Isaiah 26:3-4 (NLT)...

FROM TODAY'S READING (2/28/2014)...

"My life verse."

- Mavis Phoebe Rockwell (my mom)

Isaiah 26:3-4 (NLT) You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you! Trust in the Lord always, for the Lord God is the eternal Rock. 

NOTE: ...especially meaningful during her gruesome struggle(s) with cancer.

1 Samuel 3:18-19 (NLT)

FROM TODAY'S READING (2/27/2014)...

“Wisdom is the right use of knowledge. To know is not to be wise. Many men know a great deal, and are all the greater fools for it. There is no fool so great a fool as a knowing fool. But to know how to use knowledge is to have wisdom.” 

- Charles H. Spurgeon

1 Samuel 3:18-19 (NLT) So Samuel told Eli everything; he didn’t hold anything back. “It is the Lord ’s will,” Eli replied. “Let him do what he thinks best.” As Samuel grew up, the Lord was with him, and everything Samuel said proved to be reliable.

Micah 6:6-8 (NLT)...

FROM TODAY'S READING (2/26/2014)...

He can't guide you if you aren't willing to walk.

Micah 6:6-8 (NLT) What can we bring to the Lord ? What kind of offerings should we give him? Should we bow before God with offerings of yearling calves? Should we offer him thousands of rams and ten thousand rivers of olive oil? Should we sacrifice our firstborn children to pay for our sins? No, O people, the Lord has told you what is good, and this is what he requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God. 

Matthew 10:26-33 (NLT)...

FROM TODAY'S READING (2/25/2014)...

"Invictus" by William Ernest Henley (atheist)

Out of the night that covers me,

      Black as the pit from pole to pole,

I thank whatever gods may be

      For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance

      I have not winced nor cried aloud.

Under the bludgeonings of chance

      My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears

      Looms but the Horror of the shade,

And yet the menace of the years

      Finds and shall find me unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,

      How charged with punishments the scroll,

I am the master of my fate,

      I am the captain of my soul.

Matthew 10:26-33 (NLT) But don’t be afraid of those who threaten you. For the time is coming when everything that is covered will be revealed, and all that is secret will be made known to all. What I tell you now in the darkness, shout abroad when daybreak comes. What I whisper in your ear, shout from the housetops for all to hear! “Don’t be afraid of those who want to kill your body; they cannot touch your soul. Fear only God, who can destroy both soul and body in hell. What is the price of two sparrows—one copper coin ? But not a single sparrow can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it. And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows. “Everyone who acknowledges me publicly here on earth, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. But everyone who denies me here on earth, I will also deny before my Father in heaven. 

Psalm 37:3-5 (NLT)...

FROM TODAY'S READING (2/24/2014)...

Life is short, so smile while you still have teeth.

- Unknown

Psalm 37:3-5 (NLT) Trust in the Lord and do good. Then you will live safely in the land and prosper. Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart’s desires. Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust him, and he will help you. 

Romans 5:2-5 (NLT)..,

FROM TODAY'S READING (2/21/2014)...

Falling only makes us stronger.

Romans 5:2-5 (NLT) Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory. We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love. 

Lamentations 3:51-57 (NLT)...

FROM TODAY'S READING (2/20/2014)...

"A minister I had heard of in Romania had been horribly beaten and was thrown back into the cell with the other prisoners. He was half-dead, with blood streaming from his face and body. As some of the prisoners washed him, others cursed the Communists. Groaning, the minister said, "Please, don't curse them! Keep silent! I wish to pray for them."

- Richard Wurmbrand (spent 14 years in a Communist prison in Romania during the Cold War)

Lamentations 3:51-57 (NLT) My heart is breaking over the fate of all the women of Jerusalem. My enemies, whom I have never harmed, hunted me down like a bird. They threw me into a pit and dropped stones on me. The water rose over my head, and I cried out, “This is the end!” But I called on your name, Lord, from deep within the pit. You heard me when I cried, “Listen to my pleading! Hear my cry for help!” Yes, you came when I called; you told me, “Do not fear.” 

Lamentations 3:15-26 (NLT)...

FROM TODAY's reading (2/19/2014)...

"Though no one can go back and make a brand new start, anyone can start from now and make a brand new ending."

