Sunday, May 3, 2015

Jesus Calling: May 4

     Meet Me in morning stillness, while the earth is fresh with the dew of My Presence. Worship Me in the beauty of holiness. Sing love songs to My Holy Name. As you give yourself to Me, My Spirit swells within you till you are flooded with divine Presence.
     The world's way of pursuing riches is grasping and hoarding. You attain My riches by letting go and giving. The more you give yourself to Me and My ways, the more I fill you with inexpressible, heavenly Joy. 

Psalm 29:2
New King James Version

Give unto the Lord the glory due to His name;
Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.

1 Peter 1:8
English Standard Version

Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory,

Verse Thoughts - This verse reminds me of this song this morning. 

My Prayer
Lord, you are a God that deserves My Praise. I exalt You. I want to stay close to You and be trained by You, to approach life through your lens. Thank you for mornings and giving me a new day. That I can start fresh again. May this day be about giving you Glory in all things. You deserve it.

Note: The devotion and scriptures are from author Sarah Young. If you haven't already, please purchase the book and support the author. 

Also, bookmark https://bibletags.blogspot.com/2019/06/jesus-calling-366-days.html to have an easy link to the entire year of these entries.

162 comments:

  1. Hello Payton Family, my name is Homer, I live in SC, I have a wife Stephanie and an 11 year old son Jesse Lee. I wanted to just take a moment to thank you for posting Jesus Calling. I personally on the book, the devotion book, and have bought multiple copies for family and friends. It is so convenient to have it on my phone. A year ago January 12th, I lost my mother, Floree, she was very dear and close to me. You having posted Jesus Calling was a blessing to me, when I didn't have my copy or devotion I had it on my phome. I also was able to copy and share sometimes on Facebook, always giving credit to God's servant Sarah Young. I just wanted to encourage you that you are touching more lives through posting these devotions than you will ever know. If I never get to meet you here on Earth, I will see you in Heaven someday. Grace and Peace, -homer

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    1. You are most welcome. Glad the Lord is using it in your life. God be praised. Thank you for the encouragement.

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    2. Such a sweet and gracious prayer from Homer for Mr. Payton. I feel so blessed as well and thank you Mr Payton for starting this. Blessings and many prayers for our JC family🙏🥰

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    3. Still thanking and sending blessings to Chris Payton and family. Loved the Chris Tomlin song link, thank you!

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    4. God bless you and your family! 🙏

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    5. 1Peter 1:8 reminds me of this song: Lor I Believe in You

      Though I can't see Your holy face
      And Your throne in heaven above
      It seems so far away
      Though I can't touch your nail scarred hands
      I have a deep and unspeakable joy
      That makes my faith to stand
      Chorus
      Lord, I believe in You
      I?ll always believe in You
      Though I can't see you with my eyes
      Deep in my heart
      Your presence I find
      Lord, I believe in You
      And I?ll keep my trust in You
      Let the whole world say what they may
      No one can take this joy away
      Lord, I believe
      Born from above
      You are God?s only chosen one
      you're the one and only true way
      To the Father?s heart
      You died for all sin
      Then you rose and now live againp
      Conquering death and the grave
      So that I might live
      Repeat chorus twice

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    6. Thank you for posting this beautiful song! It spoke to my heart today!❤️

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    7. This post is vital to my day starting on a positive note! The thoughts and comments ,about the scriptures , from people across our nation bring a unity that is not of this world, but is of utmost value! There are other posts online about the Jesus Calling devotional, but this one is my favorite and my " go to" even though I have the book. Thanks doesn't begin to express my gratitude 🙏 Helen in San Diego

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  2. Yes this help my everyday living and it's so crazy that my life always relates to these reason gs every day god always talks to me through these reads thank you for them Payton family

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    1. You are welcome. God is great and he gets the praise.

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  3. I have to agree! I check this page daily for the Jesus Calling devotional. I've been moving around a lot and experiencing a lot of loneliness and depressive symptoms. Although I have a wonderful support system, I find that the only thing that has been able to truly heal my heart is my relationship with Christ. These devotionals remind me of His greatness and keep me focused on what really matters. Thank you so much for these!

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    1. You are welcome. Glad it can minister to you.

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    1. INDESCRIBABLE by Chris Tomlin
      From the highest of heights to the depths of the sea
      Creations revealing Your majesty
      From the colors of fall to the fragrance of spring
      Every creature unique in the song that it sings
      All exclaiming
      Indescribable, uncontainable,
      You placed the sun and stars in the sky and You know them all by name.
      You are amazing God
      All powerful, untameable,
      Awestruck we fall to our knees as we humbly proclaim
      You are amazing God
      Who has told every lightning bolt where it should go
      Or seen heavenly storehouses laden with snow
      Who imagined the sun and gives source to its light
      Yet conceals it to bring us the coolness of night
      None can fathom
      Indescribable, uncontainable,
      You placed the sun and stars in the sky and You know them all by name
      You are amazing God
      All powerful, untameable,
      Awestruck we fall to our knees as we humbly proclaim
      You are amazing God
      You are amazing God
      Indescribable, uncontainable,
      You placed the sun and stars in the sky and You know them all by name.
      You are amazing God
      All powerful, untameable,
      Awestruck we fall to our knees as we humbly proclaim
      You are amazing God
      Indescribable, uncontainable,
      You placed the sun and stars in the sky and You know them all by name.
      You are amazing God
      Incomparable, unchangeable
      You see the depths of my heart and You love me the same
      You are amazing God!
      You are amazing God!

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    2. Thank you for sharing.... wonderful song

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    3. What a powerful song! Thanks Brie. Just love this line because it speaks about our imperfections and His unconditional love.
      "You see the depths of my heart and You love me the same"

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    4. Thank you Brie for sharing this beautiful song by Chris Tomlin.
      I love All of your uplifting and loving Biblical posts Brie.
      Chris Payton, thank you from the bottom of my heart for putting this blog together! You are a blessing! This JC family is a blessing. Prayers for each and everyone of the prayer requests. The ones written and the ones that are not. God is a loving God and He hears All of our prayers. His perfect timing. Thank you Our mighty and Loving God for walking before us and for never leaving our side! Love you all
      🙏❤️🙏

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  5. I just wanted to say thank you to the community of believers here. I enjoy reading everyone's comments and being privileged to partake in prayer with and for others. I praise Jesus for all that He has done and will continue to do for me in my life. Today is my eighth day without a drink, and that is certainly something I have struggled with. I praise Him for His persistent provisions. I found this book of my mother's after she passed. I picked it up and read that day's devotion, and immediately I was overcome with a sense of repulsion. The words appeared to directly speak of my situation, however they were words claiming to be Jesus's. Are we not told that to any who adds to the Word of God, a world of plagues will be added to them? Satan speaks to us as "an angel of light". It was the Word of God that Satan quoted when he attempted to trick Jesus. While I greatly value having a place to gather online and pray with other Christians, I tread lightly amongst any claim of Higher revelation. Can God directly speak to His children? Absolutely. I only advise great caution when dealing with the spiritual world. I believe that horoscopes, pschyics, and mediums are permitted a great deal of power, but the Bible tells us to stay away from these things. I simply wish that all who are deceived by the dark magic of this world would see the True Light found in Jesus Christ alone and repent from their ways. Just as those who burnt their books of sorcery in Ephesus, my prayer is that those grasping tightly to their wicked ways of wealth and worldy wisdom would see the True Power of the only real God and do likewise. Maybe I'm wrong in my interpretations and convictions; May God the Father shine brightly His Truth. I ask for continued prayer in this particular area of discernment for myself. Does anyone else experience a sense of unease regarding this book? Whatsoever be your thoughts, any feedback would be appreciated. -ZD

