FW: Word For The Day - July 22, 2014

Lasting Regrets

 

Read:  Psalm 32:1-10

When I kept silent, my bones grew old through my groaning all the day long. - Psalm 32:3

 

Audio:  Psalm 32

 

Bible In One Year:  Psalms 31-32; Acts 23:16-35

 

While I was talking with a gifted pianist, she asked me if I played any musical instruments. When I responded, "I play the radio," she laughed and asked if I had ever wanted to play any instrument. My embarrassed answer was, "I took piano lessons as a boy but gave it up."

 

Now, in my adult years, I regret not continuing with the piano. I love music and wish I could play today. That conversation was a fresh reminder to me that life is often constituted by the choices we make - and some of them produce regret.

 

Some choices produce much more serious and painful regrets. King David discovered this when he chose to sleep with another man's wife and then killed that man. He described the guilt that filled him as devastating, saying, "When I kept silent, my bones grew old through my groaning all the day long. For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me; my vitality was turned into the drought of summer" (Ps. 32:3-4). But David acknowledged and confessed his sin to God and found forgiveness (v.5).

 

It is only from God that we can receive the grace of forgiveness when our choices have produced painful regrets. And only in Him do we find the wisdom to make better choices.

 

Father of mercies, forgive me for the foolish choices

I have made. Please enable me to be wiser in

my choices. Teach me the value of resting

in Your grace.

 

God's forgiveness frees us from the chains of regret.

 

 

Calm Down and Lighten Up!

Calm Down and Lighten Up!

 

Read:  Matthew 6:25-34

Do not worry or be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will have worries and anxieties of its own. Sufficient for each day is its own trouble.  - Matthew 6:34

 

Audio:  Matthew 6

 

Bible in One Year: Psalms 33-34; Acts 24

 

My personal definition of anxiety is mentally leaving where you are and getting into an area of the past or the future. One of the things we need to understand is that God wants us to learn to be "now people." Too often we spend our time in the past or the future. We need to learn to live now - mentally as well as physically and spiritually. There is an anointing on today.

 

In John 8:58, Jesus referred to Himself as I AM. If you and I, as His disciples, try to live in the past or the future, we are going to find life hard for us because Jesus is always in the present. That's what He meant when He told us in Matthew 6:34, Do not worry or be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will have worries and anxieties of its own. Sufficient for each day is its own trouble.

 

Jesus has plainly told us we don't need to worry about anything. All we need to do is seek the kingdom of God, and He will add to us whatever we need, whether it is food or clothing or shelter or spiritual growth (See Matthew 6:25-33). We don't need to be concerned about tomorrow, because tomorrow will have problems of its own. We need to concentrate our full attention on today and stop being so intense and stirred up.

 

Calm down and lighten up! Laugh more and worry less. Stop ruining today worrying about yesterday or tomorrow - neither of which we can do anything about. We need to stop wasting our precious "now," because it will never come again. The next time you are tempted to get anxious or upset about something - especially something in the past or the future - think about what you are doing and turn your mind to what is going on today.

 

Learn from the past and prepare for the future, but live in the present.

 

 

God is the Author...

Arlene Wilson

Field Director for Mission Delivery

Key Markets East

Sent from my iPad

Begin forwarded message:

From: "Johnson, Robin" <Robin_Johnson@rge.com>
Date: July 21, 2014 at 10:24:30 AM EDT
To: "Adams, Timothy" <Timothy_Adams@rge.com>, Alvin Mcgee <Mcgeeal@hotmail.com>, Anthony Council <Counant@aol.com>, Arlene Wilson <awilson@diabetes.org>, "Clark, Sparkle S." <Sparkle_Clark@rge.com>, "Cotton, Patricia" <Patricia_Cotton@rge.com>, Delores Prad <Deloresprad@yahoo.com>, Diedra Wynn <Diedre.wynn@dfa.state.ny.us>, "Brumfield, Ebony M" <Ebony_Brumfield@rge.com>, Florence Clemmons <Florence_clemmons@hotmail.com>, "griffin,lamont" <griffinson@hotmail.com>, Lashonda <Shondalonda@hotmail.com>, "Lattimore, Terry" <Terry_Lattimore@rge.com>, Lydia Boddie-Rice <lydbod@gmail.com>, "Lynda Dickinson" <ldickinson@jeffstateonline.com>, "Marshall-Johnson, Gail" <Gail_Marshall-Johnson@rge.com>, "Mays, Kim" <Kim_Mays@rge.com>, "Monica Glover" <m_glvr@yahoo.com>, "Smith, Lolita" <Lolita_Smith@rge.com>, "Tina McNeil" <Mcneill4u@aol.com>, "Torres, Ivette" <Ivette_Torres@rge.com>, Wanda Gore <wfgpeace@aol.com>, "Webb, Wanda" <Wanda_Webb@rge.com>, "Williams, Louise" <Louise_Williams@rge.com>
Subject: FW: Word For The Day - July 21, 2014

Too good not to share, have a blessed week:).