- Carl Bard

Lamentations 3:15-26 (NLT) He has filled me with bitterness and given me a bitter cup of sorrow to drink. He has made me chew on gravel. He has rolled me in the dust. Peace has been stripped away, and I have forgotten what prosperity is. I cry out, “My splendor is gone! Everything I had hoped for from the Lord is lost!” The thought of my suffering and homelessness is bitter beyond words. I will never forget this awful time, as I grieve over my loss. Yet I still dare to hope when I remember this: The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning. I say to myself, “The Lord is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in him!” The Lord is good to those who depend on him, to those who search for him. So it is good to wait quietly for salvation from the Lord. 

Note: Lamentations is a record of the Prophet Jeremiah's mournful pleas to God for his beloved nation of Israel (in particular...Judah and Jerusalem). Jeremiah found

himself a prophet in the midst of God's sovereign judgment on Israel.

Lamentations 2:11, 18-19 (NLT)...

FROM TODAY'S READING (2/18/2014)...

Be patient in discerning and embracing the will of God you pray for. Through several centuries and many prophets, God implored a spiritually wayward Israel to return to a place of sincere commitment to Him. Sadly, however, they did not. The "Weeping Prophet" Jeremiah lamented (Lamentations) over the plight of his beloved nation, Jerusalem, and the Holy Temple. Though he prayed sincerely and fervently, he did not live to witness an answer to those faithful prayers. His prayers were answered some seventy years later...in God's time.

Lamentations 2:11, 18-19 (NLT) I have cried until the tears no longer come; my heart is broken. My spirit is poured out in agony as I see the desperate plight of my people. Little children and tiny babies are fainting and dying in the streets. Cry aloud before the Lord, O walls of beautiful Jerusalem! Let your tears flow like a river day and night. Give yourselves no rest; give your eyes no relief. Rise during the night and cry out. Pour out your hearts like water to the Lord. Lift up your hands to him in prayer, pleading for your children, for in every street they are faint with hunger. 

1 John 5:13-15 (NLT) I have written this to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know you have eternal life. And we are confident that he hears us whenever we ask for anything that pleases him. And since we know he hears us when we make our requests, we also know that he will give us what we ask for.

1 Thessalonians 4:1-8 (NLT)...

FROM TODAY'S READING (1/17/2014)...

"Holiness does not consist in mystic speculations, enthusiastic fervours, or uncommanded austerities; it consists in thinking as God thinks, and willing as God wills." 

- John Brown, (Nineteenth-century Scottish theologian)

1 Thessalonians 4:1-8 (NLT) Finally, dear brothers and sisters, we urge you in the name of the Lord Jesus to live in a way that pleases God, as we have taught you. You live this way already, and we encourage you to do so even more. For you remember what we taught you by the authority of the Lord Jesus. God’s will is for you to be holy, so stay away from all sexual sin. Then each of you will control his own body and live in holiness and honor— not in lustful passion like the pagans who do not know God and his ways. Never harm or cheat a Christian brother in this matter by violating his wife, for the Lord avenges all such sins, as we have solemnly warned you before. God has called us to live holy lives, not impure lives. Therefore, anyone who refuses to live by these rules is not disobeying human teaching but is rejecting God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you. 

Galatians 6:10 (NIV)...

FROM TODAY'S READING (2/14/2014)...

“Clint came up behind me, and he knew exactly what to do. He lifted me right off the ground. He’s strong! The cheese popped out, and I was fine. Clint saved my life.”

- Steve John, AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am Director

Galatians 6:10 (NIV) Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers. 

http://bangordailynews.com/2014/02/07/news/clint-eastwood-saves-golf-tournament-director-from-choking/

Matthew 5:11-12 (NLT)...

FROM TODAY'S READING (2/13/2014)...

"The people who encourage you in your sin will discourage you in your suffering."

- Warren Wiersbe

Matthew 5:11-12 (NLT) God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and lie about you and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are my followers. Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, the ancient prophets were persecuted in the same way. 

Lamentations 3:37-40 (NLT)...

FROM TODAY'S READING (2/12/2014)...

“He who is able to accept everything gladly from the Lord - including darkness, dryness, flatness - and completely disregard self is he who lives for Him." 

― Watchman Nee

Lamentations 3:37-40 (NLT) Who can command things to happen without the Lord’s permission? Does not the Most High send both calamity and good? Then why should we, mere humans, complain when we are punished for our sins? Instead, let us test and examine our ways. Let us turn back to the Lord. 

Psalm 1:1-3, 6 (NLT)...

FROM TODAY'S READING (2/11/2014)...

Look at others and be distressed. 

Look at yourself, and be depressed. 

