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Me-Maw Thoughts
Number 370
March 27, 2018///

When everything is in place things happen.  Have you ever played a game, put a puzzle together, planned a gathering, cleaned your house or office?

When everything is in place things happen! You win the game, the puzzle is complete, the gathering is a hit and your house or office looks organized!

I am reminding each of you today that the same is true concerning the dreams and desires and prayers in our life.

WHEN EVERYTHING IS IN PLACE……….

How do the things concerning my dreams and desires get into place? How do I walk in my destiny?

The same way you play a game, plan a gathering, etc. Know your goals and submit them to the Lordship of Jesus Christ and then do the things you can do, and know to do, to advance toward what God has placed within you.

Let’s look at an example of a puzzle. If you have 500 or a 1000-piece puzzle you usually begin by finding the outline of the puzzle and then begin to fill in the pieces.

I submit to you today that knowing the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior is the beginning of fulfilling all you were created for. If you will: it is the outline of the puzzle.

As we work on the puzzle we may pick up pieces that we just have no idea where to put them, so instead of staring at the piece and throwing it down or giving up on the puzzle, we lay it down and pick up another piece. Eventually you will use the discarded piece.

As we journey through this thing called life we need to keep going and lay down the things that we cannot figure out and go for the things that we can fit into place. At some point the things you do not understand will fit right in, right in the place they were made for.

We learned at the Fearless “Dream” conference this weekend that we need to get a picture in our minds and spirits of the dream that is in us coming to pass!

I ask you to think about my puzzle example. When we are working a puzzle we usually keep the picture that is on the front of the box before us or a least in our minds. We need to see it in order to assembly the pieces correctly.

May I share with you this morning that just as parents or older siblings will help the younger kids with a puzzle, the Holy Spirit has been sent to guide us as we navigate the puzzle of the reality we have been placed in.

When we relax and allow the power of the Living God, who gave His best for us, to help with every decision and every move we make, we are headed for………..

EVERYTHING BEING IN PLACE!!!

When we acknowledge it is His way that is best and just walk in fellowship with the Father God, the Creator of all things, life will begin to come together, and we will begin to see the picture taking form.

Isaiah 30:21 (KJV)
And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.

Let me tell you that God Loves you so much that when you open your heart just a little, He will begin to speak to you deep down inside, guide and show you the way to go!

The problem comes when we are like a two-year-old who is trying to put an 8 large-piece puzzle together and refuses to listen to the parent who is telling the child where the pieces go.

NO!!! I do it!!! Is many times the response, and that is our response much of the time!

We somehow have the idea that we can navigate this crazy thing called life alone.

How much better when we are in relationship with the giver of life.

If we listen to the creator, and do what we can, we will realize soon that:

EVERYTHING IS FALLING IN PLACE!!

What are you created for? Just move toward it!!!
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Father, thank you that your Word is Truth and you want to help and guide us and work in our lives abundantly. May we listen and obey and move forward as we know how and you will do the rest. May each of us allow you to speak deep in our innermost being and life will begin to be what you have planned for us. I ask this in the Mighty Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth! Amen

Have An incredible week!
Love, Me-Maw

 

Me-maw Thoughts
Number 369
March 20, 2018///

How many times have you said or heard someone say: “That person is just so real, I just love them!”

We all know that “Coke is the real thing”, and Disneyland or Disneyworld is the “real vacation”.

We recognize how much better real flowers look and smell than artificial and how much better real orange juice is than orange drink.

Sitting on our window sill over our kitchen sink is a ceramic (or something of that nature) small flower with a humming bird drinking nectar from it. It is colorfully and bright.

A few days ago, a REAL hummingbird was outside the window trying to get to the fake flower. Since the window was there, the real bird gave up and went away.

That reminds me of us earthly beings with a place inside that needs to be filled with the spirit of the Living God.

We spend energy strength and sometimes our lives trying to get the fake fulfillment that the enemy puts in front of us. We cannot seem to see that it is all fake.

