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 7/29/98 Good morning.... +†+ +†+ +†+ +†+ +†+ +†+ +†+ +†+ +†+ +†+ +†+ +†+ +†+ +†+ The first duty of love is to listen. +†+ +†+ +†+ +†+ +†+ +†+ +†+ +†+ +†+ +†+ +†+ +†+ +†+ +†+ Good Morning Brethren!! Hope this finds your week going SUPER well in our Lord Jesus!! Ok, this is the last rerun.. July has been a busy month for me..! I appreciate the privilege of taking some time off..and I will be back in swing next week. I missed you guys! <smile> If you would, keep me in your prayers. I will be hosting a women's retreat this week, and I am quite excited! I pray that God's Will be done and the image of Christ will be more evident in the lives of all who come..! Read on and enjoy, Brethren! See you at the end!! Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him. And a threefold cord is not quickly broken. Eccl. 4:12 The story is told of a man who had eight sons; unfortunately, the boys developed the habit of quarreling, so that their was constant discord. The wise father was concerned about it and finally took action. He went down to a brook and cut out eight willow switches and brought them back to the house. He bound them together in ONE bundle of small switches. To the youngest son he handed the bundle and asked him to break it across his knee. He tried but lacked the strength, one by one each took his turn until the oldest and strongest tried and failed. The father then untied the bundle and handed each son one of the willow sticks. The father then said, "Boys as long as you are bound together, no one can break you, but separately, each of you can easily be broken." As each son broke his own stick with ease, the remark make the boys see the folly of their discord. When the family pulls together, loves each other and works together, they are unbreakable and unbeatable. That has been and is the strength in the word. No task is too great when family work at
it together. <>@<><JE§U§><<>@<><JE§U§><<>@<><JE§U§><<>@<> Thought for the Day The more difficult the obstacle, the
stronger one becomes after hurdling it. <>@<><JE§U§><<>@<><JE§U§><<>@<><JE§U§><<>@<> ~THINK OF THOSE WHO LOVE YOU~ If someone should hurt you <>@<><JE§U§><<>@<><JE§U§><<>@<><JE§U§><<>@<> Me again! You know the old saying, "We always hurt the ones we love the most?" I wonder why that is... Sometimes we can find ourselves being much kinder to friends and strangers than our own mother, husband, children, etc. I think part of it, has to do with the fact, that we think that they will still be there when the storm is over. And there is a certain "security" in that. We know that acquaintances and strangers would be long gone if they see the "ugly" side of us. I often ask my husband, "How do you put up with me?" And I always get the same answer: "Because I love you." It is occurring to me, even as I type this, that that is very much the stand that Christ has taken in my life. Real love can only come from God, for the Word says, "God is Love." Check out this scripture: I Jn 4:16 I can never, never, never, in my flesh, operate in the love that God has ordained. He is Love, He is the source of my being truly able to love anyone. If you get a chance during your Bible reading time, I suggest you slowly digest I Corinthians 13, the whole chapter. It really defines the type of love that God puts into our hearts, as we "dwell in Him." I know that the enemy wants to destroy my family. He wants to destroy YOUR family. John 10:10 Do you know that Unity is a key?? If there is unity in the family, the enemy has a real hard time getting in. It represents a circle, an unbroken cord...and the enemy seeks to promote "discord." Communication is one STRONG link for unity. If the lines of communication are flowing, and truth is coming out...no matter how painful, then there is no stench of secrets, or threatening black clouds that loom. That is the key that Jimmy and I walk in. Simply put, we talk. Look at this scripture regarding unity: Deut 32:30 If I alone can put a thousand to flight, look at what Jimmy and I can do together! Ten thousand! I know though, that it takes renouncing my pride, and trusting God in areas that I feel like are "supposed to already be happening." If you desire unity in your family...then pray for it. Ask God to restore your family...and ask Him to impart YOUR role in your own heart FIRST. Joel 2:25 I remember once, when we were going through a hard time...I was arguing in my heart with the Lord, and I said..."Lord, what about Jimmy?" And I clearly heard a gentle Voice: "Trust Me with him. YOU continue to follow Me." We find ourselves so busy trying to remove the speck from our brother's eye...that we aren't holding still long enough for Jesus to remove the BEAM out of our own. <Matthew 7:3> It....starts with me. I cannot change another persons heart, no matter how hard I try. Only God can do that. One thing I CAN do, is this: Ps 91:1 I can dwell in the secret place of the most High...and abide in His Shadow. I can allow Christ to be formed in ME.....and as I do that , the dominoes are going to fall where they are SUPPOSED to....because I have surrendered myself, my family and my circumstances to Christ..and the most important thing...in my life, is Him. Unity....ask for it. It IS attainable....no matter how things look right now. Go on, I challenge you to take your "mustard seed faith".... <Luke 17:6> ....and apply it, through prayer and supplication...through washing, cleansing, and renewing your mind by reading the Word daily. Blow the dust off your Bible, crack those pages open and inhale. God speaks to us through His Word. Watch your Mustard Tree grow...and then watch others be drawn to the "shade" of your tree. We can't make it happen on our own, but we can surrender all the discord and strife to Him...and trust Him to make it happen. After all, He is God. God Bless You Brethren...Have a wonderful weekend! I love you...and Jesus does too! In Christ!!
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