MEASURE OF OUR WORTH

"At times, the esteem of others can claim such importance that it becomes our way to measure our worth."

Henry and Richard Blacksburg
Experiencing God Day By Day   pass. 379
Broadman and Holman 2016

That means our worth changes every day. Some days, people love and enjoy us; some days we drive them Nuts!

But God's love is consistent and constant. Let's look to Him for our worth.

Jesus Loves Me, This I Know,
Lonnie

MAKING A DIFFERENCE

"If you focus on not making mistakes, you won't make a difference."


Mark Batterson
Chase The Lion  please. 22/Nook
Multnomah 2016


I want to make a difference. I also want to be safe. I need to decide which is MORE important to me.

Growing In Willingness,
Lonnie

SACRED OR SECULAR?

"It is not what a man does that determines whether his work is sacred or secular, it is why he does it . . . Let a man sanctify the Lord God in his heart and he can thereafter do no common act."

A. W. Tozer
Culture  p.17
Moody Publishers  2016

My husband, Ray, lives exactly this way. Clean a toilet, pick up trash, open a door for someone; he does it as unto the Lord.

Gratefully his and His,
Lonnie

WHEN WE WANDER

"One thing we can know for sure. We may wander so far that we can't see the Shepherd. But we cannot wander so far that He can't see us."

Lonnie West
We Like Sheep 

Gratefully His,
Lonnie

LONG PRAYERS IN THE SAME DIRECTION

"Anna (prophetess of Luke 2:36-37) continued faithfully in prayer until her prayer was answered. The answer to her prayers did not come immediately. In fact, it came near the end of her life."

"God is looking for intercessors who are willing to continue to pray and to believe until they see God's answer."

Henry and Richard Blackaby
Experiencing God Day By Day  p.372
Broadman and Holman  2016

May "I" Be Found Faithful,
Lonnie

WHEN WE WALK THE TALK

We do not have to seek out and condemn today's idols. Rather, as we live out our Christianity, enjoying the abundant life God gives us, our lives will discredit the idols around us."

Henry and Richard Blackaby
Experiencing God Day By Day  p.370
Broadman and Holman  2016

May It Be So In My Life,
Lonnie

A LIGHT IN THE BARN: CHRISTMAS STORY

"Mother, look. There's light in the barn. May I go see the animals?"

"Eli, it's so cold. Let's get back to our room, which we were so fortunate to have gotten. It was the last one in the inn. We'll climb under a heavy, warm blanket and I'll read you a psalm . . . one about the Messiah who is to come one day."

"Mother, please," Eli begged. "It will be warmer in the barn. I love how cows look at me with their big brown eyes. And the sheep have such funny hair, like mine when I forget to comb it."

Mother didn't say a word, but only smiled and took Eli's small hand. Eli strained as if on a leash, his eyes bouncing with anticipation, his feet nearly dancing. Then he slowed for just a moment.

"Mother, how shall we know the Messiah? Will he wear a golden crown and wear a purple robe? Will he be a giant? Bigger than any man we know?"

"What an imagination," Mother laughed.

"Actually to look upon the Messiah, you might not be able to tell him from any other man. The Scriptures say that He is not a comely man that we would notice Him. The Scriptures also tell us that He will be born to a virgin--a woman who has never slept with a man."

"I've never slept with a man," Eli said with a puzzled look.

Mother covered her mouth as though holding back a sneeze.

"You, Eli, are not a woman and as for the rest of that, we'll talk of it another day. Or better yet, your father will discuss it with you. Father will be wondering where we've gone. We'd better hurry."

As Mother and Eli walked along the worn path to the barn, Mother looked up. "What an unusual star," she mused. "I've never ever seen one so bright!"

"I hear voices," Eli said. "Other people must have come to see the animals, too. And Mother, listen. I hear a baby."

"A baby? No child. It must be a calf whining. A barn is no place for a baby."

"It is mother. Listen," Eli insisted.

Mother turned her ear toward the barn, now only a few yards away.

"You're right," Mother said with surprise.

As Mother and Eli approached they saw kings, three of them, presenting gifts to a couple with a brand new baby.

"Mother, who are those people? Do we need a gift, too? Can we still go in?"

The couple saw Eli and his mother hesitating to enter. "Come! Come!" they urged. "Come meet Jesus, our new little babe."

"We're sorry to interrupt," Mother said. "Eli wanted to see the animals."