The fortune, the success, the beauty, the fame, the honors: they will all fade away and the only thing that is real most of humanity will have failed to see and understand.

The real life is about our relationship with Jesus Christ and how we live our life walking in love for Him and love for others.

John 3:36 (KJV)
He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life;
John 3:36 (MSG)
That is why whoever accepts and trusts the Son gets in on everything, life complete and forever!

Rather than turn from the fake to the real as the humming bird did at our window and realize true satisfaction comes from knowing we were created by God on purpose for a purpose, we continue to push on that window of deceit and spend our live in futile pursuit.

John 14:6 (KJV)
Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life:

Do you want real life? It is found in walking with Jesus and allowing Him to be our Lord and Savior.

Psalm 36:9 (KJV)
For with thee is the fountain of life: in thy light shall we see light.
Psalm 36:9 (MSG)
You’re a fountain of cascading light, and you open our eyes to light.

To pursue real is to pursue Jesus. You were created with talents and abilities and to use those to their fullest and live life to its fullest, you must allow that void that is within to be alive with the Spirit of God.

To enjoy life, we need to come back to the original relationship with God, through all that Jesus did on the cross and the resurrection!

Psalm 34:8 (KJV)
O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.

God is good, and God is real. The evil in this world is from satan and the more we understand God’s Love for us and walk in that Love toward others: the more we pray for those around us and the circumstances of life, we are reducing satan’s power and allowing Gods kingdom to come down to earth.

Seek the real. Everything else will fade away.
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Father, In Jesus name I come to you and ask you to open our eyes that we may see what has real meaning in this world and what is just fluff. May we desire the real Jesus above all else and may we allow the real to be real in us. Amen

Have and amazing week and seek the real!
Love, Me-Maw

Me-Maw Thoughts
Number 368
March 13, 2018///

Psalm 91:1 (KJV)
He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

Psalm 91:1 (MSG)
You who sit down in the High God’s presence, spend the night in Shaddai’s shadow,

DEFINITION OF SHADOW
1) A REFLECTED IMAGE
2) SHELTER FROM DANGER OR OBSERVATION

The shadow in a picture you take may ruin the picture, and the shadow of an umbrella may not keep the rain off you but, if you dwell in the shadow of the most high God you will be safe and secure.

Just as your shadow may drive a bird or an animal away the shadow of the Lord God Almighty will keep you safe and secure from destruction.

Psalm 91:2 (KJV)
I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.

Psalm 91:2 (MSG)  Say this: “GOD, you’re my refuge. I trust in you and I’m safe!”

In order to be under the shadow of anything: a tree, a house, or an umbrella, you must be close to the thing casting a shadow.

Therefore, if we want to dwell in the shadow of the Creator God of the universe we must be close to Him. We must snuggle up and set up residents there.

When we accept Jesus Christ as our savior the Spirit of the Living God comes alive in us. We must decide at that point to begin to grow closer to the Lord God Almighty by learning about Him, and by release every part of our life to His Plans.

Maybe you remember being afraid and then having all the fear gone as you snuggled close to a parent or someone you knew would keep you safe.

When we dwell in the secret place of the Most High we settle there and abide there.

• According to Webster’s Dictionary to dwell means: to live as a resident and to keep the attention directed
  DWELL Synonyms
  abide, hang around, remain, stay, stick around, tarry

Do you see what I see there? When we choose to live in the presences of our Father God and keep our attention on Him, we then are in the shadow and protection of all the enemy can throw at us.

Does this mean nothing bad will ever happen to us if we are in the shadow of the Almighty God. No, but it means when we are living in the shadow of the Living God that we see the temporary nature of earthly struggles and we know that God can work all things for our good and His Glory.

It gives me great security and strength to picture myself snuggling so close to the Creator of the Universe that His Shadow is driving away every fear, confusion, and enemy that tries to bring me down.

