Christian Photographers Community

Morning Devotional...

The prosperity of fools shall destroy them.
Proverbs 1:32

There is a prosperity that is foolish, useless, fatal.

It is the prosperity of those who go through life trying to gain the world. They work hard at being successes, at possessing and enjoying what the world has to offer.

Can a fool be a success?

Can he be prosperous?

Yes, of course! But prosperity and success are not necessarily signs of God's blessing. "For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?" (Mk. 8:36).

The answer is, nothing! So, instead of seeking prosperity, seek the Lord while He may be found.

Don't live and die like a fool!
--Carl Knott

Pat, as usual, God is using your devotionals to speak good things into my life. Thank you for a good word.

I want to take up a thought from the last few days. Pappa John spoke about the blessings he has been given two days ago. and yesterday Rev. Moak made a great point. it is one that the Lord has been giving me over and over again, so I'm not surprised to see it here on this board.

QuotePapa John - you remind me of Psalm 90:12.  It says, "So teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom." 

The total of "days" is limited for each of us.  Let's use the ones we have for His glory.  Let's remember how few there are and thus be ready for what follows them.  May our days and hours be filled with good!

I've been thinking about that these past few days, because I've had a heavy cold that wants to turn into pneumonia.  I've been taking lots of vitamin C, etc.

The old saying is true: "Only one life, 'twill soon be past, and only what's done for Christ will last!"

I have been studying a lesson called "A Life God Rewards" by Bruce Wilkinson. He talks about how this life is a dot in the continuum of eternity, and how what we do here has eternal consequences on how we will live in eternity. This is somewhat of a new thought process for me, and I am still meditating on it. What he says seems plausible though, so since I am just in the beginning chapters, I will keep you updated on what I am learning. I would like to hear others thoughts on this also if you wish.

Maybe this should be discussed in another place on this website. I am still new to CP so I haven't been in all of the rooms yet. Have a great day today folks.

Pat, Pappa John, and Al, thanks for your posts. They are thought provoking.

Blessings to all,

Monty

Kinda along these same lines (well, not really, but it is almost 1 AM for me, and it makes sense right now).

Each day brings us closer to the day when we meet Jesus.  Some of us will live to be older than dirt (or it may seem like it), while others may die an early death.  Some will die of "natural" causes, others of cancers, other diseases, or in a tragic accident. 

Those we leave behind will grieve (at least we would like to think they will), but as a Christian, we win either way.  If we live, we have God's mercy, grace, love, comfort, with us, not to mention His purpose for guiding our lives.  If we die, we are in His presence with the absence of all that makes our life miserable on Earth.  It is a win-win situation.

As I heard a 14 yo kid say one time, "If we are a Christian, this Earth is the closest thing to Hell we have to see.  If die, and are not a Christian, this Earth is the closest thing to Heaven we will ever see."

Thanks for the encouragement Al; talking to God about everything is critical, not only for ministers, but anyone who has asked Jesus to be Lord of their life.  Admittedly I sometimes treat prayer as a compulsory task and then other times as an optional extra.  When I do either, I have lost the vitality that comes from a close relationship that we as Christians have come to enjoy. "Never under-estimate the Power of Prayer" can only be seen in the context of God at work in people who accept His Lordship without reservation. 

Pat, your devotional again is good.  I often wonder whether we in the West really appreciate what it is to be poor.  For many of us, being poor is not having as much as our neighbour.  Our images of being poor is often learnt from images we see on our televisions.  Having lived in South Africa, I used to see squalid conditions in places like Soweto, Khayalitcha and Grassy Park.  Some children with runny noses and dirty clothes would come running up begging for money.  In many cases I gave them a sandwich which would possibly land up in the bin or in the belly of a goat.   This was again poor, poorer than the West to be sure.  However, in the late 70's and in the 80's I spent time in Southern Angola with the SADF.  This is where I experienced people with nothing.  Children with rounded bellies, no clothing, jaundiced eyes, flies probing every open sore and crevice... we would go into villages and the war weary, dispirited and malnourished people would look blankly at us.  What was the war about? ...money and power ie; who controlled the diamonds and the oil.  I believe that God does bless his people sometimes with wealth, but it is not our right to keep it only for ourselves.  When we accepted the Lordship of Jesus we gave all we have to Jesus and He has given it back to us to be its stewards.  When we honour God in our responsibility and share with those who have needs, God will bless us even more abundantly.

Have a good morning everyone.

GOOD MORNING ALL 10.36AM In Holland

but the weather is terrible in Holland sometimes is shining the sun but at once rain and big hails but it is no cold.

Pat thank you for the very good devotional it is always good to start the day with your devotional and the hymn yesterday evening was awesome also the hymn this morning.

MONTY  AND GARETH also good to see you so early.


