Verse of the Day

For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.
Philippians 2:13

Character Comes Through

Character Comes Through
Love, or any other Godly trait, doesn’t come from you. It comes through you. Love originates with God. We are the channel, the conduit. God is the inexhaustible source of all spiritual virtue. Our task is not to produce love but to pass it along. Not to generate it, but to stay connected to the Source and to be a channel for the love and other spiritual resources that you’ve received from God. By being the conduit connecting God’s love and strength and power to others, God’s love is made complete. What a privilege! Character happens as we stay connected to the Source and let His love flow through us to others.

Taken from Leadership Spring 2007 p. 5 by Marshall Shelley

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Verse of the Day

But He knoweth the way that I take: when He hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.
Job 23:10

Rejoice In The Lord

REJOICE IN THE LORD

God never moves without purpose or plan
When trying His servant and molding a man.
Give thanks to the LORD, though your testing seems long...
In darkness, He giveth a song.

I could not see through the shadows ahead,
So I looked at the cross of my Saviour instead.
I bowed to the will of the Master that day,
Then peace came, and tears fled away!

Now I can see testing comes from above,
God strengthens His children, and purges in love.
My Father knows best, and I trust in His care;
Through purging, more fruit I will bear.

*Chorus*
O REJOICE IN THE LORD! He makes no mistake.
He knoweth the end of each path that I take!
For when I am tried and purified,
I shall come forth as gold.

by Ron Hamilton, child of God, cancer survivor
(based on Job 23:10)

To listen click here!

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Verse of the Day

Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.
1 Corinthians 15:58

When Character Was King

A Quote from the book, When Character Was King: A Story of Ronald Reagan

The characteristic of heroism is its persistency. All men have wandering impulses, fits and starts of generosity. But when you have chosen your part, abide by it, and do not weakly try to reconcile yourself with the world. The heroic cannot be the common, nor the common heroic. Yet we have the weakness to except the sympathy of people in those actions whose excellence is that they outrun sympathy and appeal to a tardy justice. If you would serve your brother because it is fit for you to serve him, do not take back your words when you find that prudent people do not commend you.
by Ralph Waldo Emerson

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Verse of the Day

Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus
Philippians 2:5

Soul Survivor

Culture War

When my turn came to speak, I mentioned that on such issues I seek guidance from the life of a Jew from the first century, who was also involved in a culture war. A rigid religious establishment hounded him throughout his time on earth, worried that his revolutionary message might upset the ruling authorities. And surely the pagan empire he lived under gave him cause for offense. Rome had practices – slavery, mass executions, infanticide, public gladiator games – that no modern state would tolerate. Jesus relied on one main weapon to “fight” the culture wars: sacrificial love. Among the last words he spoke before death were these” “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”

From Soul Survivor by Philip Yancey p.290


“The goal of education and formation for the ministry is continually to recognize the Lord’s voice, His face, and His touch in every person we meet.” From Soul Survivor by Philip Yancey Quoted from Henri Nouwen p.315

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Verse of the Day

This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. Nevertheless, for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show forth all long-suffering, for a pattern to them who should hereafter believe on Him to life everlasting.
1 Timothy 1:15-16

A Voice from Hell

You lived next door to me for years;
We shared our dreams, our joys, and our tears.

A friend to me you were indeed. . .
A friend who helped me when in need.

My faith in you was strong and sure;
We had such trust as should endure.

No spate between us ever rose;
Our friends were like. . . and so our foes.

What sadness then, my friend to find
That after all you weren't so kind.

The day my life on earth did end,
I found you weren't a faithful friend

For all those years we spent on earth,
You never talked of second birth.

You never spoke of my lost soul
And of the Messiah who'd make me whole.

I plead today from Hell's cruel fire,
And tell you now my last desire.

You cannot do a thing for me. . .
No words today my bonds will free.

But do not err, my friend, again;
Do all you can for the souls of men.

Plead with them now quite earnestly,
Lest they be cast in Hell with me.



View Godtube!