What about you? Do you know the comfort of dwelling in the presences of your Father, the one who knows you best and loves you most?

In this world we will not escape all problems and live a perfect existence, but when we are in the Secret Place we can walk in Peace and the knowledge that if God is for us then no weapon formed against us will prosper.

I encourage you to live in His presences and keep your eyes directed on the eternal. Let His Love enfold you and give you strength.
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Father, thank you for the Secret Place that your children can dwell in and your shadow will drive away all evil. May we release our cares and our fears and just abide in your presences and let you love us and give us spiritual hugs.

I love you more than my luggage!
Me-Maw

Me-maw Thoughts
Number 367
March 6, 2018///

Isaiah 64:8 (KJV)
But now, O LORD, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand.

Today I want to call your attention to a story you may have heard in the past. The author is unknown, and it has been told in various forms, but I believe the message in it is what is on my heart today.

The Story of the Cracked Pot –

A Water Bearer in India had two large pots, each hung on the ends of a pole which he carried across his neck. One of the pots had a crack in it while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water. At the end of the long walks from the stream to the house, the cracked pot arrived only half full.

For a full two years this went on daily, with the Water Bearer bringing home only one and a half pots of water. Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments. But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection, and miserable that it could only do half of what it had been made to do.

After two years of what it perceived to be bitter failure, it spoke to the Water Bearer one day by the stream. ‘I am ashamed of myself, because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your house.’

The Water Bearer smiled, ‘Did you notice that there are flowers on your side of the path, but not on the other pot’s side?’ ‘That’s because I have always known about your flaw, so I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walk back, you water them.’

For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate the table. Without you being just the way you are, there would not be this beauty to grace the house.’

**Each of us has our own unique flaws. We’re all cracked pots. But if we will allow it, the Lord will use our flaws to grace His Father’s table. In God’s great economy, nothing goes to waste. So, as we seek ways to minister together, and as God calls you to tasks He has appointed for you, don’t be afraid of your flaws. Acknowledge them, and allow Him to take advantage of them, and you, too, can be the cause of beauty in His pathway. Go out boldly, knowing that in our weakness we find His strength, and that “In Him every one of God’s promises is a Yes.” **

---

Do you ever feel like a cracked pot? Do you ever feel like you are not able to do it right or as good as others? Look around: you are accomplishing more than you think. Do not keep your eyes on your flaws but look at the flowers of other lives blooming all around you. Maybe you are helping them to grow.

I want you to understand that God is the potter and we are the clay and He molds us into the vessels He needs. There are different pots for different task: be the pot you are fashioned to be. Let the Love of the Father flow through all you do. Be you! God made you and He is using every part of you including your flaws for His Glory!

Father,
Thank you that you are the potter and I am the clay!
Thank you that you use cracked pots!
I thank you that your will is being done in each of our lives as we commit ourselves to the task before us!
Use each one who reads this for your Glory!
I pray this is the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth! A-men

Have and amazing weeks! Love Me-Maw

Me-Maw Thoughts
Number 366
February 20, 2018///

Ordinary days! What makes a day ordinary? Is it that everything we do is routine, and nothing is really exciting? Is it the expected verses the unexpected? Is it going through our day in sheer boredom wishing for something different? Or is it the way we approach our day??????

What if we went through each day as extraordinary instead of ordinary?

Webster defines ordinary as: the regular or customary condition or course of things.

Extraordinary is defined as: exceptional to a very marked extent

So, if you add extra to ordinary you get extraordinary or exceptional.

On what we would define as ordinary days there is sunshine and rain, breath and life, hugs and laughter, pain and tears. Far from being routine these are blessings or situations that we can celebrate and/or conquer.

When the creator of the universe is your constant companion no day should fall into the ordinary category.

We may call extraordinary a trip or a cruise. We may call extraordinary a birth or a special anniversary. Maybe we see as extraordinary a wedding day or a promotion.