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    1. First Anonymous, PTL for your 8th day victory! Will continue to pray for more victory days. 2nd: to answer your question. No I don't feel uneasy at all, infact the opposite. In my opinion, Sarah Young is merely sharing what God is saying to her with us. Where the Holy Spirit takes it from her heart to ours will depend on each ones present circumstance. I know one thing for sure, the enemy could never use the encouraging, loving words that she shares with us. It's not & never will be in his nature to do so. As Mad Fox shared, the scriptures are there as part of the message. Godspeed Anonymous, thank you for sharing your heart with us🥰

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    2. ZD..Welcome to your new life..I'm also in recovery. My name is Kim and my # is 940-315-3825. Please feel free to call me anytime..I also struggled with the same questions and feelings at 8 days sober. Would love to share my experience, strength and hope with you anytime you feel like talking!!
      Praying for you!

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    3. ZD-thanks for your thoughts. For me, no I don't think so, as far as any unease. I think , as the many sayings, verses, and devotional books do, bring me closer to God, closer to folowing a christian path, it is helpful...for me. I think they provide part of the light of Christ in our day. The light that is EVERYWHERE. A light we cannot only see with only our eyes, but with our hearts! Sometimes (not always) questioning can be the darkness that Satan tries to interfere with a messege or path from God in our lives. That shadow or darkness keeps God from revealing himself to us in some of these devotional books. With an open heart Christs Light is revealed to us in many ways. Amen.

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    4. I just wanted to add one more thing for ZD. Years ago when I started with Sarah Young the first person form of these devotions made me uneasy. I have a family member who’s masters in divinity give them a level of knowledge that I do not possess so I asked them. They recognized Sarah Young and actually know something of her background. They also knew the publisher which, I was told, gives in-site into the level of care and confirmation that is given to there publications and reassured me that I could be comfortable with the author as there would be no intentional misrepresentation of the word of God. Last of all it is always wise to go to “by their fruit you will know them”. Sarah Young and her writing has done so much good in my life and based on the Payton family site in many others lives as well so I cannot believe that her work is anything but a source for good. I hope this is helpful and the very best wishes in your journey. I will keep you in my prayers as well.

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  6. ZD: The devotional uses scripture and simply creates a short "conversational" rewording to create the message in a way that our Lord would speak in her opinion. This is NOT a devotional using no scripture and implying it is Jesus talking through the writer. To me it is no different than Bible translations rewording Jesus' quotes by the Apostles. NIV vs. ESV vs. King James vs. original Greek.

    Further, I commend you for your success to date, and another poster who is at day 20ish, to keep seeking God and Christian mentors to remain sober. As someone who has lived in an addictive household just know as AA says, that it will be a lifelong struggle.

    In summary, I find Sarah's Jesus Calling scripturally sound, incredibly on point, succinct, and easy to understand. Jesus was a man of brevity and wit. She seems to capture that. However, if you struggle with the premise of Jesus speaking fictionally but scripturally then I would recommend you don't let it cause you to stumble and seek His word in other formats and/or the Bible directly. All the best on your sobriety and Godspeed.

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    1. Well said MadFox! Colorado JC Friend!

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    2. Thank You for the reminder MadFox, that the actual produced fruit is The Great Divide that separates the wheat from the chaff beyond the shadow of doubt, everytime, Blessings to you my brother friend in Christ. May you continue producing all the good fruit that you so generously share with us.

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  7. ZD, JC Family will always encourage, love and pray for you as you struggle with the demon of alcohol. We are all here to seek help and wisdom fighting our battles. Be strong and encouraged. We love you.

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  8. "Praise God from whom all blessings flows, Praise Him, all creatures here below, Praise Him above, ye heavenly host, Praise Father. Son and Holy Ghost"!
    Let's worship the Lord this morning in the beauty of Holiness because He deserves all the Glory and Honor!

    Heavenly Father, we come to meet You in the stillness of this morning to thank You, not because of anything we did to deserve to see another day, it is only by Your grace that we are amongst the living today. Your grace woke us up this morning and You've added NEW mercies even though we went to bed sinners.

    "Great is Your Faithfulness oh Lord our GOD, morning by morning new mercies I see, all I have needed Your hands have provided, Great is Your Faithfulness Lord unto thee..."!

    When we are faithless, You remain Faithful, because that is Who You are! Thank You!

    Dear Lord, grant us spiritual understanding and wisdom, to discern the things of God so that we have no doubt about Who You are and what You can do. You are the same yesterday, today and forever!
    You spoke back then, and You are still speaking today, You healed, performed miracles, protected, answered prayers, provided, blessed, walked with us etc.., and You are still doing the same today.
    Help us Holy Spirit, to give more of ourselves to You and Your ways so that we can be filled with Inexpressible, heavenly joy that only You can provide!

    'Let the words of our mouths and the meditation of our hearts be acceptable to you oh Lord, our strength and our Redeemer' in Jesus name, Amen!

    Let's be a witness and spread the gospel of Jesus Christ today!

    Wishing everyone a blessed day!

    Maplewood, NJ

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    1. Amen amen amen

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    2. Thanks for sharing. I received. Amen!

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    3. Amen Maplewood! Thank you! Woke up today to bright sunshine, beauty and peace all around me. Thanking Him for His faithfulness and His new mercies every morning. Looking forward to a fruitful day in His presence, to His glory. We are so blessed to be of one accord!!

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    4. Prayers ‘of’ love over our JC family 🙏💝🙏

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    5. Thanks Maplewood ! We thank God for this new day . May the Holy spirit guides through the day .

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    6. I pray I will walk my faith better and not get upset about things I can't change. I want to be a good witness and not lean on my emotions when faced with a challenge. I trust You Jesus. I want to lead others to You by my steadfast faith. Let the words of my heart please you as you try me. You are always the same. Help me not to let circumstances sway me. Let my feet be firmly planted on the Rock of Ages. Thank You Lord. I love you.

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    7. Thank you Holy Spirit for the guidance each day to walk with you in God's Presence. What looks like a distracted woman without focus is me, a humble soul in training to answer to you first. I'm listening and looking for you all around and more and more I see you in everything. Thank you for helping me to balance between the heavenly realms and interactions on earth to be a living example of the Light of God and inspire others to want to know you. I love you Jesus, I trust you Jesus. All my hope is in you. ✝️♥️

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  9. In everything give thanks. Thank you God for the beauty of your holiness. Thanking God for the gift of life to be a part of His day and rejoicing in it. Thankful for God's presence not only in my life but my daughter's as well. Thanking God for continuous prayers for and from people I may never see nor know. Thankful for all whom take the time to celebrate God and give all the honor praise and glory to Him. Thanking God for the Word and knowing that no matter what the moment holds, I always have God, always and in all ways. Thankful for my parents whom are now in heaven as they instilled the Word and shared scriptures from the Bible to let us understand that God is always in control. We just have to seek Him and know that He is the I Am. Praying for the Payton family and those that read Bibletags. God is love.

