Amy's Place ... Poetry and Potpourri ... July, August and September 2016

July 1, 2016 | JustAmy; Meg33, The Mayor; Trisham;

[Kitty Mittens]

Thank you, Dear FRiends, for the Beautiful Daily Pings.
(((((Love to Everyone, and God Bless)))))

[The Mayor]

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God Talk

August 23, 2016

What we have received is . . . the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us. 1 Corinthians 2:12

Recently, my son-in-law was explaining to my granddaughter Maggie that we can talk with God and that He communicates with us. When Ewing told Maggie that God sometimes speaks to us through the Bible, she responded without hesitation: “Well, He’s never said anything to me. I’ve never heard God talk to me.”

Most of us would probably agree with Maggie, if hearing an audible voice telling us, “Sell your house, and go take care of orphans in a faraway land,” is what we mean by God communicating with us. But when we talk about hearing God “speak,” we usually mean something quite different.

Scripture tells us how to find salvation in Jesus and how to live in ways that please Him.

We “hear” God through reading Scripture. The Bible tells us about Jesus and says that God “has spoken to us by his Son” who is “the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being” (Heb. 1:2–3). Scripture tells us how to find salvation in Jesus and how to live in ways that please Him (2 Tim. 3:14–17). In addition to Scripture itself, we have the Holy Spirit. First Corinthians 2:12 says that we are given the Spirit “so that we may understand what God has freely given us.”

Has it been a while since you’ve heard from God? Talk to Him and listen to the Spirit, who reveals Jesus to us through His Word. Tune in to the wonderful things God has to say to you.

Speak to me, Lord. Help me to understand the message of Scripture, the lessons of Jesus, and the urgings of the Holy Spirit.

God speaks through His Word when we take time to listen.

INSIGHT:

This section begins with a reference to Jesus’s incarnation and His unique position as God’s Son, and the admonition for Him to be worshiped (vv. 5–8). We see the “radiance of God’s glory,” in the person of Christ (v. 3). As we read His Word, we learn to love Him.

[The Mayor]

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Watch and Pray

August 24, 2016

Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. Mark 14:38

From my window I can see a 1,700-meter hill called the Cerro del Borrego or “Hill of the Sheep.” In 1862, the French army invaded Mexico. While the enemy camped in the central park of Orizaba, the Mexican army established its position at the top of the hill. However, the Mexican general neglected to guard access to the top. While the Mexican troops were sleeping, the French attacked and killed 2,000 of them.

This reminds me of another hill, the Mount of Olives, and the garden at its foot where a group of disciples fell asleep. Jesus rebuked them, saying, “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak” (Mark 14:38).

Lord, help me to watch and pray today for myself and for others.

How easy it is to sleep or become careless in our Christian walk. Temptation strikes when we are most vulnerable. When we neglect certain areas of our spiritual lives—such as prayer and Bible study—we become drowsy and let our guard down, making us easy targets for our enemy, Satan, to strike (1 Peter 5:8).

We need to be alert to the possibilities of an attack and pray to maintain vigilance. If we remain watchful and pray—for ourselves and for others—the Spirit will enable us to resist temptation.

Lord Jesus, I know my spirit is willing, but my body is weak. Help me to watch and pray today for myself and for others.

Satan is powerless against the power of Christ.

INSIGHT:

The garden of Gethsemane was the starting point of the sufferings of Christ, and it could not have been more appropriately named. In Aramaic, the word Gethsemane means “olive press.” In olive tree orchards, it was normal to have a press where the harvested olives would be placed so that a heavy stone could be rolled over them—crushing the olives and removing the valuable oil from the fruit. That imagery precisely describes what Christ would undergo in His own “olive press.” Imagine the sinless Son loaded down with the weight of all the sins of the entire world from all the ages!

[MEG33]

Amen to this important message, Rus. Thank you
for starting our day off right every day.
You Are A Blessing

[MEG33]

Happy Warm Fuzzy Wednesday To Amy's Place

***
These Pups Know How To Beat The Heat
Have A Wonderful Day

[The Mayor]

Hi Meg, Thank you for your dedication!

[MEG33]

Thank you, (((RUS))).

[left that other site]

Happy Warm &Fuzzy Wednesday!

May You Have a Beautiful Day filled with Blessings!

And may it be just a wee bit LESS Warm, but always Fuzzy!

(((HUGS)))

ML/LTOS

[luvie]

Rippingtons~Wednesday's Child
Happy Warm and Fuzzy Wednesday.y'all!
[Ok...maybe not fuzzy! LOL]

[TheConservativeParty]

Happy Warm Fuzzy Wednesday!

[The Mayor]

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Remembering . . .

