Me and Tea at at Edmison Heights Bible Chapel, 939 Hilliard Street, Peterborough, ON. April 30th, 2-4 pm. Tickets are only $2.00 and include goodies, prizes for fanciest headwear and the speaker. (me!) So if you will be in the area…Tickets are available at victoria.mcphail@gmail.com
There are days when we wonder how we can rejoice. March 22 was my husband’s birthday and I find it to still be a touchy kind of day. Yet in spite of things like death, loneliness and despair, God tells us to:
Consider it wholly joyful, my brethren, whenever you are enveloped in or encounter trials of any sort or fall into various temptations.
Be assured and understand that the trial and proving of your faith bring out endurance and steadfastness and patience.
But let endurance and steadfastness and patience have full play and do a thorough work, so that you may be [people] perfectly and fully developed [with no defects], lacking in nothing. (James 1:2-4, Amp)
Am I there yet? Absolutely not and maybe not ever. Still I strive toward the goal.
I press on toward the goal to win the [supreme and heavenly] prize to which God in Christ Jesus is calling us upward. (Philippians 3:14, AMP)
Prayer – Lord, let every day, every circumstance, bring us ever so slightly toward what you call us to be. Amen
Have you ever thanked the person who let you to Christ? That’s my topic today on hopestreamradio.com
Remember the programs loop continually throughout the day…wait a few minutes and your favourite program will show up OR check out our personal pages for the topic of the day.
I just read some articles about dementia. Guess what; the sufferers described how their friendships had changed.
“It’s not catching,” said one man. “I can still hold a conversation, but my friends don’t come around like they used to.”
I had the very same experience when my husband died. People who we’d known for decades, simply disappeared. No cards, no letters no phone calls, no contact at all.
What is friendship anyway?
The dictionary defines it this way: Friendship is a mutual feeling of trust and affection and the behavior that typify relationships between friends. Friendship is a relationship between people, organizations, or countries that is characterized by mutual assistance, approval, and support.
So I guess those disappearing ‘friends’ were never our friends to begin with. Honestly, I wish they’d let me know sooner…
Thankfully, we can have a better kind of friendship.
The amazing grace of the Master, Jesus Christ, the extravagant love of God, the intimate friendship of the Holy Spirit, be with all of you. (2 Corinthians 13:14, MSG)
Of course, than we have to be his friend too.
Prayer – Father, help us be caring friends, especially during hard times. Amen
I put a slice of bread into the toaster, as usual. It seemed to take a long time to cook. Finally, I left my eggs to their own devices and checked out the toaster. I couldn’t find either bread or toast. It took a while but it eventually showed up under a kitchen chair.
That toaster had spewed the toast several feet away. Because it landed on the floor, I threw it out. By now the eggs were overdone and my coffee cold.. This scenario repeated itself for a few days, until I finally figured out that the bread I used was too light for the springs of the toaster.
How are we doing in the toaster? When the crisis of living hits us do we spring out of the heat it as soon as possible? Find ways to manipulate the circumstances to our own liking? Tell a tall tale or two? Run to the nearest gossip to share our problem? All of these get us out of the heat all right but they land us in a place where we are of no use to anyone, not even ourselves.
Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. (Ephesians 6:13, KJV)
Prayer – Lord, we know the right thing to do. Help us do it for our own self-respect and most of all, for you. Amen
God’s Message came to me: “Son of man, I’m about to take from you the delight of your life—a real blow, I know. But, please, no tears. Keep your grief to yourself. No public mourning. Get dressed as usual and go about your work—none of the usual funeral rituals.”I preached to the people in the morning. That evening my wife died. The next morning I did as I’d been told. (Ezekiel 24:15-17, MSG)
And every time I read it, I ask myself these questions. Do I have that kind of obedience in me? Why/ why not? Why do I prolong my personal pain by neglecting God’s words to me?
And then I pray something like this.
Prayer – Lord God, Father of the entire universe, oh Lord God, help me to be as obedient as Ezekiel… because I want to serve you wholeheartedly, more than anything in the world. Help me to live that way, dear God. For Christ, who did. Amen