Deuteronomy 6:5-7 (NLT)..,

FROM TODAY'S READING (11/30/2017)...

"Who decided traditional virtues were no longer viable and should not be taught to schoolchildren? Was a study conducted that found young people were being damaged from learning how to live and respect one another? Were they expected to catch these virtues on their own without guidance from elders? If so, why do we teach table manners, not interrupting when someone else is talking, sharing and many other things to counter what our lower nature doesn’t teach us?"

by Cal Thomas - (The Return of Virtue 11/30/2017)

"Children are great imitators. So give them something great to imitate.”

Author unknown

"Teaching kids to count is fine, but teaching them what counts is best.” 

by Bob Talbert

Deuteronomy 6:5-7 (NLT) And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today. Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up.

Matthew 18:3-6 (NLT) Then [Jesus] said, “I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven. So anyone who becomes as humble as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven. 

And anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf is welcoming me. But if you cause one of these little ones who trusts in me to fall into sin, it would be better for you to have a large millstone tied around your neck and be drowned in the depths of the sea.”

Image: Creative Commons (Pixabay)

Psalm 16:7-11 (NLT)...

FROM TODAY'S READING (11/29/2017)...

"If you hope for happiness in the world, hope for it from God, and not from the world."

David Brainerd (1718-1747/Missionary to Native Americans)

Psalms 16:7-11 (NLT) I will bless the Lord who guides me; even at night my heart instructs me. I know the Lord is always with me. I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me. 

No wonder my heart is glad, and I rejoice. My body rests in safety. For you will not leave my soul among the dead or allow your holy one to rot in the grave. You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of your presence and the pleasures of living with you forever.

Image: Creative Commons (Norman Rockwell/Public Domain)

Luke 7:36-50 (NLT)...

FROM TODAY'S READING (11/28/2017)...

"God uses broken things. It takes broken soil to produce a crop, broken clouds to give rain, broken grain to give bread, broken bread to give strength. It is the broken alabaster box that gives forth perfume. It is Peter, weeping bitterly, who returns to greater power than ever."

Vance Havner

Luke 7:36-50 (NLT) One of the Pharisees asked Jesus to have dinner with him, so Jesus went to his home and sat down to eat. 

When a certain immoral woman from that city heard he was eating there, she brought a beautiful alabaster jar filled with expensive perfume. 

Then she knelt behind him at his feet, weeping. Her tears fell on his feet, and she wiped them off with her hair. Then she kept kissing his feet and putting perfume on them. 

When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know what kind of woman is touching him. She’s a sinner!” 

Then Jesus answered his thoughts. “Simon,” he said to the Pharisee, “I have something to say to you.” 

"Go ahead, Teacher,” Simon replied. 

 

Then Jesus told him this story: “A man loaned money to two people—500 pieces of silver to one and 50 pieces to the other. But neither of them could repay him, so he kindly forgave them both, canceling their debts. Who do you suppose loved him more after that?” 

Simon answered, “I suppose the one for whom he canceled the larger debt.” 

"That’s right,” Jesus said. Then he turned to the woman and said to Simon, “Look at this woman kneeling here. When I entered your home, you didn’t offer me water to wash the dust from my feet, but she has washed them with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You didn’t greet me with a kiss, but from the time I first came in, she has not stopped kissing my feet. You neglected the courtesy of olive oil to anoint my head, but she has anointed my feet with rare perfume. 

"I tell you, her sins—and they are many—have been forgiven, so she has shown me much love. But a person who is forgiven little shows only little love.” Then Jesus said to the woman, “Your sins are forgiven.” 

The men at the table said among themselves, “Who is this man, that he goes around forgiving sins?” 

And Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

Image: Creative Commons (Google search/unknown origin)

Proverbs 12:25 (NLT).,,

FROM TODAY'S READING (11/27/2017)...

"A really great person is the person who makes every person feel great."

G. K. Chesterton 

Proverbs 12:25 (NLT) Worry weighs a person down; an encouraging word cheers a person up.

Philippians 2:1-8 (NLT) Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate? Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose. 

Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. 

You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.

Image: Creative Commons (Pixabay)

Colossians 3:12-15 (NLT)...

FROM TODAY'S READING (11/22/2017)...

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

"Thankfulness is not something God gives us. It is not a spiritual gift and it is not a spiritual fruit. We can receive God's peace, joy and love, but thankfulness is something that we give to Godand to others. It is a choice that we make. Let us thank Him today with songs of celebration, hearts of strong devotion and acts of admiration."

Roy Lessin

Colossians 3:12-15 (NLT) Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful.

Image: Creative Commons (Google/CC)

1 Timothy 5:15-18 (NLT)...

FROM TODAY'S READING (11/21/2017)...

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

Every day is a day to be thankful. Life’s abundance has no limit, and gratitude is what keeps that abundance flowing.

In every circumstance there is something for which to be thankful. Even when there seems to be nothing else, there is hope.

Being truly thankful makes you infinitely more resourceful. By sincerely appreciating what you have, you find new and valuable ways to make use of it.

Gratitude makes you more generous and creative. By focusing on how fortunate you are, you’re able to give the best you can give.

When you are happy, be thankful and your happiness is greatly multiplied. When you are feeling down, be thankful and you’ll soon be feeling much better.