August 25, 2016

I have hidden your word in my heart. Psalm 119:11

One difficult part of growing older is the fear of dementia and the loss of short-term memory. But Dr. Benjamin Mast, an expert on the topic of Alzheimer’s disease, offers some encouragement. He says that patients’ brains are often so “well worn” and “habitual” that they can hear an old hymn and sing along to every word. He suggests that spiritual disciplines such as reading Scripture, praying, and singing hymns cause truth to become “embedded” in our brains, ready to be accessed when prompted.

In Psalm 119:11, we read how the power of hiding God’s words in our heart can keep us from sinning. It can strengthen us, teach us obedience, and direct our footsteps (vv. 28, 67, 133). This in turn gives us hope and understanding (vv. 49, 130). Even when we begin to notice memory slips in ourselves or in the life of a loved one, God’s Word, memorized years earlier, is still there, “stored up” or “treasured” in the heart (v. 11 esv, nasb). Even as our minds lose the keen edge of youth, we know that God’s words, hidden in our hearts, will continue to speak to us.

I have hidden your word in my heart. Psalm 119:11

Nothing—not even failing memories—can separate us from His love and care. We have His word on it.

Lord, You are such an amazing comfort to us. Thank You that our salvation and spiritual well-being does not depend on our failing minds and bodies, but on You and Your faithfulness to Your Word.

God's promises never fail.

INSIGHT:

Psalm 119 is well known as the longest chapter in the Bible. It is an acrostic (each section beginning with a consecutive letter of the Hebrew alphabet) that praises the goodness and value of God’s law. While it may be tempting to ignore the significance of what the writer of this psalm says and consider it mere poetic license, Scripture repeatedly praises the law of God as good and valuable. Jesus Himself affirmed the value and benefit of the law on numerous occasions. Most notably in His Sermon on the Mount when He said, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them” (Matt. 5:17).

[luvie]

Be glad it's not Monday!
...and have a
Thankful Thursday!

Steve Cole~Thursday

[MEG33]

Thanking God For Beautiful Flowers And FRiends
A Happy Thankful Thursday To Amy's Place

[GailA]

I’m glad it’s Thursday, I get to rest from doctor trips, have Primary tomorrow for the FORCED every 3 month visit...thank the FEDS for that.

[left that other site]

Hi MEG! A very Blessed and Thankful Thursday to you! :-)

[luvie]

Yay! No doctors today! For me it was no work! Got called in yesterday but I warned ‘em I wasn’t answering the phone today! :)

[TheConservativeParty]

Happy Thankful Thursday!
It’s nearly over, but I got here before 6pm at least.

Hope you all had a good day!

[The Mayor]

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Honorable Living

August 26, 2016

You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession. 1 Peter 2:9

While delivering a well-publicized speech, a respected leader and statesman got the attention of his nation by declaring that most of his country’s honorable Members of Parliament (MPs) were quite dishonorable. Citing lifestyles of corruption, pompous attitudes, unsavory language, and other vices, he rebuked the MPs and urged them to reform. As expected, his comments didn’t go well with them and they dispatched counter-criticisms his way.

We may not be public officials in positions of leadership, but we who follow Christ are a “chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession” (1 Peter 2:9). As such, our Lord calls us to lifestyles that honor Him.

We honor God’s name when we call Him our Father and live like His children.

The disciple Peter had some practical advice on how to do this. He urged us to “abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul” (v. 11). Although he didn’t use the word honorable, he was calling us to behavior worthy of Christ.  

As the apostle Paul phrased it in his letter to the Philippians, “Whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things” (Phil. 4:8). Indeed, these are the characteristics of behavior that honor our Lord. 

Lord, when we are honest with You, we understand how often we fall far short of honorable behavior. We know how much we need You. By Your Spirit, help us replace any selfish thoughts, words, and actions with things that please You and draw others to You.

We honor God’s name when we call Him our Father and live like His children.

INSIGHT:

The apostle Peter wrote this letter to encourage Jewish and Gentile Christians in Asia Minor (modern Turkey) who were going through severe trials and suffering because of their faith in Jesus. Peter says that for the Christian, trials and suffering are inevitable and to be expected (1 Peter 4:12), although often unreasonable, unjust, and inexplicable (2:19–20). But these difficulties can be valuable to the believer and therefore glorifying to God (1:6–7). Although they are universal, they are certainly temporal (5:9–10). Peter calls us to rejoice in our trials because we participate not only in Christ’s suffering but also in His glory (1:7; 4:13).

[GailA]

Primary today. YUCK this woman has NO EMPATHY, one of those 5 min ins docs.

[MEG33]

Good Morning To Amy's Place
Have A Great Day And Weekend