 

Robin L. Johnson Analyst/Customer Advocate 89 East Ave-3rd Fl/Rochester, NY 14649 Telephone 585-771-4466 Fax 585-771-6383 Robin_Johnson@RGE.com
	In the interest of the environment, please print only if necessary and recycle.

From: griffinson@hotmail.com [mailto:griffinson@hotmail.com]

Subject: Word For The Day - July 21, 2014

 

July 21, 2014

 

 

Inner Peace

 

Read:  Philippians 4:4-9

For God is not the author of confusion but of peace. - 1 Corinthians 14:33

 

Audio:  Philippians 4

 

Bible In One Year:  Psalms 29-30; Acts 23:1-15

 

The peace of God enfolds me. I am serene.

 

When the busyness of daily life leaves me feeling overburdened, it is time to seek the peace of God.

 

I understand that God not only knows my needs, but brings me peace if I permit it. I turn to Spirit within and repeat this Scripture quietly: God is not the author of confusion but of peace. If I still feel tension or stress, I repeat the prayer until I begin to feel the calming peace of God enfolding me.

 

The tangle and clutter of the day disappear as my thoughts become more orderly. I am able to return to my day, not rushed or confused, but confident that God's will for me is peace. Spirit is with me always, helping me regain peace whenever I call on the Divine Presence.

 

 

 

Matthew 6:12-13

Forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors. Bring us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For yours is the Kingdom, the power, and the glory forever. Amen.
– Matthew 6:12-13

Sent from Daily Bible Inspirations

Down a Dusty Road

 

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.  Psalm 46:1 (KJV)

 

One morning I struggled to walk along in happiness.  I prayed out loud. "Lord, what do we do now?".  The load seemed more than I could bear.  But I then began to realize that God never allows more burden then we can bear with His strength for us.

 

With His help we can manage the load.  It's just important that we remember Him - the one who is our refuge, strength, and fortress.  Being quiet and remembering God is the key.  So whether it is a psalm, a quiet walk, or a hymn that helps us come into God's presence is not so much the point as the fact that we go.  Let's not miss being still, and living in God's strength for whatever we must carry.

 

Be still, my soul the Lord is on thy side;  Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain.  Leave to thy God to order and provide; In every change His faithfulness will remain. 

 

Have a great day:)

 

We wait in hope for the Lord; he is our help and our shield. Psalm 33:20(NIV)

We wait in hope for the Lord; he is our help and our shield.    Psalm 33:20(NIV)

 

It’s comforting to know that God is our "Boss." our help, and our shield.  He coverts us entirely protecting us by His strength everywhere we go.  He protects us from Satan's fiery arrows, deflects hurtful remarks from others, and helps us while on the offensive for Him.

 

God's protection is not built from metal but from an intimate, trusting relationship with God strengthened as we confess our sins to Him, receive His forgiveness, and transparently engage with Him daily.  As we do that, we find strength to wait in hope for the Lord in every situation.

 

Our "safe place" is not where we live; it is in whom we live. 

 

Have a great day:)

 

Ephesians 6:16-18

Above all, taking up the shield of faith, with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the evil one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; with all prayer and requests, praying at all times in the Spirit, and being watchful to this end in all perseverance and requests for all the holy ones.
– Ephesians 6:16-18

Sent from Daily Bible Inspirations

Becoming Something You Can't

Becoming Something You Can't

 

"Through Him everyone who believes is justified from everything you could not be justified could not be justified from by the law of Moses."

Act 13:39 (NIV)

 

God declares we all can become something we are not, if we believe.  Paul went to the synagogues to declare God's message of forgiveness and justification by faith in Jesus.  He told them they could be declared right and whole before God - something no one grows into on their own.  Some listened and looked at themselves as they really were - too weak to achieve their own righteousness.  Those who chose to believe received God's righteousness and became something they were not before and could never have become on their own. 

 

God has declared we can become righteous by faith in Jesus Christ.  The opportunity remains.  Our scrawny arms, our sinful hearts, our whole life will be made new in Christ.  We can look at ourselves as we really are, then to Jesus and believe.  Watch the difference that grows in your heart with God's freedom to worship Him boldly and live joyfully for Him.

 

God, I am looking to You, receiving Your declaration about me today….

 

 

Sam Farr Challenge

Join CA Congressman Sam Farr and Nutrition Educator Mary Toscano and take the 30-Day Challenge! The "Sam Farr Challenge" is a health and fitness-oriented community event to help people lose weight and feel healthier. It was inspired by my visit with CA Congressman Sam Farr in Washington DC as part of the American Diabetes Association. I witnessed how difficult it is to maintain a healthy lifestyle on Capitol Hill. From that experience, I invited Congressman Farr to a special, 30-day challenge. He said yes! We both saw the opportunity to open this Challenge to the public to improve the health of many. A pilot version of the Challenge was launched on May 12, 2014. Fifty people jumped on board. Below are some of their Success Stories.

