Day 60: Mirror Mirror On The Wall ....

Day 60: Mirror Mirror On The Wall ....

Read: 2 Corinthians 3:12 - 18

They are there. They are just quietly standing there on the walls. They are not doing anything in particular to draw our attention to them after all they are just inanimate objects placed there that at some given point during our day we may come to look at them once or twice or for some more to see what we would see, perhaps to stand in their shiny presence and watch and witness to what that other person sees in his or her self. Yes, as you have probably guessed already I'm referring to all those mirrors you have around your house. Mirrors in your bathrooms, vanities, hallways, bedrooms perhaps your living room and why not, even your ceilings too. What, Who do you see?

This morning I am going to take some time to examine the subject of who you really are. I am talking about “The One in the Mirror" "The One who is staring back at you" "The One no one can stand to look at first thing in the morning - the One we groan and moan at when we first arise from our beds". "The One we vigorously pray is not and will not become an Accurate Reflection of the Real You.” Are you like these One's pretending to be someone or something you pray you are not or will never become? Or have you been deceiving yourself for so long that you actually believe that you are something or someone else? Who are you really? Who are the 'One's' in the mirror?

Please excuse me for moment. There is something really important I have to do right now. "Mirror, Mirror on the wall ...Oh Forget it ... Never Mind ... Forget That I Asked ... Just Mind Your Own Business ... Leave Me Alone, Why Don't You? ... Did I Really Ask For Your Opinion? ... Are You Sure It Is Safe For You to Give To Me? ... "Would You Like Me To Return It To You In The Same Spirit In Which I Actually Received It From You? ... Did I Or Did I Not Just Tell You To Stop Staring At Me? ... Please Just Go Away You Are Bothering Me! ... You Know, One Of Us Is On The Verge of Seven Years Bad Luck! Oops, I'm sorry. I looked in my mirror, only my mirror just annoyingly kept staring back at me. Bummers!

Ancient mirrors were made of metal and gave dim reflections, which is why Paul says that now we see in a mirror, dimly. Have you ever seen your reflection in a spoon? I bet if you did, the image would be elongated and guess what ... it is upside down too. Pretty weird huh when you hold that spoon up to the light and look at yourself as Paul saw himself 2000 years ago? What about seeing your reflection in a window? That’s pretty dim, too, huh? While, there are certain things we won’t know until we get to heaven, like whether or not Adam and Eve had belly buttons. One thing we can know is whose image we are reflecting, what we look like when God's the One who is actually holding on to the mirror.

Let Us Pray: Creator God, In the very beginning of all things You said: ‘Let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness; ... So God created humankind in his image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.' First You looked in Your mirror, then looked at what Your hand created and declared them all good. Sadly, Lord, today we do not look in the same mirror You did. We see ourselves dimly and upside down. Nothing like when You first saw our reflections in the mirror You first held in your hand when You created us in our Mother's womb. So, Lord, I pray for that single day when I can hold in my hand that self same mirror 'And all of us, with unveiled faces, seeing the glory of the Lord as though reflected in a mirror, are likewise being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another; for this comes from the Lord, the Spirit.' Lord, let me reflect Your glory!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JlqqlM-r6M8
House of Mirrors, Tenth Avenue North (lyrics!)
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House of Mirrors

House of Mirrors, Tenth Avenue North (lyrics!)

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House of Mirrors

Day 59: Describing The Indescribable

Day 59: Describing The Indescribable

Read: Romans 8:31 - 39

Okay, all you cold, revved up, psyched out, shop till you drop or fall asleep, in shape, intrepid, just a wee bit out of your collective minds black Friday shoppers out there, I have a question for you if you can separate yourselves long enough from all the noise of the store, the humungous crowds of people trying to push through the front of the store, the hustle and bustle of planning your every move through every store down to the minutest detail, from your cell or smart phone apps telling you which aisle to run like crazy to, pushing yourself, trying to swat away hands trying to grab your bargain item, standing in impossibly long lines, opening your wallets and purses to pay day.