While those are extraordinary we should look at being able to clean the peanut butter off our child’s face or the mud off their shoes as extraordinary.

To sit across the table from one we love or watch a sunset or sunrise as extraordinary.

Extraordinary is to be able to go to a job and provide for our family: to be able to look into aged parent’s eyes and see alertness and joy: to be able to take a deep breath and wash our clothes!

Extraordinary is dropping our kids off at school and hugging them goodbye: to shop for those things needed and to smile at the clerk.

Extraordinary is to pray for our family, friends, church, neighbors, and country and to know that God is listening and hears and cares.

Who defines ordinary and extraordinary?? I believe that each day we are privileged to walk on this earth is extraordinary!!

Look around you and you will see multitudes of extraordinary things that are never recognized as such.

As children of the most high God we need to grasp each moment of each day as extraordinary. Enjoy it, love it!

When your child is getting on your last nerve or your boss or coworkers make you want to scream, remember how many weep for a child or need a job and understand that your day is extraordinary.

When you feel like you do not matter remember how each of our lives touch those around us.

There are no ordinary days, just ordinary thinking.

I challenge you to begin to see the extra in each day and understand that to live is extraordinary.

Ephesians 2:10 (KJV)
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

We are Gods workmanship created to do good works. That can no way be described as ordinary.

Think extraordinary!!

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Father God, I come to you in Jesus Name. I thank you for my extraordinary days! I thank you that when you, the master of the universe, are with me nothing in my life can be ordinary. Touch each of us with the realization that our lives count, and each moment is indeed extraordinary. Amen

Love your extraordinary day and week and life!
Love, MeMaw

Me-Maw Thoughts
Number 365
February 6, 2018///

Have you ever made such a mess that you thought it could never get cleaned up?

I remember several years ago I was removing a bag of flour from the cabinet above the stove and it dropped from my hand covering our kitchen with flour. The result was so dismaying that I just stood there and could not even make a comment.

My response was to just start from the furthest place and work my way to the stove and counter cleaning as I went.

Eventually the flour was cleaned up and the kitchen was cleaner because of it.

I am sure each of us can think of times our children have made incredible messes making cookies or playing or even eating but they all got cleaned up.

I want to purpose to you to that when we bring the messes of our life to God the Father, He can and will clean them up.

He will “Turn Your Messes into Blessings!”

That is the thought I want to explore with you. Many times, when we have messed up or made wrong choices or have just plan rebelled, we figure that has scarred us for life and we are just struggling through each day.

However, we must understand: that is a lie from the enemy of our soul! The one who wants to ruin our lives and make us miserable. The one who’s goal is to pull you down to hell or if he cannot do that to make you ineffective by weighing you down with guilt and shame.

We are an imperfect people serving a perfect God and when we allow Him to lead us and listen and follow His word we will make less messes, but in our imperfectness, we are all subject to messing up and in those times, Jesus tells us to come to Him and lay all our cares and concerns and mess-ups at His feet and He will give us rest.

Matthew 11:28 (KJV)
Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

1 Peter 5:7 (KJV)
Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

Not only will the one who loves us most and knows us best relieve all the concern and guilt about the messes we have made: being the Creator of all that is good and giving His best for our salvation, He can fix it!! Even though there may be consequences for our actions, He can use those as a Blessing.

There is an old Gospel song that says:
“Let Jesus fix it for you, He knows Just what to do.
Whenever you pray, let Him have His way, and He will fix it for you.”

The word of the living God: The Bible says:
Romans 8:28 (KJV)
And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

When we love God and bring all our cares to Him we are the called. His purpose is that all are called to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ.

All things that happen are not good and all the choices we have made in our lives have not been good and all the rebellious things we have done have not been good.

BUT….the good news is that our Heavenly Father, the Master Potter can take those things and mold them into BLESSINGS instead of messes.

How??? If we knew that we would be God. Since we do not know, our responsibility in our messes is to come to the Father in the name of Jesus and release all that we have messed up to Him.

