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God is a safe place to hide, ready to help when we need him. We stand fearless at the cliff-edge of doom, courageous in seastorm and earthquake, before the rush and roar of oceans, the tremors that shirt mountains. Jacob-wrestling God fights for us, God-of-Angela-Armies protects us. River fountains splash joy, cooling God's city, this sacred haunt of the Most High. ~Psalm 46: 1-4a (The Message)
We do not grieve like those who have no hope. We believe that Jesus died and rose again. And so, we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage one another with these words. ~1 Thessalonians 4: 13 -18 (portions)
"...love the Lord your God with all your passion and prayer and muscle and intelligence-- and that you love your neighbor as well as you do yourself.” ~Luke 10:27 (The Message)
Jesus got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, "Quiet! Be still!" Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. He said to his disciples, "Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?" They were terrified and asked each other, "Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!" ~Mark 4:39-41
Have you ever observed that the only thing the first disciples of Jesus are recorded to have asked Jesus to teach them is, "Lord, teach us to pray" (Luke 11:1)? There is no record of anyone asking Jesus to teach them to lead, or to counsel, or to heal, or to cast out demons, or to preach...Why? Perhaps it is because they could see that Jesus' leading, counselling, healing, casting out and preaching ministry emerged out of his relationship with his "Father". ~from Fifty-Seven Words that Changed the World by Darrell W. Johnson
Lord, open unto me Open unto me—light for my darkness. Open unto me—courage for my fear. Open unto me—hope for my despair. Open unto me—peace for my turmoil. Open unto me—joy for my sorrow. Open unto me—strength for my weakness. Open unto me—wisdom for my confusion. Open unto me—forgiveness for my sins. Open unto me—love for my hates. Open unto me—Your Self for myself. Lord, Lord, open unto me- Amen
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