Here I am, over here in my cozy warm dining room. The only noises I hear are my Ice Maker and three of my wife's cats as they stretch out and go back to sleep. My wife is sound asleep and all is actually quite calm and pleasant and I pray it remains this way. What I just tried to do in the above opening paragraph was to be as descriptive as I believed that I could get away with of the annual black Friday day after Thanksgiving 2012 shopping rush. And now, after wracking my brain for every last bit of imagery I could think to describe and compare the madness of today's shopping world, the quiet
of my own inner sanctum home, I am finally going to get around to asking a question.

And the question is this: Can you please take a few moments to describe for me the love that God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit has for you this day, had for all your yesterdays, will continue to have throughout all of your tomorrows? I know that this really is not a question you expected to be asked on a day like this. I guess you would have expected me to ask you to describe your most harrowing buy or your clever planning and maneuvers to get to that bargain only you knew about or about that miraculous parking spot you found after praying like crazy. Nope, I am truly sorry to disappoint you on that score. I am only asking you to try to describe God's love for you.

We’re all familiar with the description of HUMAN love. There’s “puppy” love, Grand-parent love, “first” love, a love for the arts, a love of chocolate, and much more. We have all kinds of friends … “fair-weather” friends, “long-distance” friends, “new” friends, “old” friends, “former” friends, “close” friends. These are HUMAN love, and HUMAN love has been described as fickle, sporadic, temporary, and very conditional. But, God IS love, His love is being described as unconditional, constant, and perfect. You can't simply describe God’s love, because God IS love and God defies description (Isaiah 40:12 - 31, Romans 5:1 - 11, Ephesians 3:14 - 19). Try just for a while describing God's Indescribable Love for you.

Let Us Pray: In the beauty and stillness of our homes, O God, it is easy to feel Your love and Your presence. In the busyness and craziness of life outside - not so much. Help us while we are here, there and everywhere in between to center our lives and our hopes in the Indescribable love of Your Son Jesus Christ who willingly died for us while we're yet striving so indescribably hard to live as Your love's greatest enemy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RpGi3964_fQ

Laura Story - You are Love - Lyrics

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You are justice for every oppression You're forgiveness for every confession You are beauty, goodness, blessing You are love You are healing for

Day 58: Give Thank(S) With A Grateful Heart

Day 58: Give Thank(S) With A Grateful Heart

Read: Romans 8:31 - 39

Well, the day is finally here. It is Thank(S)giving day 2012. And, well, yes, I did quite intentionally capitalize the 'S' to make a subtle perhaps overlooked point. And that subtle perhaps even overlooked point (as a wonderful friend reminded me yesterday) is that there is, was and always shall be more than one reason for giving and being thankful. I am asking you to think about it for a few moments if you will and even if you wont - how does 'thankgiving' day look and sound to you? If you could see what I just wrote you would see my spell checker has underlined the word in 'red' (try it, and see for yourself). Concentrating on the word, I can't help but feel there is something missing.

Life is filled with questions, isn’t it, like why is it that all these spell checkers tell you there needs to be an (S) in Thank(S)giving to spell it correctly? Some questions just make us laugh while others make us scratch our heads. Here are a few that I have come across… (1) Why do we press all the harder on a remote when we know the batteries are going dead? (2) Why aren't we thankful glue doesn’t stick to the bottle? (3) Why do we constantly return to the refrigerator with hearts of thanks and voices of praise that something new to eat will have materialized from when we last visited ten minutes ago? Yes, I fully agree that these are subtly silly nonsensical questions.

As we come to the end of Romans 8, we’re faced with a crescendo of questions. See if you can spot (7) them: “What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all-how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died-more than that, who was raised to life-is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?

While most of these questions are rhetorical, they are no less real and no less of a reason to give more than one thank(S) to God for each of them. In fact, Paul is using this method to get us to deliberately pause and ponder these amazing truths. He’s also doing something else that is even more subtle, that is not real evident in English. Instead of using connecting words, he’s utilizing a Question and Answer format in a rapid fire manner, moving quickly from one question to the next to build upon each point God is trying very hard to make. You can't say 'thank you' one time and be done with it for the fullness and completeness of God's love for us, for Christ's once and for all sacrificial gift of everlasting salvation.

