy, Al, Janet and Pat have gone there and  posted something. The prayers were an urgent request and critical.  Sometimes I wonder if what we post gets read or if some even care.

Maybe the fact that I am an intercessor and a prayer warrior I am expecting too much, if that is the case then please forgive me for having hurt feelings.

I didn't click on your link.  I usually don't click on any links because of my busy life.  I do say a pray though through out the day for these folks that need God.  Please know that I am praying I just don't have time to post.    Luv you!

Here's one that I don't know all that well but I'm singing along to the music here...

BIBLE TRIVIA

What caused Paul to first preach the gospel to the Galatians?

1) an unexpected trip to Galatia
2) an infirmity of the flesh
3) an order from Peter
4) a summons from the Galatians[/b][/color][/size]

Sunday here and we have been on a train - I don't know of any service in Brussels that is in English.  There must be one, but I can't read the newspaper or phone book to see what is available. 

Marilyn:  Hugs to you - it is so stressful caring for someone and particularly if that someone doesn't notice your Good Works but the Lord knows your sweet and caring heart.  You would not be upset if you didn't care.  I don't always open sites either, hardly ever open jokes sent on to me and so many other things.  It isn't that I don't care, it is so many other things demanding my time and energy. 

Will be away for 4 full days then will try to check in.  This vagabond must get home in one week.  Need a haircut badly and need my friends and church and most of all the family.
Love to all.  Carol

P.S. Welcome to the newcomers.  Nice to read your posts. 

Pat.

Thank-you for the "Anchor.".oh how well I know that one and how meaningful today.
I have just phoned Sharon, the daughter of my dearest friend Amy (Esmeline) who died some years ago.  This is a hymn Amy, Lucille (Amy's SIL), myself and other ladies, some of them Moslem wives, sang at our Wednesday afternoon women's group.The Moslem ladies had to tell their husbands they were visiting relatives. They were Nicodemus Christians.

I have been shedding tears for Amy while talking to Sharon, so it is a special gift from the Lord for me to come in and see this. Often when things were wrong one of us would suddenly phone the other and use these words as the Holy Spirit prompted.

My Anchor is holding..Praise God!!!...Only just! Thank-You Lord Jesus for this.
Yes I have had visions and dreams and then at such times as these I forget but He has proved His love to me at such times and He does here on C.P.  right now..Praise Him.

God bless you all.
Jenny.

What powerful posts today! Marilyn, we love you and both pray for you and wish you.

There's a song that ends "My anchor holds and grips the Solid Rock!"

Thank God, He provided that anchor to help us ride through the storms in life. Thank God for that Solid Rock, Christ Jesus our Redeemer.

Ruth Ann

August 29   

Evangelism: Salvation Apart from Obedience

For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works,
which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. 
--Ephesians 2:10

Therefore, I must be frank in my feeling that a notable heresy has
come into being throughout our evangelical Christian circles--the
widely accepted concept that we humans can choose to accept Christ
only because we need Him as Savior and we have the right to postpone
our obedience to Him as Lord as long as we want to!...

I think the following is a fair statement of what I was taught in
my early Christian experience and it certainly needs a lot of
modifying and a great many qualifiers to save us from being in
error.

"We are saved by accepting Christ as our Savior; we are sanctified
by accepting Christ as our Lord; we may do the first without doing
the second!"

The truth is that salvation apart from obedience is unknown in the
sacred Scriptures. Peter makes it plain that we are "chosen
according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the
sanctifying work of the Spirit for obedience" (1 Peter 1:2). 
I Call It Heresy, 1-2.

"Lord, as I rejoice in the free gift of salvation, by grace through
faith, remind me regularly that it is a salvation unto good works,
that we're saved to serve. Amen."

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thanks Our Chris

God never changes His mind about the people He calls and the things He gives them.    Rom 11:29 NCV.

Jenny 

Marilyn, Marylin,you are worried and troubled about many things.
And naturally so, but we are not of the natural, the world worries about everything, because they have no loving Saviour to which to turn and unburden themselves.
You do, it is so easy to carry all responsibilities as if they were ours, they are not,"take it to the Lord in prayer"is not just good advice, it's absolutely necessary!
We will take on far too much at times, and like a boiler with a sticking safety valve,,we explode!
So chill babe.
Margit and I tend to pray for wharever we see on the board, but we don't always do it in writing, we just begin to pray and let the Holy Spirit lead us, after all He knows the problems far better than we do, and He will pray through us.
We love you Marilyn, so chill ok? lol

Hi Jenny Wren, God bless you and keep you.