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  10. Good Morning, JC Family - so thankful it is Sat. and I was able to sleep in! I loved the encouragement in today's devotion as I am lined up with one of my sons to 'deep clean' my home-office. We will have 2 little boys as helpers (2 & 4 uh-oh!). "You attain My riches by letting go and giving." JC I plan on letting go of a lot today. 10 years worth of paperwork, massive collection of books that I'm sure our Library will share more than I do and years of Christmas cards, etc. Unbelievable.
    ZD - know that you are in my prayers as you turn to God's Word and face your battle. I have found this blog such a blessing over the years.
    Re: your concerns about Sarah Young's Jesus Calling, I, too, had some pangs of weirdness when my sister gave me the book almost 20 years ago. However, it has increased my intimacy with my Lord and Savior and several years ago, introduced me to this blog, which I so value. Prayers for you in this area of life as well. The PeytonFamily blog has been such a blessing. The honesty, forthrightness and purity in which the Word is shared makes me realize again that I will never be perfect enough or good enough to deserve what God gave through his only begotten Son. I can confess my weaknesses knowing they will be met with strong prayer and support. THAT is the family of God working together and I am SO thankful.
    Have a great day, JC Family. Prayers for all. JJ: that your shingles pass quickly (I know from my husband the pain they can bring), for Anonymous' 20-something anniversary! And for all who are searching, battling something and PRAISING God for all of his blessings, which are plenty.

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    1. I'm doing the same thing today. Going through 10 years of papers, books, cards, etc. It'll help me to know someone else is doing the same thing. The hardest part is dealing with the memories the stuff brings to mind and parting with it.Good luck Norah.

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    2. With humble thanksgiving I thank you Norah for prayers for these shingles. I join you in praying for those that are searching and those that are battling things in their life. "...greater is he that is in me than he that is in the world." I am so thankful for this blog and all the people who come to this site, also affectionately known as the JC FAMILY! The incredible prayers and love generated from this family is of the Lord's doing!! And you are so right His blessings are "plenty "!! I just give Him all the praise, honor and glory!! Sending great love from Kansas.

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  11. I agree with MadFox. Sobriety is a life long struggle. AA gives you tools to live life without drugs or alcohol. I will be nine months sober on the 6th. When I finally surrendered to my higher power which I call God my life changed. I have been reading this blog ever since. I too have the book and even recently took a copy to the local jail for the ladies there. Sarah’s interpretation of what God wants me to do is spot on. It helps me daily in my walk with God. Keep it up don’t give up! Thanks again Payton Family

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    1. Thank you for your post KM. 9 months of sobriety is wonderful! I will be praying for you as I have been lifting up others on this site that struggle with alcohol, drugs and other things. You are an encouragement to many. The Lord bless richly this day. Prayers from Kansas.

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  12. I also didn't like how Sarah Young talked as Jesus at first . No longer feel that way at all!! God bless all in Jesus name.

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  13. It's my birthday today and I'm on day 25 of a new life. Here's my 1 year and beyond plan, taken 1 day at a time:

    30 days - obtain red Celebrate Recovery and AA chips, finish 28-day VA outpatient program

    60 days - obtain Celebrate Recovery and AA chips, attend VA classes at will if and as needed. Though the classes are part of a 28-d28-day program, they do not turn folks away, so it remains an available resources for veterans.

    90 days - obtain Celebrate Recovery and AA chips

    120, 150 days - obtain NEW Celebrate Recovery and AA chips to motivate me at a time when chips are not usually given. By this time I should have a sponsor.

    180 days - 6 months, the most sobriety I will have ever had.

    210, 240 days - obtain NEW Celebrate Recovery and AA chips to motivate me at a time when chips are not usually given.

    9 months - Significant foundation of sober mindedness. By this time I will have completed the 2 step-study's I am in and must find at least one to restart. At this point my life will be about learning to live, day by day, my new life I have established over the 9 months.

    300, 330 days - obtain NEW Celebrate Recovery and AA chips to motivate me at a time when chips are not usually given

    1 Year - Seek family restoration. Wife and 2 young children. This is in God's hands.

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    1. Thank you for the update as we are all praying for you, proud of you, rooting for you! When I read your plan, I cant help but think (with great confidence) that one day it will be you helping another friend of Bill reach 30, 60, 90, etc. days. You have mentor written all over you. I know, I know, one step at a time, but wanted to speak life and future over you. That's what God put in my heart when I read your post, so stick with it and we will be praying for your reconciliation process with your wife and children. Dear Lord, you can make a way where there seems to be no way. Children need both their parents. Please soften hearts and help this dear family come back together again. Help our friend make amends in word, behavior, and action. And please regrow the trust and love between them. Amen

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    2. Anonymous--A very HAPPY BIRTHDAY!! So thrilled that you have come to this site!! I will be praying for your great success in your life's plan as well the others in this JC FAMILY. I have to reinterate what Julieanne shared on April 27 2019 "....Today I choose to stop telling God how big my problem is, but instead to tell my problem how BIG and GREAT my God is!" I have found this to be incredibly helpful. We serve a GREAT and POWERFUL GOD! Praise the Lord for you Anonymous! Prayers from Kansas.

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    3. Happy Birthday Anonymous!

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    4. Happy Birthday and loving prayers for you! I pray the same prayer over you that JJ prayed
      Would love to hear how God is working in your life
      God bless you
      Prayers for all our beloved JC family 🙏💝🙏

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  14. Today's postings raised a lot of conversation about Sarah's paraphrasing in the first person. I too was cautious at first when we were given the Jesus Calling book. I found the supporting scriptures very comforting and encouraging as Sarah's writings urge us to release our daily lives to our Savior. To be careful of gurus leading by their own interpretation is not a bad thing. After several years of following the Jesus Calling devotional, I feel that it passes the test of examination through The Word. I like to read the whole chapters around the supporting scripture references to gain insight from the context in which they were written. I am encouraged by the positive postings in this blog and know that we all face our own struggles. I have never had to face addiction to the high profile maladies of alcohol or drugs, but there are many more insidious addictions that Satan sells as "not that bad". Bad is bad and we are warned to flee from it. I pray to you, God, through Jesus Christ to help us discern the True Light for our lives through Your Word. Bless you Chris for your original posting and maintaining a presence in this blog.