Let Us Pray: God of all blessings, source of all life, giver of all grace: We thank you for the gift of life: for the breath that sustains life, for the provision of this earth that nurtures life, for the love of family and friends without which there would be no life. We thank you for this day: for this gift of life and one more day to love, for neighbors and one more person to love and by whom be loved, for your grace and one more experience of your presence, for your promise: to be with us, to be our God, and to give salvation through the life, death and resurrection of Your Son Jesus Christ. For all these, and all the heavenly blessings which are Yours alone to bestow, we give you all our thanks, eternal, loving God, through Jesus Christ whom we do most solemnly pray this Thank(s)giving day 2012. Amen.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r2_IZZNjdas
GIVE THANKS | Words & Music
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Karaoke music video : GIVE THANKS praise and worship song.

GIVE THANKS | Words & Music

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Karaoke music video : GIVE THANKS praise and worship song.

Day 57: God Provides, Even If ....

Day 57: God Provides, Even If ....

Read: John 6:1 - 14

Few things enrich life like a good friend. To have someone with whom you can share your deepest thoughts, feelings and longings – someone who can ask anything of you and of whom you can ask anything – who provides a wonderful encouragement to the meaning and joy of life. Most people do not have many close friends. It takes time, trust, and perseverance to develop meaningful relationships. To have friends, you must be a friend. But although making and sustaining friendships can be difficult, the benefits are tremendous. In this season of thanksgiving, in the face of mankind's greatest needs even if man cannot sufficiently provide, God's promise is that He will more than sufficiently provide.

The miraculous feeding of the five thousand. It is the only one of Jesus’ miracles that is recorded by all four evangelists — Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. God chose the miraculous provision of food to describe the person and work of his Son Jesus Christ from four different angles, four different perspectives. Each author brings a unique point of view to his account as each writes for a different audience. The audience at the time of the feeding was a an enormously large crowd that had all gathered from around the country side to discover what all the hubbub was about. They had heard of great healing's among the sick of their villages and had witnessed great wonders.

One of the first things I see from this story is the gathering of such a large group of people of which nothing in particular is known or even described. John does not say that women and children were present in addition to the men; Matthew adds that detail. Matthew 14.21: “And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children.” We do not know how many besides, but it is easy to imagine another 5000 hungry people, or 10,000—probably more. The questions that I now find myself most curious about are: 1) What did they do for a living? 2) How many were carpenters, pottery makers, farmers, crop gatherer's, workers of vineyards? How many of them were slaves?

I wonder, did it really matter to Jesus what they did? Did it really matter if they were rich men, poor men, beggars or thieves. Nowhere in any of the four narratives does it say that Jesus told the disciples to separate each of those gathered according to their means to pay, job titles or lack thereof, past histories, touchable or untouchable or any other measure whereby they might be judged as worthy for this reason or as unworthy for that reason. In this great season of Thanksgiving we are tasked to look
beyond what we have, to give even if we know we cannot afford it. We are tasked to give thanks to God everything. Even if it's beyond our means, it's never beyond God's!

Let Us Pray: Heavenly Father I thank you for the promises for provision in your Word. I thank you for supplying all my needs according to your riches in glory. I cast all my cares upon you for you care affectionately for me I thank you. Because you were made poor I have been made rich. Even if I am judged this way or that by man, even if I am a butcher, baker or candlestick maker, even if I am filthy or I if I live on the streets of some anonymous place, If I am employed or unemployed, If I am judged as something I am or am not, in prison or free, I look up to you alone as the source of my provision for all my needs. Even if mankind cannot or will not, I know You will.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HqOkZiOb9u0

Kutless - "Even If" (Official Lyric Video)

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Lyric video for "Even If" from the new Kutless album "Believer", in stores and online now! © 2012 BEC Recordings

Day 56: Priorities: Is our J O Y In The Right Place?

Day 56: Priorities: Is our J O Y In The Right Place?

Read: Matthew 6:19 - 21

Last night when I was doing some basic shopping for the house, I looked around the grocery store and took the time to notice that there seemed to be allot more people than I would have otherwise expected for that time of the night. It likewise dawned on me that the parking lot was pretty full too. Then the obvious dawned on me: It is one day closer to that day of all days called "Thanksgiving". The shopping carts were loaded to the brim, the shoppers seemed to be trying to push Mount Everest forward and through the aisles looking for all the food stuffs they were going to need to spend hours and hours in their kitchens preparing grand meals for their families and friends.