Whatever may come, see it as an opportunity to be sincerely thankful. And let life’s abundance flow more and more freely into all your world.

Ralph Marston (greatday.com)

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.

Image: Creative Commons (wxpr.org)

1 Timothy 4:3-4 (NLT)...

FROM TODAY'S READING (11/20/2017)...

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

"May your stuffing be tasty May your turkey plump, 

May your potatoes and gravy Have nary a lump. 

May your yams be delicious And your pies take the prize, 

And may your Thanksgiving dinner Stay off your thighs!"

Grandpa Jones

1 Timothy 4:3b-4 (NLT) But God created those foods to be eaten with thanks by faithful people who know the truth. Since everything God created is good, we should not reject any of it but receive it with thanks.

Image: Creative Commons (public domain)

Numbers 6:24-26 (NLT)...

FROM TODAY'S READING (11/17/2017)...

"Go ahead, make my day."

Clint Eastwood

Numbers 6:24-26 (NLT) May the Lord bless you and protect you. May the Lord smile on you and be gracious to you. May the Lord show you his favor and give you his peace.

1 Corinthians 16:23-24 (NLT) May the grace of the Lord Jesus be with you. My love to all of you in Christ Jesus.

Image: Creative Commons (Flickr/Christos Tsoumplekas)

1 Peter 2:15-17 (NLT)..,

FROM TODAY'S READING (11/16/2017)...

"Sure I wave the American flag. Do you know a better flag to wave? Sure I love my country with all her faults. I'm not ashamed of that, never have been, never will be."

John Wayne

1 Peter 2:16-17 (NLT) For you are free, yet you are God’s slaves, so don’t use your freedom as an excuse to do evil. Respect everyone, and love the family of believers. Fear God, and respect the king.

Image: Creative Commons (wikimedia)

Romans 12:6-8 (NLT)..,

FROM TODAY'S READING (11/15/2017)...

"I'm a football coach. I'm not a doctor.,They don't call plays, I don't do surgeries. We have a great deal here."

Bill Belichick (Head Coach of NE Patriots)

Romans 12:6-8 (NLT) In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.

Image: Creative Commons (wikimedia)

Colossians 1:11-12 (NLT)...

FROM TODAY'S READING (11/13/2017)...

"Run when you can, walk if you have to, crawl if you must; just never give up."

Dean Karnazes (author/runner)

Colossians 1:11-12 (NLT) We also pray that you will be strengthened with all his glorious power so you will have all the endurance and patience you need. May you be filled with joy, always thanking the Father...

Image: Creative Commons (Pixabay)

Psalm 139:13-16 (NLT)..,

FROM TODAY'S READING (11/10/2017)...

"You don't need to carry the burden of a lesser god...a god on a shelf, a god in a box, or a god in a bottle. No, you need a God who can place 100 billion stars in our galaxy and 100 billion galaxies in the universe. You need a God who van shape two fists of flesh into 75 to 100 billion nerve cells, each with as many as 10,000 connections to other nerve-cells, place it in a skull, and call it a brain."

Max Lucado (Safe in the Shepherd's Arms)

Psalms 90:2 (NLT) Before the mountains were born, before you gave birth to the earth and the world, from beginning to end, you are God.

Psalms 139:13-16 (NLT) You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it. You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.

Image: Creative Commons (apriso.com)

1 Peter 5:6-7 (NLT)...

FROM TODAY'S READING (11/9/2017)...

"Sorrow looks back, Worry looks around, Faith looks up."

Ralph Waldo Emerson

1 Peter 5:6-7 (NLT) So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor. Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.

John 14:27 (NLT) I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.

Psalms 56:3-4 (NLT) But when I am afraid, I will put my trust in you. I praise God for what he has promised. I trust in God, so why should I be afraid? What can mere mortals do to me?

Image: Creative Commons (upsplash/Aziz Acharki)

John 8:12 (NLT)...

FROM TODAY'S READING (11/8/2017)...

"All the darkness in the world cannot extinguish the light of a single candle."

Francis of Assisi

John 8:12 (NLT) Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.”

2 Corinthians 4:6-7 (NLT) For God, who said, “Let there be light in the darkness,” has made this light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ. We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves.”

Image: Creative Commons (pxhere)

1 Timothy 2:1-2 (NLT)...

FROM TODAY'S READING (11/7/2017)...

"Elections belong to the people. It's their decision. If they decide to turn their back on the fire and burn their behinds, then they will just have to sit on their blisters."

Abraham Lincoln

1 Timothy 2:1-2 (NLT) urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity.

Image: Creative Commons (Flickr/Theresa Thompson)

Philippians 4:8-9 (NLT)...

FROM TODAY'S READING (11/6/2017)...

"We believe that 95% of your emotions are determined by the way you talk to yourself as you go throughout your day. The sad fact is that if you do not deliberately and consciously talk to yourself in a positive and constructive way, you will, by default, think about things that will make you unhappy or cause you worry and anxiety. Your mind is like a garden. If you do not deliberately plant flowers and tend carefully, weeds will grow without any encouragement at all."

Brian Tracy (Entrepreneur)

Philippians 4:8-9 (NLT) And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you.

Image: Creative Commons (pxhere.com)