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  15. God bless you, your 25 days sober and your success plan that you shared with us! Woo hoo! So happy for you! Prayers for each of you and your success in being sober. We are all here praying for and supporting you. Prayers for relief from painful Shingles. Prayers for each of our JC family in God healing, loving and providing for each of our needs. God is love and He is never failing. So blessed to get to read each of y’all’s prayers, needs, successes and struggles. God less our JC family.
    ~Texas friend

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    1. Unknown-Texas friend-- I will receive your prayers all day long for these shingles!! Those prayer are a "healing balm" to me. I apply that "balm" several times a day. Incredibly thankful for every "ounce" of it! The Lord watches over his word to perform it!! A humble thank you from Kansas

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    2. JJ - thanks for your kind words yesterday. I truly am thankful for everyone in our JC Family - So many wonderful heartfelt posts and lessons to ponder and learn. This is my first morning "go to" for prayer and uplifting messages. You and all have made my life so much more faith filled. Thank you. KS

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    3. Happy Birthday dear Anonymous. Praying that you are celebrating your special day in a wonderful way. May He shine brilliant light and beauty along your path today.

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  16. I am truly amazed at times how on point this reading is. I have been tempted to look ahead to see where i will be tomorrow. God, has prevented it. His Word i store in my heart that i may not sin against Him. Hallelujah! I continue to learn each day from this reading Jesus calling. I commit my time of devotion to the Lord. He Protects and seals it with His approval. The battle is in our minds. On this earth we will face every kind of evil. When we commit to the Lord, He makes it Holy. Hallelujah!

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  17. Anonymous, you are on my mind from yesterday. Like you, I have asked some hard questions and had seemingly not had answers for years. Here are two of them:
    Jesse, you said my Peace I give unto you. I am not experiencing it. And you also said you have come so that I might have Life and have it abundantly. What am I missing? I sincerely want that abundant life. I know you and I know there is much more to this Christian life that you have promised me as your beloved child. I kept with these questions for years. And yes, I to had much dispar and even a paralysis of what would be called normal functioning.

    So were those years of depression unfruitful? Not at all. They were surely a wilderness time and very difficult. But they had purpose. Duet 8:3 says, "I humbled you by letting you go hungry". The depression, in a sense, is the intelligence of your mind and body saying I was made for more. And if God were to fulfill me in that time with the things I thought I hungered for, I would not have been desperate to ask those questions. I would have been content with life and success as many of the average Americans are. I would not have hungered for true fulfillment. Duet 8:3 also says after He let you go hungry, He fed you with Mana, something you have not known before. So that hungering time is a time of purifying your appetite to receive what truly satisfies.

    A little over a year ago, God said to me, "meeting your needs is my responsibility. Your attitude is your responsibility." And I was shocked. I thought I had a good attitude. I was puzzled but I know there was a reason He said it. Then a few months ago, as I sat in centering prayer, the words "attitude" kept coming to mind. So I looked it up. The definition that fit was patterns of thinking. Finally made some sense. And then about a month ago, the unitive voice, (His and mine together) said, "fulfillment is already inside you". And then He let me feel that fulfillment. It was so free, so spacious, so satisfying. And the truth is that it was inside me all the time. The trouble is because of our conditioning, our patterns and our thinking, we are out of touch with this Peace and Abundant Life.

    I still have all the same feelings as before but now I know that I already have what I am looking for. His life inside. So I am now in a process of purifying my thinking and senses with the help of Grace. Grace is my teacher and these are not easy lessons because they are contrary to our conditioned thinking. It is taking time to be reprogrammed, not an easy process, but from those tastes of fulfillment, I know the process is worth going through.

    A book that has helped me in this process is "Into The Silent Land" by Martin Laird. It is not an easy read as it challenges our conditioning.

    Thank you JJ and others for continued prayers. Be blessed on your journeys.

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    1. Thanks. I received what you shared!

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    2. Keith, may you continue to be blessed with your open heart. it is in these times (an open heart) that we receive the holy spirit (often more importantly than having open eyes!). it sounds as if during your centering prayer you have received His grace. Continue to stay focused on Him and receive His light! Amen.

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    3. Keith, I stand in agreement with ABC and all the others. Continue on the path that You are on, stay focused and allow His Grace to saturate your mind, body and soul. God sees your transparency and is cheering you on and so are we! You are in our prayers.

      Maplewood NJ

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    4. Keith thank you for your heart open share it blessed my heart and touched my minds sense of wonder? Your words were translated by the spirit of God to instruct me. Thank you Jesus.

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    5. Thank you Keith. It helps.

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    6. Amen Keith! All we need is already inside us. And our attitude is so important. We could look at our situation in two ways. We could be filled with fear, insecurity and pity, or we can look at the blessings and God's faithfulness. I am so grateful for everything God has given me, and also what I can give others. It is not about material wealth or vanity. It is what my heart can offer to others through the light of Jesus in me. I remain open to receive his light every day, and He guides me to those I can share it with. I am not fearful in this situation but hopeful and grateful. Maplewood, I agree that we must keep our eyes on Him who cares for us and allow His grace to fill every part of us. He loves us even in our imperfections and we are all so dear to Him exactly as we are.

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    7. Thank you for sharing your heart Keith. Loving prayers for you and for each of our journeys with Jesus
      🙏💝🙏

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    8. Amen! Keith, We are all saved by grace and faith. It is something I don't take for granted. Thank you for sharing your heart. The Christ in You is very beautiful. As I get older I realize that His light, love and peace is more important than anything else in my life. I pray I will live worthy of His love for me. I am His daughter and beloved. That is an honor and a privilege.

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    1. Keith --- So happy to see your post! I have such admiration for people who have been through the fire and tell of their journey. You are a blessing! I thank the Lord for your courage and steadfastness. So thankful that people like you are JC WARRIORS. What an Incredible JC FAMILY we have! My goal is to lift up you and the rest of this FAMILY daily to The Throne of Grace. Our Lord has a plan and it is a Great plan!

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    2. Thank you for sharing Keith. We go through so much so alone when the answer is already in us..Jesus in us. And yes I had to change my attitude, my pattern of thinking. Letting it go and letting Jesus truly guide me in everything. I too felt so at peace. Thank you sweet Jesus for your grace; for loving me.

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    3. A wonderful testimony, Keith. Thanks for posting for many will gain much from your experience. Yesterday, the minister at the church I attend (presently, online) preached about the abundant life Jesus talked about in John 10:10. I am still contemplating the thought that abundant life is not what we think it is. It must be what He thinks it is. When/If we adjust our thinking to His, we will indeed find it has been there the whole time. Your testimony affirms that. Thanks, again.

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    4. Yes. Thank you very much, Keith. That was indeed a wonderful testimony with regard to the (seeming) elusiveness of peace and abundant life. I've been in that lifeless desert of depression and anxiety, feeling like I'm fighting for my life, and your testimony is an oasis. Thank you for the book recommendation, and testifying that peace and abundant life are there, that God keeps His promises. Thank you for testifying to the light, Keith. I am also in the process of breaking habits and patterns of thinking, and letting go of thoughts that cloud the mind. Keep testifying to the Light, Keith! Thank you again.

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  19. Keith, thank you for sharing your inspiring journey. God Bless you.

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  20. I pray all is well with you Sassy Mom.

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    1. Loveconquersall - Thanks for praying. My contagious left eye is healing double time!!! The red inflammation is gone! I will be a good patient and continue using the drops for 7 days like the Dr. ordered.

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    2. Going through the same thing but don't have my prescription yet. I know God is holding me tight.

