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Morning Devotional...


But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you.
Hebrews 6:9


The advertisement pompously claimed, "It doesn't get any better than this!"

Really?

God says it does!

How?

The Lord Jesus, who is better than angels (1:4), has given us a better hope (7:19).

He is the surety of a better testament (7:22), the Mediator of a better covenant with better promises (8:6).

He offered Himself as a better sacrifice (9:23), giving us a better inheritance (10:34), in a better country (11:16), by a better resurrection (11:35, 40).

Best part of all, beloved, is that these better things are for you! (6:9)
                                                                       --Rex Trogdon

Well, I'm the first one here--I was just getting ready to go to bed, and I thought I'd stop by for awhile! Thank you, Pat, for that devotional---It is so wonderful that God has something more in store for all of us! God is so good, all the time! I had a really strange thought today; how do people who don't have God in their life cope with anything, much less terrible things? I am so thankful that He is in my life everyday, every minute, every second! I pray that He blesses you all abunduntly today in your needs!
Love in Him,
Cami

Here I am ... second at least!  No sooner had I written about the letter from the IRS than I received another letter from them in the afternoon's mail.  This one says that they are "reviewing" my letter of appeal and that I will hear from them again within the next 60 days.  I know my Father is in control of everything that touches my life and my confidence is in Him!   Yes, To Jesus every day  I find my heart is closer drawn...  I don't know what I would do without Him.  Thanks, Pat, for the devotional and the song.  God is still God and He is in control!  Our God is an AWESOME God!  

9.35 a.m.

A dear Christian sister said to me the other day that I was a great Christian....I told her I am not but I have faith in a GREAT GOD...

As Pastor Bev, Jane  and Cami stated "God is good all the Time".....His goodness never fails folks....Remember this when next you walk through a dark valley.
He sometimes takes us into the wilderness so that "I may speak to you there".......He always brings us out into a broad place.  Praise Him!

Today the Autumn sun is shining here in leafy Warwickshire, England.  It is cold but a nice crisp morning with promise of a glorious day.

LET US ALL STAND IN GOD'S PROMISES TODAY
AND GIVE HIM THANKS AND PRAISE.

Blessings and Christian Love to all.
Jenny.

Good morning 10.30AM

Thank you Pat for the devotional this morning and the
song. This at 5 o'clock i wake up and then i have taken
a look on CP. But then a lot of you all where on line.
Now you are sleeping.
I think i am the first European may be Jenny that we
are coming together.

Mieka i will miss you my dear but you are staying in my minds and i pray for you

Jane your grandson Bryan must go to Iraq in octobre
and he is is 17 years old. so young and he is afraid
but i pray for him God bless this young boy and Be with
him he is afraid. But bless also his parents and his
grandmother Jane give power ho here to care this.
Jane alldays i will pray for Bryan but also for you that can you believe dear Jane.

It was very foggy this morning but now the sun is shining but the mornings and evening are cold.
But i am happy that we have today the sun we are
going to autumn and then we get rain and storm i don't like that.

I wish you all a good day
God bless you and he is with you
Bye for now
Love for your all RIA

Pat - I did not know that hymn, but I enjoyed reading it this morning for the first time.


Please excuse me if you find my thoughts a little confusing today. I have felt lifeless and dull all week and I knew that there was something bothering me but I did not know what. I yearned for something more in my life. What was it? I had a hunger that was not being satisfied. Reading these words this morning brought it home to me.

I will make thee exceeding fruitful.

I don't know about you but for me life is a balancing act, or perhaps a juggling act! What do I mean? Well, how often do I begin on a Monday morning with good intentions of doing this that and the other, yet come Tuesday evening I have not accomplished even one of the tasks that I had set out to do?

I will make thee exceeding fruitful.

My congregation is expecting a new Pastor and I for one am looking forward to the start of a new ministry on our Island. It is good that three vacant congregations have been filled and I am sure that the new Pastors, though fearful, have an expectant hope of reviving power to accompany their new ministry.