May You Have

Enough happiness to keep you sweet,
Enough trials to keep you strong,
Enough sorrow to keep you human,
Enough hope to keep you happy,
Enough failure to keep you humble,
Enough success to keep you eager,
Enough friends to give you comfort,
Enough wealth to meet your needs,
Enough enthusiasm to look forward,
Enough faith to banish depression,
Enough determination to make each day better than yesterday.
Author unknown

Hi all!  Just poppin' in for a minute.  Hopefully, I will have longer this evening to post more, but just wanted to say "HI!"

Have a wonderful Sunday evening (for those of you with some time left tonight!!)

Ruth ann, is the song you referenced "On Christ the Solid Rock I Stand?"

How I love Dr. Tozer's writings..  We get such a "many course meal" from him..

Quote


From Chris and Dr. Tozer...

"We are saved by accepting Christ as our Savior; we are sanctified
by accepting Christ as our Lord; we may do the first without doing
the second!"

with Coach Doug Reese   

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   
A Higher Standard
Irina Karavaena is a gymnast from Russia. After she noticed that the judges at the 2001 World Championships in Odense, Denmark made a mistake in her favor, she handed the gold medal over to the second place finisher Ana Dogonadze of Germany.

This act of sportsmanship is unheard of in the sport. Irina Karavaeva noticed that the judges had made a scoring mistake which attributed the gold medal to her, and even though she was an eight-time world trampoline champion, Olympic champion and European champion, she decided to hand the medal to the "second place" German gymnast.

At a press conference following the championships, Karavaena said, "I am very sorry that the error was committed by the judges at the World Championships in Denmark. I feel it is necessary to correct the mistake, and I have decided to give the medal to my friend Ana Dogonadze of Germany as a sign of my friendship and as a sign of fair play."

Fair play - sportsmanship is a higher standard than what we see today in sport. This indeed is a shining example of a young lady who performs at the highest level and yet does it with a pure attitude in the true spirit of sport.

Make no mistake about it - it is not easy to do what Irina Karavaeva did! It takes a person of character, class, and integrity.

We who call ourselves "Christian athletes or Christian coaches" are also called to a higher standard. We must never get caught up in gamesmanship, or pursuing the prize at all costs as the world does. No, we need to play a different kind of game.

Jesus told a parable about being "salt." Jesus said, "Let me tell you why you are here. You're here to be salt-seasoning that brings out the God-flavors of this earth. If you lose your saltiness, how will people taste godliness? You've lost your usefulness and will end up in the garbage," (Matthew 5:13 THE MESSAGE).

Salt can lose its flavor. When salt gets wet and then dries, nothing is left but a tasteless residue. Many Christian athletes and coaches blend into the world and avoid standing up for what is right. Jesus said that if members of His team lose their distinctive "saltiness," they become worthless.

Just as salt flavors and preserves food, we on the Master's team are to preserve sportsmanship, the good in the world and in sport, and help keep it from rotting and spoiling the game.

Being salty is not easy! It takes willing sacrifice and total commitment to the Master Coach's program. You are called to a higher standard - let the world taste a whole new flavor!

[/color]

Did anybody answer the quiz?  I had to go offline for a while to answer the phone.  But then I had to, just had to, find out the answer for myself.  In Galations 4:

13Ye know how through infirmity of the flesh I preached the gospel unto you at the first. 14And my temptation which was in my flesh ye despised not, nor rejected; but received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus.

Still stormy and windy. 

I don't usually go shopping on Sunday's but today one of the ladies I pray with and I discussed walking in the evenings. So I went to Big 5 and bought a nice comfortable pair of  sneakers. Then I stopped at the Coop and bought some Calcium Citrate capsules and flush free Niacin capsules.

I also stopped at Taco Bell I was going to get a Taco Salad but after waiting in the drive through libne for 15 minutes whikle 4 employees sat outside chatting, I backed out and went to Burger King for a salad. I shoulod call Taco Bell, and complain but this isn't something I am comfortable doing.

Pat you are posting som e wonderful songs today. I love "The Anchor Holds" I like Karma's song that she sopke of too. "On Christ the Solid Rock  Stand" As I was reading through Psalm 42 in church this morning I could hear "As the Deer" in my head.

Thank you Soni for your words of encouragement. Thank you Chris for your "chill out babe" I needed just that. Thanks to Nards, RuthAnn and the other who spoke to me this morning.

Thank you Al for the IM about the jam, so glad you and Marbeth are enjoying it.

I loved the flowers Jenny Wren. You are so sweet.

TTYL

I am totally gobsmacked.  I composed the best post in history this morning and now I can't see it.  I did write something controversial, so I think Sonja might have shot it off into space somewhere

My mother got rushed into hospital yesterday, but they don't seem to know what is wrong with her, so I am sorry for the brevity of the post but my mind is in a tizzy.  Just stopping by to say goodnight.  Thank you all for the fellowship today.  We are off on our church picnic tomorrow as it is Bank Holiday in the UK, so it will rain for sure.  See y'all tomorrow.

Anthony.