Choose Life

Death surrounds us always, choose God and life.

Why do you seek my Son
nailed to a cross of wood?
He has torn Himself free.
Seek Him among my children,
His brothers and sisters.

1 Peter 5:8-9

Be calm and vigilant, because your enemy the devil is prowling round like a roaring lion, looking for someone to eat. Stand up to him, strong in faith.

I have been going through a time of darkness, a time of self pity.  The evil-one, the great deceiver is calling to me.  I must be strong and as St. Peter said, "Stand up to him, strong in faith."

Lord this I ask of You strength your Holy Spirit in me.

Consume me with your Love, fill me with your Holy Spirit. 

Give me the strength to do battle with the great deceiver.

Strength my resolve, increase my faith.

1 John 3:14-18

"Whoever does not love remains in death. Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life remaining in him. The way we came to know love was that he laid down his life for us; so we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.  If someone who has worldly means sees a brother in need and refuses him compassion, how can the love of God remain in him?  Children, let us love not in word or speech but in deed and truth."

Love is the key; we must love ourselves before we can love others but our love of others must be greater than our love of self.  Jesus showed us the way; for he loved us all and He gave up His life nailed to a cross for our salvation.  As He died He asked forgiveness for those who nailed Him to the cross.

        Lord this day fill me with your love.

        Without your love I am nothing.

        Fill me with your love so that I can

        love others.

        Not just my friends and family but 

        those who would cause me harm.

        For it is easy to love those who

        love us.

        I pray that you give me the

       strength to love those who hate

        me.

        

[Philippians 2:2-4 ©]

Be united in your convictions and united in your love, with a common purpose and a common mind. There must be no competition among you, no conceit; but everybody is to be self-effacing. Always consider the other person to be better than yourself, so that nobody thinks of his own interests first but everybody thinks of other people’s interests instead.

What a wonderful world this would be if we could do what Paul tells us to do, what he learned from our Lord Jesus Christ.  Be united in love, have a common purpose, do away with conceit, learn to cooperate instead of compete, consider the other person putting his or her interest first.  I wish I could be as Paul instructs me, but all too often I think of me first, last and always.  I  puff myself up with my own importance, what I fool I am. 

Lord, this day show me the Way.

Remove all self pity and pride-fullness from me,

Let me remember to put others before myself.

Deflate my ego, humble me O'Lord.

Let me see You in all the people 

I meet and see today.

Strengthen and renew me this day.

I pray,

In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit!

What Did Jesus Do?

A while back; a wrist band with the initials "WWJD" was very popular. It was to remind us when we acted to think first, " What Would Jesus Do." I believe we should now focus on "WDJD" or "What Did Jesus Do." Maybe we should focus on "What Jesus Did Not Do." He did not call down an army of angels to destroy His persecutors; instead He did say,"Father forgive them..." He told us to feed the hungry, cloth the naked, help the oppressed. I can see a world where people help one another, love one another and look for Jesus in one another. All we have to do is forget about material things and focus on "What Did Jesus Do."  He died on the Cross to save the whole world; you and me.  Lord I pray:

Fill me with your love so that I might love.

Cleanse me of my sins.
 Help me to forget about gaining more things and to remember others
 who are in need.

When I am full remind me of those who are hungry.

When I am warm remind me of those who are cold.

When I have a home remind me of those who are homeless.

When I am angry at someone teach me to forgive.

Lord teach me to look for you in my brothers and sister.
And let me always remember what You did.
                                                                                                Amen

Open Your Eyes

Look around, what do you see? Everywhere I look I see God’s handy work; His creative hand is all around us. We just have to open our eyes to Him. Look for Him; He is with us always.
Lord open my eyes!
So that I might see you;
In the sunrise and sunset
In the birds of the air, in all God's creation
But most of all in my brothers and sister.

Almost 68

Tomorrow I will be 68 years old. Not many years to me but many to others. In fact the older I get the older old becomes. My life has been a gift from God. My talents whatever they are have been given to me.

O Lord you created all; You have been with me always; You knew me even before I was born. You are there to guide me but only if I listen, guide but never force. You have always given me the ability to choose; my free will. Hopefully, I have used this ability well.

I pray Lord that You strengthen Your Spirit in me,
Show me the path that You want me to follow.
In all things I accept Your will my Lord.

Joy

I look out on my back yard and see God in all His majesty - the glory of His creation. Birds, flowers, butterflies, grass speak of His wonders. Flowers give beauty to the eye and nectar to the butterflies and humming birds; a grape vine that gives shade and coolness plus the harvest of it fruit. What joy is life!

Your will be done oh Lord,
I stand before you in prayer,
Respecting your power and might,
You who knew me before I was born,
Grant my petitions on behalf of my friends and family,
But, in all things I accept You will.

We are all called to take up our cross and follow Jesus; to give our lives to Him, to follow Him. Jesus the Christ came into this world to offer each of us salvation. He did this by carrying and dying on His cross. While nailed to His cross of wood; He did not condemn His executioners, He forgave them.
"When they came to the place that is called The Skull, they crucified Jesus there with the criminals, one on his right and one on his left.
Then Jesus said, "Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing." "[Luke 23:33-34]

We who are called to follow Him can do no less if we are to be forgiven we must forgive.

Peace

Peace, I pray for peace in this world. How much could we do together as brothers and sisters? Maybe, I should pray for the end of hatred and greed for without hatred and greed the world would be better. As I prayed for peace I realized that the only true peace is in accepting God’s will and love.

I watch humming birds come to the feeder in my garden; I have seen at least four but they spend more time chasing each other away than they do feeding. These birds remind me of humans too busy fighting and killing to see if they shared with each other there would be no want.

My faith in God gives me peace, a peace I have never known before. I have accepted God’s will and say, “Let it be done.” Everything I have I owe to God, therefore everything I have belongs to God and I should use the gifts He has given me to serve.

I cry out oh Lord,
Hear my prayer,
Show me the way,
What must I do to serve You?

Strengthen me my God,
Send your Spirit to guide me,
I hear you call,
“Come follow me.”

Ideas

Who is Jesus? Why did He come to us? If we say He is the Son of God, the Christ and we believe that He came to redeem us then how do we accept the redemption? Do we accept it with joy, hope and love or do we just accept it? Do we respond to His teaching of love by accepting His love but not applying love to all others? How do we accept God’s gift of love and forgiveness if we do not extend forgiveness and love to all? We live in a world that cries out for revenge, we cloak this call for revenge with terms like justice, protection, strength; but it is still revenge we seek. Punish the people who attack us is our cry, bomb them back into the Stone Age. However, if we are to call ourselves a God fearing society, a Christian society, one nation under God, then should we not listen to His words, “But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,” (Mat 5:44) “Do not resist an evildoer. But if anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also.” (Mat 5:39) What would happen if we blessed those who curse us, return kindness for injury, and extend love and true care to all others? Would not the lion then truly lie down with the lamb?