Look to God, and you’ll be blessed" 

- Warren Wiersbe

Psalm 1:1-3, 6 (NLT) Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand around with sinners, or join in with mockers. But they delight in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night. They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do. For the Lord watches over the path of the godly, but the path of the wicked leads to destruction. 

Isaiah 30:18 (NLT)..,

FROM TODAY'S READING (2/10/2014)...

I AM STUBBORN, THEN.

Here is a transcript of a conversation between my three year old grandson and I this week:

"Help put away the toys, please."

"No."

"Come on, Aaron. Please help to put away the toys."

"No."

"Tell you what, you help put away the toys and you'll get a treat afterwards."

"I'm tired."

"You're stubborn."

"No, I'm not stubborn."

"Oh yes you are."

"No. I'm not stubborn."

"Do you know what stubborn means?"

"No."

"Stubborn is when you won't do what someone asks and you won't change your mind about it."

"I am stubborn, then."

- Pastor Nigel Heath 

Isaiah 30:18 (NLT) So the Lord must wait for you to come to him so he can show you his love and compassion. For the Lord is a faithful God. Blessed are those who wait for his help. 

Proverbs 3:5-8 (NLT)...

FROM TODAY'S READING (2/7/2014)...

When you go into court you are putting your fate into the hands of twelve people who weren’t smart enough to get out of jury duty.

—Norm Crosby

Proverbs 3:5-8 (NLT) Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take. Don’t be impressed with your own wisdom. Instead, fear the Lord and turn away from evil. Then you will have healing for your body and strength for your bones. 

Genesis 3:1-7 (NLT)...

FROM TODAY'S READING (2/6/2014)...

"When we don't like a prohibition or a warning, we magnify its strictness."

- R. Kent Hughes

"God said, ‘You must not eat it or even touch it; if you do, you will die."

Genesis 3:1-7 (NLT) The serpent was the shrewdest of all the wild animals the Lord God had made. One day he asked the woman, “Did God really say you must not eat the fruit from any of the trees in the garden?” “Of course we may eat fruit from the trees in the garden,” the woman replied. “It’s only the fruit from the tree in the middle of the garden that we are not allowed to eat. God said, ‘You must not eat it or even touch it; if you do, you will die.’” “You won’t die!” the serpent replied to the woman. “God knows that your eyes will be opened as soon as you eat it, and you will be like God, knowing both good and evil.” The woman was convinced. She saw that the tree was beautiful and its fruit looked delicious, and she wanted the wisdom it would give her. So she took some of the fruit and ate it. Then she gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it, too. At that moment their eyes were opened, and they suddenly felt shame at their nakedness. So they sewed fig leaves together to cover themselves. 

Psalm 139:1-5 (NLT)...

FROM TODAY'S READING (2/5/2014)...

God, only you know the answer to the thoughts stuck in my head. All I can ask for is guidance. Be by my side as I go through these next few weeks. My life is in your hands. Take control because, as you can see, I took control, and now I'm out of control. Amen

- Toya Eaton (College student)

Psalm 139:1-5 (NLT) O Lord, you have examined my heart and know everything about me. You know when I sit down or stand up. You know my thoughts even when I’m far away. You see me when I travel and when I rest at home. You know everything I do. You know what I am going to say even before I say it, Lord. You go before me and follow me. You place your hand of blessing on my head. 

1 Corinthians 4:2-4 (NLT)...

FROM TODAY'S READING (2/4/2014)...

Jesus never said, "Well done good and famous servant..." He said, ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!’  Matthew 25:21 (NLT)

1 Corinthians 4:2-4 (NLT) Now, a person who is put in charge as a manager must be faithful. As for me, it matters very little how I might be evaluated by you or by any human authority. I don’t even trust my own judgment on this point. My conscience is clear, but that doesn’t prove I’m right. It is the Lord himself who will examine me and decide. 

Psalm 19:1-7 (NLT)...

FROM TODAY'S READING (2/3/2014)...

“Earth is crammed with heaven, and every bush aflame with God, but only those who see take off their shoes.” 

- Elizabeth Barrett Browning

Psalm 19:1-7 (NLT) The heavens proclaim the glory of God. The skies display his craftsmanship. Day after day they continue to speak; night after night they make him known. They speak without a sound or word; their voice is never heard. Yet their message has gone throughout the earth, and their words to all the world. God has made a home in the heavens for the sun. It bursts forth like a radiant bridegroom after his wedding. It rejoices like a great athlete eager to run the race. The sun rises at one end of the heavens and follows its course to the other end. Nothing can hide from its heat. The instructions of the Lord are perfect, reviving the soul. The decrees of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple.