FROM TODAY'S READING (5/31/2017)...
"The soul would have no rainbow had the eyes no tears."
John Vance Chaney
Psalms 30:11-12 (NLT) You have turned my mourning into joyful dancing. You have taken away my clothes of mourning and clothed me with joy, that I might sing praises to you and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give you thanks forever!
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FROM TODAY'S READING (5/26/2017)...
"Some people ask the secret of our long marriage. We take time to go to a restaurant two times a week. A little candlelight, dinner, soft music, and dancing. She goes Tuesdays, I go Fridays."
Henny Youngman
Ephesians 5:31-33 (NLT) As the Scriptures say, “A man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.” This is a great mystery, but it is an illustration of the way Christ and the church are one. So again I say, each man must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.
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FROM TODAY'S READING (5/25/2017)...
An elderly woman was preparing to park her big and expensive car when a young college student cut her off and stole her parking spot. The young man jumped from his car and sarcastically said, "Oh to be young and fast." When the unwise student returned to his car he was appalled at what he saw. The old woman was using her big car as a battering ram to demolish his little car. To his surprise, the lady rolled down her power window and said with a smile, "Oh to be old and rich."
King Duncan (King's Treasury of Dynamic Humor, 1990, p.28)
Romans 12:17-21 (NLT) Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable. Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone.
Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say, “I will take revenge; I will pay them back,” says the Lord.
Instead, "If your enemies are hungry, feed them. If they are thirsty, give them something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals of shame on their heads.”
Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good.
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FROM TODAY'S READING (5/24/2017)...
"God encourages persistence in all areas of our lives, including the spiritual. Where in your spiritual life do you need more persistence? Strong character develops as you struggle through tough conditions."
LAB Study Note (Genesis 32:26)
Genesis 32:24-28 (NIV) So Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him till daybreak. When the man saw that he could not overpower him, he touched the socket of Jacob’s hip so that his hip was wrenched as he wrestled with the man. Then the man said, “Let me go, for it is daybreak.”
But Jacob replied, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.”
The man asked him, “What is your name?”
"Jacob,” he answered.
Then the man said, “Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with humans and have overcome.”
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FROM TODAY'S READING (5/23/2017)...
"It is not enough to be busy; so are the ants. The question is: What are we busy about?"
Henry David Thoreau
Proverbs 6:6-11 (NLT) Take a lesson from the ants...Learn from their ways and become wise! Though they have no prince or governor or ruler to make them work, they labor hard all summer, gathering food for the winter.
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FROM TODAY'S READING (5/22/2017)...
"Concentrate all your thoughts upon the work at hand. The sun's rays do not burn until brought to a focus."
Alexander Abraham Bell
Proverbs 4:25-27 (NLT) Look straight ahead, and fix your eyes on what lies before you. Mark out a straight path for your feet; stay on the safe path. Don’t get sidetracked; keep your feet from following evil.
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FROM TODAY'S READING (5/19/2017)...
"The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well."
Ralph Waldo Emerson
1 Thessalonians 4:11-12 (NLT) Make it your goal to live a quiet life, minding your own business and working with your hands, just as we instructed you before. Then people who are not believers will respect the way you live, and you will not need to depend on others.
2 Thessalonians 3:11-13 (NLT) Yet we hear that some of you are living idle lives, refusing to work and meddling in other people’s business. We command such people and urge them in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ to settle down and work to earn their own living. As for the rest of you, dear brothers and sisters, never get tired of doing good.
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FROM TODAY'S READING (5/18/2017)...
"A lie can travel half way around the world while the truth is putting on its shoes."
Charles Spurgeon
Proverbs 12:22 (NLT) The Lord detests lying lips, but he delights in those who tell the truth.
Colossians 3:8-10 (NLT) But now is the time to get rid of anger, rage, malicious behavior, slander, and dirty language. Don’t lie to each other, for you have stripped off your old sinful nature and all its wicked deeds. Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him.