The year is almost over. It has moved quite quickly it seems. Day after day has gone by. Children have been in school learning what it is they will need to build character. Birthdays, anniversaries, vacations, people working hard on their jobs if they have them or working hard to try and find one that will pay the bills, keep a roof over their head, keeping or putting food on the table to feed their families, Wars being fought or threatening to start in far away lands. So, I'm contemplating the meaning of all that earthly stuff when Jesus breaks in: "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal." Boing!! The Light broke into my darkness.

Undoubtedly it has been said somewhere and oftentimes repeated that our priorities as a Christian should be J O Y (Jesus, Others, You). Yet, I find myself wondering, in the reality that is pressing against us from all sides and all points of the compass, just how do we see our priorities. Where do we see the JOY principal in our lives, in our finances, in our daytime or our night time, and in the everyday decisions that we all make. Do we worry too much about and serve the Holy trinity of me, myself and I? It is not to say that all the dimensions of our lives are not important enough or should not, in it's own given time and season, be ignored or properly dealt with accordingly.

In fact, I believe Jesus would be awfully disappointed if we did not do what we had to do when we had to do it for the sake of His Kingdom. So we should still be about the business of our lives when and where we are called to do so, but also we are to be equally vigorous about the business of living out the Gospel for the sake of all our neighbor's lives as well. This where Jesus once again suddenly breaks into our earthly priorities: "But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." So please consider: Where is your J O Y this morning?

Let Us Pray: Dear Lord, Creator of all things, everything on earth is yours. We have nothing that can make you richer, for it all comes from you in the first place. But what we have we bring – the acknowledgment that we live thanks to you, and that without you we have nothing and can do nothing. Help us who have received so freely from you to give as freely in our turn, and so have the pleasure of giving as well as the JOY and happiness of receiving. For Jesus, who died poor that we should be rich in Him.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TC2F4WZozpU

Laura Story - Friend of Sinners - Lyrics

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You have shown us what is holy How to bless the Father's heart To act justly and love mercy To walk humbly with our God This is who you are This is who

Day 55: Dear God: This Is Where I Am At Right Now!

Day 55: Dear God: This Is Where I Am At Right Now!

Read: 1Kings 19:1 - 18 (The Prophet Elijah flees from Jezebel)

Dear God,

"Well, Here I am Lord, exhausted and completely wore out. I have spent the whole day running like somebody that was being pursued by a pride of lions. I just cannot take another step. My body has nothing left to give and I can barely breath. My mind has just gone off the deep end. It is racing with the thoughts of my pursuers catching up to me that they may take their revenge upon me and thrust their angry swords through my pounding heart. They seek to kill, they seek to spill my blood as I spilled so much of theirs. I cannot help but feel like a complete failure. I do not feel the least bit worthy of Your spirit that gives me life. My God: This is where I am at right now!"

What we’re going to talk about today are the emotional extremes that many people go through. It is slowly entering that time of year when winter sets in and the days and nights get colder and shorter. The night time comes too soon and day light does not last nearly long enough to suit us. The holidays are coming, families will soon be gathering, lots of money we don't necessarily have will soon be spent in great waves. The pressure will soon be upon us to answer all those charitable calls that also seem to come within those great waves. There soon will be plenty of people traveling far away. There will be headaches waiting for everyone at the airports and train stations.

There will be people standing in long lines and muttering to themselves: “What’s the opposite of joy?" To which someone will answer "Sadness". "What is the opposite of elation?" - to which someone will respond "depression." "The opposite of woe?" To which some smart mouthed individual will glibly reply "Well, now, I suppose that the opposite of woe, would be to giddy up." Yes there will be all this joy and elation just waiting for all those unsuspecting people who like the Prophet Elijah are struggling in the midst of: sagging and depressed moods, a slowly growing loss of interest in life. They are undoubtedly experiencing sleep problems, difficulties trying to concentrate.

Like Elijah sitting under the Broom tree, their minds and bodies are in an unsettling state of agitation and growing restlessness. They like Elijah may be muttering" “It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life, for I am no better than my ancestors.” (4b) Depression is very real part of life for many people. Let me repeat… Depression can be a very real problem, has been even from those most ancient of days till now. So, Why would a man who had experienced some of the most powerful displays of God’s power… Why would he suddenly be crippled by fear, hopelessness and despair? Many are the reasons even the strongest become afflicted. So, where are you right now?