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  21. Psalm 46:10
    He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;I will be exalted among the nations,I will be exalted in the earth.”

    Psalm 130:6
    "My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning; I say, more than they that watch for the morning."

    Dear Heavenly Father, we worship You in the beauty of holiness. Thank You for the opportunity to meet You in the stillness of the morning. Reveal what is in our hearts,and make us ready to handle the answer in the right way when it comes 1Peter 2:9 tells us, we "are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.”Thank You for calling us to proclaim Your excellencies from places of fulfillment, where we live and speak to show that You and not Your gifts, is our great reward. Your excellencies are those things that make You splendid, astonishing, and altogether glorious. Teach us to pray by faith consistently, to believe, to wait,and not give up, but trust You even during moments when we feel lost. Help us not to live by feelings but by faith. Deepen our understanding, and give us a greater knowledge of what You are doing in our lives. Stretch our faith in the midst of the wait,just as You did with Your disciples when encountering a storm at sea (Matthew 8:23-27).
    Thank You that You have all wisdom and answers to all our prayers in Your perfect way and time.
    Thank You for being the Author who have mastered the final twist of our lives. May we take time today to give You praise, Be Still, be patient, and trust in Your Word. Help us to slow down, spend time in communion with You and wait patiently allowing Your Holy Spirit to satisfy us. Help us to want the future You have destined for us, the future You have written in Your inscrutable wisdom. Help us in our seasons and stillness of waiting and train us to relinquish our role as the author of our own story and take up our role as a faithful character in Jesus’ story. Thank You for this day and all that it has in store for us. We pray this in name of Jesus our Lord and Savior. Amen

    Blessings and the Peace of God rest upon each of You as you sit and ‘Be Still’ in His Presence.

    Maplewood, NJ

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    1. Hey, twin bd sis, I would wonder with the attitude you reflect in your posts if you ever have a down time? But then I think better of it and realize you are still on the journey and, as is the case for everyone, down times happen and when they do, this is how you face them. Thanks for being such a good example here!

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    2. Thank you Maplewood; I always look forward to your prayers; they become mine. You are a living sanctuary. God bless you more.

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    3. We are all on a faith journey. But Maplewood you are channeling His Spirit in a marvelous way that glorifies Him and fills my soul to the brim. I sure do appreciate your wisdom, encouragement and love. You bless me every day.

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  22. Thanks Maplewood! Love You, AMEN!

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  23. Thank you and Amen Maplewood! Good spiritual food for my soul today. You satisfy my hungry heart!

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  24. MONDAY OF THE FOURTH WEEK OF EASTER

    Historically, the Church has designated the fourth Sunday of Easter as Good Shepherd Sunday. John has provided the background for that identity in his gospel in 10:1-18. Let us allow John to share a little about shepherding since we know so little about it.

    We were a nomadic people therefore, having sheep was essential to our survival. The sheep provided wool for our clothing and generally were not a source for food. Being that most of you are unfamiliar with the raising of sheep, let me share a little something about the nature of sheep. Of all God's creations, sheep just might be the most vulnerable. They have no way of protecting themselves and they are not able to run to get away from predators. For sheep to survive and be healthy, they are totally dependent on a good shepherd to watch over them, to lead them well, to defend them, and to seek them out when they wander off. They are incapable of providing for and caring for themselves. Sheep could be considered very stupid because of the many bad choices they make in addition to being very stubborn and lazy. Without a good shepherd, to put it bluntly, they do not have a chance in this world. Yet, sheep were very important to us and our livelihood thus they were our primary livestock. Now for a shepherd to be a good shepherd, he needed a very close relationship with the sheep under his care, much as you do with your domestic pets. He had to be constantly checking them for insects that would nest in their wool which required his carefully going over them on a regular basis. Being that shepherding can be a lonely occupation especially when needing to lead them out to the mountains, a shepherd would often allow them to nestle up to him and he would cuddle them much as you do your pets. This again is the nature of the work. A treasured psalm to all of us is the same as it is for you, Psalm 23. David, a good shepherd, wrote that affirmation of our Lord from the perspective of his years of shepherding and if you understood shepherding more fully, it would be of even greater comfort to you. As the good shepherd provides his loving care for the sheep, the sheep will become very attached to him and will only follow his voice because they know it to be the voice of one in whom they will have their needs met. This brings me to a very important point. Scripture makes clear, "all we like sheep..." which on the one hand should be offensive to you because you pride yourself in being self-sufficient and able to take care of yourself. Be careful of an inflated view of your self for as my friend Paul wrote in his letter to the Ephesians, there are spiritual forces of evil much beyond you and your capabilities that are seeking to destroy you. But you need not fear for their is a Good Shepherd seated above those forces and as a good shepherd will do as I have explained above, He will watch over you in every way and form. You simply need to listen to His voice and trust in His leadership. He is the Good Shepherd and you are well cared for.

    The above insights on shepherding were learned from a book by W. Phillip Keller, "A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23".

    I spent time in my meditation this AM, looking over my life, seeing myself as a vulnerable and many times stupid sheep through life and seeing all the ways our Lord has been my Good Shepherd. Thanks be to God!

    With love, Bob

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    1. Dear Bob, How did you know that while I was watching TV church yesterday, that I questioned the use of sheep and lamb images on the stained glass? Thank you, Lord for channeling YOUR answer through Bob. I now fully understand the answer to my question. Thank You God for being a good SHEPHERD, in fact, being THE ABSOLUTE BEST COMPASSIONATE SHEPHERD there is! Amen

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    2. Dear Brilamar, Of course,I didn't know. I assume the posture of Mary, "Lord, I am your servant. Let it be to me as You have said." With that I go about doing what is before me and what I feel moved in my heart to do/say. And I give thanks to God that He chose me to touch your life because you, Brilamar, are so special to Him and to all of us. God be with you.

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    3. Thanks Bob, maybe you didn't know, but HE did. Also today, I received The Book about the Shepherd looks at Psalm 23! Thanks for following your heart as it is moved to do and say...

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    4. Thanks Bob. I can relate. I am like the little sheep that goes astray and the Good Shepherd has to bring it back.
      When things don't go my way I sometimes get upset and lose my peace. He comes running to me and calms my fears and blesses my heart. I know I am in His loving care at all times.
      What a comfort!

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  25. Yesterday at the end of the day I posted that I am severely depressed and anxious. I thank everyone who responded with help. It helped more than I can express. Sarah’s book and this blog is aimed at helping those with anxiety. I read the blog everyday to help me get through the day. Sometimes I have no idea how I will get through it. I reach out to Jesus for help.
    Thank you
    God Bless everyone

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    1. Thanks for letting us know, SIS, but to God be the Glory! May you have showers and showers of His many Blessings, with our hugs and kisses. Keep on keeping on, and reaching out, holding onto His Hand, and getting His help through others when you need it. Many of us who post to OR just read this blog have walked or are walking in shoes similar to yours, which are also similar to HIS! JESUS went ahead of us to prepare the place for us, so when we get "there" we will know, Hey, Our Lord's already been here! How sweet it is, more than I could ever ask for or imagine! Thank You Jesus! Amen.