I assure you He can turn it into a Blessing. Let Him surprise you with His ability to make all things new and right!

I challenge you to take your mistakes, your desires for do-overs and just come and cast them on Him and really let it go!

Take the advice of the children’s movie and “LET IT GO”!

Believe and receive the Father’s ability to fix it and you go on to fulfill the plan He has for you.

Paul the Apostle said it Best:
Philippians 3:13-14 (KJV)
13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

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Father, I come to you in the name of your precious son Jesus Christ. I release all the mistakes and failures in my life to your Lordship and refuse to pick them up again. Thank you that you can turn everything the enemy means for bad and turn it around for our good and your Glory. May we understand that you are able to do more than we could ever think in our minds. May each one who reads this walk in you Glory and spread that Glory to a world who needs you desperately! Amen

Have an awesome week! Love, Me-Maw

Me-Maw Thoughts
Number 364
January 30, 2018///

I’ve lived a long time and seen a lot of changes. In September of this year I will be Seventy-Four and in those years the world has changed a lot.

As I look around at the books I have collected, the Cd’s/Dvd’s/Video’s, and then look at the cassettes, the 33 1/3 rpm records and yes even a few 8 tracks’, I realize that many changes are good and are beneficial, but many have come to bring us down as a society.

The scripture reminds us not to throw out the good with what we think is better.

A dishwasher is better than washing dishes by hand.

A washer and dryer are better than hauling water and washing clothes in a tub and hanging them on a line to dry.

Permapress has replaced an iron for the most part.

Cordless or Cell phones have replaced corded phones and phone booths.

Riding a lawnmower to cut grass instead of pushing a mower is easier and an electric blanket or throw is extremely warm.

The personal computer and the internet is a mixture of good and bad. They can be used to spread the Gospel or spread evil and hate.

Proverbs 22:28 (KJV)
Remove not the ancient landmark, which thy fathers have set.

We must continue to have conversations not just text or e-mails. When you look someone in the eye you are looking into their soul.

We must continue to just be good to others and to love God and be faithful to Gods house and to help others as friends used to.

What would happen to our culture if we begin to come together to clean someone’s yard or paint a house or sort through stuff left by a loved one who passed on.

Not only would the work get done but we would form a community that would be like the ones our parents were part of and even us if we are old enough to remember that time.

A community that loved not in word only but in deed.

We see simpler times in the shows “The Walton’s” and “Little House on the Prairie” and we sometimes think those were better times.

However, I can tell you I love to be able to take a shower and use my appliances.

I love to be able to fly somewhere in a matter of hours rather than drive in a horse and buggy or a model-t.

I love to be able to play music on my I-pad and computer and be able to find information with the touch of my fingers on the keyboard.

Even typing these thoughts, I am thankful for word processing. I am old enough to yes……….have had a typewriter and all the pains that brought with it.

I think in the middle of all the convenience we enjoy, what we are really missing when we watch the shows showing us past decades, is the family ties, the community, the willingness to know each other and help each other.

We have the ability to correct that. We can go to the moon and fly across the country in a few hours. Surely, we can find the time to really know each other and to know our God and to follow His command to Love one another.

How long has it been since you have had a real heart felt conversation with someone?

NO!!!!! I have no desire to go back to riding in a horse and buggy and cooking on a wood stove. I have no desire to see people die from things that are easily curable in todays world and I have no desire to return to the outhouse or heating from a fireplace only.

But I do want to go back to when family and friends got together for fellowship and when a neighbor or friend had a need everyone came to the rescue.

I do want politicians who are more concerned with helping better their State, County, or Country than to always be right and lie when it is convenient.

I realize that church provides some of the community and outreaches but as a society we have become centered on our needs. May we love as Jesus Loves!!

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Father God, fills us with the desire to be your hand extended and not move the boundary lines of love and compassion.

God Bless You. Love, MeMaw

Me-Maw Thoughts
Number 363
January 23, 2018///

“HEY DIDDLE DIDDLE, THE CAT AND THE FIDDLE,
THE COW JUMPED OVER THE MOON,
THE LITTLE BOY LAUGHED TO SEE SUCH A SPORT,
AND THE DISH RAN AWAY WITH THE SPOON!”

A few days ago my husband and I, and then yesterday a friend and I were discussing how out of reason a lot of the nursery rhymes are. Some of them are even scary.

Just look at the “Hey Diddle Diddle” one. Makes no sense and yet I remembered every word.

Now the difference in me remembering this and a toddler hearing this is that I know this is not truth, but the toddler is not able to distinguish truth yet.

However, when the toddler gets 8 or 9 or 10 years old they will understand that the dish cannot run away with the spoon nor can the cow jump over the moon.

In our walk with Jesus Christ, when we first accept Jesus we may not be able to distinguish the truths of God’s Word or walking with Jesus but as we grow in the knowledge of the word and allow the Holy Spirit to begin to lead and guide us we can go from believing lies to knowing truth.

Philippians 2:5 (KJV)
Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:

Ephesians 4:23 (KJV)
And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;

You see the battle of walking the road of life correctly begins in the mind. So, the enemy of all that is good, satan, fights us in the mind by feeding us lies that we grab onto and believe.

As a Christian we are to renew our minds and pull down every thought that is not of God. That would be every negative thought and every thought that is leading us in the wrong direction.

2 Corinthians 10:5 (KJV)
Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;.

A thought might seem good and yet is leading us in a direction away from God’s perfect will. So how do we know. We first ask God to invade our mind, our will, and our emotions with His Spirit and His direction. We declare that every thought is captive to the obedience of Christ Jesus.

And then we refuse every negative thought and we examine every direction with the word of God.

2 Peter 3:18 (KJV)
But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever.

Matthew 22:37 (KJV)
Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.

In our relationships, our jobs, our priorities, our time and our goals, we must know the plan God has for us to fulfill our destiny.

If we don’t know where we are going, we will wonder about with no direction.

If we don’t know the truth, we will believe lies.

John 8:32 (KJV)
And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

So, I encourage you to let the Word and Spirit of God invade your mind, will and emotions and you will not fulfill the desires of the flesh.

Galatians 5:16 (KJV)
This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.

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Father, I come to you in Jesus name. I ask that this mind is in me which is in Christ Jesus my Lord. I ask that I make right decisions in all I do, and I ask that I walk in TRUTH. Fill each person reading this with the desire for truth and help them to determine to walk in your plan for them. When we know the truth, we can be free from the lies and traps of satan. Thank you for truth! Amen

Have a wonderful week!
Love MeMaw

Me-Maw Thoughts
Number 362
January 16, 2018///

I just read about an arrest of a couple in California who had 13 children shackled and malnourished in their home.

The kids ranged from 2 to 29 years with the older ones looking like small kids because of the way they had been treated.

This is the type of thing that we have a hard time comprehending. This was in a neighborhood where children were riding their bikes and the house and lawns were neat and well kept.

As I continued to read one of the neighbors made a statement that I want to address today.
This neighbor said: “I’m the kind of guy that does not want to get in anybody’s business”!

Now I understand that we do not want to bug others or seem to get into their business but this neighborhoods houses were close together and it is amazing that all the neighbors could say was that they thought the people were weird, but had no idea what was going on.

So, my question today is what is our responsibility when it comes to the lives of others?

In Genesis, the first book of the Bible, after Cain killed his brother Abel, God asked him where his brother was, and Cain said: “Am I my brother’s keeper?”.

Genesis 4:9 (KJV)
And the LORD said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother’s keeper?

Of course, Cain was trying to avoid the fact that he had killed his brother, but today that question is one we should ask ourselves.

How much responsibility do we have for those around us and those we see every day?