Verse of the Day

And David was greatly distressed; for the people spoke of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters. But David encouraged himself in the Lord his God.
1 Samuel 30:6

Great Quote

A remedy for:
Search the Word
Trust God’s heart
Rest on His promises
Encourage one another
Sing His praises
Seek the Savior

Verse of the Day

For the Lord your God is God of gods, and Lord of lords, a great God, a mighty, and an awesome, who regardeth not persons, nor taketh reward.
Deuteronomy 10:17

Break Through Prayer

Quotes taken from one the greatest prayer warriors, Jim Cymbala, from his book, Break Through Prayer.

Whenever God orchestrates a changing of the guard, He replaces unholy conduct with Godly living. (See 1 Samuel 2:12-17) page 162

When those in ministry follow the footsteps of Jesus, their goal is to pour themselves out sacrificially for others, not to amass large personal fortunes. (see 1 Thessalonians 2:9) page 163


FOUR ELEMENTS OF PRAYER (pages 230-233)

1. King Solomon approached God first with thanks and praise. (1 Kings 3:7 a)

2. Solomon prayed with great humility. (1 Kings 3:7 b)

Solomon’s belief in his natural inability is exactly what qualified him to receive supernatural help. His humble spirit helped to unlock the treasury of heaven.

3. Solomon defined himself as God’s servant, ready to do His will. (1 King 3:8)

4. Solomon asked for a blessing that would bless God’s people. (1 King 3:9)

This final portion of Solomon’s prayer was the real key to God’s overwhelming response. Rather than asking selfishly for himself, Solomon called on the Lord for help so he might serve God’s people effectively. He asked for a wise and discerning heart so that he might govern fairly and lead Israel with wisdom. When God heard his request for a blessing that would make him a blessing to others, he answered with such liberality that Solomon became the richest and glorious king of his time.

God intends to make us channels of His blessings so that we can bless others in His name.

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Verse of the Day

For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

Luke 14:11

The Secret

The following is taken from the book, The Secret, written by Ken Blanchard and Mark Miller. I gratuated from high school with Mark. The book is a great book. Many principals are Biblically based.

…take some time every month to step back and Assess what had happen, Affirm what was working, and make Adjustments as needed. p. 2

In our company, we often refer to problems as opportunities. p. 5

I believe that developing leaders is our highest strategic priority as an organization. p. 17

…true leadership has nothing to do with one’s level in the organization. p. 25

Leadership is more about what others don’t see than what they do see. p. 25

…leadership has two components-Being and Doing. p. 26

Character – or lack of it – is still the nemesis of most leaders in our world today. Skills are critical to effective leadership, but character is also. p. 27

The secret is, great leaders SERVE. p. 27

Leaders – regardless of their skill level – must continuously ask themselves, “Why am I leading?” p. 27

A key question you must continuously ask yourself is “Am I a serving leader or a self-serving leader?” p. 28

They become great leaders one day at a time throughout their lifetimes. p.29

Leadership is about taking people from one place to another. One of a leader’s top priorties must be to assure that the team knows where you are headed. p. 36

Our values are the beliefs that drive our behavior. p. 39

You must have the right people, in the right roles, fully engaged if you are going to accomplish the things you identified under See the Future. p. 49

The leader’s objective is to leverage the strengths of people and make their weaknesses become irrelevant. p. 67

Don’t forget to always challenge yourself with the question. Am I a serving leader or a self-serving leader? p. 71

Reinvent Continuously. I’ve heard other phrases used: creative dissatisfaction, a healthy disrespect for the status quo, continuous improvement, and so on. First, great leaders Reinvent Continuously on a personal level. The very best leaders are learners. Great leaders find their own approach to learning – some read, some listen to tapes, and some spend time with mentors. If you stop learning, you stop leading. P. 72
Several reasons learning is so critical to the leader: (1) the leader must model the behavior he or she wants people to emulate; (2) to keep up with our competitors and the rate of change in our world; (3) many of the answers that worked in the past are not working today; (4) we have a stewardship responsibility to maximize our God-given talents. P. 73
Great leaders are always seeking answers to questions like these: How can we do the work better? How can we do it with fewer errors? How can we do it faster? How can we do it for less? pp. 73-74

