A Father's Love

A young man was getting ready to graduate from college. For many months he had admired a beautiful sports car in a dealer's showroom, and knowing his father could well afford it, he told him that was all he wanted.  As Graduation Day approached, the young man awaited signs that his father had purchased the car. Finally, on the morning of his graduation his father called him into his private study. His father told him how proud he was to have such a fine son, and told him how much he loved him. He handed his son a beautiful wrapped gift box.  Curious, but disappointed the young man opened the box and found a lovely, leather-bound Bible. Angrily, he raised his voice at his father and said, "With all your money you give me a Bible?" and stormed out of the house, leaving the holy book.

Many years passed and while the young man was successful in business, had a beautiful home and a wonderful family he had a restlessness in his soul. He needed to make amends with his father. He had not seen him since that graduation day. Before he could make arrangements, he received a message telling him his father had passed away and that he needed to come home immediately and take care things.  When he arrived at his father's house, sudden sadness and  regret filled his heart.  His father had left him everything.  He began to search his father's important papers and saw the still new Bible, just as he had left it so many years ago. With tears, he opened the Bible and began to turn the pages. As he read those words, a car key dropped from an envelope taped behind the Bible.  It had a tag with the dealer's name, the same dealer who had the sports car he had desired. On the tag was the date of his graduation, and the words...PAID IN FULL.

A pearl to string:  How many times do we miss God's blessings because they are not packaged as we expected?  I was struck by this story.  The father had given his son his hearts' desire wrapped in the Word of God.  What the father wanted to 'drive' home with his son was the greater gift is to 'walk' with the Lord.  

Don't run out naked in the world today.... clothe your heart in the Word.  Pick up your Bible and read what God has for you today.  "Every word of God is tried and purified; He is a shield to those who trust and take refuge in Him".  (Proverbs 30:5)  

You are loved,

                 Lyndi

Potato or Chip

There are many choices that we face day in and day out. Let's get down to bare bones life here. The potato or the chip? The potato is a nutrient-dense food. Rich in vitamin C and hard to get B6 and has long been known to be a storehouse of minerals. Each potato contains valuable supplies of essential trace elements: manganese, chromium, selenium and molybdenum. It's low sodium high potassium, fiber, iron and protein packed and contains the common form of complex carbohydrates important to a good diet plus potatoes are virtually fat-free. /The chip? Not so nutritious for your body. Saturated animal fats are heavy and turn to stone inside the body, hardening the arteries, leaving you at risk of heart attack and stroke. The body is not designed to deal with these types of fats which interfere with blood sugar levels and cause liver stagnation, which can lead to depression and weight gain. The body cannot effectively process bad fats, so many are turned into toxic balls and stored in the body, making you even fatter. The hydrogenated fats change into the ever more dangerous trans-fatty acids which have been shown to cause diabetes, heart disease and cancer. Trans-fatty acids also cause you to gain weight as they interfere with the metabolism and breakdown of essential fatty acids. They increase the bad cholesterol in the body and deplete the good. Free choice! Potato or chip! 

A pearl to string: How about a Spiritual choice? Jesus: Perfect. Holy. Righteous. Loving. Kind. Helpful. Protective. Powerful. Mighty. Restoring. Compassionate. Forgiving. Empowering. Discerning. Consuming. Cleansing. Healing. Delivering. Creating. Smiting. Fulfilling. Providing. Teaching. Purifying. Freeing. Preserving. Victorious. Historical. Reproving. Proven. Incorruptible. Infallible. Trustworthy. Protected. Responsive. Honorable. Reliable. Good. Reputable. Celebrated. Praised. Glorified. Famous. Renowned. Loved. Served. Worshipped. Honored. Sought. Needed. Required. Requested. Beautiful. Living. Breathing. Alive. Active. Amazing. Inspiring. Productive. Imaginative. Abundant. Pure. Wholesome. Safe. Beneficial. Excellent! Eminent. Remarkable. Extraordinary. Supernatural. Miraculous. Astounding. Jesus the Christ is the only onewho could SAVE anyone from having to pay the punishment(s) for their own sins. Thus, as he has said: "I AM the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father [GOD], but by me."

(John 14:6). "For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus" (1 Timothy 2:5). "Let me clearly state to all of you and to all the people of Israel that he was healed by the powerful name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, the man you crucified but whom God raised from the dead. For Jesus is the one referred to in the Scriptures, where it says, 'The stone that you builders rejected has now become the cornerstone.' There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved." (Acts 4:10-12). /Satan? Great singing voice could probably cut it on American Idol. Charming, beautiful, deceitful, divisive, the beguiling prince of liars. His sIn was prIde. He had "I" problems. He temps people to do evil (1 Thessalonians 3:5), opposes the servants of God (Zechariah 3:1), confuses people about the things of God (Matthew 13:25), and deceives people (2 Corinthians 11:13-15). (NOTE: The lie is one of his most effective tools - John 8:44). Ezekiel 28 Because of his beauty, his heart became proud and his wisdom was corrupted (v. 17) Pride in his perfection, wisdom and beauty (v. 12) became the source of his downfall, and God threw him to the earth (v. 17). Satan's final defeat and his eternal fate are foretold by the Scriptures - Matthew 25:41; Revelation 20:7-10. Your Choice! Jesus or Satan! 

Always remember you are loved

God made a way for you,

                                           Lyndi

God Always Answers Prayer

When the idea is not right, God says," No."
No - when the idea is not the best.
No - when the idea is absolutely wrong.
No - when though it may help you, it could create problems for someone else.
When the time is not right, God says, "Slow."
What a catastrophe it would be if God answered every prayer at the snap of your fingers. Do you know what would happen? God would become your servant, not your master. Suddenly God would be working for you instead of you working for God. Remember: God's delays are not God's denials. God's timing is perfect. Patience is what we need in prayer.
When you are not right, God says, "Grow."
The selfish person has to grow in unselfishness.
The cautious person must grow in courage.
The timid person must grow in confidence.
The dominating person must grow in sensitivity.
The critical person must grow in tolerance.
The negative person must grow in positive attitudes.
The pleasure-seeking person must grow in compassion for suffering people.
When everything is all right, God says, "Go."
Then miracles happen:
....A hopeless alcoholic is set free!
....A drug addict finds release!
....A doubter becomes as a child in his belief.
....Diseased tissue responds to treatment, and healing begins.
....The door to your dream suddenly swings open and there stands God saying, "Go!"
Author Unknown -- Dr. Robert Schuler 

A pearl to string: Sometimes we can get so caught up in our own expectations of what prayer should look like and smell like that when we look for God's reply, we limit our thinking to our own limited view of what is needed.  We can miss what God is doing.  It's not our prayers that work.  It's God that works!  God doesn't need our reminders, He doesn't forget and He's not unaware of His peoples needs. God is our Father and loves being our Father. Because of Jesus and through Jesus our prayers are our time with our Father, our relationship with Him as He listens and grows us His way.  

"I want men everywhere to lift up holy hands in prayer, without anger or disputing."  (1 Timothy 2:8) 

Be blessed wherever you are in your life today!

God has His hands on the situation!

Know you are loved,

                             Lyndi