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    2. These prayer warriors are here for you. I don't always have time to keep up with this amazing blog because I prioritize prayer time; to sit in His presence if I feel it or even if I know it by faith alone.

      Our feelings and thoughts are used to being in control. They are very precious gifts from God and are meant to be "good servants but they make bad masters". Most of us know no other way of living. The book "Into the Silent Land" is very helpful at uncovering this truth.

      Based on some of the terms I have used, I may sound Catholic. I actually am a Protestant friend with nothing against my Catholic friends. I love and admire you. Through some of your authors, I have come upon some life changing truths by Grace which were my missing pieces to get into touch with The Truth that lives inside.

      I say all this because I am reminded of God's words, "I have one church". I am so thankful we can come together and share and learn from each other.

      Last, I wanted to say that I felt so strongly about responding to your post that I skipped my shower this morning so I could respond.

      May the sweet presence of His love cover over any unpleasant smells. lol

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    3. Dear SIS, Picking up on my post above. One of the things that happens to sheep is that they lay down unbeknownst to them near a depression in the ground. If they should roll over into that depression, they will get stuck with their feet up in the air and because of the equilibrium of their body weight, they will be unable to right themselves. So they bleat at the top of their lungs so the shepherd who is looking for them will hear their cry, find them and set them upright again. The parallels to our own lives are all to obvious. We get stuck in a depression and can't get ourselves out. So we bleat (more correctly, pray) until the Good Shepherd comes and sets us upright again. Been there many times so I am speaking from experience. God be with you, SIS.

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    4. Bob --- Great analogy! What an AWESOME GOD we serve! He knows us thoroughly and and yet loves us completely. He has plans for our futures that include hope, not harm; blessings, not banishmen. We belong to Him!

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    5. Thanks Keith. I appreciate your efforts.

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    6. Bob always appreciate your comments. Your analogy describes my feelings exactly. Thank you.

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    7. Thanks Keith, Bob, JJ, and SIS and all other JC warriors! You reminded me of the Secret Strength of Depression I came across many years ago when I was too frozen in a great depression, to move off the couch. Wearily, I bleated. And one day I learned that the need(s) I was seeking to get filled by going into the depression in the ground, could only be filled by Jesus, Himself! (which also gave me new respect for the woman at the well) One day, I finally learned to bleat out (more correctly, pray ;) Come Lord Jesus! Help me Lord Jesus! or just the Jesus prayer: Jesus, Jesus, Jesus! And then I learned to listen for His footsteps. The Good Shepherd came and set me upright again and again and again. Bleat, Pray, Thank, Pray, Give, Pray, Trust, Pray, Listen, Pray, Repeat! Speaking from my own experience - The Good Shepherd always hears, and comes and sets His Sheep upright! As so many others have done here, thanks be to God, I also learned to turn my bleat into prayers, listening, trusting, thanking, giving and waiting. Patience is currently missing because I'm still working on my patience bleat! Thanks JC Warriors and thanks that it does not matter which church affiliation door (including none) you came through to get here. All that seems to matter is we're here now, belonging to God, loving God, glorifying God above all else and loving our JC Warriors and neighbors as ourselves. Amen!

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    8. Amen Brilamar,
      I understand the pain your were in when you couldn't even get up out of that couch. When you were frozen with depression, no man could pull you up out of the depths of despair. Although other people loved you, they couldn't help you. Only God who knew every bit of pain you were feeling and helplessness. He lovingly lifted youup out of your miry pit and set you up high so you could see clearly all the blessings you had and praise Him with joy and thanksgiving for his faithfulness. Sometimes it takes a while, but He is so good. So happy to be here with all of you and bound by our love and faith.

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    9. Praying dear Sis and Brie that you have been lifted up out of the dark pit of depression and you are feeling encouraged by the beauty of spring, the love that surrounds you and answered prayers. We all have had to weather the storms but we never had to do it alone. He is our stronghold and our Helper. In Him we can do all things. He is the light in the darkness and our surest Friend. Much love to you and all my JC Family.

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  26. Psalm 29:2 Give unto the Lord the glory praise honor and thanks due to His name; Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.
    1 Peter 1:8 Though you have not seen Him, you love Him. Though you do not now see Him, you believe in Him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, praise, honor and thanks!
    VERSE VS LIFE (Winner=Verse): Thank you God for waking me up and giving me two gifts for me to open at the start of this new day= my eyes =to see Your Beautiful Sunrise! It is comforting to know I can TRUST and believe Your sun always rises and shines, whether it is behind Your clouds or in plain view of your gift of my sight! This morning I thank You for waking me up, allowing me to witness Your Sunrise. It is a beautiful way to start the day that You have made. Please help me to be rejoicingly glad every hour and minute in it! I love sunrises. For me they represent a fresh, clean new slate! A new day! They penetrates the dense fog. I can see the birds rise and hear them chirp their praises loudly, reminding me to do likewise. They seem to say all is good and right, pleasing and perfect in God's world, of which I am an integral part! I can see the wild flowers all smiling at You. I can see the trees bending their boughs and continuing their growth until they are tall enough to insure they face You and get their own piece of You, even when it means going over under around or through other trees that block their view of You. Yes! You are the goal of every living thing. We depend on You to have light and life more abundantly today! Greeting Your sunrise on this new day is a feeling similar to one I imagine I'd get taking possession of a brand new car of my dreams! I can't wait to try it out, see all the new things it does, drive it, have fun in it, show it off, admire its beauty, and return it safely without blemish into my garage tonight, eagerly looking forward to being in it again tomorrow. You give us new sunshine everyday! You are Amazing and Good to us all the time, when we are aware and when we need to be made more aware! Thank You Jesus for this new day that You have made. I am rejoicingly glad in it. Praise God from Whom this new day and all blessings flow...Amen

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    1. Ah, Brilamar, you have discovered the secret to beginning a new day. In scripture, I get the impression Jesus might have done the same. This contributed greatly to His being able to fulfill the Father's will for Him...as it will for you!

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    2. Amen dear Brie. I wake up in thanksgiving just to see the light and thank Him each day for what He has prepared for me. I ask Him to put His words into my mouth and show me what I need to do for Him.
      I love your words sweet sister.
      It doesn't matter if the sun goes behind the clouds because it's always there. We must trust Him in the good times and the bad times. He shines His bright light into every situation.
      Praise Him from Whom all Blessings Flow!

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    3. Beyond the fog, The Sonrise was exquisite again this morning! His Mercies are new again today. Thanks be to God!

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    4. God morning! ♥️✝️🌞

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  27. From the post above that has the mention of trees, i am reminded of a verse as I see look through my window. I see a large tree with leaves that this morning are dancing in the wind. I picture this tree acting out Isaiah 55:8
    "For you will go out with joy And be led forth with peace; The mountains and the hills will break forth into shouts of joy before you, And all the trees of the field will clap their hands.
    I can hear the song that has made this verse rememberable. May I be like this tree.

    "For you will go out with joy And be led forth with peace; The mountains and the hills will break forth into shouts of joy before you, And all the trees of the field will clap their hands.