All genuine leadership is built on trust. There are many ways to build trust. One way is to live consistently with the values you profess. p. 95
The secret to leadership is:

See the Future
Engage and Develop Others
Reinvent Continuously
Value Results and Relationships
Embody the Values

… people who want to be great leaders must embrace an attitude of service to others. p. 107

If we lose our credibility as leaders, our leadership potential will be greatly limited. p.109

The best teachers are always those who know they haven’t got it all figured out. p. 110

To order this book click here! Sorry I could only find the CD of the book online.

Verse of the Day

Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
Acts 4:12

How Now Shall We Live

Here is a great quote from the book, How Now Shall We Live by Chuck Colson.

Christian education is not simply a matter of starting class with Bible reading and prayer, then teaching subjects out of secular textbooks. It consists of teaching everything, from science and mathematics to literature and the arts, with the framework of an integrated Biblical worldview. It means teaching students to relate every academic discipline to God's truth and His self-revelation in Scripture, while detecting and critiquing nonbiblical worldview assumptions. p.338

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Verse of the Day

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy.
John 10:10

The Sacrifice

From Robert Whitlow’s The Sacrifice pages ix and x

Darkness has a strategy. For millennia, evil has been associated with chaos, but in reality, it marches in strict cadence to a master plan. Its goals are simple. Its greatest enemy is light. Wherever light appears the darkness rises up to snuff it out.

In a small North Carolina town, a light was flickering.

No one noticed the light. Those who held it did not recognize its significance. It shone in the midst of a new generation, thus posed a great threat. The darkness saw it and knew it must be destroyed. The plan was set in motion. It was a proven scheme.

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Verse of the Day

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Romans 12:1-2

Disappointment with God

An author that makes me think is Philip Yancey. I trust the following quotes from his book, Disappointment with God, will make you think about our Savior!

God holds back; He hides Himself; He weeps. Why? Because He disires what power can never win. He is a king who wants not subservience, but love. p. 123

Christ presented Himself only to people who already believed in Him. So far as we know, not a single unbeliever saw Jesus after His death. p. 131

Today the major events in Jesus' life are marked on calendars around the world-Christmas, Good Friday, and Easter. Of the three, however, only the middle one, the Crucifixion, took place in the open for all the world to see. p. 132

He seems to do nothing of Himself which He can possibly delegate to His creatures. He commands us to do slowly and blunderingly what He could do perfectly and in the twinkling of an eye.
Creation seems to be delegation through and through. I suppose this is because He is a giver. p. 153

In an act of delegation beyond fathom, Jesus turned over the kingdom of God to the likes of His disciples-and to us.

Delegation always entails risk, as any employer soon learns. When you turn over a job, you let go. p. 154

Human beings do the work of God on earth. Or, to be strictly accurate, God does His work through us-the tension comes into play as soon as you try to phrase it. "Without God, we cannot. Without us, God will not," said Augustine. p. 155

True faith does not so much attempt to manipulate God to do our will as it does to position us to do His will. p. 271

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Verse of the Day

And behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.

Revelation 22:10

Perfect Trust

Here is some more from Chuck Swindoll quoted from a short book called Perfect Trust.

He empties himself in order to be full.
He admits he is wrong so he can be declared right.
He goes down in order to get up.
He is strongest when he is weakest, richest when he is poorest, happiest when he feels the worst.
He dies so he can live.
He forsakes in order to have.
He gives away so he can keep.


God says, “Can you thank Me for trusting you with this experience even if I never tell you why?” What a profound thought. God has trusted each of us with our own set of unfair circumstances and unexplained experiences to deal with. Can we still trust in Him even if He never tells us why?”

Acceptance is taking from God’s hand absolutely anything He gives, looking into His face in trust and thanksgiving, knowing that the confinement of the hedge we’re in is good and for His glory.

