Jeremiah 29:11-13 (NLT)...

FROM TODAY’S READING (5/31/2019)...

“Father, I admit that so often I have held tightly to my own plans and to the outcomes that I think should come to pass. But I know the story You’re writing for me is so much better than any story I could ever write for myself. Help me cling to this truth when my circumstances are uncertain and unpredictable. I declare my trust in You above it all. In Jesus name, amen.”

Lisa Terkeurst (“It’s Not Supposed To Be This Way”)

Jeremiah‬ ‭29:11-13‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) “For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. In those days when you pray, I will listen. If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me.”

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‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭5:15-17‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do.

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Luke 23:39-43 (NLT)...

FROM TODAY’S READING (5/30/2019)...

“The thief on the cross determined it preferable to die with Christ as opposed to dying beside Christ.”

Rocky

Luke‬ ‭23:39-43‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) One of the criminals hanging beside him scoffed, “So you’re the Messiah, are you? Prove it by saving yourself—and us, too, while you’re at it!” 

But the other criminal protested, “Don’t you fear God even when you have been sentenced to die? We deserve to die for our crimes, but this man hasn’t done anything wrong.” Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your Kingdom.” 

And Jesus replied, “I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise.””

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James 3:2 (NLT)...

FROM TODAY’S READING (5/29/2019)...

“[People] make mistakes, even when they are trying really hard. The greatest baseball player still strikes out. The purest shooter misses a clutch free throw to lose a game once in a while. The most skilled archer sometimes fires an arrow wide of the target. To err is human.”

James R. White

‭‭James‬ ‭3:2‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) Indeed, we all make many mistakes. For if we could control our tongues, we would be perfect and could also control ourselves in every other way.

Psalms‬ ‭37:23-24‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives. Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the Lord holds them by the hand.

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Proverbs 27:9-10 (NLT)...

FROM TODAY’S READING (5/28/2019)...

“A false friend is like your shadow. As long as there is sunshine, he sticks close by. But the minute you step into the shade, he disappears.”

Unknown exact origin

Proverbs‬ ‭27:9-10‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) The heartfelt counsel of a friend is as sweet as perfume and incense. Never abandon a friend— either yours or your father’s. When disaster strikes, you won’t have to ask your brother for assistance. It’s better to go to a neighbor than to a brother who lives far away.

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Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 (NLT)...

FROM TODAY’S READING (5/24/2019)...

“For it has been said, all that a man hath will he give for his life; and while all contribute of their substance the soldier puts his life at stake, and often yields it up in his country’s cause. The highest merit, then, is due to the soldier.”

Abraham Lincoln

Ecclesiastes‬ ‭3:1-8‬ ‭(NLT‬‬)

‭‭For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven. 

A time to be born and a time to die. A time to plant and a time to harvest. 

A time to kill and a time to heal. A time to tear down and a time to build up. 

A time to cry and a time to laugh. A time to grieve and a time to dance. 

A time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones. A time to embrace and a time to turn away. 

A time to search and a time to quit searching. A time to keep and a time to throw away. 

A time to tear and a time to mend. A time to be quiet and a time to speak. 

A time to love and a time to hate. A time for war and a time for peace.

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John 15:13 (NLT)...

FROM TODAY’S READING (5/23/2019)...

MEMORIAL DAY THOT...

“Patriotism is easy to understand in America – it means looking out for yourself by looking out for your country.”

Calvin Coolidge

John‬ ‭15:13‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.

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1 Peter 2:4-5 (NLT)...

FROM TODAY’S READING (5/22/2019)...

“We can throw stones, complain about them, stumble on them, climb over them, or build with them.”

William A. Ward

‭‭1 Peter‬ ‭2:4-5‬ ‭(NLT) You are coming to Christ, who is the living cornerstone of God’s temple. He was rejected by people, but he was chosen by God for great honor. 

And you are living stones that God is building into his spiritual temple. What’s more, you are his holy priests. Through the mediation of Jesus Christ, you offer spiritual sacrifices that please God.

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Ecclesiastes 7:13-14 (NLT)...

FROM TODAY’S READING (5/21/2019)...

“There is no better than adversity. Every defeat, every heartbreak, every loss, contains its own seed, its own lesson on how to improve your performance the next time.”

Og Mandino

Ecclesiastes‬ ‭7:13-14‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) Accept the way God does things, for who can straighten what he has made crooked? Enjoy prosperity while you can, but when hard times strike, realize that both come from God. Remember that nothing is certain in this life.

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2 Thessalonians 3:10-12 (NLT)...

FROM TODAY’S READING (5/20/2019)...

“All life demands struggle. Those who have everything given to them become lazy, selfish, and insensitive to the real values of life. The very striving and hard work that we so constantly try to avoid is the major building block in the person we are today.”

Ralph Ransom

‭‭2 Thessalonians‬ ‭3:10-13‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) Even while we were with you, we gave you this command: “Those unwilling to work will not get to eat.” 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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James 1:12 (NLT)...

FROM TODAY’S READING (5/17/2019)...

“Emergencies have always been necessary to progress. It was darkness which produced the lamp. It was fog that produced the compass. It was hunger that drove us to exploration. And it took a depression to teach us the real value of a job.”

Victor Hugo (1802-1885)

James‬ ‭1:12‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.

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

FROM TODAY’S READING (5/16/2019)...

“Each success only buys an admission ticket to a more difficult problem.”

Henry Kissinger

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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2 Peter 1:3-9 (NLT)...