I wonder whether in their minds they have a plan that they would dearly love to put into effect, that would not only benefit their congregation but would also make the best use of their time?

I am sure that many zealous and faithful preachers are armed with that sort of thinking, but how many of them succeed? Is their vision for another time?

I will make thee exceeding fruitful.

In our congregations how much time is our Pastor actually given to perform the task he was originally called to do? Are Pastors content with being sidetracked with endless committees and unnecessary meetings?

I think that we add to their dilemma by inviting them to do things that may sound quite legitimate and reasonable yet are far removed from their calling.
Juggling our priorities can prove an impossible task and leave us more stressed out as a result.

We want to do our best at work providing a solid witness for our Lord. We want to be the best parents, we want to love our partners as best we can and we want to give our lives to the Lord, all in 24 hours!!!! I truly hate 'buzz' words yet I have a fervent desire to be a 24/7 light in this world!

I will make thee exceeding fruitful.

Working from home I often wonder how much time I should give to work and how much time I should spend working on this site and how much time I should spend with my children.

I could tie myself in knots worrying about it and believe me some days I do, especially when I lay my head on my pillow at night and ask myself what I have achieved today?

The Lord knows how to order my day and my way if only I will let Him. I was encouraged by these six words this morning. 'I will make thee exceeding fruitful.' Yes I know that they were addressed to Abram, but today they were applied to my soul and my condition and they met my need.

Bearing fruit for my Master is my highest desire in life. I have learned that without Him I can do nothing, absolutely nothing! Abiding in Him is the only way for me to produce fruit. If the branch is cut off from the root or the stem then where will it get its supply of nourishment?

I will make thee exceeding fruitful.

It is when I TRY to do things in my own strength and under my own steam that things tend to go pear shaped. Returning to the Vine brings refreshment, vitality and vision. The difficulty is staying there! Lord help me to abide in Thee.

I will make thee exceeding fruitful.

If I abide in the vine then He promises that He will make me exceeding fruitful. I get extremely frustrated and impatient when I do not see things turning out as I had hoped. It is usually then that I tend to take over the reigns and try to steer the course that I want!

I will make thee exceeding fruitful.

We do not need to be Pastors or even to hold office in our churches to bear fruit. We simply have to be willing to be used by God. It is easy to hold up our hands and say, 'well I have no talents, so what can I do?'

We do what we can! I find it far easier to see the talent in others than any talent in myself. I just do what I can, when I can, casting my bread daily upon the waters and I leave the rest to God. Today I want to be exceeding fruitful in my Master's vineyard.

I will make thee exceeding fruitful and may this website bear much fruit to His glory with each passing hour.

LOL

Your brother in Christ

Iain

10.15 a.m.

BACK AGAIN......
                            CURTIS

                    HAPPY BIRTHDAY

                            CURTIS

On this your birthday  I send love and prayers to you via your loving grandmother, Janet.
This is my prayer for you dear One whom Jesus loves.

"May the Lord bless and protect you; may the Lord's face radiate with joy because of you; may He be gracious to you, show you His favour, and give you His peace".
                                        (Numbers 6:24-26).

I am always going to pray for you Curtis.
Love Jenny.

Good morning to all
    I just spent 10 minutes writing about our approaching hurricane and then it went out into cyber space when I hit that 'Ctrl" key instead of the shift key.  I believe they put that key there on purpose just for me to keep throwing good things away into cyber space.
    Anyway I pray that the hurricane Isabel will stay as a Catogory 2 and even stay at sea.  It is headed for the NC Outer Banks.  I live about 80 miles NW of Myrtle Beach and we usually always get the effects of the hurricanes.  Hugo passed directly over us in 1989 and it was the first time I was in the eye of a hurricane.  It was after midnight when Hugo passed over and when morning came I looked out and it looked like a war zone...trees down,  the house was
covered with debris, leaves, etc.,  damage to houses & cars.  There was no electricity or phones so I went to the car and turned on the radio...could not even get but one station (who happened to have a back-up generator).  Our emergency station was not even on.  It was quite a nightmare not knowing what had happened to our neighbors because we couldn't get out due to the downed trees and power lines everywhere and we had no phones.  