Faith is not belief without proof, but trust without reservation.

We continually encounter hardships. People disappoint us. We disappoint ourselves. But God is constant and compassionate. We are not alone. He cares. Against all reason, the transcendent God loves us so much that He has committed Himself to us.

The more impossible the situation, the greater God accomplishes His work.

Remarkably, his [Job] first response to God was the response of worship. (Job 1:20)

He worshipped. And not because he understood what was happening to him, but in spite of all that was happening to him. Not only did Job worship, he accepted what God had sent into his life. That is wisdom. That is perfect trust.

It’s the nature of the beast within us to keep going back to the familiar rather than to strap on faith and face the future.

We want the safety of yesterday even though we know it’s not where God would have us.

When a person does something, it has the man or woman look about it. It drips with humanity. You can follow the logic of it and see the meaning behind it. … And when God steps in, His working is like the difference between a skyscraper and a star.

Don’t lean on your own understanding. That means, don’t bring in the crutches and lean on them, those crutches that you have designed and made to handle such situations. Stay away from them. Don’t lean on them; lean on God.

I don’t have to explain or defend the will of God. My job is simply to obey it.

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Moses: A Man of Selfless Dedication

One of my favorite non fiction writers is Chuck Swindoll. In his book, Moses: A Man of Selfless Dedication, he speaks to my heart ablout allowing God to use me. See the quote below.

Do you know what an earthen vessel is? It’s nothing more than a clay pot. … That’s a reference to our bodies and our abilities in the strength of our flesh. That is all you and I have to offer God . . . a pot. A perishable container. You may be like brittle, delicate china. You break and chip easily, and you could show the glue marks because of those broken times. Then again, you may be a rugged, scarred hunk of heavy pottery-not very attractive, but boy, are you useful. Or you may be composed of clay that hasn’t yet been fired in the kiln; you are still being molded and shaped for use… To tell you the truth, it isn’t the condition of the pot that’s most important. What’s important is the treasure inside-the light and glory of Christ’s salvation. What’s a few dings, or even a crack or two? If others can see the glory inside through the cracks, so much the better. 2 Corinthians 4:7

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Verse of the Day

You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion.
2 Corinthians 9:11

Verse of the Day

God can't stomach liars; he loves the company of those who keep their word.
Proverbs 12:22

One Thing You Can't Do In Heaven

Mark Cahill, one of the most effective soul winners has written several books. The one I read One Thing You Can’t Do In Heaven, is very motivating. It give me more of a burden to tell others about Christ. See if it will motivate you.

When people know that we care, they will listen when we share. p. 79

We don’t need to shove it on someone, but to love it on someone. p. 79

If they’re breathing, they need Jesus. p. 91

A man who wants to lead an orchestra must turn his back on the crowd. Leaders turn their backs on the crowd and follow their mission no matter what the crowd thinks. As you live your life for Jesus, turn your back on trying to please the crowd; face Jesus, and please Him with every fiber of your being. By Steve Farrar in Finishing Strong quoted in One Thing You Can’t Do In Heaven by Mark Cahill p. 174

Remember if you are not fishing, you are not following. p. 175

To be a missionary you don’t have to cross the sea, you just have to see the cross. p. 219

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Verse of the Day

Psalm 101:7
No one who is dishonest will live in my house; no liars will stay around me.

The Way of the Master

Kirk Cameron and Ray Comfort wrote a book titled, The Way of the Master. It is a book about sharing your faith in a simple, effective, Biblical way - the way Jesus did. I have included two quotes below:

C.T. Studd said: "We Christians too often substitute prayer for playing the game. Prayer is good; but when used as a substitute for obedience, it is nothing more but a blantant hypocrisy, a despicable Pharisaism. p. 4

A.W. Tozer hit the nail on the head: "Have you noticed how much praying for revival has been going on of late - and how little revival has resulted? I believe the problem is that we have been trying to substitute praying for obeying, and it simply will not work. To pray for revival while ignoring the plain precept laid down in Scripture is to waste a lot of words and get nothing for our trouble. Prayer will become effective when we stop using it as a substitute for obedience. p. 4

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Verse of the Day

For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power!
1 Corinthians 4:20

The Last Christian Generation

The book by Josh McDowell, The Last Christian Generation is a good read and very convicting. His words will give you a burden to help teach a Biblical Worldview. Please prayerfully consider the quotes below!