"Well, come in. The wind's rather cross, tonight."

Mother nudged Eli ahead of her and warned him that they didn't have much time. "Remember, Father is waiting. Greet your cow and sheep. Then we'll leave this couple to rest."

"Your little one must be someone quite special to be visited by kings," Mother said.

"Indeed, He is," Mary answered. "Special to us, and to you as well. He is our Messiah, yours and mine, born to save us from our sins."

"Messiah?" Mother whispered to herself. "Messiah!" she said again a little louder.

Mary rocked Jesus in her arms, a look of wonder in her eyes.

"It is hard to believe isn't it? Yet, if it seems so to you, imagine me. I have given birth to Him."

"Messiah?" Mother kept saying over and over. "I knew He was coming, but of course I didn't know when. I only hoped to see Him as a man. I never imagined I'd see Him as a . . . well, as a baby! How God must love me!"

"Eli, come here. This baby is the one we talked of. This is the Messiah!"

Mother knelt and tears streamed down her cheeks. Eli knelt beside her.

"I've nothing to give Him," Mother said. "Why, we packed so lightly for the trip. I have but a couple coins. Please, accept these."

Mary placed her hands on Mother's and curled her fingers back to cover the coins.

"Thank you but no. I will tell you, though, what you may give of more value than all the gifts He has yet received."

"What ever could that be?"

Mary placed a hand on each of Mother's shoulders. Then, Mary looked intently into Mother's eyes. "Tell everyone you know and everyone you meet that the Messiah has come. He's come to save us all from our sins."

"I will! I will!" Mother exclaimed. She grabbed Eli's hand and ran with him to the inn.

Have A Blessed Christmas And May You Understand God's Love To Be More Real Than You Ever Imagined,
Lonnie
Copyright 2016

COMPLIMENT FROM A FOOL

"And remember this: a compliment from a fool is really an insult and an insult from a fool is really a compliment. Make sure you consider the source."

Mark Batterson
Chase The Lion  p. 146/Nook
Multnomah 2016

We all love compliments . . .
Lonnie

WHO TO OFFEND

"You're going to offend someone, so you have to decide who."

Mark Batterson
Chase The Lion  p.145/Nook
Multnomah 2016

Chase The Lion is so quotable!! Inspiration for day after day after day. This one reminded me of something my husband would say. When I showed him, he smiled and nodded.

More tomorrow.

Loving to Read--Loving To Learn,
Lonnie

AFRAID

"You can run away from what you're afraid of, but you'll be running the rest of your life."

Mark Batterson

Chase The Lion  p. 131

Multnomah  2016

I wish I had no idea what Batterson was talking about.

Learning (slowly) To Take Risks,
Lonnie

WIN, LOSE, OR TRY

"God doesn't always call us to win.

Sometimes He calls us to just try.

Either way, it's obedience that glorifies God."


Mark Batterson
Chase The Lion  p.108/Nook
Multnomah 2016

A little late in life perhaps, but I'm preparing my heart to take risks. I'm expecting failures/ mistakes and some rich surprises.

Starting Small . . . But Starting,
Lonnie

THE LESSON I DIDN'T LEARN

"When the London Philharmonic Orchestra selected the 50 greatest pieces of classical music, the list included 6 pieces by Mozart, 5 by Beethoven, and 3 by Bach. To generate those masterpieces, Mozart composed more than 600 pieces, Beethoven produced 650, and Bach wrote more than 1000 pieces of music."

Mark Batterson
Chase The Lion  p.82/nook
Multnomah 2016

It takes several tries to equal one success.
Lonnie

TO-DO LIST REQUIRED

". . . a dream without a to-do list is called a wish list."

Mark Batterson
Chase The Lion  p.72/nook
Multnomah  2016

WHO KNEW?!

"Volunteers from a local church spent a frigid evening distributing food to people in a low income apartment complex. One woman who received the food was overjoyed. She showed them her bare cupboard and told them they were answers to her prayers.

As the volunteers returned to the church, one woman began to cry. 'When I was a little girl,' she said, 'that lady was my Sunday school teacher. She's in church every Sunday. We had no idea she was starving!"

Dave Branon
Our Daily Bread  November 8, 2016

Who knew? And why don't we?
Please, way in on the discussion. Whose responsibility--the starving woman? Or ours?

Looking For Kleenex,
Lonnie