    Thank you, Pat, for the devotional and I will keep you in my prayers concerning the taxes they say you owe.  I hope that you can appeal like Jane as I don't know how the English government works concerning this.  The IRS has much paperwork and they will work with you...that is always a good hold off until you can get the matter settled and prove you are not liable.  

    Iain, I will be in prayer for you as your new pastor is coming.  We, too, have a new pastor in our small country church.  Before he came our church body truly went to their knees in prayer every day..and we still have a committment to pray for our members, our church, and our pastor.  This has made a big difference in the church body  as so many of the members have turned their hearts to what Christ wants rather than what we want.  I pray the same for you.  Of course, we had to undergo changes in our worshiping follow our pastor's lead as he is getting us to move onward and outward to reach the unsaved church members who don't attend and the community around us.  

   Wow! too long.   Hello dear Ria, I pray you have a blessed day in Holland.  and you, too, Jenny in England.  I echo the Happy Birthday to Curtis.  

Well good morning everyone.  It's been a while since I've had the chance to post at all.  I've had no leads at all for jobs.  Can be very discouraging.  Hard sometimes to keep reminding myself that God is in control.  But God is faithful in bringing people into my life that will remind me.  This will be a short post, sorry.  God bless you all.  Jen.

Very short post for me to today jen.  I am having problems with my right eye.  It is a beautiful day here in the north.  I an praying for those in the Carolina's as they are in line to be hit my the hurricane.  Its path is then north toward Ontario.  Folks those people need prayer and we need to remember who calmed the storm on the Sea of Galilee (sp).He can do the same today.  we need to pray.

JudyB

Hi everyone.  Have been reading the postings from the time I was here yesterday and the new ones today.  Pat and Jane, I know those tax problems can be very vexing and I hope you can resolve them quickly.

Good devotional thoughts today.  It is like hearing a sermon everyday as I read the postings of everyone.  I was happy yesterday afternoon when I finally got the Old Fashioned Christian music station back on my computer and am sitting here this morning listening to a beautiful version of "The Old Rugged Cross".  What a blessing this station is and there is no speaking, only wonderful Christian music.  

Judyb, sorry to hear of your eye problems.  Our sight is so precious that an eye problem is very frightening.

Jen, I am sure you are discouraged in not finding work but you are indeed blessed to be part of a loving, caring family so you will have a place to sleep and food to eat plus a lot of love.  There is a special job out there for you, just keep looking.

Kathy, I will be praying for you as well as the rest of the folks in the path of this hurricane.  You obviously know how much destruction can occur from these storms and this appears to be a really big storm.

Jane, I feel for your grandson.  He is so young to have to face such danger.  I pray that God will wrap his loving arms around him and keep him safe.  We certainly need to support all of our military and our leaders as we continue to fight this war on terrorism.  This is a war like none ever fought before.

Ria, glad to see you are having a sunny day over your way.  It is also a beautiful fall day here in Georgia.  In a little while my wife and I will go to the pool for water aerobics.  It was crisp when I got out and walked early this morning.

Jenny and Cami, good to see you posting today as well as all the posts from yesterday.  See you all later.

Dear Jane - be aware that the IRS charges penalties and interest - sometimes for the time they take with their paperwork!  Don't let them do that to you.  Ask them ahead of time if they're going to charge you for their delay.  And may our God bless you in this - I've been through it (still am going through it).
And Pat - I don't know how your tax people work, but I pray they'll discover that you don't really owe as much as they say.
Iain - I pray that the new pastor will begin to be fruitful even from the first day he's there and that the entire body will be revived in these days.

Good morning to all. Pat and Iain thank you for the devotionals this morning.

Pat and Jane I am praying for the tax problems day and night.

I was with Bea yesterday I took her grocery shopping and to lunch. She will be visited by a grief counsleor from the In Home supportive services office tomorrow regarding her depression.

There is a forest fire burning about 65 miles to the east of us here on the north coast, I have seen the heliocopters flying overhead from time to time for a couple of days now.

It is sunny but cold this morning.  Turned on the heater to warm the house.

Be back later

  :'(Lost my post again.  Seems a lot of trouble to go to microsoft word and type, then copy and paste, but if this keeps up.............

I will just repeat that we are going to Garden City and I will be back later.  The other stuff may get repeated, and may not.

Love you all!

Hi to all,

Just want to write a post quickly while I am waiting --beautiful day--a lull before the storm is suppose to hit the east coast.

In Jersey ; I am not to concern but prayers for my daughter in North Carolina.  

She talked to me last night and assured me that she has a "safe" house all waiting for her when she sees that it is necessary.

The calmness in my "tummy" came when I handed it over to the LORD.

Pat and Jane, Prayers on you tax problem.

Like Al said; I, too, have a similar situation--Business tax that they decided was a personal thing ;so now I have two IRS problems to handle.

But who is handling it--the good LORD above.

Tax advocates can just do so much but the IRS person is really being a bit help.

We were informed that the appeals can take so very long and as AL says the interest will add on as they do the paperwork.

Call the 800 toll free number immediately and document what you say--financial hardship and ignorous of the amount are a starter but make sure you get IRS AGENT'S ID number whom you are speaking to

If at any time you do not understand or you feel like you are being mistaken or confused; explain that.  You also have the benefit of the
tax advocate(they are not the IRS but lawyers or helpers that can hold everything while you are trying to resolve your problem)

Be aware that you will recieve letters (not polite ones) until the matter is resolved. Again, if you feel at any time disalarming; call the tax avocate and they will try to stifle the IRS constant letters.

How are everyone else doing?

Anyone in the line of the hurricane?

My prayers are with you all.

I will be checking the other forums.  See you later.

Love in Christ,

Joyce

I just noticed I am all by myself here.

Only one user "me"..

Janie, I feel your grandmothers concern about your grandson.

My grandson just turned 17 and enter his first year of college.
I told him ; no way , can I have a grandchild in college.

Where did the time go.??

I am so glad that I have spent so much time with him and now I miss him dearly--he called to wish us a Happy Grandparents day and then again he called just to say HI

Hi--those lovely words meant so much>

Take care all, I think I will spend some time in the calming warmth of the sun.

Love in Christ
Joyce

Jane - what Joyce says above is ABSOLUTELY TRUE.  Please pay careful heed to it.  To get the Tax Advocacy Office, you can call the IRS and ask them the number, or you can call your congressional Representative's office and ask them for the number.  They may also be able to help you themselves.  That's what they're for.

Dear Joyce,
I love this part of your letter,

"She talked to me last night and assured me that she has a "safe" house all waiting for her when she sees that it is necessary."

We know that she is talking about the hurricane coming, but it is so apt about our Saviour Jesus Christ, our Refuge, from all the storms of life, our Rock, and our Fortress, too.

http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/g/i/gisourrs.htm

God bless and protect all those in the path of the storm.

Re: the IRS letter... I did immediately call the 800 number they gave me and spoke with the IRS agent, whose number is documented.  She advised me to write the board of appeals and I did that immediately, as well, enclosing all documentation to explain my case.  I have copies of everything!  Bottom line is that I don't have and never will have the exorbitant amount they are asking for ... there is nothing here they can take from me ... and I told them that! So all I can do ... and have been doing ... is let my Father handle it.  I am not concerned nor anxious nor afraid.

Karma I shed a few tears reading your story about the pashy.  Kids are able to deal with change more so then us adults because they learn to let go faster.  I wonder if he will remember it in 2 weeks or a month from now?  

I weaned Lila Mae finally. It is a sad week for me.  It is hard for me to think that she is my last baby and she is growing up.  The thought brings tears to my eyes.  

Love them, hug them, kiss them now, don't wait one moment. Soon they will be to big!  

What is this!  I kept reading about others losing their posts to cyberspace....and guess what!  I know exactly how you feel!  And it was the best posts ever....well, since the last one I lost anyway.

Mieka ~ It saddens me that you are going back to China.  I only hope that you can have access to more time on the internet and also, that your stay will be short and you will be back soon!  You are expecting to be back in the U.S. soon, aren't you?

Sonja ~ Great to see you posting again.  Keep us inform about your doctor appointments.  How is Zachary doing?

Karma ~ Love the story about the Parable of the Pacifier.  I can just see a little boy giving his pacifier to his mommy and using his little doggy for comfort.  Love him...he will be a BIG boy soon!!!

I know there are many, many more to respond to today.  Taxes...it seems my taxes have jumped 500% since moving here.  Then there is higher insurance bills, higher repairs and then the dentist has the nerve to give me a paper stating what NEEDS to be done in my mouth in the near future at a price of ONLY $3,500!!!!!!!!  And my insurance only covers less than half of it.  I know, I am lucky to have insurance but I still say that I am the one that should be saying if it is needed or not.  Just this past week, I have shelled out over $350 on one tooth and that is BEFORE I get the statement from the insurance.  I may owe more!!!  Then the Dentist has the nerve to say...well, your insurance doesn't cover very well.  Ha!!!!  You charge too much!!!

Mieka ~ This thought for today fits in well with your question.

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"Without Jesus we face a hopeless end.  But with Jesus we have an endless hope."

Well it is good to read all the posts today.  We are thinking about the people in the path of the storm.  We hope everyone will stay safe.

QuoteLove them, hug them, kiss them now, don't wait one moment. Soon they will too big.

Sonja, this is very true.  They grow up.  They get married.  They have children.  And your grandchildren get married.  I have been there and done that.  But every phase of life has its wonderful experiences.

Here is a passage I love.
 
Jude 1:17-25  But, dear friends, remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ foretold.  They said to you, "In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires."  These are the men who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit.  But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit.  Keep yourselves in God's love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.  Be merciful to those who doubt;  snatch others from the fire and save them; to others show mercy, mixed with fear-- hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh.  To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy--  to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.  (NIV)

--- Papa John              <)))><<

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QuoteLove them, hug them, kiss them now, don't wait one moment. Soon they will too big.

Oh, Sonja, how I remember the last one and weaning him and tomorrow he'll be 35 years of age!  I sure shed tears that week too as I thought he would be my last one and then I got pregnant again but lost that baby.  Yes, kids sure seem to be able to take change more that we as "oldsters" can.

Good evening everyone.  God blessed us again with a beautiful day.  Daytime temperatures this week have been in the mid 70's and nights in the low 50's or  upper 40's.  You just can't ask for anything better than that!

Last week both my printers decided to run out of black ink at the same time so when we were at Red Lobster for dinner I nipped into Staples (in the same mall) and picked up some new cartridges.  When I got home I found I had bought color for the Epson instead of black.    Today was the first chance I had to get back there - it's almost 20 miles each way, and decided to also go to Home Depot and get a heavy duty surge supressor.  

This one is rated at 2655 joules or 135,000 amps and has protection for the telephone and/or modem as well as for the cable modem, and up to $250,000 coverage for connected equipment.  It was a little pricey at $40, but I have both computers and all the periphals plugged into it - even the air conditioner!  

So a good part of the afternoon was spent setting that all up.  Needless to say, I was very pleased to find everything working right when I came online tonight.  

A family friend wrote this hymn.  John's son was the Best Man at our eldest son's wedding back in 1986.  John Moore is from Scotland and he used to come and visit my parents and sit at the piano and sing songs to them.

This was one that he used to sing a lot...








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Here's the history of that hymn...


