But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.  We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.
(2 Corinthians 4:7-9)

We will not be crushed or destroyed.  Keep the faith......

I am a friend to all who fear you,
to all who follow your precepts.
(Psalm 119:63)

Although I have friends from all walks of life, my deepest bonds are with my Christian friends.  We share the foundation of Christ and with that foundation firmly in place, it's natural to build relationships to a deeper, richer level. 

Hear my cry for help,
my King and my God,
for to you I pray.
(Psalm 5:2)

My Awesome God will hear every cry and every prayer that I utter.  He may or may not answer it according to my agenda, but He will answer me according to His will.  In that, I will place my trust.

The eyes of the arrogant will be humbled
and human pride brought low;
the LORD alone will be exalted in that day.
(Isaiah 2:11)

Every good thing that I accomplish is not of my own doing..... it's a gift from God and should be performed to glorify God, not to gain a selfish pat on the back.  

Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.
(Exodus 20:8)

I find myself being confused as to what is an acceptable activity on Sunday and what is unacceptable.  Recently, I read a quote from a commentary that Sunday should be "a welcomed rest in remembrance of God."  This gave me a little clarification about using Sundays for God honoring purposes.  I'm realistic enough to know that I'm not going to spend the entire day reading my Bible and/or praying.  That would certainly be God-honoring, but not practical for my personality and my nature.  I can make the effort not to shop, not to mow the yard, and not do those other chores that can be done on another day of the week. 
I'm going to quit over analyzing proper Sunday activities and just enjoy the day that God has blessed me with by honoring Him (as much as possible) with my thoughts and actions.....simple as that.

Lazy hands make for poverty,
but diligent hands bring wealth.
(Proverbs 10:4)

I'm having a lazy Saturday afternoon, in spite of a "to do" list that is a mile long.  Just looking up "lazy" scriptures has motivated me to post this and get moving!  I'm not trying to become wealthy in a monetary sense....I'm just trying to keep my humble home and yard in a respectable state of being.  This takes serious, regular efforts, but the efforts bring immediate, pleasing results.  God has made me shepherd of all that He has blessed me with and it's my responsibility to take care of things in a manner that shows my gratefulness.
I'm out of here........

Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?”
(Job 2:10)

I think I could write volumes of comments on this scripture, but basically, it's pretty simple.  God does not promise an easy life to anyone.  Smooth sailing is not part of His plan.  We will, at some point, have illnesses, mental and physical pain, loss of loved ones, and many other difficult, if not, horrible circumstances.  What He does promise is to love, help, and support us through all of these troubles. 

“Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me.”
(Mark 9:37)

Welcome the little children......After reading Heaven Is For Real, I have a better understanding of the open, innocent perspective that comes from a young mind that is not yet calloused and bent out of shape from worldly influences.  It's refreshing!

You will surely forget your trouble,
recalling it only as waters gone by.
Life will be brighter than noonday,
and darkness will become like morning.
(Job 11:16-17)

How wonderful to think that one day all of my troubles will be forgotten.....they will diminish and be replaced with bright, joyful days surrounded by God's love and grace.

When I said, “My foot is slipping,”
your unfailing love, LORD, supported me.
(Psalm 94:18)

I slip often....I slip spiritually, I slip physically.  Through it all, if I reach out to God, He hears my cry and helps to set my paths straight and even.

Isaac said, “I am now an old man and don’t know the day of my death.
(Genesis 27:2)

None of us know the day of our death and many never get to reach the days of old.  The obituaries are full of young people who didn't know that the day of their death would arrive so early in their lives.  God knows the exact day and minute of our death and gives us every chance to be spiritually prepared for that day.  Am I prepared....are you?

What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?
(Matthew 16:26)

This was one of the scriptures from the sermon this morning.  We were asked "what is your one thing," meaning what is your uppermost priority, the one thing that you value most.  Am I holding material possessions as my "one thing".....my relationships and friendships with others as my "one thing".... my family as my "one thing?"  Point being, it's all worthless in comparison to the "one thing" we have in God.

There are certainly times when my priorities are out of whack, but mostly, as I mature spiritually, God tops my list.  This helps me to put all of the other "one things" in their proper perspective, which makes me richer than I ever thought was possible! 

We always thank God for all of you and continually mention you in our prayers.  We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.
(1 Thessalonians 1:2-3)

This is for Patti, who continues to inspire me with her gentle, giving, loving soul.

You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what He has promised.
(Hebrews 10:36)

Whether we think we are making any headway or not, the Lord knows if we are making a serious attempt to walk in the right direction according to His will.  He will keep His promises if we persevere and do our part.  You can count on it! 

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves,  not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.
(Philippians 2:3-4)

As wonderful as it may seem to help others, the Lord asks that it be done with humility, not for the pat on the back or the kudos for our pride.  We sometimes find it hard to keep good works anonymous, but when possible, that is a very pleasing way to serve God.  Many times, it's simply impossible to be anonymous in your efforts.  Just make sure your motive is pure and God will be delighted with your service.

Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes.  Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.
(1 Peter 3:3-4)

What is beauty?  We live in a world that awards value and status to outward beauty and youth.  This saddens me.  I pray that I always look deeply into the heart of others, where their true beauty lies, and I hope that others offer me that same courtesy. 

“‘Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be Your name,
Your kingdom come,
Your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.’
(Matthew 9-13)

This is the prayer that we have all recited so many times that we have it memorized.  This is the prayer that I turn to in both good times and bad times.  It's my "go to" prayer.  Besides containing the most beautiful words, it brings back memories of comfort that have served me well throughout my life. 

