I posted this last week but if you failed to notice, please drop over to our newest blog site. It’s much nicer and it has a selection of wonderful GIFT ITEMS as well as new blog posts. With the upcoming holidays we have a selection of imported Olivewood gifts from the Holyland that I know you will love. AND LOTS MORE COMING.

THE URL IS: (DRUM ROLL PLEASE)

www.FireQuillBlog.com

For your convenience we made it a link!

Come on over!

I have been saying that we were moving our blog.  Well, we have a new template and everything is there.

Our New address:

www.FireQuillBlog.com

Our regular website remains the same:

www.FireQuillPublications.com The best inspirational short stories on the web!

Watch for a change NEXT MONTH on our Bible Study blog. We are planning a whole new look. It will take a couple of days for me to transfer what I have posted now to the new site.  You will like the way we look, I guarantee it!

We will post the new address here when it is up. I won’t be adding anything new to this site this week or next but we will post the announcement HERE when the change is complete.

If your God is Mighty enough to ignite the sun, could it be that He is mighty enough to light your path?

God is for you. Not “may be,” not “has been,” not “was,” not “would be,” but “God is!” He is for you. Today. At this hour. At this minute. As you read this sentence. No need to wait in line or come back tomorrow. He is with you. He could not be closer than he is at this second. His loyalty won’t increase if you are better nor lessen if you are worse. He is for you.

God is for you. Turn to the sidelines; that’s God cheering your run. Look past the finish line; that’s God applauding your steps. Listen for him in the bleachers, shouting your name. Too tired to continue? He’ll carry you. Too discouraged to fight? He’s picking you up. God is for you.

God is for you. Had he a calendar, your birthday would be circled. If he drove a car, your name would be on his bumper. If there’s a tree in heaven, he’s carved your name in the bark. We know he has a tattoo, and we know what it says. “I have written your name on my hand,” he declares (Isaiah 49:16).

From
Let the Journey Begin:
God’s Roadmap for New Beginnings
© (J Countryman 2009) Max Lucado

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October 6, 2009

A couple of months back I wrote about a young family in my church with a baby who has leukemia – baby Dylan Praskins.

Many of you responded that you were praying for him and his family. He has had the bone marrow transplant in a children’s hospital in Tucson. Rather than prattle on let me give you the email address where you can read all about how the Lord is working. We serve an awesome God who is able to do abundantly more than we can ever imagine.

Please go to their blog site and read all about this for yourself. You will be blessed and encouraged.

There is an address on the site if God lays it on your heart to do so to give financially. They need gas cards to provide gas for themselves and their family and food gift cards. No pressure from here. Don’t do this unless God leads you to do so. But if He prompts you do so don’t put it off. The need is great.

The web address is: http://prayfordylan.blogspot.com/

David is presenting his argument for belief in God’s existence

Outline

Vs. 1-6  The testimony of creation

Vs. 7-11  The testimony of God’s word

Vs. 12-14  The testimony of his life

Vs. 1  The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.              Romans 1:19-20

God is clearly displayed through what He has made.

Vs. 2  Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge.

The stars, sun, moon, clouds, wind all display that they had a creator.

It shows that everything was designed.

Even nature (flocks of geese or ducks) flying south fly in a V formation.  The fact that they know to do this shows some design.

Vs. 3-4a     There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard.  Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.

In other words there is no nation or language which cannot hear the voice of nature declaring the glory of God.  This is a universal language, both of the educated and the ignorant.

Vs. 4b-6    In the heavens he has pitched a tent for the sun, which is like a bridegroom coming forth from his pavilion (chamber), like a champion rejoicing to run his course.  (6) It rises at one end of the heavens and makes its circuit to the other; nothing is hidden from its heat.

Sunrise is like the bridegroom coming out of his chamber to meet his bride.  He is radiant with the expectation of his new life, and all the wedding guests share in his excitement. So it is with the evidence in God’s creation radiating throughout the whole world to touch every person like the sun warms us all.

Vs-6  The sun travels from one end of the earth to the other for all to see. Nothing can hide from its heat. It is the same for the unspoken word of God. Nothing can hide from God’s signature in nature.

Vs. 7  The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving (NIV), restoring (NAS), converting (KJ) the soul.

One thing that I recently noted, all these things that the Psalmist says of the Law, statues, precepts ect. Are all attributes of God. Law in this usage means direction or teaching. Example: God is perfect, trustworthy, right ect.

Isaiah 48.17

The statutes (NIV), testimony (NAS & KJ) are trustworthy (NIV), sure (NAS & KJ)

Statutes or testimony in this usage means witness.  You can be sure the witness is true.