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  28. Heavenly Father, Lord, love, and provider, I thank You for being in my life and allowing me to delight in Your Spirit living within me. You are my everything Lord. I submit myself and all that I have to You. I am Yours and You are mine. We are one. Hold my hand and walk through the day with me, rejoicing over You and being led by the Holy Spirit. Open my eyes to Your beauty and miracles that surround me in Your perfect creation. Let my eyes stay focused on You first and foremost and when I am distracted from You, bring my eyes back to You. Let me bask in Your glory, peace, and love. As Your Spirit fills me, use me as Your vessel to give love and peace to others for Your glory Lord. Let me be open to receive all that You have for me and let me give all I an to others in Your name and for Your glory. You are so amazing, wonderful, merciful, and gracious Lord. You are the most high and there is no one above You. I bless, praise, and rejoice in You Lord. Let me keep our relationship first, close, loving, open, honest, and obstacle free Lord. I enjoy You and our time together. Sharing with You gives me such joy in my heart. Thank You Jesus. I trust, love, and adore You Jesus. All the glory be to God always and forever. Thank You for everything You have done, are doing, and will do Lord. You are all powerful and supreme. Put Your desire/will for me on my heart and let me receive, accept, and abide in it. Let me do Your will and walk in Your ways and not my own. In Jesus name, I pray, Amen.

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    1. I love You Lord
      My dear, sweet Lord
      I trust You Lord
      My dear, sweet Lord
      I need You Lord
      My dear, sweet Lord
      I want You Lord
      My dear, sweet Lord
      I praise You Lord
      My dear, sweet Lord
      I receive You Lord
      My dear, sweet Lord

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    2. Amen and Amen dear Janet! The Spirit is leading you in a beautiful way. God bless you sweet sister.

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    3. Yes, Lord, I am yours and you are mine! Amen and Amen! Thank you my sweet J's. Jesus Jesus thank you for loving us!!

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  29. I met you in the morning stillness and I was met with your mercy and love. In this beauty of the morning you spoke through creation to say your mercies are new every morning.

    I feel like the prodical son as I fell short in so many ways yesterday; but it is your kindness that leads me to repentance Lord. Your love and forgiveness cover me as you have let go and given to us.

    May we also let go of our trying to be righteous and give ourselves to you anew so you do in us what we cannot do for ourselves. Thank you for making a way out of self condemnation and into your holiness so that we may be holy as you are holy. Thank you for your unimaginable ways and may we enter fully into forgiveness, intimacy, and reception of your power in us to become new creatures for your glory.

    We praise your name.

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    1. Amen Keith! Praising His Holy Name with you!
      He is asking us to come exactly as we are, broken and weary but still trying to follow after righteousness. He is the Great Physician of the body, heart, mind and soul. He knows our weaknesses and imperfections completely and just keeps strengthening us, forgiving us and loving us. We are a blessed Nation, a peculiar people and a beautiful family.
      Thank You Father for everything You are to us.

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  30. Beautiful prayer, Keith. Praising God. Amen.

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  31. Praise God!!!!! His joy IS incomprehensible! His love pushes out ALL fear and pain. Thank you also for posting the link to the Chris Tomlin song! I sang my heart out to Jesus with my coffee and kitties this morning. It’s going to be a BLESSED DAY!!

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    1. Amen! Praise Him with every breath! Sing unto the Lord! Having a blessed day in His sweet presence.

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  32. "The world's way of pursuing riches is grasping and hoarding. You attain My riches by letting go and giving".... Dear Lord help me to grow closer to you by not accumulating "things", and being driven by possessions. It can be a very subtle thing that forms a habit, pulling me from You. Some things are changing in my life in this way-positively. THANK YOU! Dear Jesus, continue to walk with me on my journey. Amen.

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  33. Thank you ABC. Beautiful prayer. I need to get rid of the clutter in my life but now my apartment is filled with my grandson’s toys, books and art supplies. God will make a way.

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  34. Just a quick request for a little prayer. Going to my cardiologist this morning to get cleared for my hand surgery on the 5th. He will re do my echo because during my routine clearing my heart rate was a bit lower than normal. The doctor was concerned because I had gotten the hole in my heart fixed. I believe everything will be alright and I'll get cleared and have a God guided surgery to remove the cyst in my finger. Already found some rubber gloves to use afterward. Must not get it wet for 8 days and I will be a good patient. So very happy to report that I got 6 more Bible group members. Looking forward to next Tuesday, our first meeting inside our Church. Tonight was our last virtual gathering and it was emotional. Praying for more victories to celebrate, especially for baby Jo Jo, and Brie and Audra's moves. Thank You Jesus for your faithfulness for these and all our dear Family. Just read dear ABC's post about growing closer to the Lord by not accumulating things. I am such a Packrat and I need to sort the wheat from the chaff. I'm not home much because I help my son's family a lot but one of these days, I will have the time to go through my stuff and whittle it down and donate a lot. God will make a way.

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    1. Praying for good test results Jeanne and a successful subsequent procedure.

      TJ

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    2. Praying dear Jeanne for that heart to behave and make the way clear for the surgery & success in removing that cyst.🙏🙏🙏🙏💞.

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    3. Praying for you Jeanne. May our heavenly Father place His healing hands upon you and bless you and keep you. In Jesus name, I pray, Amen 🙏.

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    4. May your cardiologist appointment go well with your heart rate listed as normal and your hand surgery done and over before you know it, Jeanne! While your fabulous cooking will have to be put on hold for a hot-minute...that absence will make your family appreciate your awesome cooking all the more, right?! (Not that they don't appreciate it already.) Healing prayers coming your way!

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    5. Gathering onto prayers for you Jeanne, along with TJ, Jan gridley,, and all other JC Prayer Warriors. May you and your entire medical team be blessed by them and experience HIM in your midst, in Jesus' Name. Amen.

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    6. Prayer Warriors have you covered, Jeannie. More importantly, Jesus does! Trusting with and for you that all will go smoothly today and for your cyst removal coming up. ♥️

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    7. Thanks for the prayers! My EKG came out perfect! God is so good and your prayers are really working! My eye and my hand will be better soon according to God’s timing. Love you!

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    8. Fast forwarding a quote posted by a friend one year ago today :)
      Amen! Praise Him with every breath! Sing unto the Lord! Having a blessed day in His sweet presence.
      In Jesus' Name. Amen.

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    9. Just beautiful Brie!! Amen!! So blessed to see God’s faithfulness today! I must get up really early for my hand surgery tomorrow. Gotta be there at 6. Praising Him already for preparing a smooth procedure and perfect recovery. Thank You Jesus! Praying He is giving you strength and comfort and blessing and healing Keith from the inside out. Rest in Him who cares for you sweet sister.

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  35. Jeanne joining you in prayer for a good report today. Also praying for the prayer requests for the JC Family. Lord thank you for having us in the palm of your hand.
    Terri

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    1. Thanks dear Terri! Your prayers really helped. My EKG came out normal thank God! Ready for tomorrow.

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  36. Has anyone ever seen a rainbow in their yard? Hubby & I were sitting on the porch when one appeared, disappear, then reaper. Sooo cool. We both thought we needed to look for the pot of gold on each end.😂
    Joining Jeanne & TJ in continued prayer for baby Joseph, Audra & Brie. 🙏🙏💞.

