Sealed

Ephesidans 1: 13-14

13 In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, 14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.

Straight paths

Proverbs 3:6

in all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make your paths straight.

God calls us to a life of constant communication with Him. This is the only way we can live above our circumstances. Even though we sometimes wish for things to be simplifed, he just wants us to accept each day just as it comes and find Him in the midst of it all.

Talking with Him about every aspect of our lives brings us closer to Him. He wants to know how we feel and wants us to know He is listening. It is living by faith that we receive blessing beyond anything we could choose for ourselves. We may have times we think He is not listening, but He is. If we sometimes lose sight of knowing He hears us, all we need do is look into the lives of others and it becomes clear He does listen and does hear. I'm reminded of a lady that sat on the other side of the car and asked her husband what had happened to their marriage complaining they didn't sit close to each other any more. His answer was...I didn't move.

No Reserves, No Retreats, No Regrets

In 1904 William Borden graduated from a Chicago high school. As heir to the Borden Dairy estate, he was already a millionaire.

For his high school graduation present, his parents gave him a trip around the world. As he traveled through Asia, the Middle East, and Europe, Borden felt a growing burden for the world's hurting people. Finally, he wrote home to say, "I'm going to give my life to prepare for the mission field." After making this decision, William Borden wrote two words in the back of his Bible: "No Reserves."

During his first semester at Yale, Borden started a movement that transformed the campus. One of his friends described how it happened: "It was well on in the first term when Bill and I began to pray together in the morning before breakfast. I cannot say positively whose suggestion it was, but I feel sure it must have originated with Bill. We had been meeting only a short time when a third student joined us and soon after a fourth. The time was spent in prayer after a brief reading of Scripture. Bill's handling of Scripture was helpful. . . . He would read to us from the Bible, show us something that God had promised and then proceed to claim the promise with assurance."

Borden's small morning prayer group was the beginning of the daily groups of prayer that spread to the whole campus. By the end of his first year, 150 freshman were meeting for weekly Bible study and prayer. By the time he was a senior, one thousand out of Yale's 1,300 students were meeting in such groups.

Borden's missionary call narrowed to the Muslims in China. Once that goal was in sight, Borden never wavered. Upon graduation from Yale, Borden turned down some high paying job offers. He also wrote two more words in his Bible: "No Retreats."

William Borden went on to graduate work at Princeton Seminary in New Jersey. When he finished his studies at Princeton, he sailed for China. Because he was hoping to work with Muslims, he stopped first in Egypt to study Arabic. While there, he contracted spinal meningitis. Within a month 25-year-old William Borden was dead.

When news of the death of William Whiting Borden was cabled back to the U.S. from Egypt, "a wave of sorrow went round the world. Borden not only gave (away) his wealth, but himself, in a way so joyous and natural that it (seemed) a privilege rather than a sacrifice."

Was Borden's untimely death a waste? Not in God's plan. Prior to his death, Borden had written two more words in his Bible. Underneath the words "No Reserves" and "No Retreats," he had written: "No Regrets."

Portions reprinted from Daily Bread, December 31, 1988, and The Yale Standard, Fall 1970 edition.

Proverbs 3:6

in all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make your paths straight.

Everlasting Love

Romans 12:2 NIV

Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Do you ever get tired of the chase? I do. I get caught up in doing things I think is God's good, pleasing and perfect will when what He really wants from me is my time. Doing, giving, joining this church committee or being involved with ministries of all sorts is a good thing and we don't need to quit, but we also don't need to quit giving God our time. The last couple of months have taxed my time and energy and I know I haven't sat at the feet of Jesus like I should. There is a vast difference in the person I am when I give God my time and when I don't. The devil knows this and uses this weakness to get a foot into the life that He wants for me.

Yesterday Terri, Brent, Carley Ann, Anna Claire and I ate at Chili's. I was so hungry I all but forgot to say the blessing, but Anna Claire remembered. It was so sweet to hear her say the blessing rhyme she had learned. At two and a half she can say her blessing perfectly and while she was praying I kept thinking... yes, Lord, I hear you.

This morning as I take time to talk to Jesus I'm reminding how much I have missed and why my days just haven't seemed to feel right. I've been too busy and like Martha have forgotten what the best part is. Jeremiah 29:11 NIV

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

I'm reminded I don't have to chase God. He is always there.

Billy, my brother is doing well. He is off the vent and has taken a few steps down the hall. The four of us, Carolyn Billy's wife, me and Michael and Timmy his sons have taken turns sitting with him day and night for the last five weeks. Timmy and Michael take care of the weekends and Carolyn and I take care of the week days. Billy is getting so much stronger and there is talk from the doctors giving us encouragement that he can soon leave the special care hospital. This is such good news and I look forward to seeing him back to his old sweet self. This mornings prayers are prayers of thanksgiving.

Believe

John 5:39-47 (New International Version)

39You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me, 40yet you refuse to come to me to have life.

41"I do not accept praise from men, 42but I know you. I know that you do not have the love of God in your hearts. 43I have come in my Father's name, and you do not accept me; but if someone else comes in his own name, you will accept him. 44How can you believe if you accept praise from one another, yet make no effort to obtain the praise that comes from the only God?

45"But do not think I will accuse you before the Father. Your accuser is Moses, on whom your hopes are set. 46If you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote about me. 47But since you do not believe what he wrote, how are you going to believe what I say?"

Billy Graham was returning
to Charlotte after a speaking engagement and when his Plane arrived there was a limousine there to transport him to his home..

As he prepared to get into the limo, he stopped
and spoke to the driver.

'You know' he said, 'I am 87 years old and I have never
driven a limousine.. Would you mind if I drove it for a while?'

The driver said,

'No problem. Have at it.'

Billy gets into the driver's seat and they head off
down the highway.
A short distance away
sat a rookie State Trooper operating his first speed trap.

The long black limo went by him doing 70 in a 55 mph zone.

The trooper pulled out
and easily caught the limo
and he got out of his patrol car to begin the procedure..

The young trooper walked up to the driver's door
and when the glass
was rolled down,
he was surprised to see
who was driving.

He immediately excused himself and went back to his car
and called his supervisor.

He told the supervisor,
'I know we are supposed
to enforce the law.....
But I also know that
important people are
given certain courtesies.
I need to know what
I should do because
I have stopped a
very important person.'

The supervisor asked,
'Is it the governor?'

The young trooper said,
'No, he's more important
than that.'

The supervisor said,
'Oh, so it's the president.'

The young trooper said,
'No, he's even more
important than that.'

The supervisor finally asked,

'Well then, who is it?'

The young trooper said,
'I think it's Jesus,
because he's got Billy Graham for a chauffeur!'