But who can discern their own errors? Forgive my hidden faults.
(Psalm 19:12)

Sometimes pride gets in the way of honestly assessing my own behavior.  Maybe I just don't want to acknowledge or admit a particular fault.  With the help of the Lord's Word, I'm discovering traits that I never even considered to be faults.....   It's good that I'm learning to change certain behaviors and I'm grateful that God is willing to forgive those faults.

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.”
(Joshua 1:9)

Although God was speaking to Joshua, He is also speaking to us, to everyone.  He is commanding us......commanding us..... to be strong and courageous.  If our faith is true, we will not fear or worry because we trust that everything is in God's hands and He will take care of things according to His will.  I struggle with this.  I do still worry....I do still fear.....I do still get discouraged.  I will say, that although I continue to have these doubtful traits, as I grow in my faith and trust in God, these traits are slowly diminishing.  And I'm thankful that my God is a patient God.....

 Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.
(1 Peter 5:8)

The devil may not appear in the literal form of a lion in my daily life, but he has the ability to hide behind many facades, wearing many disguises.  If I protect myself with the armour of God's Word, the devil will not be able to devour me with his schemes and plots.

Trust in the LORD with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways submit to him,
and he will make your paths straight.
(Proverbs 3:5-6)

This morning, a young man at the checkout said "thanks for the inspiration."  I had no clue what he was talking about and then he pointed to the cover of my checkbook, which has the above scripture written on it.  You just never know when or where you'll have the opportunity to inspire someone with the Word of God.  I certainly wasn't trying to spread anything around but my money and for what ever reason, God wanted that young man to read this scripture today.  I'm humbled that He used me as a vessel! 

When I said, “My foot is slipping,”
your unfailing love, LORD, supported me.
(Psalm 94:18)

I slip a lot, both physically and spiritually.  I get off the path, I wander, I loose my way.  Isn't it wonderful to hold on to the word "unfailing?"  God gives us unfailing love and support every minute of every day and all we have to to is reach out to Him.  He's ready to pick us up, dust us off, and put us back on track.  Thank you, God, for never failing me!

Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name;
worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness.
(Psalm 29:2)

I just thought that this was a beautiful scripture, and one that gave me pause for thought.  Do I give God the glory?  After all, I'm nothing and can do nothing, without Him. 

Some people are like seed along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them.
(Mark 4:15)

Our first day of an online Bible study started off a little bumpy.  Computer glitches, that kind of thing.  I don't know if Satan was trying to sabotage our study or not, but what I do know is that the attempts failed, and we were able to study God's word.  Satan did not take the Word away from us!

Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction.
(2 Timothy 4:2)

Be prepared....this applies to scripture as well as any aspect of our lives.  If we are prepared, we increase our odds for success in every endeavor.  Preparation is key when speaking God's Word.  The Holy Spirit will help guide our words, but it is still up to us to prepare by reading and studying the Bible.  Although this preparation takes a little discipline, the rewards are priceless. 

Whoever spares the rod hates their children,
but the one who loves their children is careful to discipline them.
(Proverbs 12:24)

It was a little difficult to concentrate on the sermon this morning due to "distractions."  I think parents want to befriend their children instead of giving them boundaries and rules. This certainly doesn't help them to mature into thoughtful, responsible adults.  The day will come when you can befriend your child and not have to be the disciplinarian.  Until then, be a parent and teach them to conduct themselves properly.  Your efforts will not go unrewarded.

“As long as the earth endures, seed time and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease.”
(Genesis 8:22)

Although there are good and bad points about every season, God has promised to keep them under His control and safety.  I'm not fond of heat, but I know there is always relief on the horizon, both here on earth and in Heaven ever after. 

Jacob’s well was there, and Jesus, tired as he was from the journey, sat down by the well. It was about noon.
(John 4:6)

Because Jesus came to us in human form, He fully understands every physical condition that we experience.  When I'm just beat and need a boost, I remind myself that Jesus tackled more physical challenges than I'll ever face and accepted them with grace and dignity. 

Yet the LORD longs to be gracious to you;
therefore he will rise up to show you compassion.
For the LORD is a God of justice.
Blessed are all who wait for him!
(Isaiah 30:18)

I found this scripture last night and made a copy to hold in my hand today.....

I spent the morning in a courtroom, trying to be supportive as my friends addressed the young man that murdered their son.  It was heartwrenching.  I knew that it was going to be really rough on everyone involved and I also knew that our earthly justice was not going to be fair.  It wasn't.  By holding on to the Isaiah scripture, I had the faith and confidence to know that this young man will get the justice that he deserves when he stands before the God of all creation.  It gave me such a sense of peace, knowing that God had this all in His hands and would take care of the whole situation....it isn't for me, the families, or even the courtroom judge to make the final call.  That call belongs to God. 

Each of us should please our neighbors for their good, to build them up.
(Romans 15:2)

My neighbors have been a source of distress for most of the years that I have lived in my house.  In thirteen years, I have had about twelve months of peace in my home.  In spite of this, with each new neighbor that arrives, I'm trying to start off with a fresh slate, a fresh attitude, and not carry the wounds from neighbors past.  

This is easier said than done, but I know it's the behavior that would be pleasing to God.  With God's help and support, that's just what I'm going to do!