Never Give Up EVEN When You Fail

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> "….A POET WHOSE DREAMS ARE TOO LARGE FOR HIS WORDS." (Louis L'Amour) We are creatures who dream, imagine, aspire, search, look for a better or different way. We are fortunate if we have goals too big for us, dreams beyond our ability. We are blessed if we never give up because we can never seem to "get it right". But the most wonderful of all is the awareness that our Creator has dreams for us and all creation, and that our joy and deep satisfaction is in the realization that we are living, moving and having our being in the Original Dreamer.
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Faith

“Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above….” (John 19:11 KJV) Jesus is being interrogated by Pilate. Pilate reminded Jesus that he had the power to crucify him or release him. Jesus responded saying Pilate would have no power if God did not allow it. We need structure and laws to live together  peacefully and productively. Persons sometimes get into positions of authority and use it unwisely. It is well to remember who is in charge of the sun rising each morning. Who is responsible for a heart to keep beating until it comes time for it to stop. And the problems that have no solution will ultimately come under the light of Divine Intelligence. Some may call this thinking escapism. I call it faith and trust in the will of God even if I can’t comprehend creation. At least it is better than futility.

Creator

THE STORY OF SUCCESS REVEALS A TRAIL OF GOOD AND BAD DECISIONS, FAILURE AND OVERCOMING, SUFFERING, PAIN, JOY AND CELEBRATION. FAITH AND GOD ARE NOT ABOUT MAKING THINGS EASY AND SECURING SUCCESS. IT IS ABOUT COMPANIONSHIP WITH THE MASTER CREATOR AND REALIZING YOU ARE PART OF SOMETHING BEGGER THAN YOURSELF. WHEN I SEE SOMEONE WHO IS DOING WELL I KNOW THERE IS A LOT TO THE STORY THAT BRINGS THE PERSON TO THIS MOMENT AND IT IS NOT ALL PRETTY BUT IS COVERED IN GRACE. THE GREATEST SUCCESS STORY IS WHEN GOD SAID, LET US CREATE……HUMANS…AND SINCE THAT MOMENT GOD HAS HAD MORE TROUBLE  WITH HUMANS THAN ANY OTHER PART OF CREATION, BUT GOD WINS WHEN WE ARE COVERED IN GRACE AND BEING MADE NEW OVER AND OVER AGAIN….

Christmas Morning

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> HOPE IN THE BIRTH OF A BABY LONG AGO.
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> AND WE REMEMBER ON THIS MORNING.
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> GOD WAS/IS IN CHRIST RECONCILING THE WORLD …GETTING PEOPLE IN SYNC WITH DIVINE PURPOSE…THAT WE MAY HAVE LIFE AND HAVE IT ABUNDANTLY..

God with us

"Like a city whose walls have been broken down is a man/woman without self-control. (Proverbs 25:28) - 'If you cannot control your anger, you are as helpless as a city without walls, open to attack." These two renderings of this verse speak to the need to be responsible for ourselves, our ability to discipline our thoughts and feelings. it is opportunity to remember that God in Christ illustrated our way to treat each other. He also shows us in his personal behavior the exercise of self-control. On the streets of the world where violence erupts the voices of self-control speak to the presence of "God with us".

Fwd: thought

"Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.On this side of Eternity we are pretty well occupied with the physical of life.While that is necessary for physical survival, it is still temporary. The most important survival reality is our spiritual nature. Our spiritual nature is connected to Holy Spirit/God. At this level we live in eternity. The vitality of our spirit is essential to survival. it is our spirit that sees the possible in the impossible. "The Spirit gives birth to spirit." This is another  dimension of the advent of the baby Jesus.

Happy Birthday Papa

"BUT GOD WILL GIVE GLORY, HONOR, AND PEACE TO ALL WHO DO WHAT IS GOOD….." (Romans 2:10)  This may be beyond our comprehension. We accept it in faith and keep on doing the good we can despite the bad that shouts back at us.

Fwd: thought

"LET JUSTICE ROLL ON LIKE A RIVER AND RIGHTEOUSNESS LIKE AN EVER-FLOWING STREAM." (Amos 5:24) - genuine respect for people-quality of being fair and reasonable. The prophet speaking to the people made clear the word of God for the way they were to treat everyone. This is still the Word for today. This is what Jesus Christ practiced in his time on earth….