FROM TODAY’S READING (5/15/2019)...

“When an archer misses the mark, he turns and looks for the fault within himself. Failure to hit the bull’s-eye is never the fault of the target. To improve your aim, improve yourself.”

Gilbert Arland

2 Peter‬ ‭1:3-9‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires. 

In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God’s promises. Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with patient endurance, and patient endurance with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love for everyone. 

The more you grow like this, the more productive and useful you will be in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But those who fail to develop in this way are shortsighted or blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their old sins.

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Proverbs 12:16 (NLT)...

FROM TODAY’S READING (5/14/2019)...

“Never argue with a fool — people might not know the difference.”

First Law of Debate

Proverbs‬ ‭12:16‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) A fool is quick-tempered, but a wise person stays calm when insulted.

Proverbs‬ ‭17:14‬ ‭(NLT‬‬)‭‭ Starting a quarrel is like opening a floodgate, so stop before a dispute breaks out.

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Proverbs‬ ‭20:3‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) Avoiding a fight is a mark of honor; only fools insist on quarreling.

Proverbs‬ ‭22:24-25‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) Don’t befriend angry people or associate with hot-tempered people, or you will learn to be like them and endanger your soul.

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Hebrews 10:35-36 (NLT)...

FROM TODAY’S READING (5/13/2019)...

“Even the woodpecker owes his success to the fact that he uses his head and keeps pecking away until he finishes the job he starts.”

Coleman Cox

Hebrews‬ ‭10:35-36‬ ‭(NLT) So do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord. Remember the great reward it brings you! Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God’s will. Then you will receive all that he has promised.

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Proverbs 20:13 (NLT)...

FROM TODAY’S READING (5/10/2019)...

“There is a close connection between getting up in the world and getting up in the morning.”

Anon.

Proverbs‬ ‭20:4‬ ‭(NLT) Those too lazy to plow in the right season will have no food at the harvest.

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Proverbs‬ ‭20:13‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) If you love sleep, you will end in poverty. Keep your eyes open, and there will be plenty to eat!

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Galatians 6:7-9 (NLT)...

FROM TODAY’S READING (5/9/2019)...

“I do not think there is any other quality so essential to success of any kind as the quality of perseverance. It overcomes almost everything, even nature.”

John Rockefeller

Galatians‬ ‭6:7-9‬ ‭(NLT) Don’t be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant. Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit. 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.

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James 1:22-25 (NLT)...

FROM TODAY’S READING (5/8/2019)...

“It had long since come to my attention that people of accomplishment rarely sat back and let things happen to them. They went out and happened to things.”

Elinor Smith

James‬ ‭1:22-25‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. For if you listen to the word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it.

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Philippians 4:13 (NLT)...

FROM TODAY’S READING (5/7/2019)...

It Couldn’t Be Done...

Somebody said that it couldn’t be done,

But he with a chuckle replied

That “maybe it couldn’t,” but he would be one

Who wouldn’t say so till he’d tried.

So he buckled right in with the trace of a grin

On his face.  If he worried he hid it.

He started to sing as he tackled the thing

That couldn’t be done, and he did it.

Somebody scoffed: “Oh, you’ll never do that;

At least no one ever has done it”;

But he took off his coat and he took off his hat,

And the first thing we knew he’d begun it.

With a lift of his chin and a bit of a grin,

Without any doubting or quiddit,

He started to sing as he tackled the thing

That couldn’t be done, and he did it.

There are thousands to tell you it cannot be done,

There are thousands to prophesy failure;

There are thousands to point out to you, one by one,

The dangers that wait to assail you.

But just buckle in with a bit of a grin,

Just take off your coat and go to it;

Just start to sing as you tackle the thing

That “cannot be done,” and you’ll do it.

Edgar Guest

Ecclesiastes‬ ‭9:10‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) Whatever you do, do well. For when you go to the grave, there will be no work or planning or knowledge or wisdom.

Philippians‬ ‭4:13‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.

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Psalm 37:4-5 (NLT)...

FROM TODAY’S READING (5/6/2019)...

“Ask yourself if what you are doing today is getting you closer to where you want to be tomorrow.”

Fritz Chery

Psalms‬ ‭37:4-5‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) 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.

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Colossians 3:16-17 (NLT)...

FROM TODAY’S READING (5/3/2019)...

“Forget the pain of yesterday, appreciate the gift of today, and stay optimistic about tomorrow.”

Unknown

Psalms‬ ‭139:1-6‬ ‭(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. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too great for me to understand!

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Joshua‬ ‭1:8-9‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do. 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.

Colossians‬ ‭3:16-17‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.

Proverbs 15:13 (NLT)...

FROM TODAY’S READING (5/2/2019)...

“Strange, when you think of it, that of all the countless folk who have lived before our time on this planet not one is known in history or in legend as having died of laughter.”

Max Beerbohm

Proverbs 15:13 (NLT) A glad heart makes a happy face; a broken heart crushes the spirit.

PROVERBS 15:15 (NLT) For the despondent, every day brings trouble; for the happy heart, life is a continual feast.

Proverbs‬ ‭17:22‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength.

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Philippians 2:3-5 (NLT)...

FROM TODAY’S READING (5/1/2019)...

“A candle loses nothing of its light by lighting another candle.”

Charles H. Spurgeon 

Philippians‬ ‭2:3-5‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) 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.

Matthew‬ ‭5:15-16‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.

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