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FROM TODAY'S READING (5/17/2017)...
"But you know that disappointment is just the action of your brain readjusting itself to reality after discovering things are not the way you thought they were."
Brad Warner
Psalms 30:11-12 (NLT) You have turned my mourning into joyful dancing. You have taken away my clothes of mourning and clothed me with joy, that I might sing praises to you and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give you thanks forever!
Matthew 11:28-30 (NLT) Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”
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FROM TODAY'S READING (5/16/2017)...
"Every great journey begins with one step and it begins with moving forward, turning on the engine, and shifting into the right gear at the right time. Remember, going through pain is temporary and it will subside, but quitting on the other hand lasts forever."
Louie Herron
Isaiah 41:10 (NLT) Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.
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FROM TODAY'S READING (5/15/2017)...
"The success gate is far at the end of the long failure corridor. Keep moving no matter how many potholes you step into. You will get there with time!"
Israelmore Ayivor
Galatians 6:9-10 (NLT) So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up. Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone—especially to those in the family of faith.
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FROM TODAY'S READING (5/12/2017)...
"What a mother sings to the cradle goes all the way down to the coffin."
Henry Ward Beecher
1 Samuel 1:26-28 (NLT) "Sir, do you remember me?” Hannah asked. “I am the very woman who stood here several years ago praying to the Lord. I asked the Lord to give me this boy, and he has granted my request. Now I am giving him to the Lord, and he will belong to the Lord his whole life.” And they worshiped the Lord there.”
(Hannah, mother of Samuel)
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FROM TODAY'S READING (5/10/2017)...
"She [my mother] was the force around which our world turned. My mother was propelled through the universe by the brute force of reason.
She was the judge in all our arguments. One disapproving word from her was enough to send us off to hide in a corner, where we would cry and fantasize our own martyrdom. And yet, one kiss could restore us to princedom. Without her, our lives would dissolve into chaos."
Nicole Krauss (The History of Love)
Proverbs 6:20-23 (NLT) My son, obey your father’s commands, and don’t neglect your mother’s instruction. Keep their words always in your heart. Tie them around your neck. When you walk, their counsel will lead you. When you sleep, they will protect you. When you wake up, they will advise you. For their command is a lamp and their instruction a light; their corrective discipline is the way to life.
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FROM TODAY'S READING (5/9/2017)...
"There is no way to be a perfect mother, and a million ways to be a good one."
Jill Churchill
Proverbs 1:8-9 (NLT) My child, listen when your father corrects you. Don’t neglect your mother’s instruction. What you learn from them will crown you with grace and be a chain of honor around your neck.
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FROM TODAY'S READING (5/8/2017)...
"It takes courage not to get discouraged."
Ben Ferencz (US chief prosecutor during the Nuremberg Trials)
Psalms 31:24 (NLT) So be strong and courageous, all you who put your hope in the Lord!
Joshua 1:9 (NLT) This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.
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FROM TODAY'S READING (5/4/2017)...
"But I'm kind of comfortable with getting older because it's better than the other option, which is being dead. So I'll take getting older"
George Clooney
"Do not regret growing older. It is a privilege denied to many."
Unknown
Psalms 71:17-18 (NLT) O God, you have taught me from my earliest childhood, and I constantly tell others about the wonderful things you do. Now that I am old and gray, do not abandon me, O God. Let me proclaim your power to this new generation, your mighty miracles to all who come after me.
2 Corinthians 4:16-18 (NLT) That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.
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FROM TODAY'S READING (5/2/2017)...
"Some people are always grumbling because roses have thorns; I am thankful that thorns have roses."
Alphonse Karr
1 Thessalonians 5:15-18 (NLT) See that no one pays back evil for evil, but always try to do good to each other and to all people. Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.
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FROM TODAY'S READING (5/1/2017)...
"Things turn out best for people who make the best of the way things turn out."
John Wooden
James 1:2-4 (NLT) Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.
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