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This hymn was writen in 1952 by one of our contemporary song writers, John M. Moore, currently a Baptist pastor and evangelist in Toronto, Canada. The hymn was prompted by an experience that Dr. Moore had while serving as the assistant superintendent of the Seaman's chapel in Glasgow, Scotland, one of tht area's outstanding evangelistic centers. He recalls:

I wrote 'Burdens Are Lifted at Calvary' after a most interesting experience. The company secretary of a large shipping firm telephoned the Seaman's Chapel and requested that I visit a young merchant seaman who was lying critically ill in a Glasgow hospital. After getting permission from the nursing sister, I went in to visit the young sailor. I talked for a few moments and then put my hand in my case for a tract, not knowing which one I would pull out. It happened to be a tract based on 'Pilgrim's Progress', with a color reproduction of Pilgrim coming to the cross with a great burden on his back. I showed the young seaman this picture and told him the story in brief, adding that Pilgrim's experience had been my experience too. I explained that when I came to the cross of Christ, my burden rolled away and my sense of sin and guilt before God was removed. He nodded his head when I asked him, 'Do you feel this burden on your back today?' We prayed together and never shall I forget the smile of peace and assurance that lit up his face when he said that his burden was lifted!


Later that night, sitting by the fireside with paper and pen, I could not get the thought out of my mind--his burden is lifted! I started writing, but never for a moment did I imagine that this little hymn would become a favorite throughout the world. Since that time, I hear of people all over the world who are being blessed and saved through the singing of this hymn."

Oh, PAT!  I know that song  ... I am impressed that it is written by a friend of yours ... Thank you for posting it here for us this evening.

Oh, you're welcome, Jane.  Yes, David and Ian went to school together all through highschool and then when Ian was married, David was his Best Man and John (David's father) spoke at the wedding.    He also came to Jack's funeral.  

Here I am again. Today uncle Arthur has been bugging me about the right knee and my left hand little finger. I haven't been taking my Vioxx only when I hurt. Even my Back has been rather tight the last couple of days. But the good news is My medical card came today   Now I can get everything taken care of, new glasses, my Welbutrin my ear. I am a happy person. No dancing today tho', well maybe slowly.  

I am off to Bible Study soon and I doubt I will be back online tonight. Decided to wait to get the computer  worked on until I get my paycheck and see how much is left of that.I did take a photo today of the worlds tallest totem pole down by the safeway store.

It's just past 8:30 P.M. here, and we just got home a little while ago.  I'm tired!  Darrel wanted to go look at a smaller 5th wheel trailer, it was a mess, so we went to look at cars.  He has been wanting a little Ford Focus for some time now; to pull or haul behind a motorhome. (If we ever do buy one! )  Well.......we looked at cars, test drove cars, etc. until I was done in!  Finally, he decided to buy a little Chrysler PT Cruiser for me!  It is so cute!  And here I didn't even know I wanted one!

The wind has been blowing really hard here today.  I don't think it is due to Isabel--too far away!  But we are under wind advisories, nontheless.

The Home Products Dinner last night was very enjoyable.  This is a once a year event, and as usual, we had a full house!  I would guess between 2500 and 3000 people, from all over SW Kansas, and many politicians from Topeka as well.  I took some pictures, if they are good, I will post them later.

Jane, I want you to know I am praying for "your guy Bry".  I have a 17 year old grandson (Mark) and can't imagine him being sent to Iraq!  I am praying they will change Bryan's orders, and that he can serve someplace much safer!  Blessings to you, as we pray for him.

Thanks for the prayers for Curtis' birthday.  I got hold of him via phone a few minutes ago, and he loved my letter, the cookies, and the $$.  He is a sweetie.

Karma, I really enjoyed the Parable of the Pacifier.  And I send hugs to the distressed mommy, too!

Hi, Sonja!  Good to see you!

I won't post to everyone, but I did read them all and enjoyed.  I am afraid my post will go POOF! again.

See you in the morning!