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OUR 30-DAY CHALLENGE BEGINS MONDAY JULY 14th! How Does the Challenge Work? Choose the Basic or Extreme level, and follow those 3 simple rules for 30 days. By making just these three changes you can lose extra weight and greatly improve your health and overall well-being. BASIC No alcohol after 7:30pm No more than 1 serving of bread or pasta per day* 7,000 steps or 30 min exercise daily EXTREME No food or alcohol after 7:30pm No foods with flour or >20g Sugars (per serving) 10,000 steps or 1 hour exercise daily *Whole grain preferred. Eliminating bread will be the hardest thing to do, but is the fastest way to drop weight. Flour is the biggest source of hidden sugar in the American diet. A single plain bagel dumps 12 teaspoons of sugar in the blood. A typical serving of spaghetti will dump 22 teaspoons. Any sugar the body doesn't use for energy gets turned into fat.     Who is Congressman Sam Farr? Congressman Sam Farr, a fifth-generation Californian, represents the state's beautiful Central Coast. Throughout his 20-year tenure, Mr. Farr has been a leading advocate for California agriculture, an outspoken activist for affordable housing and a champion of the oceans. [Visit Website] Who is Mary Toscano? Mary Toscano is a Certified Nutrition Educator and the author of the book, "Sweet Fire: Sugar, Diabetes & Your Health." Because of her family history (both sets of grandparents died from complications of diabetes) and her own sensitivity to sugar, she has dedicated herself to figuring out the role of sugar in health. [Visit Website]

My pants fit better, back pain lessened and I feel stronger. Exercise is now a daily part of my life, and I love it! – JE My A1C is down to 6.6 (from 7.3!) – PM At first, I thought 30 days without bread and pasta would be impossible, but it went by faster than I thought it would. I lost 6 pounds and I didn't change any other habits! – MB I lost 8 pounds, have more energy, am much happier and more ambitious. My blood pressure readings also went down! – RP The best part was a boost of energy, and loss of the sleepiness after eating. I learned how much refined carbs cloud my mind. – AG I lost weight without even trying and have more energy during the day. I sure don't miss those afternoon slumps! – SM After serious medical problems my life has been sitting on a sofa. I am back at the gym, have more energy and am sleeping better. Plus I am waking up much earlier and much more awake than before. – MH Doing these rules for 30 days has made the "desire" a habit. – JM As the days went by, the urge to eat bread and pasta subsided. Thank you for getting me involved with healthier eating! – MY I love the emails everyday with encouragement, ideas and participant experiences. I never felt like I was alone; there was always support. – MB

© 2014 Mary Toscano Healthy Living

Ephesians 5:18-20

Don't be drunken with wine, in which is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs; singing, and making melody in your heart to the Lord; giving thanks always concerning all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to God, even the Father; subjecting yourselves to one another in the fear of Christ.
– Ephesians 5:18-20

Fwd: Word For The Day - July 2, 2014

 

We are all a part of many groups: a family, community, town, nation, and so on.  By faith and action we can be part of a church.  We can discover our part where we worship when we look for what we can do or learn.  Jesus Christ the Lord of the Church, and the congregation that gathers with us are ready for each of us to learn and do our part.  God smiles in approval when we work in harmony using his gifts.

 

Have a safe and happy holiday weekend:)

 

 

 

 

 July 2, 2014

 

 

Looking Beyond

 

Read:   Matthew 7:1-5

Don't judge, and you won't be judged. Don't condemn, and you won't be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.  - Luke 6:37

 

Audio:  Matthew 7

 

Bible In One Year:  Job 22-24; Acts 11

 

I work with a father-and-son maintenance team. The father is jovial and easygoing, always ready to carry out his maintenance duties with a smile. His son is the sullen, quiet, despondent type, and I admit that I have formed an unfavorable opinion of him. One day I was in the break room for lunch at the same time as his father. I asked how his son was doing.

 

He said, "Well, he's doing better." I asked, "What do you mean by 'better'?" He told me his son had lost his young wife to cancer about a year ago. They had been married only one year, and his son was having a hard time adjusting. The father's words made me realize how quickly and easily we can judge other people without knowing anything about them.

 

We sometimes even pass these opinions on without an iota of information about what these people might be going through. Everyone has a story, whether we know that story or not. Matthew 7:3 reminds me as a follower of Christ to look beyond outward appearances in my relationships with my family, my friends, and my acquaintances and to share God's love with everyone.

 

 

Jeannette

"People are often unreasonable and self-centered. Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of ulterior motives. Be kind anyway.
If you are honest, people may cheat you. Be honest anyway.
If you find happiness, people may be jealous. Be happy anyway.
The good you do today may be forgotten tomorrow. Do good anyway.
Give the world the best you have and it may never be enough.  Give your best anyway.
For you see, in the end, it is between you and God.
It was never between you and them anyway." ~ Mother Teresa