Jesus said to him "Get Up! Pick up your mat and walk!"

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"JESUS SAID TO HIM, 'GET UP! PICK UP YOUR MAT AND WALK'." (John 5:8) - The following quote is credited to Abraham Lincoln: "You cannot help men permanently by doing for them what they could and should do for themselves." Helping a person when he/she is down and out is risky for the person being helped and the person giving the help. Helping should not create a condition of dependency. We must be moved with compassion but we must be aware what we are doing. Are we helping the other person or are we satisfying some need in ourselves? Well, probably a little of both. I observe in the Jesus healing stories that he holds the person being healed accountable by giving them something to do in their healing. Get up and move....Go to the pool and wash...To become dependent can be degrading to self-respect. There is a lot of wisdom in the words: "Give a man a fish and feed him for a day. Teach him how to fish and feed him for a life time."  We work hard as children to stand on our own feet and walk. Wise parents teach a child to do for themselves and their self-confidence grows. None of this is to discourage our helping others. This is a must for civilized people and for Christ followers, but be careful that we help and not weaken....

Your WORD is a lamp before my feet

> "YOUR WORD IS A LAMP BEFORE MY FEET AND A LIGHT FOR MY JOURNEY." (Psalm 119:105) = I read the scripture purposefully--As a child I listened as mother read the stories-some excited my imagination, some disturbed and saddened me--As a young person I read/listened to the Word that enlightened me for living in the Way of God --As a young preacher I read/listened for the Word to preach before the people on Sunday--As a older man I listen to the scripture planted in my mind as I purpose to walk in God's Way in these times in life---I will listen and by God's Grace heed the counsel of God's Word alive and Light within me--Beyond scholarship, various debates from one group or another, the Word is personal, real, conversation with Spirit and flows from memory deep within me.
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> Blessings and love,
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Love your enemies

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> This is the way God's family of humanity behaves: "But I say to you who are willing to hear: Love your enemies. Do good to those who hate you. Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who mistreat you." (Luke 6: 27,28) - You draw a circle that excludes me. I draw a circle that includes you. Sameness is boring. Diversity is colorful, different, beautiful, exciting, challenging. God"s Kingdom is not made up of people who all look alike, think alike, believe the same thing. God's kingdom is made up of diverse, different, thoughtful, searching, learning, exploring, questioning, debating, inclusive people and there is no "us" and "them". There is only "we". Being a maker of peace does not mean everybody becomes the same. It means we accept, respect, love, seek the good of one another and challenge one another to improve......
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Psalm 63:1

> "....my soul/my whole being thirsts for you....." (Psalm 63: 1) - David is in the Judean desert and is literally physically thirsty. He is reminded in this thirst of his great thirst for the refreshing presence of God in his life. Nothing else will meet that thirst deep in his soul. Have you ever finished a meal and still not satisfied. We feed on a lot of stuff in life yet are not really satisfied, until we turn our minds, hearts, beings toward the Great Supplier of all our need. Thanks be to God.....
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Give Thanks to the Lord

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> "GIVE THANKS TO THE LORD BECAUSE HE IS GOOD. GOD'S FAITHFUL LOVE LASTS FOREVER!" - Give thanks to the One who sustains me always. GOD'S FAITHFUL LOVE LASTS FOREVER! - Give thanks to the One who is with present with each of my loved ones. GOD'S FAITHFUL LOVE LASTS FOREVER! - Give thanks to the One is giving TLC to each person who suffers at this moment. GOD'S FAITHFUL LOVE LASTS FOREVER! - ( THIS IS BASED ON PSALM 136)
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Jesus and Politics

Subject: thought

I WONDER WHAT IS THE RELEVANCE OF THE LIFE AND TEACHINGS OF JESUS CHRIST TO THE POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC SITUATION IN WHICH WE LIVE?

"us" and "them" evolves to "we"

"us" and "them" evolves to "we" "--You have made us to think-You have made us to chose-You have made us to respect our thoughts-You have made us to respect the thoughts of others, even when we don't agree with them-You have made us to share our insights and to enrich each others understanding---But too often we take the positions of "us" and "them"-the result is hostility to "them" who do not belong to "us" -- We need your help Lord, to come together as "WE" in knowing the truth and way to living in this world. Amen.

Fwd: thought

I listened to the election results last night with a mixture of emotions. At the end I listened to the two candidates give their closure speeches. Both men rose above the many campaign speeches and graciously accepted the choice of the people. One rose above defeat to face forward and call our nation to move forward together. The other accepted victory and called for all of us of every persuasion to work together as one people and one nation. This will not be done without great struggle and debate but it can be done and to that end I pray for everyone in the halls of government and all the rest of us. We are "one nation under God".   

Fwd: thought

"..getting right with God." is not just a religious teaching. It is a fundamental principle of creation..it is a law of nature..all creation is one...being in since with the Spirit of creation gives unity to all else in life.   -a thought to ponder-