LARRY and also PAT it is awesome so as i now can see the letters. I am your booth very thankfull


JANET also terrible what is happined in America the mother who has stone here children death.
That is NOT say by God. Also has God not say to the parents in Holland left your children in Gambia.
That has not say the GOD they we love.
But i am happy that the children out Gambia now are in a children home in Holland i think it is here better in the children home's then in Gambia. :(But i say also are our children grow up
and out home when they have problems we as mother and also fahter but my son has no fahter more we also have problems.
So long as we live the problems of the children are our problems.

But on your story about the eggs i have laugh.

The man who is fallen down from the 3e
floor downstairs is death. But there is found a lettre from him he was not demented that he will not longer live. He has been 13 years in the nursinghome after 2 years he could go home. But his wife want him not back
she has an other man in home. But he has play suicide in the letter was also standing when he was being sick or
he get something else they may nothing more do so that he can heal only him give something for the pain. But no own can understand how he is coming about the fence
they are high 1.60m. That is very high. But in Holland they must buy high buildings there is no place for everything on the floor. When i look out my window there
they are busy 2 streets from us with a building 6 floor high. I want not live on the 6e floor, nothing for me.

KARMAT must you work 12 1/2 hours + trip each day.
In Holland who is working they are work 8 hours + trip
each day.

LUKE 23: 42-43
Then he said, "Jesus remember me when
you come into your kingdom."
Jesus answered him, "I tell you the truth,
today you will be with me in paradise."

  RIGHT WHERE WE ARE
      The Saviour's death between
      two thieves enables us to see
  that He comes to us right where we are,
      not where we'd like to be.

Love and Prayerfullu for you all
RIA                      

Good New Day to all! 

Monty:  I will check for the book you are reading.  Yes, we are all mere dots in this life and I hope to be a better dot day by day.

Karmat:  Interesting quote from the teenager.  Carol

Hello, everybody!

Secular question... Does anybody on here use the ZoneAlarm firewall?  I've installed it at work as a precursor to installing it at home when we hook up our new DSL connection (YAAAAAYYY!!!) and it's actually blocking some things here on CP, so that I get an error on every page load.  One of the things it blocks is actually from yahoo.com.  It looks like yahoo is conveniently attaching some code to the little YIM icons on the CP pages.  It's not a problem, I'm just curious as to whether anybody else sees the same activity.

Later!

Good Morning All!

JudyB ~ Papa John has a pizza franchise named after him here in the U.S.

Nards ~ You are too technical for me.  Firewalls?  Yea, I had one but disenabled it.  My wonder is why I can't use my microphone...I even bought a new one and it won't record either. 

During the '40 Days of Purpose', Rick Warren's video stated that if we stretched a measuring tape from New York City to Los Angeles, that only 1/4 inch of that tape would represent our life here on earth...the rest is eternity!!!  That certainly puts things into perspective and makes me wonder...why sweat the small stuff?  And yes, accepting Christ as our savior is our ticket into heaven but what we do here on earth is going to be judged in heaven.  Another reason for not sweating the small stuff!

Going to be a lazy day today.  I love it!!!

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"Dear God, I have a problem....it's me.

Dear Child, I have the answer....it's Me."

Good Morning; Thank you Pat for another wonderful devotional:It brought to my mind another scripture in 1 Timothy 5:3-16 which says in part "....Take care of widows who are truly widows. But is a widow has children or grandchildren, let them first learn to do their duty to their own family and to repay parents and grandparents. That pleases God..... "

My questions are these,What if the widow is poor and has no family that is willing to take the responsibility? What if the children and grandchildren an not afford to take care of the widowed parent? What if The children and grandchildren are not saved and do not understand this principle? What are the churches responsibilities toward these widows or widowers?

Nards: I have sent you an email with some links in it. I hope they will be benificial to you.

Etta Sue are you trying to RECORD or to talk to someone on your microphone. I don't know that they can be used to RECORD. You might want to find that out first. Here is a link you can use to ask questions.

http://www.tjpromotionsltd.tk/

You can write to tony and he will help you. Jenny was very kind to send me the link to Tony's web site to help with the problems with my computer.

Good morning or afternoon!

I am wondering why I have a period of around three hours each night when I simply cannot sleep.  It really is dragging my energy level down. I am praying about this, and also asking God what He would have me do during that period of time.

Gareth, Karma, Etta Sue, Ria, Monty, Marilyn--and of course, PAT-- very good thoughts here today.  I am finding more and more that my spirit is so grieved by what is on secular television that I cannot listen to it.  I usually keep my TV tuned to Christian programs, or turn it off.  It just feels we are rushing headlong over the cliff into a sewer of filth.  I pray for my grand and great grandchildren, that they will somehow be protected from the perversions that are sweeping the world.  I know that God is in control, but also I know that He wants us to do our part, wherever and whoever we are.

I wish you all a God centered day!

It is not what a teenager knows that worries his parents---it's how he found out.

Good Morning...
My "girls" just left for a day's drive up the Oregon Coast and then home (Spokane).  This is about an eleven hour drive without stopping, and they plan a couple stops to see some things they missed on the way here last Sunday. 

I really enjoyed having Dot and Becky and Jessica here...we did a lot of "tourist stuff" and they had fun.  I was able to buy Dot a birthday gift that was something she really wanted rather than something I try to guess she wants.  Her birthday is the 11th but she won't be here.  This trip/visit was timed to come in between our birthdays...also, it's Spring Break for the girls.   

I am on my own now -- with a broken wing in a sling -- but I will manage.  I just need to line up gullible ,unsuspecting , willing neighbors to drive me here and there for the next few weeks.  hmmmmm

Well, I do have other stuff that needs doing so I'll go back to my corner and have another cuppa before getting started.

I'll see y'all later ......

Jane

Hi everyone.  I just had a scare with my computer as something took it over and then when I tried to reboot it wouldn't load my settings. 

Yesterday in one of the newsletters I have gotten for a long time and have trusted was an article about a freeware program that I wanted to check out.  I downloaded it and installed it. 

Then this morning when I read the same newsletter they are apologizing as it seems that program had a lot of spyware hidden in it.  So I immediately tried to uninstall it and it wouldn't let me. 

I ran the spyware programs on it and found a lot of spyware and was trying to run my anit-virus program when the computer was taken over. 

I finally was able to startup in safe mode and go to a Monday restore point and now things seem to be working well.  I was greatly relieved. 

Etta Sue, have you checked your volume control panel to be sure that the microphone control isn't either muted or set to its softest setting?  Also, are you sure you have the microphone in the right plug in your sound card.  Voice of experience as I have had both of these things happen to me.


Ria, your comments as follows is certainly true:

QuoteSo long as we live the problems of the children are our problems.

I saw my eye doctor this morning and he said I was good for 10,000 more miles as my eyes had changed only a fraction.  It has been over 3 years since my last eye exam.

Good to see all the postings today.

We have someone coming within the hour to talk about the possible room addition we are looking into.  We have about come to the conclusion that this is what we are going to have to do.

Hope everyone has a good day.


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Hi to all,

The last few weeks I seem to be just a-reading here and getting refreshed.

For some reason, only known to GOD, I have quietly enjoyed your company; praying for each of your concerns.

I will be gone till Tuesday but wanted to tell you all to have a
Blessed Holiday; and may I leave you with a part of a message I read :

First one of my favorite songs--maybe Pat will add the music:

And when I think that God, His Son not sparing,
Sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in;
That on the cross, my burden gladly bearing,
He bled and died to take away my sin.
Then sings my soul, my Savior God, to Thee,
"How great Thou art, How great Thou art."


    Jesus emptied Himself and laid aside all the privileges and entitlements of a king in order to become a sacrifice on my behalf.

He took captive my troubles, anxiety, shame, and every broken thing in my world.

    When I think of the Cross, my mind focuses mostly on sin for which Christ atoned—when I transgress, I have an advocate who intercedes on my behalf and makes me clean again.

  But the blood spilled at Calvary did much more than that. It is not merely available to the death row prisoner. It flows like a stream of living water to the parched soul who doubts, seethes with anger, or recoils from love.

It gives us strength to press forward in the midst of adversity.

Christ's resurrection from the dead literally diffused the potency of death, and now nothing can separate us from His love.

  I will be mediatating on these words the next few days and thought I would love to share with all of you --please take care and as always,

Love in Christ,

Joyce

Here you are, Joyce!






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ALPHABET.


Whoever came up with this one must have had some Divine guidance!



Although things are not perfect
Because of trial or pain
Continue in thanksgiving
Do not begin to blame
Even when the times are hard
Fierce winds are bound to blow
God is forever able
Hold on to what you know
Imagine life without His love
J oy would cease to be
Keep thanking Him for all the things
Love imparts to thee
Move out of "Camp Complaining"
No weapon that is known
On earth can yield the power
Praise can do alone
Quit looking at the future
Redeem the time at hand
Start every day with worship
To "thank" is a command
Until we see Him coming
Victorious in the sky
We'll run the race with gratitude
X alting God most high
Y es, there'll be good times and yes some will be bad, but...
Z ion waits in glory...where none are ever sad!

   

    HAYLEY  TO  CP

          RIA

PAT thank you very much for the very nice hymn "How Great Thou Art"

CHRIS thank you for your awesome writing. It is very good.