Nothing is more numbing to the Church than the fact that it is mired in a rut of seemingly unfathomable depths. The various creative approaches attempted over the course of this decade have drawn much attention but produced little, if any, transformational impact…although many people attend a church, few Americans are committed to being the church. George Barna p. 19

Christianity isn’t about Christ coming to earth to teach bad people how to live better as sixty-four percent (64%) of our young people believe. Christianity is about Christ coming to earth to raise dead people to new life through a relationship with Him! p. 37

“To you,” I said, “the Bible is true because you believe it. To me, I believe it because it’s true.” p. 42

I pray that from His glorious, unlimited resources He will give you mighty inner strength through His Holy Spirit. I pray that Christ will be more and more at home in your hearts as you trust in Him. May your roots go down deep into the soil of God’s marvelous love. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep His love really is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is so great you will never fully understand it. Then you will be filled with the fullness of life and power that comes from God. Now glory be to God! By His mighty power at work within us, He is able to accomplish infinitely more than we would ever dare to ask or hope. May He be given glory in the church and in Christ Jesus forever and ever through endless ages. Amen. (Ephesians 3:16-21, NLT) pp. 185-186

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Verse of the Day

Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.
1 Corinthians 4:2

Verse of the Day

Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.

1 Corinthians 4:2

Grace Walk

A new author to me is Steve McVey. A friend loaned me Steve's book, Grace Walk. As you will read he has some very interesting thoughts!

…the key to experiencing supernatural, liberating strength is personal weakness. Quoted by Bill Gillham (who wrote LifetimeGuarantee) in the forward of Grace Walk P. 7

If you want to talk about credentials, Paul had them. Yet he said that these enviable qualifications had not proven to be assets, but liabilities. How can natural abilities become liabilities? It happens when we rely on those abilities instead of on Christ. P. 30

I believe that God will put heavier burdens on you than you can bear, especially when He is trying to bring you to the place of brokenness. God will allow the burden to be greater than you can bear so that you will finally allow Him to bear it for you. God’s purpose in the breaking process is to bring you to the end of your own resources so that you will be ready to understand that He is the only resource you need in life. As long as your own abilities are sufficient to rise to the challenge, you will never understand that He doesn’t just give strength. He is your Strength. In the breaking process, God has no intention of helping you get stronger. He wants you to become so weak that He can express Himself as the strength you need in every situation. P. 34


For the anxious Christian it is often easier to do something for God than to wait for God to do something through us. A life of grace is characterized by a calm confidence in a sovereign God whose love and wisdom always causes Him to do what He wants when He wants to do it. Inestimable damage may be done when we consciously or unconsciously try to move things forward because God isn’t moving fast enough for us. P. 173

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Verse of the Day

Your heart will be where your treasure is.

Matthew 6:21

Made to Count

One of my favorite fiction authors is Randy Singer. He and Bob Reccord wrote a book titled, Made To Count: Discovering What To Do With Your Life. It is an excellent book especially for those looking for God's call on their life.

Eight Biblical truths found in the introduction: taken from p. xv

1. God prepared a unique plan and calling for your life even before you were born.
2. God calls you to a life-changing relationship with Him through Jesus Christ.
3. God calls you to partner with Him in a mission that is bigger than you are.
4. God calls you to be on mission with Him right where you are - starting now.
5. God reveals His mission through His Word, His Spirit, wise counsel, and His work in circumstances around you.
6. God will repeatedly bring you to a crossroads of choice as He forges you for His mission.
7. God guides and provides for your mission one step at a time.
8. When you answer God's call, you will experience His pleasure and change your world.