STAND AT THE CROSSROADS AND LOOK

"STAND AT THE CROSSROADS AND LOOK; ASK FOR THE ANCIENT PATHS, ASK WHERE THE GOOD WAY IS, AND WALK IN IT. AND YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS." -Jeremiah 6:16-  crossroads-ancient paths-the good way-walk in it-rest for your souls. let these words be on the mile post of life today. let me ponder them until their meaning opens to light my way……..maybe you can find them helpful too……

Clean the Inside of the Cup

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> Something I read recently got my attention and I share it. "…WHERE THE LINE BETWEEN PARTIES ONCE WAS A PICKET FENCE, IN MANY CASES NOW IT'S SOLID BRICK AND RAZOR WIRE." - I am a bit cynical about the current political advertisements. I ;think they are mainly spin and secondarily may have some truth in them. However, isn't this the way it has always been? We slay one another with words and others slay with swords and guns. Jesus had something to say about this kind of behavior. Love God with all your being and love others as you love yourself. other places he said for us to clean the inside of the cup then what comes out of it will be clean. In all areas of life we must get ourselves cleaned up in mind and heart and start treating one another as Jesus treated his followers long ago and will help us do so now.
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Standup and Listen

"Mortal man, stand up. I want to talk to you." (Ezekiel 2: 1) - Life was not ideal for this man. He lived in exile and he carried in his heart a burden for the wellbeing of God's people, even though they did not want to hear what he had to say. In this particular experience he heard God tell him to stand up and listen. God wanted to tell him something.I opened my Bible to this passage this morning and started reading. Immediately these words seemed to be like a message to me. Today I hope to have a listening ear and willing heart to hear what Holy Spirit has to say. I hope to live in awareness, in awe of the sacredness of life and each moment. I hope to live in sync with Goodness, Truth, Compassion, Kindness……because these attributes are indicative of God's nature and presence. I invite you to stand up and listen to what God has to say to you today….

Psalm 139

SEARCH ME, O GOD, AND KNOW MY HEART; TEST ME AND KNOW MY THOUGHTS. SEE IF THERE IS AN WICKED WAY IN ME, AND LEAD ME IN THE WAY EVERLASTING. (Psalm 139:23-24). this is my prayer in the moments, experiences, thoughts as I live today in this body……

Clean the Inside of the Cup first

Something I read recently got my attention and I share it. "…WHERE THE LINE BETWEEN PARTIES ONCE WAS A PICKET FENCE, IN MANY CASES NOW IT'S SOLID BRICK AND RAZOR WIRE."  - I am a bit cynical about the current political advertisements. I ;think they are mainly spin and secondarily may have some truth in them. However, isn't this the way it has always been? We slay one another with words and others slay with swords and guns. Jesus had something to say about this kind of behavior. Love God with all your being and love others as you love yourself. other places he said for us to clean the inside of the cup then what comes out of it will be clean. In all areas of life we must get ourselves cleaned up in mind and heart and start treating one another as Jesus treated his followers long ago and will help us do so now.

Amen

On Dec 5, 2014 6:34 AM, "Bill Edwards" <revwge@me.com> wrote:

MOMENTS PASS,THE DAY THEN DAYS AND MAYBE WEEKS-SO MANY DEMANDS ON OUR ATTENTION AND WE WALK FASTER TO KEEP UP. THE BODY, MIND AND SPIRIT END THE DAY WEARY AND WE DARE NOT PAUSE TO THINK WHETHER ALL THIS IS WORTH THE TIME AND ENERGY. BUT THIS ADVENT TIME LEADING UP TO THE BIRTH OF CHRIST AND CHRISTMAS DAY CALLS US TO PAUSE AND CONTEMPLATE THE SIMPLE MANGER SCENE. NO FRILLS, NO EXTRAS, JUST BASICS AND THE REST OF THE WORLD IS UNAWARE THAT ONE IS BORN AND THE WORLD WILL NEVER BE THE SAME. NOW THE REAL POINT OF ALL THIS IS A REMINDER FOR US TO PAUSE, WAIT, EXPERIENCE OUR AWAKENING TO THE REALITY THAT "GOD IS WITH US." AND THAT IS ALL THAT REALLY MATTERS.