I don’t have the complete answer, but I believe that the Bible gives us some insight into our daily responsibility to others.

1 John 4:21 (KJV)
And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.

If we love God, our lives will be one of showing God’s love and care to those around us whether it is in our neighborhoods or our jobs or stores or anywhere else we may be.

Zechariah 7:9 (KJV)
Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, saying, Execute true judgment, and shew mercy and compassions every man to his brother:

Now of course we know that when the word speaks of loving you brother it is also speaking of loving your sister.

So, as children of almighty God we need to be aware of those around us and reach out to them with our friendship.

I truly know that we are to show love and friendship to all those around us. How much further we need to go into their lives I believe the Holy Spirit within us will give us the guidance.

I cannot help but think, what if someone had tried to be a friend to this family (and maybe some did try) and in the middle of that discovered long ago that there was a problem?

How responsible are we for others?

I truly would like to know what you think! If you have thoughts or opinions on this subject, please email me at: pburn@charter.net

Are we our brother’s keeper?

Father, I come in the name of Jesus and ask you to show us how to be friends with others and care about them without intruding where we should not. So many in this world need a friend and as we reach out to them we can point them to Jesus, the real friend that is always there. Fill us full of your love for each other and guide us in all we are to do. Amen

God Bless you all!
Love, MeMaw

Me-Maw Thoughts
Number 361
January 9, 2018///

It is alright not to be number one. As Georgia fans yelled a loud OH! NO! Alabama won over us in overtime. However, both were great teams, and both played as hard as they could.

It was a lot of hard work and an honor to be able to play in that game and I, for one, am very proud of their accomplishments.

As I consider this I realize that in the spiritual realm it is also ok to not be number one. It is even ok to not be number two or three or on the down the line. What is important is that you run the race that you were created for.

Hebrews 12:1 (KJV)
Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

There was a great cloud of witnesses at the Ga/Ala game last night. And they were loud. May I tell you that as we run the race set before us, heaven is cheering us on and getting loud with encouragement.

But!!! I don’t win, I’m not number one in what I do. My question is: are you running your race? Are you conforming to the image of Jesus Christ and going for the goal that He has set for you?

Or are you so busy looking at others that you get off course and try to run the race you are not created for.

Just imagine in last nights game if players started switching sides based on who was ahead in points at that time. It would have been a chaotic mess. Not only that the players had to stay in their position.

Are you staying in your position in the Lord Jesus Christ? Are you running your race or are you so focused on others accomplishments that you get all messed up in your decisions and get in the wrong lane, headed toward the wrong goal.

Whose race are you running? Who are you listening to? What is your motivation?

RUN YOUR RACE!
LISTEN TO THE SPIRIT OF GOD WITHIN YOU!
LET YOUR MOTIVATION BE TO PLEASE ALMIGHTY GOD!

There are some lines of a song that make a very powerful statement about our lives and how to find real joy by running our race.

“But to give the things you cannot keep for what you cannot lose
That’s the way to find the joy God has for you.”

This life is temporary, but eternity is real. To run your race and give all you are to fulfill the plan God has for you will bring true JOY!

If we just stay in our lane and run our race, when we are drawing our last breath whether we are number one or one hundred, we will be able to say with the Apostle Paul:

2 Timothy 4:7 (KJV)
I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:

May we all desire that we can live life that way. I have said it before and I will say it over and over, we must live life with an eternal perspective.

Run your race with patience and endurance and change your world. If that leads to you being number one, wonderful but if not remember:

IT IS OK NOT TO BE NUMBER ONE!!!!
JUST RUN YOUR RACE!!!!

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Father, thank you for your love and your plan for each person who reads this. May we see with spiritual eyes the enemy who will try to pull us from our race and set us on a coarse that will not fill us with the joy God has for us. Touch each of us in the deepest part of our being and we bask in your Love and the truth of your will.
Amen!

Have a great race!
Love, MeMaw