And my evening has been awesome but that i write tomorrow because i am tired.
I am going to bed. My husband can go alone with the dogs out.
I wish you all a very goodnight.
Bye Love Ria

Subj: Insight for Leaders 
Date: 4/8/04 5:01:44 AM GMT Daylight Time
From: lmi@flash.net
To: tozer@litmin.com
Sent from the Internet (Details)



April 8   

Prayer: Overcome Distractions

But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your
door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father
who sees in secret will reward you openly. 
--Matthew 6:6

Among the enemies to devotion none is so harmful as distractions.
Whatever excites the curiosity, scatters the thoughts, disquiets the
heart, absorbs the interests or shifts our life focus from the
kingdom of God within us to the world around us--that is a
distraction; and the world is full of them. Our science-based
civilization has given us many benefits but it has multiplied our
distractions and so taken away far more than it has given....

The remedy for distractions is the same now as it was in earlier and
simpler times, viz., prayer, meditation and the cultivation of the
inner life. The psalmist said "Be still, and know," and Christ told
us to enter into our closet, shut the door and pray unto the Father.
It still works....

Distractions must be conquered or they will conquer us. So let us
cultivate simplicity; let us want fewer things; let us walk in the
Spirit; let us fill our minds with the Word of God and our hearts
with praise. In that way we can live in peace even in such a
distraught world as this. "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give
unto you." The Set of the Sail, 129-132.

"Lord, it's certainly harder and harder to shut out the
distractions of an increasingly science-based civilization. Help
me to cultivate simplicity, to be satisfied with fewer things,
and to find the inner peace that You can give in a life of prayer
and meditation. Amen."

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Quote from: Chris & Margit Saunders on April 08, 2004, 04:33:47 PM








ALPHABET.


Whoever came up with this one must have had some Divine guidance!



Although things are not perfect
Because of trial or pain
Continue in thanksgiving
Do not begin to blame
Even when the times are hard
Fierce winds are bound to blow
God is forever able
Hold on to what you know
Imagine life without His love
J oy would cease to be
Keep thanking Him for all the things
Love imparts to thee
Move out of "Camp Complaining"
No weapon that is known
On earth can yield the power
Praise can do alone
Quit looking at the future
Redeem the time at hand
Start every day with worship
To "thank" is a command
Until we see Him coming
Victorious in the sky
We'll run the race with gratitude
X alting God most high
Y es, there'll be good times and yes some will be bad, but...
Z ion waits in glory...where none are ever sad!

Chris, that's an awesome ALPHABET!  I'm going to keep that one!

Have a good sleep tonight, Ria!  Come here all bright-eyed and bushy-tailed tomorrow!  LOL

Here's a beautiful photo of a Mission Church taken by one of our newer members, Stephen, over 40 years ago away up on the shores of Hudson Bay!

See it HERE and let him know what you think of it.

---

---

I am praying for the situation.

I have posted two threads of photo, Forests Birthday and the Pirate Invasion go check em out eh!

Lovely photos, Marilyn!  Great job!

Check out this little cutie of Hayley's (our newest member)!  EMMA

Marilyn - relative to widows, etc. - In all cases, Lk. 6:32-36 is appropriate, particularly for individuals who know of widows, etc. who have need.  The church, though, I believe, should also "put on bowels of mercy."  The church should love God's people in deed as well as in truth.  I'm not saying that they should undertake to completely take over the needs of the indigent widow and support them completely, but they need certainly to come alongside and help in any way possible.


The passage in 1 Tim.4:14 relates to an organized, methodical way of helping those who could not help themselves.  But it isn't meant to place a limitation on love.  It's just meant as a caution to churches not to be "taken in" by those who could take care of themselves.  Acts 6:1ff is the same in that regard - just intended to make such help methodical and efficient.  But both passages are certainly telling us that the love of Christ was to be ministered to any who had need.

MARILYN:  In regards to widows and the church caring for them:  1 Tim 5:16 in the last part says that others should take care of the widows so that the "church can help those widows who really need help."

The person's family, then the Body should be the first lines of defense and the Church is supposed to fill in the gaps.

What that says to us as a Body and to our Church's:  Look at yourself and your church...have you been carrying the ball or dropping it?

Personally, I'm probably not doing all I could/can and I'm sure applies to our church as well.

ON A PERSONAL NOTE:  On occasions, God has put before my wife and I someone who has needed help.  We were able to give them a temporary reprieve in their needs.  In one case, it was just enough to get them over the "hump."

What a blessing...to be a part of God's work.

WELCOME, HAYLEY!

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I'm just dropping in to say good night.

Al, I liked your answer to the question about widows.  The Lord expects us to use common sense here and to do everything with love.  I shouldn't expect the church to support my widowed Mother if I am able to do it.  (Of course my Mom has been gone for many years.)  But if I were to mean to take care of her and she needed help the church would come in and help her and should.

Good to see everyone today.



--- Old Papa John          <)))><<   
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