Vs. 8    The precepts (NIV & NAS), statutes (KJ) are right, giving joy to the heart.

In this usage statutes or precepts means appointments, charges, or precepts.

Precept in modern language means instruction or principle intended to be taken as a general rule of action.

The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes.

The usage of the word commandment here means precept.

It is what the commandments do that is important.  They give light to the eyes.  In other words, God will not give you more light on a subject if you haven’t obeyed what he has told you to do first.

God says, if when you bring your gift to the altar and you remember that your brother has something against you, to leave your gift at the altar and go and be reconciled and then come back.  If God reminds you of something that you need to do but you don’t do it he is not going to give you any additional light on what is wrong or how to fix it.  You haven’t obeyed the first command.

Vs. 9     The fear of the Lord is pure (clean), enduring forever.

Fear in this usage means reverence.   The reverence of the Lord is clean and pure.

The ordinances(NIV), judgments (NAS/KJ) are sure and altogether righteous.

In this usage judgment means judgment, that’s all.   In other words, whatever God says is righteous.  Proverbs 15:33 The fear of the Lord teaches wisdom. Proverbs is all over that subject.

Vs. 10    They (all the collective above) are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey.

Our lips say this verse is true, but many times our actions say otherwise.

Vs. 11   By keeping them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward.

In Galatians 3:24 Paul compares the law to a schoolmaster.

David looks on it as a positive thing – to be warned is to escape sin. If we are sensitive to the admonishments and keep his commandments, we find there is a great reward, not only for eternity, but also in this life.  Many people who read the Bible daily but really are not of God’s family don’t learn anything from what they read but keep making the same mistakes over again.

Vs. 12   Who can discern his errors?  Forgive my hidden faults. Jeremiah 17:9 “The heart is more deceitful (wicked) than all else and desperately sick; who can know it.”

Vs. 13    Keep your servant also from willful (presumptuous) (means pride) sins may they not rule over me. Then will I be blameless, innocent of great transgression.

David starts off with the milder errors and works his way up to great transgressions, praying that God would keep him from all of them.

After we are saved, we begin to desire the word of God (verse 10). We want to know it, learn it, study it.  As we delve into God’s word, it is then that we are warned of our sinful nature (vs. 11).

We want to be delivered from “small” sins- – ignorance and secret faults

(vs. 12) and we want to be kept away from “big” sins – (false pride, defiance to God’s word, doing things our own way vs. God’s) (vs. 13). The thing that we are warned the most in Scripture is sexual sin, (Proverbs 5 – in fact all through Proverbs) yet that is flaunted daily on TV and the movies as something we should be doing.   David knows he cannot refrain from these by himself, he needs God’s help.

Vs. 14  May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart (everything I say and everything I think) be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.

David closes this Psalm with a beautiful prayer.  He opens with the heavens declaring the glory of God and closes with a prayer that what proceeds from his mouth will not be an embarrassment to God.

In James 3:8-9 James says – the tongue no man can tame.  David prays that God will tame his.

He prays also for the thoughts of his heart. Sometimes our mind is a battleground.  Each one of us needs to ask, ‘are my thoughts pleasing to God’?    We have the ability to choose.   I have observed that what I speak with my mouth is generally what I have been thinking about.  In other words, if I am critical of others, it only follows that I probably have been talking about them with others in this same critical spirit.  When I do that, I am not praying for them. I will never forget a sermon I heard while still in High School. I don’t remember the preachers name but I’ll never forget what he said: “It’s impossible to pray for someone and criticize them at the same time”. Powerful words!

We don’t want to close on the negative or dwell on it either.

Philippians 4:4,  “Rejoice in the Lord always” and in verse 8, “whatsoever things are true,  honest,  just,  pure,  lovely,  of good report;  if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things”.

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Spousal abuse: March 31, 1996 taken from “Signs to Look for in a Battering Personality,” with permission from the Project for Victims of Family Violence, Fayetteville, Ark.

1.        A push for quick involvement: Comes on very strong, claiming, “I’ve never felt loved like this by anyone.”  An abuser pressures the woman for an exclusive commitment almost immediately.

2.        Jealousy: Excessively possessive; calls constantly or visits unexpectedly; prevents you from going to work because “you might meet someone”; checks the mileage on your car.

3.        Controlling: Interrogates you intensely (especially if you’re late) about whom you talked to, and where you were; keeps all the money; insists you ask permission to go anywhere or do anything.