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    1. VERY cool, Jan! Come Holy Spirit! 🌈

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    2. WOW!Jan gridley. I have yet to see one in my back yard, unless the one in the WalMart parking lot counts. I always feel extra blessed when I see rainbows because of the reminder in Genesis 9:13
      I have placed my rainbow in the clouds as a sign of my promise until the end of time, to you and to all the earth.

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    3. You and DH need look no further, Jan. In that there Promise lies the Gold! Thanks for sharing. Love You.

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    4. How cool is THAT! Your own personal rainbow! God letting you know He's with you two! How did your dental appointment turn out? Hoping it went better than expected, Jan.

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    5. Continuing to pray for baby JoJo with you. So cool you got your own personal rainbow! What a blessing!

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  37. Heavenly Father, thank You for being You. Thank You Jesus. I praise You Lord always and rejoice in You as we walk hand and hand together along the way. Let my heart sing songs of praise and worship to You all the day long. Let Your spirit fill me up and overflow unto others so they will know You and be drawn to You.

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    1. Amen dear Janet. Love, " let Your spirit fill me up and overflow unto others so they will know You and be drawn to You." Thank you for sharing. Love & blessings 🙏💞

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    2. Beautiful prayer dear Janet! Amen! How blessed we are that the Lord is always with us. He is our constant Help all through the day and our best friend. Resting in His love and trusting in His Way.

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  38. Yesterday the words stayed close to me, "The Joy of living in my presence outshine all other pleasures". As I continue to develop a deeper friendship with my Creator, my Lover, my Comforter, and Savior, this truth is beginning to blossom. I don't always feel this reality but sometimes claim it by faith as this truth continues to grow.

    As I count down the weeks ahead until I leave this job I feel an excitement as I also consider my other feelings. This job seemingly provides a security of steady paychecks, and benefits but these are temporal.

    "You attain my riches by letting go and giving ." As I let go of this job, I am excited to see what He has in store for me and those He brings into my path that need to be given the good news of our wonderful Lord.

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    1. Amen Keith, let go and let God have His wonderful way. Be blessed.

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    2. So excited to see what new doors He will open for you. As you trust in the future He holds in His Hands, all things are possible. Praying always that He will lead you to love and fulfillment and the desires of your beautiful heart. Thank You Jesus.

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  39. "Sing love songs to My Holy Name"
    Lord Jesus, my First Love, I sing this love song to You.
    'I love you, Lord
    And I lift my voice
    To worship You
    Oh, my soul, rejoice!

    Take joy my King
    In what You hear
    Let it be a sweet, sweet sound
    In Your ear'
    https://youtu.be/Bxi4PI0Bf7g

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  40. Always loved this oldie but goodie praise song. Thank you for sharing Peter.

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  41. What a pretty song! The video was beautiful too. Thanks for adding some sweet light to my day!

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  42. Heavenly Father, thank You and bless Your holy name! I praise You Lord always and thank You Jesus 😊. Great is Your faithfulness! Wonderful are Your ways! Amazing is Your creation! Beyond words is Your unfailing love for all Your children! I praise You and thank You Lord always! In Jesus name, I pray, Amen 🙏.

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    1. Thank you, Janet, for your awesome prayers. It led me to this most awesome song by Maverick City:
      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q5m09rqOoxE

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    2. Thank you dear Janet for scripture & prayer. May the Lord bless you💞🙏🌈

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  43. Amen! Thanks dear Janet! Praise Him with every breath for His goodness, mercy, compassion and loving kindness.

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  44. Joining in your beautiful praise and gratitude! Thank You Jesus. Great is Your faithfulness! Loved this verse from today's devotion:
    1 Peter 1:8
    Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory,
    Amen! Sure do love Him. Jesus is my everything and I need Him every day.
    Psalm 18:1-3
    I will love You, O Lord, my strength.
    The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer;
    My God, my strength, in whom I will trust;
    My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
    I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised;
    So shall I be saved from my enemies.

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  45. God's Blessings for you this day.

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    1. Thanks! God bless your day with His light, peace, and joy, dear John H.

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  46. As I read last years entry, I again am at the same place. Last year on May 7 was my burn accident. I am still healing slowly but well.

    The accident changed my direction and I resumed working to continue my health insurance and treatments. The treatments are over so now again, I feel strongly that He is leading me away from this job.

    May He be glorified as I continue to seek His direction into new ministry opportunities.

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    1. Dear Keith, I continue to pray for you and your complete healing. I'm glad your treatments are over. Trust in God's lead. He gave you your talents and knows exactly where you should be placed to glorify Him and bring you fulfillment. I'm still praying that you will be blessed with the desires of your heart. Hold onto His unchanging Hand and rest in His peace. Serving Him and leading others to Him would be such a blessing and more glory to Him!

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  47. Prayers for you Keith. Thanking the Lord you came through your trial. He is faithful and will lead you through the right path. 💞🙏🌈

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  48. Dear JC family, remember today is National day of prayer. The theme scripture is the second part of James 5:16, "the effective fervent prayer of a righteous man, availeth much." 🙏

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    1. Amen to that! God has His ear inclined towards us and waits to hear our voices of praise, gratitude, prayer and supplication. Amen sweet Audra! Our JC Family is moving with God's Spirit within us.
      My twin sister called from the Dermatologist saying she had a biopsy on her nose. They removed a piece and said it was positive for basal carcinoma. The edges were all positive. She will need more surgery in the beginning of June to remove the rest. My heart goes out to her but God is saying: Be not afraid, I go before you always. It is in His Hands. Thanks for your prayers. My friend Rudy goes in for surgery tomorrow to remove the sutures from his heart surgery and take out the lines around his sternum. He has an infection and the doctors don't know what is causing it. Also my friend Scott with colon cancer is having surgery on Monday. Thanks for your prayers. May God surround them both with peace and guide the doctors' hands perfectly to do just what they must to bring them back to good health again.
      Thank You Father for covering them with your healing Hands as they go through these trials in Jesus' Name we pray. Amen.

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  49. Joining in our national day of prayer. And knowing that the bloggers here are all about this year's theme. Nations need you Holy Spirit, COME!

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  50. Holy Spirit, You are Welcome Here!
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qNwnOfZ5N8A

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  51. Asking for prayers for one of my cases, Wm. He is a Veteran and in a bad place. Doing our best to help him but now he isn't answering his phone. We (at my house as well as my Team) have prayed and I'm asking for all of you to join us. "Please give this good man Your Hope, Father. Let him receive our help for food. Let him be inspired to call me back. In the powerful name of Jesus Christ. Amen."

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  52. Norah, echoing your prayers for Wm.

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    1. Joining my prayers for William. God is mighty to save, comfort and guide this good man. Praying he will call you back. Trusting in God’s mercy and faithfulness. Thank You Jesus.🙏

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  53. Rudy texted me to say his surgery was canceled due to an emergency. I told him it’s all In God’s timing and He may just heal his infection so he won’t need the surgery. God’s way is perfect.

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