If you yearn for an important position, a major platform, a lot of fame, or massive power, He won't use you. p. 3

You may think you're carrying around a design defect or two, that maybe God created you on a Friday afternoon or a Monday morning, but nothing could be further from the truth. God created you with a purpose in mind. And the master designer knew just what it would take for you to accomplish that purpose in complete reliance on Him. p. 15

When Christ issued the Great the Great Commission, He didn't emphasize the training the apostles had received or the sermons they would preach or the church office they might hold. Instead, He focused on a power that's available to everyone, from brand new Christians to seminary presidents. "But you shall receive power," Christ emphasized, :when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses..." The power is universally available, and the call is universally applicable. It is also nonnegotiable. You can't hire a pastor to take your place. This is not a mercenary army. There are persons who will see Christ only through you and skills that only you bring to this great task. So, whether you are paid to be good (a full-time minister) or are good for nothing (the rest of us), you are called to be a vital part of the Great Commission. p. 29

Contrary to what we have heard, we are not called to live for Christ. We're called to live in Christ. The Christian life is not just one of imitation but habitation. p. 50

He always blessed them in order that they in turn might be a blessing. People were saved in order to be sent. They were changed in order to become change agents in the lives of others. p. 50

What an amazing metaphor of a life transformed by Christ. It's not like God helps us do a little better what we can do on our own. He doesn't call us to Him so that we can keep pursuing our own agenda and accomplish a mission we could have done by ourselves. When God calls us into life-changing relationship with Him through Jesus Christ, He takes us places we could never go alone. p. 58

Religion is activity; relationship is intimacy. While religion is words and works, relationship is walk. p. 60

This is only from 1/4 of the book. This is an awesome book that encouraged me to allow God to use me where I am now!

To order this book click here!

Verse of the Day

In Christ we are set free by the blood of His death, and so we have forgiveness of sins.

Ephesians 1:7

The Promise Of The Second Wind

A book I read several months ago was, The Promise of the Second Wind: It's Never Too Late to Pursue God's Best by Bill Butterworth. It is a book about Bill's divorce. I am not divorced. In fact I have a wonderful wife. We have been married for over 26 years. God blessed me over and beyond in what I could ever imaged by giving me my wife. 

I read Bill's book for two reasons. I enjoy his writing and being in education I thought it might help me as I encounter those who have been effected by divorce. I have listed several quotes from his book:

We live in the ordinary. It's God who steps in and does the extraordinary. p. 19

Too often in life we are prone to assume that the die is already cast. Maybe there were bright options when we were teenagers or in college or in early adulthood. But not now. Our lives become locked in, the day has hardened, the groove has become too deep. The resulting boredom is simply the price we pay for getting older. All of which makes no sense at all to a God who is timeless. He doesn't live by clocks and calendars. He operates in a whole bigger dimension. p. 20

I'm realizing that I have to be inward-directed. What God speaks to my heart is more important than what people say. p. 21

The only thing harder than waiting on God is wishing we had. p. 144

Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for Him (Psalm 37:7). The timing is not to be our issue. We will never be able to predict what God has in mind or when He intends to unfold it. Our job is simply to be ready, available, and cooperative. p. 150

It  takes our breath away to realize that God sees more in us than we see in ourselves! p. 161

To every person who says, "Lord I'm nobody special, " God replies, "I am the Lord who made you in the first place."

To everyone who complains, "I never got to finish college," He replies, I am the omniscient one, the source of all knowledge."

To everyone who says, "I can't make ends meet this month, and I don't know what to do," He answers, "I am Jehovah-jireh, the God who supplies."

To every mom who cries, "I'm a single parent, and these kids are driving me nuts," He says, I am a Father to the fatherless." p. 162

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Verse of the Day

Remember, it is a sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it! James 4:17

Introduction

I love to read. I will be posting quotes from different books I am reading or have read. I will also, post notes and comments from time to time. Use this link to view books I have read!