Let Us Pray: Dear Lord Father of Comfort, we are all sitting here under our Broom trees and like Your great Prophet Elijah, some of us are reaching our points of no return. From the vast depths of eternity You looked upon Your suffering servant and You sent forth Your Holy Angels to Elijah's side to minister to Him and to feed Him. Your is the One mountain Elijah journeyed 40 days to take shelter in. You are the One in whom He fully trusted to care for him and heal him. Today, May your servant trust in your goodness and hope in your faithfulness, even in the middle of this suffering. Let him be filled with patience and joy in your presence as he waits for your healing touch. Please restore your servant to full health, dear Father. Raise us as You raised Elijah.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zm5oirhXl7I

Rhett Walker Band - When Mercy Found Me (with lyrics)

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The lead radio single from Rhett Walker Band, "When Mercy Found Me." Debut album, Come To

Day 54: God's Guide Book To Eternal Life

Day 54: God's Guide Book To Eternal Life

Read: Isaiah 40:6 - 8

Every place you will ever visit, every place you will ever go on vacation to no matter how plain or exotic it will ever be will have a guide book to tell you all the wonderful places they recommend you try. Included in any of these guide books will be all the places you could stay in - rented condos, hotels, motels, bed and breakfasts, camp sites. They will have all the spots that you can have a bite to eat from the fast food joints to the most chic restaurants and everywhere in between. Do you want to know where all the clothing, antique and collectible shops are - look in the local guidebooks. Want to know where to find the best things leading to eternal life - look in the Bible.

The Bible is given to give us direction in life. Do you want to know where you came from and why you were created? Do you want to know how to find your purpose in life? Do you want to find meaning in life? Do you want to get prepared for eternity? Look to God’s Guide book - the Bible. In Creation we know there is a Divine Creator. In nature we have General revelation of God. The Bible is God’s special revelation to guide us into truth. Do you know the Bible well enough to find the guidance you need in life? Without adequate study any guidebook is confusing trying to sift through all of the places you might visit. The Bible can be a confusing book to find life's answers.

From an internet search the following statements about the Bible were written by children. 1. In the first book of the bible, Guinessis, God got tired of creating the world, so he took the Sabbath off. 2. Adam and Eve were created from an apple tree. Noah’s wife was called Joan of Ark. Noah built an ark which the animals come on to in pears. 3. Lot’s wife was a pillar of salt by day, but a ball of fire by night. 4. Samson slayed the Philistines with the axe of the Apostles. 5. The greatest miracle in the Bible is when Joshua told his son to stand still and he obeyed him. 6. Jesus could not lie to His Father when asked if it was His axe that was the one that chopped down His only Tree of Life.

You can trust God’s Word as your guide to eternal life because the Bible is Inspired by God. What we have in the Bible is not the words of man, but the very Word of God. Writers of Scripture didn't write on their own they wrote as moved by the Holy Spirit. God empowered and inspired different men and women to write the Scriptures as God revealed it. They wrote through their own personalities from their very own life experiences. The New Testament Writers accepted the Old Testament books as the authentic Word of God. Jesus referred to the Old Testament writings as God’s Word. The Bible is always Reliable. The Bible is always going to Relevant. The Bible is an ever lasting God’s path to our eternal life.

Let Us Pray: Almighty and Ever Living God, in You are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. Open our eyes that we may see the wonders of Your Word; and give us grace that we may clearly understand and freely choose the way of Your wisdom that leads to our eternal life through professed belief in Christ as our Lord.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QvLxZEU02uI&feature=g-high-rec
Cornerstone - Cornerstone - Hillsong Live 2012 - (HD) (With Lyrics)
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Cornerstone - Hillsong Live 2012 - (HD) (With Lyrics) Watch in 1080p Please Comment Rate and

Cornerstone - Cornerstone - Hillsong Live 2012 - (HD) (With Lyrics)

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Cornerstone - Hillsong Live 2012 - (HD) (With Lyrics) Watch in 1080p Please Comment Rate and Subscribe Please be informed I do not own this