4.        Unrealistic expectation: Expects you to be the perfect woman and meet his every need.

5.        Isolation: Tries to cut you off from family and friends; accuses people who are your supporters of “causing trouble”; the abuser may deprive you of a phone or car or try to prevent you from holding a job.

6.        Blames others for problems and mistakes: The boss, you–it’s always someone else’s fault if anything goes wrong.

7.        Makes everyone else responsible for his feelings: The abuser says, “You make me angry” instead of, “I am angry” or, “You’re hurting me by not doing what I tell you.”

8.        Hypersensitivity: Is easily insulted, claiming that his feelings are hurt when he is really mad.  He’ll rant about the injustice of things that are just part of life.

9.        Cruelty to animals and to children: Kills or punishes animals brutally.  Also may expect children to do things that are beyond their ability (whips a 2 or 3 year-old for wetting a diaper) or teases them until they cry.  Sixty-five percent of partner abusers will also abuse children.

10.       “Playful” use of force during sex: Enjoys throwing you down or holding you down during sex; says he finds the idea of rape exciting.

11.       Verbal abuse: Constantly criticizes you, or says blatantly cruel, hurtful things; degrades, curses, calls you ugly names.  This may also involve sleep deprivation, waking you up with relentless verbal abuse.

12.       Rigid sex roles: Expects you to serve, obey and remain at home.

13.       Sudden mood swings: Switches from sweetly loving to explosively violent in minutes.

14.       Past batterings: Admits hitting women in the past but says they made him do it, or the situation brought it on.

15.       Threats of violence: Makes statements like “I’ll break your neck” or “I’ll kill you,” and then dismisses them with “Everybody talks that way” or “I didn’t really mean it.”  If he has come this far, it is time to get help, or get out.

If your “partner” has any of these tendencies and refuses to acknowledge they need help, get out now and find help. You deserve better than this. No woman – or man either deserves this treatment!

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Why do some die young, while others live long lives?

We can come up with all of our fanciful ideas as to why God lets one live and takes another. I’ve heard them all regarding my own son, who died in July of this year. People will say things like, “Maybe God was saving him from something bad,” or “It’s just that God wanted another angel (and/or flower) in heaven.” The list goes on.

I simply fall back on the fact that I will probably never know why. And even if I did know, I seriously doubt that I would understand.

One day, however, I will. The Bible promises that.

Now we see things imperfectly as in a poor mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God knows me now (1 Corinthians 13:12, NLT).

So, why does God take choice servants “before their time”?

It’s a question many of God’s people probably asked about Stephen, a godly, vibrant young man who became the first martyr of the early church. In that case, we can make a pretty good guess as to why the Lord took him home. God used that shocking murder to stir the believers who seemed to be “landlocked” in a comfortable “holy huddle” in Jerusalem.

Because of the wave of persecution against the church following Stephen’s martyrdom, the believers fanned out into the known world. And so did the Gospel. Then, the very man hunting them and the church’s chief antagonist ended up coming to Christ! I speak, of course, of the conversion of Saul of Tarsus, who became the great apostle Paul.

It was still a great tragedy that a man died so young and so unjustly, and many godly people wept and grieved over the news of what had happened to him. He had been a good man and a good friend, and he was missed!

But that raises the question again. Why does God allow torment for some and triumph for others?

No one can say this side of heaven. The Bible gives us the account of wicked King Herod who arrested and immediately executed the apostle James – brother of John and a close personal friend of Jesus when He walked this earth.

And just like that, he was gone.

Herod, seeing this pleased the religious leaders who hated the church, were delighted when Herod followed up James’ execution with the arrest of Peter. It looked like the end for the former fisherman and church leader, but the believers prayed, and God delivered Peter from his prison. He lived to preach another day. In fact, Bible scholars think Peter lived at least another 20 years before his own date with martyrdom.

But why did James die and Peter go free? It’s hard to say. The fact is, life just doesn’t make sense a great deal of the time. But God has His purposes that often remain a mystery to us.

When we say someone “died before their time,” we are making a false assumption. What we are assuming is that there’s an unwritten promise of a long life. We somehow think that everyone, in the words of Spock from Star Trek, is entitled to “Live long and prosper!”

But the Bible makes no such guarantees. The Bible tells us that our times are in His hands (Psalm 31:15). It also tells us, “There is a time to be born, and a time to die” (Ecclesiastes 3:2). We really have nothing to say about the date of our birth, or death. Then again, we have a lot to say about that space in the middle.

Moses wrote: “So teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom” (Psalm 90:12). To “number our days” means to “make the most of our time.”

So, here’s is how it breaks down:

• Don’t take any of your loved ones for granted.
• If there’s someone who needs to hear you say, “I love you,” DO IT NOW!
• If there’s a change you need to make in your life, DO IT NOW!

Dave Freeman wrote a very popular book entitled, “100 Things to Do Before You Die.” In the book, he offered this counsel: “This life is a short journey. … How can you make sure you fill it with the most fun and that you visit all the coolest places on earth before you pack those bags for the very last time?” He goes on to detail some ways to “really make life count” by doing things like attending the Academy Awards and running with the bulls in Pamplona, Spain.

The sad thing is that the author of this book died recently at the age of 47, after hitting his head in a fall in his home. He had only accomplished half of the items on his list. According to a friend interviewed after the author’s sudden death, Dave Freeman’s mantra in life was: “You should live every day like it would be your last.” The friend added, “There’s not many people who do.”

Life, however, is more than “visiting the coolest places” and “having the most fun.” There is a place for adventure and hilarity, but life – real life – is about bringing glory to our Creator, learning His will and following it.

That is the one thing we should all be doing.

The Bible gives us the account of when Jesus stopped in at the home of his friends, Mary and Martha. Martha wanted to make Jesus a gourmet feast and was working slavishly in the kitchen. She got so caught up and flustered by this effort that she stormed out to where Jesus was teaching in the other room and demanded that her sister – who had been sitting at His feet drinking in every word – come and assist her.

The fact of the matter is, there is a time for work, and there is a time to sit and listen to what God has to say. Mary understood that. So, seeing her frustration, Jesus said to Martha: “Martha, dear Martha, you’re fussing far too much and getting yourself worked up over nothing. One thing only is essential, and Mary has chosen it – it’s the main course, and won’t be taken from her” (Luke 10:41-42, The Message).

“Only one thing is essential,” said Jesus. Mary understood that essential thing to be time with God, and glorifying Him with her life.

In the final analysis, it’s not a matter of if you will die, but only when. So do what you need to do now, and then you can live with a clear conscience, ready to meet God at the time He appoints, whether it be today or 80 years from now.

My son Christopher was walking with and glorifying God when he was called home. I was proud of him then (and told him so), and I am proud of him now.

A friend from my church sent me this YouTube link. It’s a beautiful piece of Christian music.   I hope you will take the 3 – 4 minutes to listen/watch. You will be glad you did.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3vmTkXNpwzs

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Have you ever made decisions about your relationships based on your feelings instead of the facts? When it comes to love, feelings rule the day. Emotions guide the ship. Goose bumps call the shots. But should they? Can feelings be trusted? Can a relationship feel right but be wrong?

Feelings can fool you. Yesterday I spoke with a teenage girl who is puzzled by the lack of feelings she has for a guy. Before they started dating, she was wild about him. The minute he showed interest in her, however, she lost interest.

I’m thinking also of a young mom. Being a parent isn’t as romantic as she anticipated. Diapers and midnight feedings aren’t any fun, and she’s feeling guilty because they aren’t. Am I low on love? she wonders.

How do you answer such questions? Ever wish you had a way to assess the quality of your affection? A DNA test for love? Paul offers us one: “Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth” (1 Cor. 13:6 NIV). In this verse lies a test for love.

Want to separate the fake from the factual, the counterfeit from the real thing? Want to know if what you feel is genuine love? Ask yourself this:

Do I encourage this person to do what is right?  For true love “takes no pleasure in other people’s sins but delights in the truth” (1 Cor. 13:6 JB).

If you find yourself prompting evil in others, heed the alarm. This is not love. And if others prompt evil in you, be alert.

Here’s an example. A classic one. A young couple are on a date. His affection goes beyond her comfort zone. She resists. But he tries to persuade her with the oldest line in the book: “But I love you. I just want to be near you. If you loved me …”

That siren you hear? It’s the phony-love detector. This guy doesn’t love her. He may love having sex with her. He may love her body. He may love boasting to his buddies about his conquest. But he doesn’t love her. True love will never ask the “beloved” to do what he or she thinks is wrong.

Love doesn’t tear down the convictions of others. Quite the contrary.

“Love builds up” (1 Cor. 8:1).

“Whoever loves a brother or sister lives in the light and will not cause anyone to stumble” (1 John 2:10).

“You are sinning against Christ when you sin against other Christians by encouraging them to do something they believe is wrong” (1 Cor. 8:12 NLT).

Do you want to know if your love for someone is true? If your friendship is genuine? Ask yourself: Do I influence this person to do what is right?

From A Love Worth Giving
Copyright (Thomas Nelson, 2002) Max Lucado

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